My husband's visiting me for the weekend, so we went out to eat since the last think on my mind is cooking..... I thought I would share what it's like when we go out to eat.

DH has been banded for 20 months, and I've been banded for 6 months. He has lost almost 200 pounds with at least 100 150 to go. I've not done spectaularly (someone had me a tissue to dry my tears... )

Friday we went to dinner at a national chain, Applebee's. I had a drink and ordered two different appetizer plates. The big sampler and and order of BBQ ribblets. We realized too late that we should have only ordered on of the appetizers for the both of us, but we had the left overs for Breakfast and lunch.

Last night, he took me to one of the nicer restaurants here in Pocatello. We had drinks, and ordered the baked garlic and brie appetizer with small pieces of toasted french bread, house salads (I'll go there just for their house salad!), and we split a steak, a rib eye. There was also a small loaf of bread with dipping oil (olive oil, fresh parmisan and basil)

This is what we managed to eat:

Appetizer: we each had two pieces of toast with roasted garlic and brie. The bread is about the size of a Soup spoon, maybe a little larger, depending on your flatwear.

Salad: we ate half our salads.

Main entree: We split a steak, but only managed to eat half the entree between us. Maybe 4 bites of the garlic mashed potato. (No one does potatoes like Idaho...)

No desert because we were stuffed.

I made sure to re-asure the waiter that there was nothing wrong with the food, it was just that we couldn't eat much. I didn't say *why* we couldn't eat much. I was my charming best towards the waiter, and he kept clearing our courses and stacking them all boxed for us.

So. Today for breakfast I had my leftover salad. For lunch, I'll have DH's left over salad and some of the appetizer. Dinner will be one of the steaks and tomorrow's dinner will be the other left over steak. Oh, and I'll have the brie and garlic and roasted tomato all week no doubt!

So, all you new bandsters, this is the sort of experience you can look forward to!

Prebanding, we would have had a couple of drinks, (okay, that didn't change for me post banding ) an appetizer, at least two loaves of bread, our own entree and desert. I would have brought half my entree back, but I never could eat a lot in one sitting....

We ordered the rib eye because it is the "most flavorful." Next time, we find out their "most tender" cut.... LAUGHTER

What a great post......... thanks for the detailed account of the evening. It really does help to know what to expect. I'm actually quite excited to get to that stage and not be the one with a clear plate and going for dessert!

Sounds like this surgery will be a great money saver for me as well. I love left overs!!!

Next time you go out to eat try Buddy's in Pocatello. Love it there, I always get the Chick special and end up taking most of it home but it is delish.

Wow great post - I'm still trying to figure out a good system for my boyfriend and I when dining out. I've noticed I've been wasting A LOT of money on food I never eat anymore. When we go to the Olive Garden it's easy because I order a salad and he orders and entree which also comes with a salad so I take a few bites off of his plate. But mostly I order my own separate thing everywhere else because him and I have different tastes - I eat a very small portion and then I take the rest home where it usually sits in the fridge without being touched and I throw it out a few days later thinking what a waste of money.........so I'm still trying to figure out how to eat what I like without having to waste most of it - no luck yet - anyone have any other suggestions they use when dining out?

except for in Australia where doggie bags are illegal due to health and safety issues.

(some may be too embarrassed to do this) I don't know if any other doctor does this but my Dr. gives you a card stating that I had a surgery that prevents my stomach from holding a lot of food at one time. Please allow patient to order half meals or child meals and at the bottom of this card it has all the doctors numbers and hospital name.

This basically gives you an excuse to order a childs meal. I've never used it before. My Mother(does not have the band) has used it, she can't finish a meal when we go out to eat and refuses to eat left overs. I never thought ordering a kids meal would be such a big deal until my Mom tried it and the manager came over and told her we had to have a child under the age of 12 with us to order a kids meal. So she whipped out this card and there was no issue from there. This makes me laugh every time I tell this story.

Also, I'm sure it helps you from spending too much money on a meal that will be just tossed away. Who knows.?

Interesting - I will have to contact my Dr. to see if he would do something like this! I will have to remember to ask him at my next fill.

when I am banded and able to eat a reg. diet I think, until I feel comfortable eating in public, I may just do take out. You can always order a kids meal (take out) with out the 12 year old. This will also give me a chance to see what foods I will or will not be able to eat in different restaurants. (like the post on the McDonalds french fries verse other restaurants) Thank Goodness I'm not a fast food type of girl.

My doctor also hands out those pre-printed cards. I bet they will come in handy at some point.

I eat out at least 4 - 5 times a week, I usually do the bag to go with the left overs.

Ironically, I told my doctor, seconds before my last fill, (which he insisted on tweaking), that I had just gotten to a point where I could go to a restaurant and not have to sit next to the restrooms. I even keep one of those insulated bags in my car for the left overs, it does help keep it a safe temperature.

I feel like I can still eat alot. I can't get another fill because many foods get stuck especially if I eat too fast (this is nothing new to most of you). when I go to a resturant I either take home the leftovers (usually about half of the food) or share a meal with one of my nieces. Since my second fill I have been eating mostly chicken since beef and pork are no longer friendly!