Eating at Restaurants – Yes, There Is Life After Weight Loss Surgery!

[Alex Brecher 10,515]

You may think of weight loss surgery as a bit of a trade-off: you get to lose weight, improve your health, and enjoy more activities. In exchange, you need to be careful with your diet. But don’t mistake “caution” for “deprivation.” You can still eat at restaurants after weight loss surgery.

Before weight loss surgery, a night out with friends or family may have meant thousands of calories and way too much fat and carbs. If you’re started to look some of the numbers up, you know those old patterns are history for you. You can’t afford the fried appetizers, the chips and dip, the plates of Pasta, the burgers and fries, or the hot fudge sundaes anymore.

But so what? You’d be hard-pressed to find a restaurant that doesn’t offer a meal that you can eat. Some restaurants are a little tougher than others, and you may need to use a little restraint, but weight loss surgery definitely doesn’t mean the end of your social life and fun times.

Do Your Homework Beforehand

It’s always wise to do your homework beforehand when you can. If you know ahead of time you’ll be going out to eat, check the menu online. When you check the menu at home, you’re in a relaxed environment instead of the high-pressure situation of being in the restaurant with your friends waiting for you to order. Many restaurants even have nutrition information available so you can figure out exactly what to ask for. If possible, know what you are going to order before you enter the restaurant. That way, you don’t even need to look at the menu, so the off-limits options don’t tempt you.

Ordering from the Menu – Or Not!

It’s not the end of the world if you need to take a look at the menu, though. Just change your attitude a little compared to the way you looked at menus before Weight loss surgery. Instead of looking for what sounds delicious, look for what sounds healthy. That’s lean Protein and vegetables.

In general, look for Proteins such as turkey burger, grilled chicken breast, and fish or seafood. Have them on a green salad or ask for vegetables on the side, and you’re good to go! If you don’t see what you need listed in the Entrees, see if there’s a menu section dedicated to low-carb or low-calorie items, and also check out the appetizers and salads – shrimp cocktail and salad with tofu are perfect examples of high-protein, low-calorie possibilities.

When you order, ask your server to leave the troublemakers off your plate, or at least serve them on the side. That includes creamy sauces, salad dressings, bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice. You can also ask for smaller portions of everything (except vegetables).

Don’t panic if you don’t see an entrée that meets your needs. The restaurant certainly has ingredients in the kitchen that are on your diet! Describe your diet to your server, and make suggestions. For example, you can ask your server if it might be possible for you to get a green salad with Beans, tuna, or chicken, cottage cheese with fruit, egg whites made with vegetables and ham, or a veggie burger or ground turkey patty with a lettuce wrap. Otherwise, ask if your server will just bring you one or more of the following staples for your meal.

• Hard-boiled eggs
  
• Cottage cheese
  
• Chicken breast
  
• A green salad
  
• Slices of ham, turkey, or chicken breast
  
• Fresh fruit
  
• Raw or steamed vegetables
  

When your meal comes, pause for a second. Push any suspect ingredients over to the side of your plate – like an extra pat of butter, or the garlic bread you know you don’t need. Then ask your server for a doggy bag and pack up the portion you know you shouldn’t eat. Finally, enjoy your food!

Enjoy Yourself and Half the Meal

Why are you at the restaurant? Sure, part of it is for the food. But really, why are you there? It’s for the occasion, maybe to catch up with friends, relax with family, or Celebrate a birthday or anniversary. That has nothing to do with food, and nothing to do with Weight loss surgery. So enjoy it 100%. You can probably enjoy the occasion even more without focusing on a big plate of nachos in front of you!

During the meal, eat slowly, savor each bite, and be part of the conversation. The more you talk, the less you can eat. When you’re finished, make it clear. Put your napkin on your plate and push your plate away. You can even announce that you’re finished so you’re too self-conscious to start eating again.

So life goes on after weight loss surgery goes on, and you don’t need to hide from your old social life. You can be just as excited about going out to eat as everyone else. Just let your fun depend on the people you’re with and don’t even worry about the junk food you’re not eating. Weight loss surgery is about getting your life back, and part of life is hanging out with the people you love.

[joatsaint 2,814]

"Why are you at the restaurant?"

As the date of my WLS drew near, my best friend offered to stop our habit of eating out each Sat night.

We had been going out to buffets every Sat. night for years. I told him there was no need to stop. I was going there to hang out with him and socialize, not for the food. 31 months later, we are still eating out on Sat nights. I just eat a WHOLE LOT less and do a lot more people watching. :-)

[sweettea 300]

I still go out. I can usually find something on appetizer menu:

Grilled shrimp

chicken wing without the sauce

With a side of veggies (usually steamed broccoli

Or on the regular menu:

I just ask for a few changes. I've never had any problems. And I always have left overseas for next day or two.

I have had waitresses ask if I didn't like the food.< /p>

[Mike4132 256]

I eat at restaurants everyday with no problems. They all serve Protein and I take home what I don't finish.

[Bandista 7,466]

I'm a good cook and enjoy eating out at restaurants. My main issue is that I have kept my WLS private and it is sometimes hard to conceal how little I'm eating. I usually split an entree with my husband if he's along -- like a tenderloin or something I'm not inclined to make at home. He also gets an appetizer or two to make sure he's not going to starve, lol. If it's a business lunch, etc., and I'm wound up or tense I often can't eat much at all. Sometimes I will say something like, "I had a Protein Shake before I came and it really filled me up." Another tactic is I will just order an appetizer and say I'm saving room for dessert. When it comes time for dessert I will forgo that or offer to split something, in which case I just have a couple of bites and am completely satisfied (miracle). And I don't ever go to chain places, etc. -- I want to have really good fresh food prepared well otherwise it's not worth it to me.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I ate out at 1 month post op. I'll admit I didn't eat more than a few bites, but since eating out with friends and family is such a large part of my life, it was nice to know I could manage it successfully. A year out and I have eaten out more times than I can count and just as many cuisines.

[Beni 1,484]

Eating at restaurants is absolutely fun. It was not one month after surgery but one year later I am happy to say, I can always find a good choice anywhere I go. The portions are usually too big but hello, lunch for the next day is already done.

There are lots of healthy options, There always were, it's just that I was so hungry I would inhale anything. Now I have self-control. If this is how the rest of the world (the non-morbid obese portion) feels about food, now I see, I would have never had a chance. Lion sized hunger won every time. Now, I actually have enough time to think about what I should or would like to eat.

Life after surgery is good!