Navigating the Vegas buffet after Bariatric surgery?

Explain to the powers that be that you will not be able to enjoy the food at their buffet for health reasons; that should be enough for them to not charge you for the meal.

Snoop before you scoop
Most buffets have veggies
From my experience with RNY

sammyk @sammk

That is a tough one, do not want to pay for food you will not be able to eat. And to go containers not an option. But do not want to isolate and avoid the celebration, if do that feel deprived.

This is challenge you will face many times during your journey, but buffets is unique challenge.

Couple of options:
- Ask your provider to provide letter that due to medical conditions, you are on restricted diet. Then maybe the hostess of food service will give you reduced price if have proof there is a reason.
- Ask hostess if there is regular menu you can order from but still sit with group.
- Ask hostess if can sit with people and not eat, that might be awkward, but at least can be part of group. If do that, do not be tempted to munch on other people food, if do that they may turn around and charge you.
- Pay full price, and limit what you eat. That can be hard, but have to get over the "get money worth" . More important in long run is to stay with diet.

Laurie

@sammk , First of all, I congratulate you on doing so well with the program so far!

I also want to give you all the encouragement humanly possible. My wife is also in Mayo's bariatric program and scheduled for surgery later this summer, so I've seen how hard your road is to navigate. Since she started, we've struggled to make our fun times out not revolve around food, as so many did in the past. (To complicate matters further, I struggle to keep my weight up with my cancer treatment, and my wife's spectacular cooking at home is what's keeping me alive though chemotherapy.)

When I got married 24 years ago, one of my best friends had just entered Alcoholics Anonymous, and opted to skip my bachelor party in order to avoid the temptation to drink. He also departed from the wedding early when the drinking started. It was what he needed to do at the time, and I totally understood. He's been dry and sober now for 24 years, and I've never so much as opened a beer for myself in his presence. Brides can get all wrapped up in themselves and in the moment, but if your friend is close enough to invite you to be maid of honor, she should be understanding enough of your situation to not put any pressure on you, and maybe help make some accommodations to support you at the event(s).

Laurie @roch has some good suggestions. In addition to those, maybe with a medical letter, you can order from the appetizer section or children's menu only. There may be other distractions you could engage in to pass the time, like volunteering to be a group photographer or designated driver. If there are multiple buffet events, kindly explain that you can't realistically attend them all, but make sure you can get to the two biggest ones (rehearsal dinner and wedding).

None of it will be easy, but if you're all in for the trip expense-wise, don't fret the cost of the meals you do attend and have to pay for. You're still young, and this will be like your Iron Man triathlon: Once you survive this, you'll know for the rest of your life that you can overcome anything. Wishing you all the best!!! -- mm

When I had gastric band done years ago, before I left the hospital my doc gave me a card saying something like this, because this woman had gastric surgery, she no longer can eat a large meal,allow her to choose from the children’s menu. This was a good thing

The sweet taste of thin is better than
Sweet taste of buffet
Snoop before you scoop