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My experiance of an all you can eat buffet.



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Hi all..

I am about 6/7 weeks out been on normal foods since week 4+ as was aproved by my surgeon when I saw him.

I thought it would be nice to share my experience as pre sleeve I would research what it would be like after ovcourse its different for all.

So I am on holiday at the moment. We were looking for a restaurant not all you can eat as I had it down ordering in a restaurant, but the tai driver mis understood and took us to an all you can eat buffet were you can not order food of the menu. My mum was worried and said we should go somewere else as I wont eat much here and she thought it was not fair for me to just watch everyone eating lol.

I said it was fine! I will have to come eventually etc.

So I looked around to see what I wanted to eat, and tried little bits, like olives some meat. 2 things I tried was a waste lol but unfortunately filled me up! My family was having a great time.. While they were off getting ice cream, I looked around..

I love people watching. My family ordered milkshakes, and everyone around had a drink with their meal. ( Obviously) The drinks looked refreshing.. I then felt my first moment of ' Aww I wish I could drink with my meal.. Or drink right now" I carried on looking around having a conversation in my head. Then I suddenly felt a burst of happiness " Hold on a minute , I have come to an all you can eat buffet were I usually would have had so many plates then the deserts, and I am not even tempted by the deserts, they looked so heavy. I felt happy then because my tool makes me feel superhuman to have all this food around but I have no choice, I have to only eat a small amount. I told my mum " This sleeve has changed my mind too, the thought of those deserts do not tempt me at all" And I had a great time, I enjoyed spending time with my family, and I was worried how I would deal going out to eat, but also ate at the restaurant in the hotel and I loved the duck and spinach starter I ate and took the rest to my room.

I feel really good, and 'normal' I do not feel like my sleeve is isolating me or making me not be able to do things which I worried about before, and saw others worrying. Even if I was still on liquids or soft there surprisingly was alot of options, so many Soups etc. :)

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This is exactly how I feel!!! I'm happy for the restriction and don't feel tempted at all for sweets or anything. I love eating with the goal of nutrition and not my old way of pigging out. I used to go to buffets and leave stuffed. I'll go in a social setting but that's it. There's no appeal to a place that is designed for the overeater. NO thanks!!!!!!

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We used to go out to eat all the time, but that has diminished dramatically.

Usually I just order a cup of Soup. $3.00 Bam, done.

One time, a restaurant didn't have soup, so I ordered a full size entree. I was kinda horrified to be presented with so much food.

With that in mind, a buffet would likely be good since you can control how much food you put on your plate. (Downfall is feeling like you overpaid).

Nice hearing others' experiences!

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Hi all..

I am about 6/7 weeks out been on normal foods since week 4+ as was aproved by my surgeon when I saw him.

I thought it would be nice to share my experience as pre sleeve I would research what it would be like after ovcourse its different for all.
So I am on holiday at the moment. We were looking for a restaurant not all you can eat as I had it down ordering in a restaurant, but the tai driver mis understood and took us to an all you can eat buffet were you can not order food of the menu. My mum was worried and said we should go somewere else as I wont eat much here and she thought it was not fair for me to just watch everyone eating lol.

I said it was fine! I will have to come eventually etc.
So I looked around to see what I wanted to eat, and tried little bits, like olives some meat. 2 things I tried was a waste lol but unfortunately filled me up! My family was having a great time.. While they were off getting ice cream, I looked around..

I love people watching. My family ordered milkshakes, and everyone around had a drink with their meal. ( Obviously) The drinks looked refreshing.. I then felt my first moment of ' Aww I wish I could drink with my meal.. Or drink right now" I carried on looking around having a conversation in my head. Then I suddenly felt a burst of happiness " Hold on a minute , I have come to an all you can eat buffet were I usually would have had so many plates then the deserts, and I am not even tempted by the deserts, they looked so heavy. I felt happy then because my tool makes me feel superhuman to have all this food around but I have no choice, I have to only eat a small amount. I told my mum " This sleeve has changed my mind too, the thought of those deserts do not tempt me at all" And I had a great time, I enjoyed spending time with my family, and I was worried how I would deal going out to eat, but also ate at the restaurant in the hotel and I loved the duck and spinach starter I ate and took the rest to my room.

I feel really good, and 'normal' I do not feel like my sleeve is isolating me or making me not be able to do things which I worried about before, and saw others worrying. Even if I was still on liquids or soft there surprisingly was alot of options, so many Soups etc. [emoji4]



Thank you for sharing!


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Sounds like a great experience!

I actually love buffets post op... I don't focus on getting my "money's worth" in amount, I look at it as paying for variety. I usually share and let my husband or kid pick what we order but at buffets I can put a bite or two of several things on my plate (ok at four years out, granted) and make all my own choices!

I've enjoyed them thoroughly since about two months post op.


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I would like to say that meant to say taxi driver not tai driver . OOPS!

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I have not been to a buffet yet since surgery but I think my strategy would be non creamy Soups and veggies/salad first as they are healthy sliders for me and the 2-3 ounces of Protein to close her shut. I think it would be fun. My wife was all concerned before the surgery about us never going out. I just never saw it as a problem, my choices are just way more healthier now. We went out to a Vietnamese restaurant recently I had a delicious seafood Pho. I ignored the noodles and the friends who were with us, who don't know about my surgery would have never suspected I was anything but a slightly picky eater, I had a great time,

Edited by apu

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      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.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

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

    • CaseyP1011

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