Bob H.
Business Travel after WLS / RNY Surgery
Feb 21, 2016
Note: this is a repost from my blog at http://www.obesityhurts.com
Preface
For those of you just tuning in, I had my RNY WLS surgery just over 6 months ago at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. The surgery was performed in connection with the Ottawa Civic Weight Management Clinic. The operation went well, I spent a. couple of extra days in due to some excess blood but basically had no complications. I am blessed with a wonderful support system, my partner in crime, Kimmy D., my 2 step-kids and even Rosie the Bulldog have helped make sure my journey has been nothing but positive. It has not been without it's challenges as I ran into a few medical related incidents (all minor in the big picture) that I am confident played on everybody's nerves as we worked through them - but I am happy to report that at 6 months, I'm doing well and still losing weight although at irregular rates.
Today I want to talk a little bit about about the challenges of traveling after WLS surgery - they are not as bad as one may think but you need to keep on track and make sure you don't stray off your regular routine. Here are a few tips based on my personal experience, that I feel is important for any WLS survivor or even a person trying to manage their weight should think about. I am by no means a professional councilor on the subject, but in the past 2 years, both pre and now post opp. with all the business travel that I do, I have become somewhat experienced in it ;)
1) Vitamins and Medications
Vitamins and medications are one of the easiest things to forget or mix up in travel. In my situation, I am extremely fortunate as Kim makes sure I have exactly what I need to make it through the trip. To help me with this, she has purchased a simple pill holder that has the label for each day of the week. I use this even when I am not traveling, so that nothing gets missed when I m in the office during the day. When I am staying at a hotel, I keep my iron in the bathroom by my toothbrush as it is the last thing I take each evening. My vitamins are kept in the main part of the hotel room, near where my phone is plugged in and close to the coffeemaker so I make sure I take my morning pills when I make my decaf coffee before going to the gym. The pill case comes with me during the day in my lunch pail (yes, I have a lunch pail) to cover the noon hour and afternoon pills. It may seem complicated to remember but it is purely a miracle in the making if you use them and follow the plan.
2) Meals and Meal Planning
This one is tricky. As I mentioned earlier, I am very blessed that Kim has been 100% on board and supportive of my decision to have this live changing surgery. When it's referred to as a journey for the patient, they should also mention that it's just as big a journey for the support team. When I travel, Kim sends most of my meals with me. There is typically one meal each day she doesn't send and that's because with my work, it's probable that I will end up out for a meal (lunch or supper but never both). As part of this, hotel choice also is very important and has a section below where we will talk about that but for now let's focus on meals.
Breakfast: If your hotel does not include a buffet or Continental style breakfast, than bring your own food. Yogurt, cereal, and some fruit should do the trick. Most hotels have some type of refrigerator in them that you can use to keep them. I was in one once that the fridge was stocked with alcohol and junk, I simply cleaned it out and put it on the dresser and put my own food n the fridge - simple! Here is an important lesson we have learned - the best choice for your eggs if you do go out is poached. Eggs done any other way in a restaurant are typically cooked in the grease on the grill, which is mostly bacon grease. If you choose scrambled eggs, be sure to ask how these are prepared as in order to improve the flavor and the texture, most places use cream instead of milk when scrambling them - not good!
Lunch: For lunch, consider weight watchers meals. They are microwaveable and taste very good. It's important to pay attention to the content in each package as some have high sodium. If you choose other sodium reduced or calorie reduced meals (like Blue Menu Items), be careful the terms 'reduced" doesn't mean low sodium or low calories, it simply means lower than another brand they sell!
Dinner: Now, if you cannot avoid the restaurant, here is a simple trick, be honest about having had the surgery. I have found that in EVERY single case, the folks at the restaurant want to help! It's that simple - tell them what you would like to eat and how you would like it prepared. Now lets be honest however, you cannot go to McDonalds and give that a shot, but most eating establishments are willing to prepare the food however you ask and in most cases will reduce the cost. The most interesting place that we have found here in Canada is the Keg - ask for the child's steak dinner, it's the same as the adult one except it comes with vegetables instead of potatoes or fries and has half the price tag! Another good example is Swiss Chalet, order their skinless 1/4 chicken white with vegetables, it's of course arguable, that their chicken does have some sodium in it from the cooking process (absorbed through the skin) however, it's much better for you then a Whopper ever could be. Last but not least with respect to meals and meal planning, what's important more than anything else is to clear your mind of that notion we have have carried since we were children that because we are paying a high price for the food at the restaurant, we must eat it all - that's the farthest thing from the truth, my recommendation is to either have them put half of the portion in a take out container right away, or mentally decide what you can eat and what will be thrown in the garbage as soon as the food reaches the table and when you reach your limit, have them take it away - it's that simple!.
3) Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!
Whenever I can, i travel with my own vehicle that way I am able to more easily take my food with me and I can choose where I am going to eat my meals vs. what is supplied on the mode of transportation I take. At the same time, I am able to bring bottles of water with me as well. I find that if I have bottled water in the hotel, I am more likely to drink it. When on a business trip or even vacation for that matter, hydration is important as it's the first thing we forget. I don't particularly care for plain old water so when available, sugar free flavoring like MIO is a very helpful additive. There is more ways to hydrate yourself than just water though. Decaf beverages are an option but of course, stay away from anything bubbly or anything with alcohol in it.
4) Exercise Routine
Most of us have an exercise routine of some sort - it's essential to the long term success of your WLS surgery. This needs to be followed even when you are away from home - life does not go on hold while you travel and neither should your routine. In my case, I make part of the hotel selection (the last item on this list) location and workout facilities. When I travel to our Toronto Office, I have two hotels that I have found that I like, both have good gym facilities and even a pool to use. You may ask why I have two that i select from and that's a great question. During the warmer weather when I can walk, I use the Marriott hotel as there is a Starbucks at around the 2000 step mark, and a walk to the office brings my step count (one way) to around 4K. In winter when walking is out of the question, I use my second choice hotel as it has a more private and less used fitness room. It is also a 12 story building that I can walk the stairs in adding to my step count for the day.
5) Hotel Selection
The last thing I want to cover in this post is hotel selection. I've touched on it a little in each of the previous points, but it is one of the most important success criteria to help you while you are away from home. When I look for a hotel, I try to find one that has a "kitchenette" type of facility. I know what you are thinking - dump - but you are incorrect. There are many name brand hotels (Marriott, Sandman etc) that have built their hotels to accommodate longer stay, more health conscious clients. By selecting this type of hotel, you will have a regular refrigerator, an area to prepare your meals and even a place to eat that's not in bed or on the couch parked in front of the TV! Now I'm not suggesting you should start cooking every meal at the hotel, but the option is there and if you have access to a vehicle, there is generally a grocery store with in a mile or two of most hotels making it easier for you to purchase healthier food to eat!
To sum this all up, traveling after weight-loss surgery doesn't have to be a stressful or scary thing, in fact, if planned properly it can be just as rewarding as when you are at home - and enjoyable!
Happy Travels!
Categories: #wls #diet #health
