Rita's Italian Ice

My Birthday is coming up next week and it usually centers around what restaurant to go to and what kind of cake to have. Trying to come up with something fun to do to keep my mind off of food. My friend who I haven't seen in a few months will be visiting and she has been very supportive so I am sure we will get into something fun not revolving around food.

I thought for a treat since there will be no birthday cake that I would try to go to Rita's that day for a sugar free Italian ice. Has anyone tried these early on in their recovery? I am 3 weeks out today and will be 4 weeks out on my birthday. I looked on their website and they have many flavors to choose from, of course I would need to call ahead to see which flavor they have on that day but they all look yummy.

For a child's sized ice it is 80 calories, 20g of sodium, and 29g of carbohydrates.

Thoughts on this? What did you do for your first birthday post-surgery?

They do all look delicious, but that's a lot of carbs from the fruit - they are not really sugar free, more no sugar added!     It would probably make me dump but you *may* be ok ...   maybe worth trying on a day that is not your birthday ...   dumping would definitely spoil it, believe me!

I loved Rita's when I lived in PA - it's what helped me get MO!

My first birthday post-op was the day after my one-year "surgiversary", so we still went to a nice restaurant and I had one bite of carrot cake for dessert.

I had the Rita's SF but not until I was about 9 months out.  Some of the flavors were ok, but I thought some of the SF were AWFUL!  I honestly wouldn't recommend trying more than a couple of bites so early out.  Too many sugar alcohols can make people really sick early out.  

Lora

Thank you for your responses. My birthday always centered around food, Last year we went bowling and of course got all the junk food from the snack bar then went to Olive Garden with all the pasta. I am going really slowly through the stages and right now actually am still on clear/full liquids because of really bad nausea I have been having.

Looking forward to other responses of birthdays post WLS

A lot of things are centered on food. A change my husband and I both said we were going to have to make 100% was not having everything so food focused.

Our youngest child turned 18 today. We did not have a 'food fest' all day as we normally do. We still went to Ruth's Chris, which is 'his' birthday spot. But I had the tuna appetizer and my husband had literally 3 oz of butter free steak. Normally we'd have had appetizers, soup, salad, entree, several sides and dessert. But we did not do that. The boys ordered whatever they wanted and ate with gusto. We still had an awesome time.

We went for dessert with grandparents, cousins and aunts afterwards and as always, I cut the cake from his favorite bakery and passed out the pieces. But my husband and I did not have so much as a lick of frosting. And you know what...not a single person said a word, I don't even think they noticed.

By pulling the focus from OUR lives from food, but not impeding the desires of others, it was a pretty simple transition. The same has been true for Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, 4th of July.....you name it, we have put food as a LOW priority and celebrating as a HIGH priority.

Go bowling, let your guests order what they like. But you don't need to eat any of it.

Go to Olive Garden, order the soup.

There are all manner of ways to integrate the fun of before with the good choices of now and forever.

Happy early birthday to you!

My husband is the store manager for two ritas stores. I am 2wks out and able to have a little less than half a kid's cup. I have a very sensitive pouch but this is one of the few things that doesn't make me dump. My favorite is sf tangerine

Thanks Heather!