I'm only a week out from surgery but was wondering how people order when eating at a restaurant. If you want a salad (my favorite) do you order off the regular menu and ask to make it the size of a side salad so you don't waste?

Also wondering if most people were allowed to run after your two week checkup?

I've never had trouble eating out at any stage. Early stages I usually stuck w/some kind of Soup (eating around chunky vegetables and meat for liquid and pureed stages, chewing very well in following stages).

After that I opted for softer, more moist foods - mostly seafood and ground meats. I've had pan-seared scallops, baked fish, meatloaf, meatballs, chili, burrito bowls (burrito w/o the tortilla), sushi w/brown rice, and steamed or roasted veggies. Soup is always an option almost anywhere you go. Also I've made a meal out of an appetizer - shrimp cocktail is still a favorite meal of mine. I started eating salads again around three months ago but usually order a half-salad (our favorite pizza shop makes a half size, as does Panera Bread). Some restaurants have 'add-on's'. If someone in your party orders say, scallops, then you can add-on a few extra for your meal. If you explain you have dietary restrictions for a medical reason most will be understanding and accommodating. :-)

As for portion sizes, if I order my own meal when eating out, either my husband will finish it or I get the rest to go and manage another meal or two out of it.

In my program we're not supposed to have salad for the first 6 months. When I get to that point I'll likely still avoid them from restaurants as most have so many calories and such little Protein that it wouldn't fit into my plan.

In the early stages I tried not to go out to eat much as I assumed nobody had options that would work for what I needed nutritionally and I have a hard time judging portions without my scale.

Now that I've tried it a few times, I no longer hesitate, but I make sure we're going somewhere I can get a steak or grilled chicken and plan on taking home leftovers for another meal or two. I still second-guess myself on the portion as I still rely heavily on my scale though.

I went out to eat starting my 3rd week. I ordered shrimp cocktails from the appetizer section or a fish taco a la carte. I would just eat the fish and leave the tortilla & veggies. I am a month and a half out and I went out for sushi, I ate about 5 pieces of fish and left the rice, half of vegetable & shrimp tempura and half a california roll made with light rice. Another place I went to I ordered chicken & shrimp, I gave my husband my salad. I just ate a couple bites of the chicken & shrimp took the rest along with my veggies home and ate them later on. I figure I will just be taking the majority of my food home to eat at another time. Lots of places will let you order an item a la carte if you just ask.

Edited August 11, 201411 yr by rubyred138