Angela Sperry-Wenke

So when I first started eating out after surgery I would literally do my research before I went to the restaurant to make sure there were healthy options I could eat there. Some of the hardest things when eating out is finding a low calorie option that you an tolerate especially if you are going with friends and family and they have no food restrictions and can eat whatever they want, darn them lol. So here are some great tips to try when you are going out to eat that might help you along the way.
Drink water only: It is best not to drink 30 minutes prior to or 30 minutes after eating, but let’s face it we all get thirsty so rather than drinking your calories it is best to order water. This is one I still have to work on lol.
Decide what to order before you go: If you are worried about what is on the menu and what you can eat, do you research before you go. Now a days with your phones and technology most restaurants have menu’s right on their website so you can do your recon before you go.
Bread or no bread?: Bread can be really hard for people after surgery, but if you enjoy your bread it is better not to depry yourself just remove another option from your menu like no dessert. Same thing with tortilla chips and salsa it is OK to have some just don’t go overboard with your carbs. The worst thing you can do is to depry yourself of the things you want most you just have to learn to control what you eat.
Avoid Greasy Appetizers: Alot of times when I would go out to eat I would feel left out when others were ordering appetizers so a great alternative to an unhealthy and greasy or fried appetizers is to choose a low calorie soup or side salad option. This allows you to eat when your friends are eating their appetizers but you will not feel guilty for your choices.
Put Your Fork Down Between Bites: As gastric bypass and sleeve patients we need to chew often and eat slowly so a great way to make this happen when out with friends and family is to put your fork down between your bites. This allows for conversation and allows you to slow down between bites. This also will allow you to truly taste and savor each bite you take in, and by eating slowly it will allow you to listen to your body and when it is feeling full.
STOP eating when you start to feel full: Learning your body and most importantly your pouch learn when to put down the fork and stop eating. When you start to get that full sensation it is time to STOP and maybe even ask your server to remove your plate so you are NOT tempted to eat more.
Enjoy your company and talk alot: Talking with allow a few things one it will allow you to slow down eating, and two it will more than likely prevent you from over eating.


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I will be the first to admit that with getting back into the swing of life and work and a new love, it is easy to let those old bad habits creep back into our lives. We all fall victim to this in some sort or fashion and it is the one thing as weight loss patients that we fear. This is probably the one thing we fear the most that we will start up our old bad habits that got us to being overweight in the first place.
I am about 16 months out and I am the first admit that I have allowed bad habits to sneak back into my life, not as bad as before surgery but regardless they did creep back in. My bad habits include soda, and occasional fast food. We call this the comfortable phase, you are now comfortable with how you have to live and eat post surgery and then life in general just happens and we can tend to slip back into those old habits. Alot of people suffer from this problem they lose all the weight then think “hey I can reward myself with a cookie, or stopping for fast food, or a soda” But I remember seeing a saying a long time ago that said we are not dogs, we do not need to reward ourselves with food and this is so true. Why do we always use food as a reward, or something to make us feel better. The truth is food is something we need to survive, it should not be used as reward.
If you are thinking of having weight loss surgery, you need to understand that the surgery is not a cure all. Your mind is a powerful tool and is something we need to work on or it will sabotage our weight loss journey. The one thing I noticed is my bad habits creeping back in and I refuse to let them ruin my weight loss or rule my life. The most important thing to remember is that we will have trips and falls along the way, the difference is are you going to let this slips and falls define your new life or are you going to get up dust yourself off and start over.
For me I am going back to putting protein first in my diet, being good about making sure I get my vitamins in and staying honest by providing a weekly food journal to give you all an idea on how much I eat and what I eat throughout the week.
 
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I have lost more in the past six months than I thought possible and I am starting to really comprehend how deep the changes have been regarding my health and habits. But, I am pissed at myself because i have stopped exercising! It's been about two months now that my exercise activity has dropped from almost daily to four or five times a week, to two or three times a week and now less than once a week. I am still losing, although my weight loss has slowed to about 2 lbs a week (which is still awesome!!!!). I am only 20 lbs from goal, and I know I will make it. Yet, I am still angry about not exercising and not finding the motivation.
 
Actually, I seem to be angry about everything. I just get pissed all the time at the littlest things. My family is walking on eggshells around me, worried that they will upset me. What the hell is going on? I have achieved something I am proud of. My body doesn't hurt anymore. I feel like I can tale anything on. YET, there is this seething beneath the surface that just won't quit. I recognize that the anger exists (yeah therapy), now I just have to get to the bottom of it. Could I really be so upset that I can't eat as much or as many things as I used to? Am I really missing food that much? I have to get over it, because I have not come this far to not enjoy this new opportunity!