First Time Going To Family Gathering

[Danny Paul 761]

Today I went to a restaurant to Celebrate the birthday of a family member . I didnt think I was ready for a meal in a restaurant and I was right. I nibbled on a salad and a small piece of egg plant rolotini appetizer . I was stuffed and had a difficult time making excuses for my lack of appetite.(I didnt let anyone know about my WLS). Also, I felt out of place since I didnt eat anything. No one made me feel this way, I just felt it. In my past posts I've said me and food had a great relationship and now its gone. In my monthly group sessions we discussed eating out and how it will change so it wasnt a complete surprise. Since my surgery I have been very regimented with my diet. Getting in my Proteins and liquids. Going to the restaurant took me out of my comfort zone. At the restaurant a family member invited me to dinner this Friday. I made an excuse to avoid the dinner. Im sure in time it will get better but for now my heart isnt into eating out right now. Especially in a large family setting. You guys who went through WLS, any thoughts.

[AZBlackhawk 122]

I have this same problem. I went to lunch with friends this weekend during a conference. I had just gotten a Starbucks (skinny, skim milk, so yes it has calories but also protein). Anyways, while they are I just had my drink. They were asking me if I wanted their sushi and I just said, no, I'll just have my Starbucks. I tell people I eat 6 smaller meals per day, including nuts and Protein bars/shakes and that I'm following a pretty strict food plan.

I prefer to eat at home where I have total control. It's strange that the social piece changes after this surgery. I'm sure we will figure it out.

[Sullie06 1,013]

Eating out gets easier and I would say now more than ever I feel normal in social situations. My husband and I have two monthly dinner dates with two groups of friends and I would say that I enjoy it now more than I did before. Now I can eat casually, talk and catch up and always have leftovers to take home like my friends do. I have noticed that if you move your food around your plate a lot, nobody notices your eating so little. I'm 10 months post op and my friends have no idea I had surgery.

[Sherry Rice 184]

Eating out gets easier and I would say now more than ever I feel normal in social situations. My husband and I have two monthly dinner dates with two groups of friends and I would say that I enjoy it now more than I did before. Now I can eat casually, talk and catch up and always have leftovers to take home like my friends do. I have noticed that if you move your food around your plate a lot, nobody notices your eating so little. I'm 10 months post op and my friends have no idea I had surgery.

Great tip! Im meeting a friend next week and was worried


5' 5"
HW: 259
CW: 235
GOAL: Healthy and hard 140-ish?

[Diana_in_Philly 1,426]

@Danny Paul you're just starting out - so that makes it a little tougher. I didn't tell my family (other than my hubby and two teen daughters) and six weeks after surgery we had to bury my mother. Large, week long Italian New York funeral - lots of food. I nibbled, pushed things around on my plate and talked with my cousins, a lot. No one noticed how little I had eaten. Everyone mentioned how good I looked. (I was probably down 30-40 pounds from the last time they had seen me.) Most of them probably won't recognize me now down more than 100 pounds.

I eat out often - in both my business and volunteer role as the president of a non-profit. I take my leftovers home. I order a small salad to start and sometimes order an appetizer as my entree and just fib that "I had a big, late lunch". We are far more aware than anyone else is of what is or isn't on our plate. You've got this.

[FabBy55 46]

I am almost three months out. This past weekend was my first real test - I had to have a family dinner with all my in-laws (who do not and will not know about my surgery). And they picked a nice Mexican restaurant! I ordered a drink because if I didn’t everyone would ask why. My husband helped me sip on it. We then split a meal. Funny thing is most normal size people split meals all the time and no one thinks anything about it! He ate the lion’s share and I had the grilled shrimp. No one noticed. I have also eaten at several work lunch meetings. Funny thing is that no one pays attention to how much I eat! I thought for sure someone would say something but it has never happened. Go out. Enjoy life. If someone does ask, just fib and tell them you had a big lunch.