Hi,

I just found this site and find it very informative and helpful. I am scheduled for my LB surgery in less then two weeks. I am an ERP consultant and travel frequently. I do not have a physical job and plan to work from home for a week and after about 12 days resume travel if I feel ok and doctor approves.

Other then my boss I have not discussed my surgery with any collogues and really was not planning to. How do you handle group lunches and such? I am ok with the Protein shakes at the hotel, but often go with co-workers to lunch. I was thinking Soup as my main meal but I guess for the first few weeks that is limited to broth. Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Hi,

I just found this site and find it very informative and helpful. I am scheduled for my LB surgery in less then two weeks. I am an ERP consultant and travel frequently. I do not have a physical job and plan to work from home for a week and after about 12 days resume travel if I feel ok and doctor approves.

Other then my boss I have not discussed my surgery with any collogues and really was not planning to. How do you handle group lunches and such? I am ok with the Protein shakes at the hotel, but often go with co-workers to lunch. I was thinking soup as my main meal but I guess for the first few weeks that is limited to broth. Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks.

hi - i'm going to speak for my husband (banded - but not on this site) who travels 15+ days a month. he has also after 14 months not shared w/his colleagues that he has the band.

for quite a while he did order soup - now he'll order fish/lean meat/salad/, anything on the menu that he can get through w/out having a stuck episode (foods that are OK for him after trial-error). he said he's learned the art of taking 2/4 bites and moving his food around like he did eat something when in a stressful situation or the food is too difficult to handle. he got a lot of questions, as he was a big eater - he's just replied that he's cut his portions & is exercising.....

funny thing, we had his company holiday party 2 wks ago & several guys have gone on a diet after he lost all his weight. he was an influence & didn't even know OR share his WLS...

good luck to you!!

I am also a frequent business traveler, upwards of 65% on the road, I have frequent lunches and dinners with clients as well as with colleagues. I am also interested in any tips etc, I am due to be banded on Jan. 22nd and will not travel for probably two weeks or so, but after that I will most likely be back on the road. I'll work on figuring things out of course, and would be happy to share things I learn.

The first dinner meeting or happy hour or luncheon after surgery is my biggest source of fear. I am afraid that I may eat something that will cause me to really embarass myself. As I am only 4 days post-op, I suppose that I will get more confident with what I can handle once I start to eat regular foods again and will just be extra careful. I don't travel as much as many of you have indicated but the dinner meetings and luncheons are typically as important as the actual business.

I had a business trip for a job interview 2 weeks after I was banded, that included a lunch. I had just started the soft food stage, and was stressed when they took me to a Mexican place for lunch! Luckily, they did have soup on the menu, so that's what I ordered. I did feel self conscience so I just mentioned that I had just finished 2 weeks of liquid diet, so I was easing my way back into food. There were no follow up questions and we just went about discussing the job opportunity.

The good (?) news about the band is that after the first 3 weeks, and until you get 2-3 fills, you can eat fairly regular food, and nothing gets stuck. For me, I was able to keep making good food decisions, and lost 8 pounds, but it wasn't because the band was "restricting" me. It had more to do with 2 weeks of liquid diet that shrunk my stomach and made it easier to control my food quantities.

In early Dec. I had my second fill, and finally felt the restriction that the LB promises. I have spent the last few weeks trying to figure out what foods I can eat, and what I can't. Even the foods I can eat, I can't eat much before feeling extremely full..so when I'm eating out I usually order an appetizer or soup/salad. The other thing is that it takes a good 30 minutes for me to get close to finishing, because it takes time between bites, before I feel like I'm ready for another bite. Since I'm an extrovert, I just talk more during these meals, since I'm not shoveling food in like before my LB.

I've been over to friends and a few Holiday Party's and have just tried to make good choices, but I'm really limited with what I can eat, so I try to concentrate on Protein first, then if I have any room, I can try other stuff. Also, I can't drink anything when I eat now, so at the party I've really had to decide do I want a drink, or do I want to eat, since I can no longer do both.

For the first time since I can remember, I've lost weight during the holidays! Since my fill on 12/3, I've lost 13 pounds!! I've had some wine, a couple of Martini's, but overall my food intake is so restricted now, I'm focused on getting 75 Grams of protein in each day, and that's the biggest challenge. I'm sure it will get easier as i learn what food are easier for me to eat, and stay away from those that I have trouble with.

I hope that helps. Good Luck!! :party:

Good question. In the beginning if I was out to lunch with colleagues, I would always order soup. A little later I found that I could do spinach dip. So, that is what I usually get - Spinach dip with tortilla chips. If I take small bites of the ship, the dip kinda lubricates it down. I can't eat very much, but since it is an appetizer portion, not so much is wasted. This is usually my go-to item if I have to go out with business people and am unsure of the menu or how things will go down.

When I am on the road, I try to pack snacks. If I have to do fast food, I will usually stop a Mcdonalds and get the kids 4 piece nugget meal with apples instead of fries. I can usually eat 2 nuggets over about 30 minutes. Then about an hour later I have the apples. It's not the ideal meal, but works when there are no other options and I have to eat on the road.

Hope that helps.

Appreciate the info. Not being able to drink when I eat is tough for me. I have always been a heavy drinker of fluids - Water, wine, soda, whatever - and especially during my meals.

Best of luck and thanks for the info. Happy New Year!

I had a bad experience at a business lunch with chicken and since have shyed away from anything not moist on the menu and just take it slow. I also have not told any of my colleagues, banded 10/27/2008, and use the excuse that I am just eating less a exercising more (lost 57 lbs). I prefer to stay at hotel rooms that have kitchens (suites) so I can go to the local grocery, even if I am only staying a day or so, and prepare my own food. For the road if I did not already prepack my food, I try and find a subway, the wraps work for me. If my travel is planned I usually have some unsalted Almonds in my briefcase and swipe a banana or an apple from the continental breakfast for later (usually can't find healthy food in the airport)

That is some brilliant weight loss since October. Congratulatoins.

Good advice on the eat in kitchen. I am going to try to work that angle also. Eating out is definitely a challenge.

Best of luck and thanks for the advice.

I tell anyone who ask why I am eating so slowly that I have had a lap band and have usually does not meet with a negative reaction.

Pretty hard to hide the fact that I have lost over a hundred pounds