Recommendations for 'Sleeved' Foodies

[okduke]

It has been two and a half years since I got may gastric sleeve. Since then I have stuck with a lo-carb diet that pretty much bans bread, potatoes, rice, and pasta, as well as sugar. Most table service options offer a steak and many have some type of grilled chicken or fish. I sometimes wonder, however, if I'm missing some other WLS friendly items. I'd be grateful to hear from other sleevers (or their families) about successful experiences with WDW dining. Thank you!

 

[DVC_Dad_Canada]

I would contact Disney's special diet specialists. they know what's best for all uniqur dietary needs.

 

[leebee]

I'm curious, myself. I am 10 months post-sleeve and am headed for WDW next week for my birthday (only 2 nights, no park tickets, but still!!!!!). I can't report about Disney yet, but I have just returned from 6 nights in New Orleans, and I have to say, it went really well!! I ordered whatever I wanted to eat and drink, and still lost 2 pounds while I was away! There are a couple of things I learned to accept right off, the first being that dining out is NEVER going to be cost-effective unless I share with someone. I found that on vacation, I want to eat what I want to eat, so I spent a bunch of money and had a LOT of leftovers! Second lesson was to stick to the entree course only, because internal tummy space is limited. My dining companions have always been happy to let me taste their appetizers and desserts, which has been enough to satisfy my curiosity about the food while still leaving space inside for dinner. I, too, keep it all low-carb, but mostly because bread, pasta, rice, potato, etc., fill me up fast- leaving no space for the good stuff! Also (maybe most important), keep practicing mindful eating!!! Small bites, chew thoroughly, eat slowly, protein first, don't drink for 30 mins before or after. I think this is the hardest for me. I'll get caught up in conversation and forget to pay attention to HOW I am eating- and I fill up far too quickly, and sometimes uncomfortably. (Bad memory of a shrimp po-boy and fries- no bread, picked the coating off the shrimp and had a nice, high-protein lunch... until I mindlessly started eating fries after the shrimp were gone. TMI to go into detail, but those fries never left the restaurant, LOL!).

Alcohol? The "good" news is that I can drink mixed drinks and wine. I need to drink them slowly- the alcohol can hit pretty quickly- but my capacity limits how quickly I can drink. We did a lot of bar hopping in NOLA and I'd say the most I consumed in one evening was 5 mixed drinks- but that was over 7-ish hours, and included dinner. I found that I do best with "clean" drinks- rum, bourbon, gin- mixed with juices or soda (but not too bubbly). I would have one to everyone else's two- or if we were only staying for one, I'd drink about half of it and either leave it or get a to-go cup (gotta love NOLA- drive-up windows at the bars!). My sad news is that I don't tolerate either beer or tequila very well anymore- and they are my favorites. I am OK with some beers, in small quantity (4oz tasters at the microbreweries), but tequila didn't go well AT ALL. I had one sip of a margarita and it felt like someone was boring a hole in my stomach, and I couldn't eat my dinner, either. Tequila is my favorite (shots, anyone?) so I'll probably try it again sometime, but I'm in no hurry to go there... yes, it was that bad.

Desserts? I never ordered one. I just asked for a spoon and had nibbles of other peoples'. I was lucky- I was traveling with my adult daughter, sister, and brother-in-law, so everyone was happy to share each other's foods. If I'd been with acquaintances, work people, etc., I'd just skip dessert. I've never been a sweets-hound, so it's not so bad.

OK, I've been pretty honest here, and my nutritionist would probably have a stroke if she read this, but there's no way we can help each other on this new journey if we aren't honest and supportive, right? All in all, I feel I had a great, successful dining experience in New Orleans, and would do it again in a heartbeat!

 

[Lisa F]

I'm curious, myself. I am 10 months post-sleeve and am headed for WDW next week for my birthday (only 2 nights, no park tickets, but still!!!!!). I can't report about Disney yet, but I have just returned from 6 nights in New Orleans, and I have to say, it went really well!! I ordered whatever I wanted to eat and drink, and still lost 2 pounds while I was away! There are a couple of things I learned to accept right off, the first being that dining out is NEVER going to be cost-effective unless I share with someone. I found that on vacation, I want to eat what I want to eat, so I spent a bunch of money and had a LOT of leftovers! Second lesson was to stick to the entree course only, because internal tummy space is limited. My dining companions have always been happy to let me taste their appetizers and desserts, which has been enough to satisfy my curiosity about the food while still leaving space inside for dinner. I, too, keep it all low-carb, but mostly because bread, pasta, rice, potato, etc., fill me up fast- leaving no space for the good stuff! Also (maybe most important), keep practicing mindful eating!!! Small bites, chew thoroughly, eat slowly, protein first, don't drink for 30 mins before or after. I think this is the hardest for me. I'll get caught up in conversation and forget to pay attention to HOW I am eating- and I fill up far too quickly, and sometimes uncomfortably. (Bad memory of a shrimp po-boy and fries- no bread, picked the coating off the shrimp and had a nice, high-protein lunch... until I mindlessly started eating fries after the shrimp were gone. TMI to go into detail, but those fries never left the restaurant, LOL!).

Alcohol? The "good" news is that I can drink mixed drinks and wine. I need to drink them slowly- the alcohol can hit pretty quickly- but my capacity limits how quickly I can drink. We did a lot of bar hopping in NOLA and I'd say the most I consumed in one evening was 5 mixed drinks- but that was over 7-ish hours, and included dinner. I found that I do best with "clean" drinks- rum, bourbon, gin- mixed with juices or soda (but not too bubbly). I would have one to everyone else's two- or if we were only staying for one, I'd drink about half of it and either leave it or get a to-go cup (gotta love NOLA- drive-up windows at the bars!). My sad news is that I don't tolerate either beer or tequila very well anymore- and they are my favorites. I am OK with some beers, in small quantity (4oz tasters at the microbreweries), but tequila didn't go well AT ALL. I had one sip of a margarita and it felt like someone was boring a hole in my stomach, and I couldn't eat my dinner, either. Tequila is my favorite (shots, anyone?) so I'll probably try it again sometime, but I'm in no hurry to go there... yes, it was that bad.

Desserts? I never ordered one. I just asked for a spoon and had nibbles of other peoples'. I was lucky- I was traveling with my adult daughter, sister, and brother-in-law, so everyone was happy to share each other's foods. If I'd been with acquaintances, work people, etc., I'd just skip dessert. I've never been a sweets-hound, so it's not so bad.

OK, I've been pretty honest here, and my nutritionist would probably have a stroke if she read this, but there's no way we can help each other on this new journey if we aren't honest and supportive, right? All in all, I feel I had a great, successful dining experience in New Orleans, and would do it again in a heartbeat!

Thank you so much for posting this. You were literally posting this a few hours after I had my surgery. My next trip is in a bit more than 7 months so I'm hoping your experience is how mine will be. I am now 5 days out from surgery and feeling really good, have tolerated all of the "blended diet" options I've tried and I'm not like those people whose tastes change, everything still tastes the same to me. I have been watching tons of support videos online and it seems like the key to lifelong success is maintaining good eating habits... I don't just mean WHAT you eat but also HOW you eat... taking small bites, chewing thoroughly, putting your fork down between bites and basically not bit by bit getting to the point where you eat more and more.... which it sounds like you are doing! I think that eating more "luxurious" foods on vacation can be offset by more exercise on vacation, especially at Disney. My surgeon advocates an 80/20 lifestyle where you eat super healthy 80% of the time and don't deprive yourself the other 20%... so he says "have the ice cream on vacation, just don't have it ever night after dinner" kind of a thing. I think the ratio of 20% might be a bit on the high side but I think it's otherwise a good thing to shoot for.

I travel solo with my 9 year old son who is a picky eater so sharing is not going to happen (unless he gets the filet mignon then I bet he'd let mommy have a couple of bites lol). Intellectually I agree 100% with you about just throwing away the value part of the equation and ordering what you like but emotionally I am still struggling to process that. For example I feel I should limit myself to appetizer portions and have been scouring appetizer menus but then part of me thinks, at BoG, have the Sauteed Shrimp and Scallops and ask them to hold all the pasta and just eat what I can and not worry about it. I bet if they held all the pasta the portion would be about right... I could just explain to the server that I had the surgery and I am completely fine with that. Intellectually I feel like it costs what it costs to be satisfied and not to equate value to quantity and in that sense nothing has changed from before really but still having a hard time wholeheartedly grasping the concept which I know would make my vacation much more enjoyable.

Also the kid still loves the character meals and that's another thing I'm going to have to just suck up and deal with... again intellectually completely fine with this but still sometimes emotionally struggling with the notion. I was actually considering the DDP just so that it was a sunk cost and i wouldn't have to worry about it... but honestly I will say that when I paid OOP for the two of us at 'Ohana last time it still made me a little sick to have a $100 check.

Interesting about the alcohol. My surgeon advocates waiting 6 months - 1 year which is a huge swing... my trip is inside of one and outside of the other. I guess I will wait and see. I am a very very very casual drinker and would like to enjoy the occasional glass of wine or cocktail. Margaritas are my favorite but I have heard other similar horror stories about tequila post surgery (I have read where people felt hungover immediately after and for days on just one margarita). The combo of sweet stuff might just be too much to handle. I never did get to try one of those avocado margaritas but I'd like to! I am doing a few days at the parks and then a 4 night cruise with my parents so maybe I will have a couple of sips off of my mom's drink or something at that point.

I'm not sure what your nutritionist would say but I personally think it is ok to splurge on vacation. The problem becomes when every day is a vacation and every triumph is celebrated with food and every sadness is medicated with food. The reason I chose the sleeve is so that I could live a mostly healthy life and still enjoy food, just much smaller portions. I have come to emotional terms with the fact that I enjoy food, I love to cook and have stopped being ashamed of that fact even though I am overweight (I feel like society says if you are overweight you need to be ashamed of enjoying food). I have a huge repertoire of healthy recipes to go to once I can eat real food again and I realized some time ago that the BEST bite of something was always the first, so if I could just shift my thinking to being satisfied mentally with small portions, food could still be a good, healthy and enjoyable part of my life and that it didn't have to be either good health OR enjoyment of food. I know some people who have the surgery have their tastes change completely but I haven't and I'm kind of glad for that... but like you, I am not really a "sweets" person either... I never had more than a bite or two of dessert anyway before the surgery.

It's definitely a HUGE mental shift and I admit that the one thing that had me saddest about my surgery was losing the enjoyment of planning my disney dining adventures with my son... But I am working on getting that back within the new parameters. Still he wants to do 'Ohana and I don't think it's a good idea for me, but we are negotiating... he also wants to do CA Grill and I offered him the choice of one of the two and he of course chose CA Grill so that crisis is averted! I'm actually thinking of doing via napoli with him because he'd love the white pizza and the appetizer choices sound so good and I could probably grab one bite of his pizza and be happy... whereas i never considered it before because pizza is not my favorite go-to on vacation but now it sounds like a much better option!

Anyway thanks again for your response... I was following this thread but am a little surprised at how little activity there is given how common the surgery is now. Maybe people are shy to discuss it. I still love the disney dining boards and am looking forward to how much easier it will be touring the parks lighter... and finding the balance of enjoying food but also being much healthier and lighter!

 

[Lisa F]

It has been two and a half years since I got may gastric sleeve. Since then I have stuck with a lo-carb diet that pretty much bans bread, potatoes, rice, and pasta, as well as sugar. Most table service options offer a steak and many have some type of grilled chicken or fish. I sometimes wonder, however, if I'm missing some other WLS friendly items. I'd be grateful to hear from other sleevers (or their families) about successful experiences with WDW dining. Thank you!

and to answer the OP, I have just been doing research so most of these are untested but they look and sound good and are on my mental list... these are the only places I am considering, I left off the places I'm not:

MK
BoG
breakfast: kid's scrambled eggs
lunch: kid's slow cooked pork (if you can handle sweet potatoes, I am a wreck without enough carbs)
tuna nicoise salad, no potatoes (prepare to leave some greens probably but it is a pretty small portion)
dinner: marseilles style mussels (app)
sauteed shrimp and scallops (hold the pasta)

Skipper Canteen:
Orinoco Ida's Cachapas (you might want to skip the corn cakes but I would probably have one in tiny pieces with the rest of the dish, app, I've had this and it's delicious!)
most of the entrees are interesting proteins with a side of veggies and rice, just hold the ride.... tons of options there

Liberty Tree Tavern lunch:
kid's post roast, hold the potatoes
kid's turkey, hold the potatoes

Columbia Harbor House:
Broccoli Peppercorn salad (eat chicken first and fill up with salad after)
Grilled salmon, no couscous

Pecos Bills:
Fajita Platter, hold rice and tortillas (be prepared to pitch a ton because its huge)
Southwest Salad with chicken

will do the other places later

 

[RangerPooh]

I'm 2 years sleeved and have visited both DLR and WDW since surgery. I am not an adventurous eater and have found plenty to eat, and usually remain on track too. Like a PP mentioned, I have a hard time stomaching (no pun intended) paying $50 for a character meal that I cannot eat more than a dessert plate . We have a trip planned for Christmas and have our ADRs made, they include buffets (Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, and Liberty Tree Tavern) for the kids/holiday meals. I do not anticipate receiving a discounted price as we're on the DDP, but will instead maintain my small portions and focus on the fact that we're at WDW for Christmas and that the kids are eating at the restaurants that they requested. Last year did receive the child's price at Garden Grill after speaking to the manager about my surgery.

When we eat out I start with proteins and work my way to veggies and starches if I am still hungry. Pecos Bills fajita plate is my favorite!!!!!!! I also enjoy the pulled pork from Flame Tree BBQ. Yes the BBQ sauce is high in sugar/carbs but it is tasty and I'm not having a lot. Cheeseburgers with no buns work well for me, and I can add veggies to it for more variety. I just eat them with a fork and knife. When possible I also share plates with my DH or one of my kids. At table service restaurants I usually get steak or chicken. Occasionally I'll order a small salad and add protein to it form DHs meal. Servers don't question my not ordering anything at that point.

I will say that it can be frustrating when planning ADRs because I'd love to eat at certain places but refuse to pay the price. CM is one restaurant that the kids have been asking to eat at, but with low food quality I refuse to do it. Ohana's is one that I'm on the fence about trying again due to cost. Maybe our March trip Instead I try to focus on where we'll be eating that has yummy food that I can share and I feel less depressing.

Most important, what works for one person won't always be a good option for another as our bodies all react differently to different foods.

 

[Lisa F]

I'm 2 years sleeved and have visited both DLR and WDW since surgery. I am not an adventurous eater and have found plenty to eat, and usually remain on track too. Like a PP mentioned, I have a hard time stomaching (no pun intended) paying $50 for a character meal that I cannot eat more than a dessert plate . We have a trip planned for Christmas and have our ADRs made, they include buffets (Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, and Liberty Tree Tavern) for the kids/holiday meals. I do not anticipate receiving a discounted price as we're on the DDP, but will instead maintain my small portions and focus on the fact that we're at WDW for Christmas and that the kids are eating at the restaurants that they requested. Last year did receive the child's price at Garden Grill after speaking to the manager about my surgery.

When we eat out I start with proteins and work my way to veggies and starches if I am still hungry. Pecos Bills fajita plate is my favorite!!!!!!! I also enjoy the pulled pork from Flame Tree BBQ. Yes the BBQ sauce is high in sugar/carbs but it is tasty and I'm not having a lot. Cheeseburgers with no buns work well for me, and I can add veggies to it for more variety. I just eat them with a fork and knife. When possible I also share plates with my DH or one of my kids. At table service restaurants I usually get steak or chicken. Occasionally I'll order a small salad and add protein to it form DHs meal. Servers don't question my not ordering anything at that point.

I will say that it can be frustrating when planning ADRs because I'd love to eat at certain places but refuse to pay the price. CM is one restaurant that the kids have been asking to eat at, but with low food quality I refuse to do it. Ohana's is one that I'm on the fence about trying again due to cost. Maybe our March trip Instead I try to focus on where we'll be eating that has yummy food that I can share and I feel less depressing.

Most important, what works for one person won't always be a good option for another as our bodies all react differently to different foods.

I don't know if you can make any changes but if you can grab LTT at lunch, you can order a la carte off the kid's menu and your family still can have the same AYCTE option. Maybe a late lunch seating might be the way to go.

'Ohana is one of my issues too. I will only be 7 months out but I think it will just be hard for me to not be able to have a taste of everything I want to have a taste of... It would be a few shrimp and a couple of bites of veggie for me. There are just too many things that I love that even a bite each would maybe be too much and be frustrating at that point.

I plan to mostly order off appetizer or kid menus (when kid menus are not boring or unhealthy... like the aforementioned LTT with a kid's pot roast or turkey)

 

[RangerPooh]

I don't know if you can make any changes but if you can grab LTT at lunch, you can order a la carte off the kid's menu and your family still can have the same AYCTE option. Maybe a late lunch seating might be the way to go.

'Ohana is one of my issues too. I will only be 7 months out but I think it will just be hard for me to not be able to have a taste of everything I want to have a taste of... It would be a few shrimp and a couple of bites of veggie for me. There are just too many things that I love that even a bite each would maybe be too much and be frustrating at that point.

I plan to mostly order off appetizer or kid menus (when kid menus are not boring or unhealthy... like the aforementioned LTT with a kid's pot roast or turkey)

It's our Christmas dinner, so no changes. Honestly I'm fine with it as I'll get my protein and enjoy the smells, lol.

 

[Lisa F]

It's our Christmas dinner, so no changes. Honestly I'm fine with it as I'll get my protein and enjoy the smells, lol.

yeah I am just going to have to close my eyes and sign the check and convince myself it is no different than before... even though I am overweight, I could never eat enough to get my "money's worth" at a Disney buffet. I always did them for the kid. Just have to bump that outlook up a couple of steps.

 

[arminnie]

My BFF that I often travel with had the gastric bypass surgery 18 years ago. She lost about 70-80 pounds and has kept it off. Some foods caused issues at first. But she pretty much eats anything and everything now - but she just gets full pretty quickly (or at least quicker than I do). She eats potatoes, rice and pasta, and bread - but just in moderation.