How true! I tell my husband that people must look at me like I have an eating disorder. Here I am, wearing a size 3 eating an Atkins bar, or just a shrimp scampi appetizer as my meal. The waitress says "There's only 4 pieces of shrimp in that!" I almost laughed, since I knew I wouldn't be able to eat all four. And asking her to wrap 2 of them made me feel even freakier. I'm trying to feel more easy about it. I always wonder if the waitstaff think I am being cheap since I just get water and either share or get an appetizer or they think I don't eat. I should stop caring. I keep thinking that people are like "Girl, eat a cheeseburger!" behind my back LOL It's so great that you've been able to become comfortable with your eating habits. I know certain foods that I can eat more of and will have those when I am around people who don't know about my surgery. I hope I can get where you are. It's so nice to see a post from you, it's been a while

I do the same, I love splitting something that way you get to save money too!!!!

Also I feel when I share a plate or order something small the wait staff look at me and my size and are like ya right are you hiding a cheese burger under your dress???

Wow you two greats great that you shared that. I haven't even thought about what it will be like going out to nice restraints after my surgery. My husband will still want to take me to nice places and maybe even more. I think its terrible that when your over weight you get that look from your waiter or waitress do u really need that appetizers. Then when your skinny they act like its a crime for you to just order one meal or the appetizer. Thank you so much for sharing. I cannot wait till my husband comes home to share this with him lol.

Aclabombard, you will get there too! Just start reminding yourself that you are a "skinny girl" now and this is the way they all are and always have been! Once you learn to embrace it you will feel a great relief and confidence! Let me know if it works for you too as it did for me! love Rainbow

Originally Posted by aclabombard13

How true! I tell my husband that people must look at me like I have an eating disorder. Here I am, wearing a size 3 eating an Atkins bar, or just a shrimp scampi appetizer as my meal. The waitress says "There's only 4 pieces of shrimp in that!" I almost laughed, since I knew I wouldn't be able to eat all four. And asking her to wrap 2 of them made me feel even freakier. I'm trying to feel more easy about it. I always wonder if the waitstaff think I am being cheap since I just get water and either share or get an appetizer or they think I don't eat. I should stop caring. I keep thinking that people are like "Girl, eat a cheeseburger!" behind my back LOL It's so great that you've been able to become comfortable with your eating habits. I know certain foods that I can eat more of and will have those when I am around people who don't know about my surgery. I hope I can get where you are. It's so nice to see a post from you, it's been a while

I actually feel "proud" now that I can't/dont' choose to eat much when I'm out. I also watched how "skinny" girls ate pre-surgery, and tried to imitate their eating habits. I used to compare how I liked to eat, soup to nuts, and now just the nuts fill me up I have adopted this new lifestyle, and enjoy it to the max. I used to wonder how skinny girls would just pick at the food, eat slowly, and just generally push the food around on the plate; now I know why. The size 8 pants that I'm wearing never feel tight after eating, I don't feel like "I'm going to burst" after eating, and I'm still satisfied. Thanks for sharing Rainbow! I have, and will continue to, enjoy and benefit from the information you post. Please stop by more often, we all miss you.

Wow Rainbow it's so lovely to see you. I know my name might not be familiar to you as I'm still a relative newbie, but I read your blog when i was starting out and whenever people come on asking about longer term outcomes, I always tell them to read your blog. Really great to hear your thoughts on the mental adjustment 3+ years out. Thanks!

Thank you Rainbow!! Every chance I get to glean from your knowledge I will take it!! We are often too worried about what others think! It was this mindset that got me into a size 16. I made the big deal and opposite of your current lifestyle I hid to eat because I was too dang worried about others. As I sit and wait for my insurance approval (7 days but who's counting) I have to remember its my turn to take care of me. Been heavy too long!! Thanks Rainbow

Awesome post!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!! I can't wait to get to where you are!!! I was just sleeved on 2/1/13 and I am so excited to experience ALL this sleeve has to offer me!!!! Thanks again!!!!

Absolutely!! My hubby still loves to go out to eat. So now I order water, which I never really drink, and I know whatever I order, I will get 3-4 meals out of it! Every Thursday we go out on date night, I order 6 wings, and the hubby gets wings and fries. I eat 2 wings, 1-2 small fries, and my celery. I am full, not stuffed, just done eating. I then have 2 more meals later on. I know, I know, fried foods! These are the only "fried" foods I eat, and since it's such a small amount, I don't worry about it. I also love ordering steak! I normally get 4 meals out of an 8oz steak! At home, when I re-heat it, I normally sautee some mushrooms (low cal and more protien) and some onions! YUMMO If I'm really feeling adventurous, I'll top with a little cheese and let it melt. Good AND low carb! I never worry about what people say if I don't eat very much. If the wait staff say anything, I just tell them I wasn't very hungry, but can't wait to eat the left-overs later. That's always enough to satisfy them.

I just love at 5 months since surgery how my perception of a serving size has changed so much. I work at night and prepare my families meal before I go to work and then pop my dinner in a 2 x 2 inch container to take to work and it now looks huge where as before surgery I would have had 4 times that much and still wanted something after it. My hubby complains because his serving sizes are not as big as he used to get either but I don't even realize I have made his smaller as my perception of the sizes of servings has changed so much. I love it. It is good for hubby too!

so true Frizzylizzy! We Eat out alot, and When i see how much people around me eat i cant hardly believe i used to be able to eat like that! and Pack89 I agree the wait staff dont really care how little i eat the only reason they comment is to make sure the food was ok! when i tell them it was good and i need a to-go box to finish later the moment is over and there is no awkwardness at all!

I haven't tried a restaurant yet (my surgery was 12/26) but I will be going to Maryland on Mar 12 for my daughter's Mar 13 sleeve. I know I will be faced with restaurant and hospital cafeteria eating so I am glad to read some of your ideas. I have also purchased some protein bars, protein chips and protein Irish Creme Hot Chocolate to stick in my suitcase for the time I will be at the hospital and spending the night with her there. Thank goodness I seem to tolerate most foods and have been able to tolerate salad and lean ground beef also. Thanks for the tips.

Love, love, love this blog. When I was on appetite suppressants my portion size dropped dramatically too and at that time I was super sensitive to how my portion size compared to those that skinny people ate. You are so right - they don't eat much that skinny woman tribe! Sure there are freaks that eat huge amounts of food and stay thin but they either divide into getting fat later, or always a medical/physical anomaly.
At that time for the first time I felt 'normal' regarding portion size. It was a huge relief.
Thanks for the blog and I hope to hear more about your story.

I have always envied the skinny women eating small portions.......and ordering pre sleeve probably got as many looks....not of admiration but of sympathy like ....oh, that heavy woman eats so much......I am sure I have been judged in the past......