Can you still eat in restaurants?

[2ndChanceHeth 15]

Are people still able to eat out post op? If so, how do you do it? Sugessions on particular restaurants or any other thougjts?

[GoldyGirl 186]

I usually eat off the Kids or Senior Menu.....and still have to have a to go bag! Or for Breakfast, just order 1 egg and toast. eat 1/4 of one slice and the egg......

[DeniseM 238]

Yes! I had lunch today at Joe's Crab Shack. I ordered a crab pot, ate about half and took the other half home, which I just finished as my snack. I also had a few bites of corn, but no potatoes. When I eat out, I usually order a salad, and just eat the meat and toppings. My favorite salads are Ruby Tuesday's grilled salmon salad and Panera Bread's greek salad with chicken. I am also loving Carrabba's Chicken Bryan lately. The other day we went to a steakhouse and I ordered prime rib. I had that and two bites of my loaded baked potato. I don't eat appetizers or bread because then I get too full for my dinner, and just as I do at home, I eat my Protein first and just a bite or two of all the other things.

[SerendipityHappens 1,594]

I can eat at any restaurant I want. I went to a Lebanese place the other night. I got the appetizer of falafel and ordered some tahini and thume for dipping. $3.95

When I go to my favorite vietnamese place I still get the ginger chicken with rice noodles but I ask for my to go box at the beginning and I put most of it away in my to go box. I then get FOUR more meals out of my left overs! And since it's my FAVORITE dish, I don't mind eating it four more times!

The other day I stopped at Burger king. Their fish sandwiches are 2/$5.00 I ordered two without the bun and they put them in a salad bowl for me with lettuce with the pickle and I had tarter sauce on the side. I took off all the breading, which left me with a REALLY SMALL portion of fish.. I'm glad I had TWO! I crumbled the fish on the lettuce and pickle and put some tarter sauce on it and had a fish salad!

[joatsaint 2,814]

I didn't eat out till week 8 or 10, but I eat out every Sat night now. I can pretty much tolerate any food, so I allow myself Sat nights as my cheat meal, then go back to my normal diet the rest of the week.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

Yep, I can eat pretty much anywhere although I prefer eating at home where I control my own ingredients and cooking methods. If I am eating out, I look for grilled or sauteed seafood or chicken without a lot of rich/fatty sauce. I'm not cleared for red meat other than hamburger or sliced deli meat so that's usually off the table. I always end up taking way more than half home as leftovers.

If the dish usually comes with rice, potatoes, Pasta, etc. I just ask that it be brought without that.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

Ive never left a restaurant without a to-go box and then I eat it for lunch all week... If my son doesn't find it first

[newat52 1,613]

I eat out several times per week. There really is no place I can not eat. McDonald's? Check. Grilled chicken salad. Same as any other fast food. Applebees? Can't even count the number of yummy, stuff to get there.

The bottom line is, yes, we can eat out as much as we want AND keep it healthy, we just didn't know it and practice it prior to surgery.

Good luck!

[JerseyGirl68 1,172]

I agree, no problems eating out at all. Depending what is on the menu, I'll order a regular entree or just off the appetizer menu. I always have leftovers.

[MystiGal 143]

You will be able to eat all (or most) of the same things you did before. You can eat wherever you want. It is up TO YOU to make the right choices.

[indecision 863]

A good thing to do is ask for a to go box when the meal is brought out. Leave only what you can eat on your plate with the rest going to the to go box. I do this so that I do not end up overeating. Now you have 2 or 3 meals left over for the next few days.

[ASKSARAH - Sleeve 256]

Well everyone has covered the basics. I eat out 1 time a week. Its breakfast on Sundays.. My husband gets this massive omelet with ham and bacon and I get the corner 1/16 and I eat that with some, about 10, of their specialty potatoes. Covers me all day.

My husband and I eat way better now when we go out and he is so supportive of me and he has lost about 50 lbs himself just by eating what I eat( just a regular portion).

We went out to Maggianos ( Italian) for dinner this past weekend for our anniversary and we shared the parm crusted talapia. So great. He got a side of spaghetti and I had a bite. Pasta is no fun anymore for me.

So the point is, as I am sure you get it now, The point of this surgery is to live a normal life. Eating out is a normal part of life for most people. Enjoy your world.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I didn't do much of it during losing phase to be honest. I do now, and order appetizers, or share a meal. A shrimp skewer would be a typical "meal" for me at a restaurant for example. If I can't find anything like that, I just order something high Protein and low carb and box up 3/4 of it for another time(s)

[Roo101769 742]

I am pre op ( sleeve date 10/21) but have been watching what I eat and trying to change to the "post op" lifestyle. I found it is so much easier for me to eat out if I go online first and check out the menu and nutritional values. That way I can make my decision and stick with it. A lot easier to eat healthy if you aren't hungry and looking at all the other delish options! Also love the idea about getting the to go box at the start and portioning your food.< /p>

[Kindle 8,667]

I'm pre-op, too, but I've been trying to train my brain for post-op. when I go out I check out the menu to see what I will order "next time". With next time being, of course WAY post op after Clear liquids, full liquids, puree'd stage, etc. Ugh!

And since I hate to cook, all the leftovers in to-go boxes are a major bonus