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You're stuck all day and can't bring in your own food



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What do you do when you go to a place that has really expensive high sugar, no Protein food and you can't bring in your own food? I'm talking concerts, Water parks, amusement parks, zoos even?

Yesterday I had to eat a cliff bar and part of a Gatorade. By the time we left I felt exhausted just from not eating enough and having too many carbs.

Do you risk it and just bring your own food and hide it? I'm thinking that is the way to go. It's not like I'm trying to steal something, I have legitimate physical issues that preclude me from eating their gross food!

I even tried to eat a lot of Protein before we left and a drank a lot of Water. But with a sleeve there's only so much you can do!

Edited by greensleeve

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Have your doctor write you a "medically necessary" letter and keep it in your wallet. Bring what you need (don't try to cheat for others in your party). And if they give you any trouble mention discrimination and your lawyer.

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May I suggest Quest Protein Bars. They have no sugar, high Fiber, low fat, low carbs because of so much fiber and they have 20 to 21 grams of Protein in them. They taste really good.

I don't no what stage you are at but Almonds make an easy thing to carry just get them with no salt or sugar on them.

Make yourself a Protein Shake in a thermos and carry that with you.

I also have a card from the surgeon that says I can only have certain foods due dietary problems. Something like that will help you.

You could have a grilled chicken breast, small hamburger just have these without the bun and just vegtables. If you need to use a condiment only mustard while you are out. ketchup to high in sugar.

If there is a sit down restaurant try egg white veggie omelette made in cooking spray or the above things I suggested. Have a turkey sandwich with out the bread and have vegtables.

Just a few ideas.

Have fun with your family.

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It is a nice idea to keep a 'medically necessary' letter in your pocket so that you can carry what you need to eat,in places where you are not allowed to carry your food.It becomes increasingly difficult for someone who is in a similar condition as yours(that you have had a gastric sleeve surgery).I feel people become helpful once they know your medical condition.

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In my experience, in most of those places you can find wls-friendly food. Would it be something you would want to eat all day, every day? Probably not, but it won't hurt you for one day. Get a burger and throw out the bun. Get a turkey sandwich and throw out the bread. Most of those sorts of places will be harboring things like sausages, shrimp skewers, hot carved sandwiches, or salads somewhere.

To be on the safe side I usually do smuggle in some nuts and Protein bars, but I've never had to actually use them.

Edited by Bufflehead

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You can always get Water. Bring a packet of Protein Powder with you. Throw a Protein Bar in your pocket and show em your scars if they wanna frisk you! I'm also thinking any of those places will offer hotdogs or burgers...just don't eat the bun.

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I have a purse that has a million zipper pockets. One of them is on the back of the bag where no one ever checks no one will ever check the change pocket part of a purse/bag either. We went to six flags last weekend. I took a banana, a Protein bar, and a water bottle in with me and I was fine all day. You can buy a collapsible/foldable Water bottle that's easy to take in anywhere, I just refilled it from the water fountain through out the day.

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I take in my purse, beef Jerky, dry roasted ememame and string cheese. Unless they are searching my purse it works. There really has been any place that I can't find something to eat. Even a hamburger losing the bread. If nothing else, syntax nectar in the individual powder packages is liquid Protein when mixed with Water.

Hope that helps. :-)

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My tip for smuggling in food, at least for women - put it in an interior zipper compartment of your bag. Put a couple of tampons and sanitary pads on top. No one is going to rummage past those! And I've noticed that most places are a lot more lax these days about searching handbags than they were ten years ago, when everyone seemed convinced that Al Qaeda was going to try to blow up their local concert in the park.

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I also recommend having a letter from your doctor. I have not run into a problem with my shakes, etc. I would argue if they would deny a baby's formula in a bottle...if they allow that, then they must allow you also to bring in the products you need to survive!

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Premier Protein drinks have 30gm each and come on a little premixed carton. They are easy to take with you anywhere. A medical note should protect you from the " no carry food in " rule

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I agree with all of the above. It is a medical necessity for you to have what you need and they would have a lawsuit on their hands if anything happens to you while you are there...the medical note should suffice and you bring what you need. I did Disney World Theme Parks and they were very accommodating right down to letting me order off the children's menu-no questions asked.

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      Soooo I am coming to a realization
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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