Sushi - Holy Cow!

[dhales 98]

My boss is hosting a "fancy dinner" next Wednesday. I will only be 3 weeks post op and still restricted to 1/4 cup of food at a time. He insisted that I go and my husband is going as well. It is a five course dinner. How in the heck can I pace myself on 5 courses...eat a bite a plate? Plus isn't sushi made with rice and seaweed??? That can't be band friendly! I can't remember the last time I fretted about going to dinner....this will be my first public venture after the band. Any suggestions to get through this without drawing too much attention?

[TKW 501]

I'm going on 2 years post op.... I would NEVER eat rice at a dinner party! I can eat a little rice but I mean "nibble" or it gets stuck.

Does he know you've had surgery?

[gottobeme 81]

My boss is hosting a "fancy dinner" next Wednesday. I will only be 3 weeks post op and still restricted to 1/4 cup of food at a time. He insisted that I go and my husband is going as well. It is a five course dinner. How in the heck can I pace myself on 5 courses...eat a bite a plate? Plus isn't sushi made with rice and seaweed??? That can't be band friendly! I can't remember the last time I fretted about going to dinner....this will be my first public venture after the band. Any suggestions to get through this without drawing too much attention?

You should tell your boss that if he insists you go, you must insist he provide you with food that is compatible with your post-op stage! Maybe provide him with a list of 5 items you can eat and ask that your Protein be served first. Maybe I'm a little over dramatic here but if he is aware of your post op status it is extremely rude of him to expect you to sit through a 5 course meal and not have made arrangements for you!

[JennyBee 340]

I am 8 weeks post op and can really eat anything, including rice and Pasta. I've only had 1 fill of 2.5 though. I think you should be ok... Just go slow.

[TracieR 88]

I would say if you have to go for work and don't feel comfortable making an issue out of it just go slowly! Take a little bite from each course and move on. As for the sushi - I break the rolls apart and eat the fish and dip it in soy sauce. I usually just move things around and pick at it when I am in a bad food situation. This is life and we have to just make it work sometimes! Good Luck!

[Lannae 46]

If you feel uncomfortable telling him about this surgery, you can just tell him you had a certain kind of surgery, or you can say with a medication you had, you are more limited on what you can eat because some foods upset your stomach..Or you can be honest and tell him and others the truth regarding the surgery and say you still really wanted join the group...Or you can pick and kind of move things around until a dish comes that you can eat. I agree just go slow, people will be busy eating, drinking and talking they wont really be paying attention to what you eat..trust me, I did it...and..if you are going with your husband, as I did, I quickly would say here try this one..and put it in front of him..He has gained 5 pds, but its for me!!!

[SageTracey 608]

I was still on mushies at three weeks so would definitely not have been able to face up to a five course meal. Discuss with your boss if possible, otherwise, use some of the strategies described above. But be sure to stay true to your Dr rules on eating at this stage.

[dhales 98]

My boss does know...but the other partners who will be there do not. Here is the menu...I have never had sushi and not sure what is what. Those that have had this before please help me figure out what to choose...I figure if I pre-plan I can avoid an issue. My doc has allowed me to have fish, cheese and moist soft meats at this stage. However he said no beef and pork products yet.

Course 1: Edamame and Miso Soup

Course 2: Crispy Rice & Spicy tuna (Fresh tuna lightly spiced on a crispy rice cake) and Creamy Rock Shrimp (tempura tossed in a spicy cream sauce)

Course 3: chicken Nigema (no description), Kobe Style Skirt Steak, Assorted Veggies and steamed white rice

Course 4: Assorted Rolls: Baked Crab hand Rolls, Spicy tuna roll, vegetable roll and assorted Nigiri (whatever that is) but comes in Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail and Albacore served with wasabi, soy and ginger

Course 5: The Dreaded Dessert....Chocolate Lover Cake and Assorted Fresh fruit (assuming I have any room at this point I will opt for the fruit)

any warning on what to stay away from...I don't want to get stuck during this business dinner...yikes! I figure I could nibble something at each course just to have something on my plate. If I have about a spoonful at each course then that is about 1/4 cup of food...see any holes in my plan??

[adorkbl 156]

Lol... my mouth was watering reading the menu. Sushi is my most favorite thing ever. Yum!!

You shouldn't have any issues with the miso Soup. It is basiclaly broth with tofu in it. tofu is super soft. So that should be fine.

The fresh tuna on a rice cracker. Just eat the tuna off the top. If it is fresh and raw, it should mush up fine in your mouth and go down no problem.

I would stay way from rock shrimp. Shrimp is not very band friendly for me and a lot of other bansters. Ster clear for now.

Skirt steak... forget about it. Too soon after surgery and I literally haven't had steak in years because of the band.

Nigiri is actually perfect for you. It is a piece of raw fish served over rice. Just eat the fish and don't touch the rice.

There are plenty of options for you. Just stick to the soft raw fish and stay away from the rice and steak. As mentioned above.. just pick it apart and move it around your plate. No one will be paying attention to what you are eating!

Oh, I always drink hot green tea before I eat sushi. It relaxes my pouch.

[Jen75 33]

My boss does know...but the other partners who will be there do not. Here is the menu...I have never had sushi and not sure what is what. Those that have had this before please help me figure out what to choose...I figure if I pre-plan I can avoid an issue. My doc has allowed me to have fish' date=' cheese and moist soft meats at this stage. However he said no beef and pork products yet.

Course 1: Edamame and Miso Soup

Course 2: Crispy Rice & Spicy tuna (Fresh tuna lightly spiced on a crispy rice cake) and Creamy Rock Shrimp (tempura tossed in a spicy cream sauce)

Course 3: chicken Nigema (no description), Kobe Style Skirt Steak, Assorted Veggies and steamed white rice

Course 4: Assorted Rolls: Baked Crab hand Rolls, Spicy tuna roll, vegetable roll and assorted Nigiri (whatever that is) but comes in Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail and Albacore served with wasabi, soy and ginger

Course 5: The Dreaded Dessert....Chocolate Lover Cake and Assorted Fresh fruit (assuming I have any room at this point I will opt for the fruit)

any warning on what to stay away from...I don't want to get stuck during this business dinner...yikes! I figure I could nibble something at each course just to have something on my plate. If I have about a spoonful at each course then that is about 1/4 cup of food...see any holes in my plan??[/quote']

My suggestion, since this is a meal or type of food you have never had... As you mentioned, Simply take one bite of each and say you don't care for it! Haha

Seriously though....

Course 1: The miso soup will be good. The hot Fluid will relax your band allowing for a little easier transition. Leave the edamame in the bowl and just do the broth.

Course 2: if your worried, pick it apart and remember to chew, chew, chew. One or two bites will be sufficient for you to taste " and politely decline" any further.

Course 3: depending on the chicken, how dry it is, I would stick with the veggies at this course. Cut up all the food and move it around the plate like someone else suggested.

Course 4: personally I don't like seweed, raw fish, or spicy. I believe Nigiri is a rice ball covered in the assorted raw fish and wrapped with a string of seeweed. so I would personally stick with the baked crab. Also the Veggie roll. Wasabi is spicy ginger is to cleanse your palate.

Course 5: possibly decline or take a bite of your husbands??? Or as you said, stick with the fruit.

Good luck! Let us know how you did!

[Jenn1214 120]

I would stay away from fruits and veggies at this point. Although they are good to eat once you are on solids, they aren't part of the soft diet and may give you trouble. Stick with the Soup and whatever fish you can comfortable eat. Good luck!

[superluli 17]

As a self proclaimed sushi addict I can tell you you will be fine. I can't tolerate bread or normal rice or Pasta but sushi is not a problem. I am on my 3rd fill and today I had 12 pieces of sushi. I eat between 10-12 pieces once or twice a week, which is fine by me (used to eat 25 and more)

Break the roll into a few bites, 2-3 is doable, it's messy but it works. The Soup will help you because it relaxes your stomach. Until my last fill I would have eaten all of that with no problems. If ur worried stay away from the rice and you should be fine.

Enjoy a night off and hit the gym extra for the next three days if you feel too guilty. You deserve a treat it's a marathon not a sprint.

[marylmcd54 8]

OMG, That is a lot of pressure for only 3 weeks out!

I would take all the advice above, I too would be careful with the veggies. I have problems with lettuce, broccoli and

I am almost 9 months out from surgery.

[cakegirl 12]

I eat pretty much all that food, all the time! I'm not 3 weeks out though, so I'm sure it will be different for you. But I eat sushi, nigiri, miso Soup, edamama, fresh tuna, rice, etc all the time. It's really healthy food, and I have absolutely no problem with rice getting stuck. I don't eat steak though, but that's because I dislike it, not because I've had any problem with it.

[dhales 98]

I thought I would update you ladies on how dinner went last night. It went awesome thanks to everyone's advice. I took a nibble at each course and I even ate some raw fish...I think it was the yellow tail nihiri roll thing. I nibbled on the rice clump underneath it but it was spicy and since i can't drink and eat....I didn't dare try anymore of it. I felt like I cheated because I had a spoon of this weird ice cream stuff in a weird shell thing and a spoon of creme brule. I was incredibly stuffed...it was hard to tell how much I actually ate...but I would estimate it at around 1/4 cup all together. I do have to say that learning to use chop sticks can really make you slow down and eat little bites....lol

I was also incredibly proud of my husband for trying some new things...however he ultimately ordered off the menu and got some Kobe beef. which was so tender he cut with his fork. I am not a beef person...but once I get to be able to have beef and pork again...I would like to try that. I heard that Kobe beef was imported from Japan and the cows actually get daily massages...lol