Pre-Op Diet Instructions

[Vex]

I am getting my lap band in 13 days. Which means my pre-op appointment is in 12 days.

So I made my appointment with OCC only two days ago, and have been busily filling out paperwork, getting my deposit paid, etc. Dr. Miranda emailed me today with instructions to do either the 7-day or 12-day diet, and that my goal was to lose 12 lbs. before my surgery.

Twelve pounds?!

If I could lose 12 lbs. in 7 days-- heck or even 12-- I wouldn't be doing this at all. I mean, I intend to stick to the diet and do my level best, but I know I won't lose that much.

Oh, and I did email Dr. Miranda for more instructions and was told to "stop worrying and start dieting," with an assurance that OCC patients lose 1 lb. per day. I am not so sure.

What will happen if I go to my pre-op testing and I've only lost, say, 3 lbs.?

[Clynn]

I am getting my lap band in 13 days. Which means my pre-op appointment is in 12 days.

So I made my appointment with OCC only two days ago, and have been busily filling out paperwork, getting my deposit paid, etc. Dr. Miranda emailed me today with instructions to do either the 7-day or 12-day diet, and that my goal was to lose 12 lbs. before my surgery.

Twelve pounds?!

If I could lose 12 lbs. in 7 days-- heck or even 12-- I wouldn't be doing this at all. I mean, I intend to stick to the diet and do my level best, but I know I won't lose that much.

Oh, and I did email Dr. Miranda for more instructions and was told to "stop worrying and start dieting," with an assurance that OCC patients lose 1 lb. per day. I am not so sure.

What will happen if I go to my pre-op testing and I've only lost, say, 3 lbs.?

Making the effort is the important thing. If you have honestly done what you are supposed to and lost only 3 pounds it is very unlikely they will cast you out. However, if you blow it off and don't seem interested in following doctors orders I'm sure that is another story.

Ok, now take a deep breath and relax. Everything will be ok. Remember, we've all gone through this.

[Tom7/16/07]

It seems like alot but i believe aslong as you make the effort and lose a few lbs you will be good to go. I know when I was getting ready for my surg they wanted me at 375 and i was still at 403 four day's before surgery. But by sticking to the one slimfast a day and cucumbers i was down to 392 when i arrived at OCC. You will lose the weight if you follow the diet, if your still concerned take a little extra time on each of your walks to go a little farther or even go a little faster.

[Vex]

Thanks, Clynn & Tom.

I guess I'm worried because I have been trying. I run 4 days a week (SLOWLY), walking my dog 1 - 2 miles a day on top of that, and I have been counting calories for the last several weeks, etc. I know I'm not going to see a miraculous weight loss in 12 days.

I want to-- and will!-- do my level best. I just am afraid I'll fly out there and get in trouble.

I am hoping that Dr. Miranda is just trying to discourage that "last meal" mentality.

[LaurenLeigh]

Thanks, Clynn & Tom.

I guess I'm worried because I have been trying. I run 4 days a week (SLOWLY), walking my dog 1 - 2 miles a day on top of that, and I have been counting calories for the last several weeks, etc. I know I'm not going to see a miraculous weight loss in 12 days.

I want to-- and will!-- do my level best. I just am afraid I'll fly out there and get in trouble.

I am hoping that Dr. Miranda is just trying to discourage that "last meal" mentality.

You can do it Vex! I am going in on the 20th and I have been doing the diet (as best as I can) and I am losing a pound a day. I actually started the diet before talking to Dr. Miranda, but when I did she said a pound a day was about right. My body is kinda freaking out from the lack of food (don't worry, I won't go there, lol) but I am really losing a pound a day!

It's funny but when I first learned what the diet was, I too thought, "If I could do THAT I wouldn't need the surgery in the first place!!!"

Good luck, you can do it! =D>

[ericsmom]

I'm so glad to read this! I haven't even received the diet instructions yet, but when I heard I'd have to lose about 10 lbs before the surgery (that I just scheduled today for 2 1/2 weeks from now!!) my first thought was: If I could lose 10 lbs on demand (and a mere 50-60 lbs more thereafter), I wouldn't be calling you! But I guess that's the wrong way to look at it. I'm trying to tell myself that I'll be less hungry post-op and already on the way to my goal...

Very good point about discouraging last meal mentality, though.

Danielle

8/28/07 surgery scheduled

Dr. Ortiz

[Mistymoon]

I am getting my lap band in 13 days. Which means my pre-op appointment is in 12 days.

So I made my appointment with OCC only two days ago, and have been busily filling out paperwork, getting my deposit paid, etc. Dr. Miranda emailed me today with instructions to do either the 7-day or 12-day diet, and that my goal was to lose 12 lbs. before my surgery.

Twelve pounds?!

If I could lose 12 lbs. in 7 days-- heck or even 12-- I wouldn't be doing this at all. I mean, I intend to stick to the diet and do my level best, but I know I won't lose that much.

Oh, and I did email Dr. Miranda for more instructions and was told to "stop worrying and start dieting," with an assurance that OCC patients lose 1 lb. per day. I am not so sure.

What will happen if I go to my pre-op testing and I've only lost, say, 3 lbs.?

Hi Vex, I went to your blog and the one thing you said about maintaining weight loss made all the sense in the world to me. I too thought "why am I having this surgery?" I lost 40 lbs in the last 6 months but have already gained 10 of it back. So I will lose the 10 lbs before surgery and see you in TJ my banding is on 21st so we may pass in the halls.

[Vex]

Hi Vex, I went to your blog and the one thing you said about maintaining weight loss made all the sense in the world to me. I too thought "why am I having this surgery?" I lost 40 lbs in the last 6 months but have already gained 10 of it back. So I will lose the 10 lbs before surgery and see you in TJ my banding is on 21st so we may pass in the halls.

Hi Mistymoon!

I have been exactly where you are; I've white-knuckled myself to a 33-lb loss and then watched, dismayed, as it all creeped back on. Usually something will happen to knock me off of my workout routine, and then I start eating "comfort" foods to feel better, and then the laxer I get with the working out and eating habits the worse I feel about myself, and then I'm eating because I'm depressed.

The last time: I spent all of 2006 running with a half-marathon training group. Towards the end of the year, I was easily banging out 20+ miles a week, plus eating relatively healthy and controlling portions with little problem. Then, a pulled a tendon (ouch!) in a 10-mile race. That kept me from running a couple more races I'd had lined up, and made me depressed. I couldn't run and walking hurt; my eating habits started to slide because the lack of progress was depressing me. Just as soon as my tendon healed up and I started running again (much slower and shorter distances-- also very discouraging), I had a nasty bout of strep that lasted two weeks. My doc gave me some antibiotics which I had an allergic reaction to and I was blessed with four weeks of hives over my entire body, which made me miserable just sitting still in one place. She gave me steroids to make the hives go away and POOF! Magically, 25 of those 33 lbs were now back.

I know exactly what to do to lose weight but maintaining it is so difficult. I don't think there is anything so frustrating as spending a whole year expending that kind of effort and watching it creep back on in what amounted to several weeks.

With the lap band, I'm hoping for the following:

1. A tool to make portion-control less of a "white-knuckle" experience,

2. A tool that will help me see faster progress,

3. A preventative to easy slide into weight gain after a significant loss, and

4. I can't lie: a major investment that will give me renewed optimism and an $8500 reason not to cheat.

[tombourn]

Vex Here is the deal.

Some of the very first fat the body consumes is viceral fat which is mainly found around the vital organs and more so around the liver. By losing 10-12 pounds you greatly reduce that fat making putting the band on much easier ( 15 min surgery) versus a much more difficult time and hence harder recovery. ( At least that has what I have ben told, I'm no DOC)

If staying on the one protien shake and the salads aren't doable for one week, you may need to rethink your options. I say that because I didn't do well on it amd have tested the band for the last year. Yes, I I have lost 70 pounds, but it was at great pains trying to eat more than I should. And if it weren't for excerise ( I ran a 1/2 marathon today), my weight loss would have been much lower since I haven't given up the easy foods( candy-chocolate) and occasional soda.

Good Luck..

Tom

[Vex]

Vex Here is the deal.

Some of the very first fat the body consumes is viceral fat which is mainly found around the vital organs and more so around the liver. By losing 10-12 pounds you greatly reduce that fat making putting the band on much easier ( 15 min surgery) versus a much more difficult time and hence harder recovery. ( At least that has what I have ben told, I'm no DOC)

If staying on the one protien shake and the salads aren't doable for one week, you may need to rethink your options. I say that because I didn't do well on it amd have tested the band for the last year. Yes, I I have lost 70 pounds, but it was at great pains trying to eat more than I should. And if it weren't for excerise ( I ran a 1/2 marathon today), my weight loss would have been much lower since I haven't given up the easy foods( candy-chocolate) and occasional soda.

Good Luck..

Tom

Thanks Tom. I am certainly going to try-- I've had much longer stretches with unpleasant diets-- but I crunched the numbers and I don't see how, even if I follow the instructions perfectly, I can lose 12 lbs in that short of a time. I mean, for the 7-day diet, thats a caloric deficit of 6,000 calories a day. My calculations of calories burned exercising plus my basal metabolic rate minus food calories consumed (even thought that last number is less than 700) is nothing close to approaching 6,000. Even if I double my workouts. See what I mean?

I'm not worried about being able to follow her instructions, I am just worried I won't be able to accomplish the 12-lb goal. I'm already down two, so that's encouraging, but its not 12 yet.

Margo

[tombourn]

Margo,

Remember there is anywhere from 4-6 pounds of food in the system that will work its way thru plus the water weight. The important part of the diet is calorie deficiency. My restricting calories to 600-800 a day your body will begin to eat the viceral fat and thats the main goal...

Tom

[Vex]

Margo,

Remember there is anywhere from 4-6 pounds of food in the system that will work its way thru plus the water weight. The important part of the diet is calorie deficiency. My restricting calories to 600-800 a day your body will begin to eat the viceral fat and thats the main goal...

Tom

In case you guys are curious, I'm down 7.2 lbs on my vicious, torturous pre-op liquid diet! Better than half but I've only got 3 more days before my surgery. I'm white-knuckling it through these last days and hoping for 10 lbs (out of my prescribed 12).

[Vex]

In case you guys are curious, I'm down 7.2 lbs on my vicious, torturous pre-op liquid diet! Better than half but I've only got 3 more days before my surgery. I'm white-knuckling it through these last days and hoping for 10 lbs (out of my prescribed 12).

Total: 8.4 lbs in 7 days. I hope its enough!

[Clynn]

Total: 8.4 lbs in 7 days. I hope its enough!

That's incredible Vex, you should be proud.

[Vex]

That's incredible Vex, you should be proud.

Thanks, CLynn, I am! And Dr. Miranda was not at all perturbed that I didn't make it to 12. She weighed me, noted out loud that I'd lost 8, and said, "very good," before moving on.