I am wondering what you do at a social event, such as holidays or eating out with friends and family. What can we do? Can we eat before the event and then just drink water the whole time during the event?

You can eat at any event. I don't limit myself on "not eating out". Make good food choices. Go for grilled meats and vegetables. Just because you are banded doesn't mean that you have to do without and just drink water when you are there.

I usually get something to dip my grilled chicken in (it tends to want to get stuck more than any other food). I go out to eat and attend work functions. No one knows I have the band unless I tell them.

Live your life as you want to - there are no limitations. The band is not intended for you to do without.

I agree with Leslie.

You certainly don't have to be left out at any event...the Lap Band would really suck if we had to do that!

Prior to the event I try to schedule my meals so that I will be ready to eat at the event. When I arrive I order a drink right away and stop drinking when the meal arrives. I order the appropriate food, and I eat very slowly so that I am not finished way before everyone else at the table.

That's the beauty of the band. We can still be normal. I got the band for quality of life. If I had to stop living normally, it woulnd't have been a choice for me. You can eat what everyone else is eating. If it's not a good choice, limit it to one bite. If it's healthy and a smart choice, eat what you are able to with your restriction. You did this to make your life better, not worse!!!

Maybe you don't need to see another post where I'm just agreeing with everyone else, but here it is anyway. Since getting the band I have tried hard to get myself out of that old diet mentality..... "Can't have this, can't have that, oh no I ate a cookie, now I've blown it for the day so I might as well eat what I want and start over tomorrow". LOL.

I usually plan my meals the night before on TheDailyPlate, so when I get up in the morning I know exactly what I'm going to eat all day. But. If something comes along to force me off my plan, I'm trying to be relaxed about that. And if it's a social event, I'm there to enjoy it. Those are the things in life that are fun and help us get through the other parts of life that are obligations (like work!) and they are meant to be enjoyed. Like a previous poster said, I try to plan my meals so that I'm ready to eat at the event. Then I try to make healthy choices and keep my portions under control. If I give in and splurge a little bit on a not-so-healthy choice, it's ok. I have found it easy to have one glass of wine and then stop (it used to always be at least 2 glasses).

I want to just feel "normal", not like I'm always on some special restricted plan that turns occasions into a time of anxiety.

On the other hand........don't know when your surgery was, but notice you just joined the board in May. If you are just a few weeks out, you may be limited in what you can eat. Don't try eating anything in public that you have not already tried in the privacy of your own home.....it can ruin your party if it's something you can't handle (chicken being one of the common culprits:scared2:). Eat at least 30 min or so before you go so you won't be hungry and tempted to eat things there that might cause a problem. Be sure you drink before you eat anything then quit during your meal.....and don't drink for 30-40 min. after eating...if you get your pouch full and then try to drink, it may come back up. Nibble around, think of something interesting to talk about and have a good time. Parties have got to become about more than food.........something many of us

(like me!) are learning late in life!

When I go out to a social or family function, I just do like I always do. I eat what I feel I want. Granted since I’ve changed my life around I always WANT the right things.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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I also would never choose something to eat at a place where many are around that I’ve not tried before. I want to limit my disasters to the privacy of my own home!<o:p></o:p>

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The band is not meant to completely limit yourself and always feel like you are on a diet. In fact, the band is for the complete opposite. It is meant to limit your intake to a very small portion(s) and to keep you satisfied until it is time for your next meal.<o:p></o:p>

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Have a blast!! Don’t spend all of your time worrying and just live your life being happy and healthy!!<o:p></o:p>

I have learned at cocktail parties to take a little bit of a few things. I have noticed that if you get a huge plate of something then it is very obvius when you only eat a small amount but when you start with a smaller portion it is not so obvious. You can always go back for more. At restaurants I frequently get appetisers as my meal and tell them to serve it with everyone elses meal. I also drink before the meal sometimes even alcohol but stop when the food comes and do not drink again for at least 30 minutes. You will probably find that some days you can eat almost anything pretty well and other days you have trouble eating. I try to eat smushier stuff in public if I am having a bad day.

I do as Fort Bend Band and I order apetizers, and serve small portions of food on my plate.

At first I never ate out or at parties, but as i was getting used to the band I also started to feel comfortable with eating the small portions, if someone asks, I just tell them I'm not that hungry, and that's it.