Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Travelling 3 months out



Recommended Posts

So I'm going on holidays for four days with friends who don't know about my sleeve in May - I will be one week shy of three months after my operation, and it will be six weeks after I'm cleared for solid food.

What I want to ask is how much should I expect to be able to eat at a meal? I've already planned to just tell them I'm trying to get fit and so cutting down on my portions - but obviously if I can only eat a couple of bites of food when we go for a meal, they will know that's not normal eating even for someone who's cutting down.

So my first question is whether what I can eat will be enough to not make them suspicious? And whether anyone has any ideas how to handle that situation?

Secondly, I've accepted that that will be a weekend when I probably won't eat at my healthiest and I'm not stressing about that - I'm sure at some point in the four days, when we go out to eat, we'll end up at a burger place or a fast food place. My plan is to try and steer us towards healthier options where I can, but if I can't (after all it's their holiday too) then I'm not going to stress about a few days off plan.

But my second question is what happens if we do end up in a fast food place? At three months out, how do you think I might be able to handle, say, half a burger and a couple of fries or something like that?

(BTW - I know that this is not ideal and is off plan and that I should be avoiding unhealthy food - I get that, so no need to remind me - but as I say, I've decided that I'm willing to go off plan a little for a few days in order to have a stress free few days away - I just want to know what my body is likely to be able to handle)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am just back from a tour of a week and I completed 3 months while on the tour. What I did was eat cheese omlete in Breakfast, which almost always available in most hotels. Bought and kept few packs of milk for Fluid intake. We were provided lunch and dinner during conference, i would eat cheese, chicken/beef, fruit part of it and leave the rest. A couple of times when we did go to fast food place, I ate just few fries, like 3-4 with Water.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My concern would be, if you DO end up there, is the food going to make you sick? Fries make me violently ill now for some reason. You might want to "pre-test" some ground beef prior to the trip, that way you'll know whether you can blend in or need to stick with a side salad and some chicken.

I went on a trip at about the 3 month mark, but it was with people who knew I had it done - otherwise it would've been noteworthy. Start playing up how serious you are about this lifestyle change in advance - at 3 months, you should be down enough for THAT to be noticeable too. That'll probably keep you from catching any side-eye about Protein shakes or whatever.

Have fun!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, test out foods beforehand. You won't be able to eat much. I sometimes order off the kids menu if the restaurant allows and there is something other than chicken nuggets on the menu. Soup also doesn't seem so obvious to how little you can eat . Or if you and your friends are up to it, you can share plates. Portions are usually so large anyway.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Always always always pick an appetizer!! It's going to be smaller portioned than an entree and usually less expensive! Soup is also a good option but im sure you're not going to want to eat soup constantly! Besides that's a slider food and a lot of Soups might be cream based which means lots of hidden calories. Good luck!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I disagree with the appetizer. Most items on the appetizer menu are starchy fried fatty foods. Yummy of course but unless it's a shrimp cocktail or something along those lines, it's hard to eat healthy from appetizers. The kids menus are overlooked because most people think thy only have selection like Mac and cheese and hamburgers. Some are that way, but there are many restraunts that have grilled chicken breasts and vegetables on their kid menus. It's hard to go to dinner and find small healthy portions.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As far as fast food goes, Wendy's Chili was just added to the "foods u can have" list... So it's a good option if u go to fast food places.... I certainly would just show that u are pulling out all the stops to focus on your weight, shape and overall health. So anywhere u eat, be sure to check or ask for the nutrition values in the meals u may want to indulge in. Good lick and have fun!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks all. I've told one of my travelling companions who is my best friend, so he'll be able to steer the conversation away from food if anyone wants to discuss how little I'm eating.

As I said, I'm not too worried about how to eat healthily - I've accepted that those four days may not be the healthiest, so if I end up eating some fried food, I'm not too worried. I don't plan on living my life with no breaks from healthy eating. I also don't have any external targets to meet - I don't need to show anyone that I am eating healthily. It's really all about my own goals and targets.

I'm also in Europe, so specific suggestions about Wendy's etc won't work for me (but they might be helpful for others looking in with similar questions).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • 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.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • 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.
      · 1 reply
      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.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

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

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×