I just found out that I have to go to a work conference at 3 weeks post op. It includes attending meals that are all provided. My boss and coworkers do not know that I had wls, they know minimal details that I had a surgery and this conference is the week after I return to work. I will take some food with me and pre-plan as best I can but anyone deal with anything similar? I will be transitioning from purée to mushy soft right at that point.

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The important thing is if they don't serve something you are confident you can eat, then don't eat then! Don't risk it. If anyone questions your not eating (I am imagining my typical professional conferences where you may be seated with acquaintances or people you don't know at all) just tell them you aren't feeling up to food. If they look alarmed, reassure them that you are not contagious.

Make sure you bring non-perishable foods you can eat later in your hotel room such as tuna packets. You can also get things like scrambled eggs from room service. Try to make sure you have a mini-fridge in your room, then find the nearest market and stock it with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, protein shakes, etc.

I know a lot of people rely on protein bars in this sort of situation -- I personally find them a trigger food and detrimental to weight loss, so I stay away. YMMV.

If you can eat soup, there will often be that available as an option for you at conference meals as well.

Good luck!

@@NWJill

You can ship Protein shakes to your hotel before you get there, if you think you will have an issue with finding the right kind of shakes.

I used to travel extensively for work, and sometimes I would ship things to myself ahead of time when I went to locations that didn't have what I wanted.

Hopefully there is some soft baked white wish around. That would be perfect for you to have at that point, with Protein Shakes.

Good luck!

You can always say that you want to stay sharp and that's why you eat only a little bit. We all know how those heavy meals can make you drowsy. Also you could contact the person in charge of foods (if it's a sit down event) and let them know you have a special diet and would prefer blended Soups. That can usually be arranged if they know it in advance. Buffet breakfasts etc should have something for everyone. You could even ask for a smoothie or eat at your room (shake) before joining everyone for a decaf coffee or tea.

Where there's a will, there's a way. Just make sure to get enough sleep, you will need it to heal.

Nilla

If they don't give you a fridge, you can say you need to store medicine and they have to give it to you (it is our medicine right?

I would get a small cooler you can keep in your bag, too. You can get 4oz disposable containers to pop a little something before your meal

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Thanks all, I am driving as it is only 2.5 hours away, so at least I can stock my car. Good reminder to ask to make sure I have a mini fridge, I know the city I am staying in, so I know there is a walmart next to my hotel, so I can run there if I get in a pinch for Protein shakes. I'm going to ask the hotel what they offer for their Breakfast, I am hoping for scrambled or hard boiled eggs. My sister found mini crock pots on Amazon and I was thinking I can get one and warm some soup in my room if I need to. I will make it work somehow but it may be a long few days.

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At 3 weeks I could eat only extremely tiny portions of purees (and very slowly because I didn't know how much I could eat). Having a small plate with a tiny portion was essential to avoid me trying to have too much - at that point for me, less than a teaspoon more than I needed was enough to make me feel very ill. I personally would just try to stick to soup for ease of what to say (and the importance of sticking to your plan and not ending up eating too much). What you eat will look less 'odd' than trying to eat a tiny portion of something. I ate soup at work for a while rather than purees/soft foods while I went through that stage for that reason.

Remember that this is your choice and no-one else's business. This phase will pass. They probably won't remember it and you will reap the benefits. Hope all goes well.

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