Okay.. So.. I am 7 weeks out from surgery and cleared to try anything I'd like to.. most things go down well. My friend's birthday is tonight and we're going to go to a Chinese buffet. Needless to say.. I cannot eat at a buffet the way I used to but the price is not going to change (unless by some miracle I can explain and they'll let me eat a child buffet but let's assume I won't get that lucky). How do you guys make the most out of a buffet? In general I don't eat around my sleeve and I'm doing good on weightloss.. but if I am going to go to a buffet.. I'd like to make it count and it's not like at a regular restaurant where I can get a normal portion size and just take home what I can't eat either... So what are your tricks and tips for getting the most out of your money at a buffet after sleeve surgery.

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PS I'm just going to say I can see this becoming a hot topic.. but I'm doing well. I've lost 35 pounds... my doctor says I'm well ahead of the curve for his patients on loss. I'm exercising regularly. I'm making better food choices than I ever have and "slider foods" aren't a thing for me.. I just don't have a problem with them... I'm seeking information from those who've been here and not a debate about whether I should be going, whether this is a slider food, whether I'm going to mess up my weight loss or any other hot topic. -thank you-

I am not sure exactly what components I could tolerate in a smoothie. I haven't been able to tolerate any Protein powders, slimfast etc yet. Not allowed berries or fruit yet. And I can only take in a few ounces every hour so have to choose between Water for hydration and food. Still all very difficult, especially when I read of people eating so much at a time! I have no idea how they do it!

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I still do shake or 2 everyday. I order from unjury.com, they have a few choices to order from. They are pricey, but only one I can drink. I order vanilla, strawberry, and unflavored. This time I did order a chicken Soup just because I still have 11 pounds to lose and seems like that is the hardest to lose. I do drink with milk so that gives me more protein.

I am not sure exactly what components I could tolerate in a smoothie. I haven't been able to tolerate any Protein powders, slimfast etc yet. Not allowed berries or fruit yet. And I can only take in a few ounces every hour so have to choose between Water for hydration and food. Still all very difficult, especially when I read of people eating so much at a time! I have no idea how they do it!

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I have a stricture and a VERY tight sleeve so I was a very slow mover through the food stages. I drank the Carb Advantage (Sam's or Walmart) Protein shakes because they were a bit thinner than Premiere. I filled my Tervis Tumbler up to the brim with crushed ice and poured the shake over it. It took me hours to finish it, but the Tervis kept it cold.

This helped me get in a full Protein Drink as well as about 20oz of liquid from the ice. I had 2 of these daily along with as much 50/50 Gatorade Water I could handle.

I think that my sleeve is quite small because the surgeon said something to me about how small he had made it.

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I don't do buffets. They are an absolute waste of money. I've had Chinese food since surgery, but was 9 months out and at goal weight. I ordered a small meal and ate on it for a week. As a rule of thumb when dining out, my husband and I share a meal. We always have leftovers. I refuse to waste food. If I can't re-heat it, I won't order it.

@@GinaCampbell man, your story makes me so very thankful that I didn't have your complications. I'm blessed to be healthy and didn't have many problems at all with my sleeve or advancing through the food stages! I can related to your pizza hut problem. We went there after VBS to eat one night when I was 5 weeks out. I couldn't yet have salad. I wasn't brave enough to try Pasta lol.. they didn't have anything on the menu but wings and pizza so I wound up just eating the cheese and meat off some pizza crust. Your granddaughter is lucky to have a Grandma who cares so much!

I think you're right - I'll never be able to eat the quantity I used to at a buffet, and that's okay with me. I don't want to. I had surgery for a reason but this thread had given me so many great tips to make buffets worth it in their own way when I do wind up having to go to one.

I do wonder if I will ever get well. Everything, and I mean everything from popsicles to soup goes straight from mouth to exit point within an hour so this meal out will be tricky.

It's like I have dumping syndrome with everything. So I am housebound still except for hospital appts and this little trip out today. I had to stop trying to eat anything at 4 pm yesterday to make sure I don't have an accident this morning.

When I hear of people eating food successfully, I feel so sad that I don't know when I ever will.

They literally don't know what is wrong with me now.

So for today, I am going to fake a smile, and enjoy my little lovely.

I plan to simply order the same as my daughter and just move food around my plate!

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Have you tried looking on my protein.com. They have protein powder in individual sachets so that you can try different ones. This might be helpful for you to find one you can tolerate. Also Greek yoghurt is a good source of protein. Fage 0% is lovely but quite expensive (available all UK supermarkets). Aldi do a fabulous Greek yoghurt which is so creamy and delicious. Make sure you buy Greek yogurt and not Greek style yoghurt as I find there is a huge difference in protein.

Sorry this hasn't helped with your Pizza Hut problem.

I have tried all different Protein powders, drinks, greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, regular milk, lacto free milk, eggs, cheese. You name it, I have tried it. Tried baby food, slim fast, complan, fortisip, nurishment etc.

Nothing stays in and most of them threaten to come back up.

Imodium doesn't stop the diarrhea nor does codeine phosphate.

The only relief I get from diarrhea is when I sleep and if I eat nothing.

So I drink Water in the morning, have chicken soup at lunchtime and a beef based thicker soup or stew around 5 pm. I am in and out of the loo from morning and it stops when everything is out by around 7 pm.

Then it all starts again the next day.

If I try to eat more substantial meals ( small amounts of shredded chicken, beef, egg etc with mash ), I get dreadful cramping behind my belly button in addition.

I am supposed to be having a colonoscopy Thursday but am so scared that the enema I have to drink will hurt my stomach and cause me more pain but what can I do?

I did go with my little one to pizza hut and pushed bits around my plate.

There was nothing that I was really allowed to eat.

I would have been much happier just ordering some water and just socialising.

My granddaughter would have been okay with that. It's the adults that seem to struggle.

Nevermind. From now on, I am just going to avoid meals out until I am more stable physically and mentally.

And yes, had to rush to the loo during lunch. Pizza hut had really a really nice disabled toilet, I thank them!

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I recently went to a Chinese buffet as part of a birthday celebration for someone.

I was hungry since I skipped Breakfast in anticipation of this and ate too fast and a little too much -big mistake. Well, my sleeved stomach adjusted the level about 1/2 an hour later.

I rather go to a traditional restaurant and bring half the portion home.

Just ate forbidden good. Chocolate. I'm going to hate myself tomorrow morning .

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