post op diet

[frances]

I just got the paper work printed out for a thankgiving time surgery, and it says I have to lose 5% of my weight. If I could lose 5 ounces I wouldnt be here, How did others cope?

[Dontondan]

I just got the paper work printed out for a thankgiving time surgery, and it says I have to lose 5% of my weight. If I could lose 5 ounces I wouldnt be here, How did others cope?

Dear Frances,

I am scheduled for Dec 6 and I too am really worried about the 5%. I have failed at sooooo many diets and this terrifies me too. I think though that the thought of all the money that I am putting into this and I am trying to prepare mentally for this that I can do it. I am also visualizing my new wardrobe for next Spring/Summer to help me. Having the holidays right there will be a tough one though. I also am afraid of any complications during the surgery. I am one who never feels "full" and the hunger pangs are incredible so it will be a rough ride for my friends and family too. Nothing like a fat, mean, premenstual woman who is incredibly hungry! Try to keep busy though....it helps. I am also visualizing the fatty slime cruising around my belly making the surgery more difficult and complicated because they have to keep cleaning the lenses on the instruments....pretty picture, huh? I am going on a cruise right before my date and was told to take shakes for 2 meals a day and eat light.......ON A CRUISE! The no alcohol I can do easy, but missing out on the great food on the ship is going to be the pits! Maybe I will have to figure out how to use all that gym equipment that they say is onboard. UGH! If you need any moral support, send me a message.......at least I can make you laugh about it!

Donna

[Shanny]

Dear Frances,

I am scheduled for Dec 6 and I too am really worried about the 5%. I have failed at sooooo many diets and this terrifies me too. I think though that the thought of all the money that I am putting into this and I am trying to prepare mentally for this that I can do it. I am also visualizing my new wardrobe for next Spring/Summer to help me. Having the holidays right there will be a tough one though. I also am afraid of any complications during the surgery. I am one who never feels "full" and the hunger pangs are incredible so it will be a rough ride for my friends and family too. Nothing like a fat, mean, premenstual woman who is incredibly hungry! Try to keep busy though....it helps. I am also visualizing the fatty slime cruising around my belly making the surgery more difficult and complicated because they have to keep cleaning the lenses on the instruments....pretty picture, huh? I am going on a cruise right before my date and was told to take shakes for 2 meals a day and eat light.......ON A CRUISE! The no alcohol I can do easy, but missing out on the great food on the ship is going to be the pits! Maybe I will have to figure out how to use all that gym equipment that they say is onboard. UGH! If you need any moral support, send me a message.......at least I can make you laugh about it!

Donna

Dear Dear Francis, I should be coming either before or after you. I too am worried about the "diet" but realize that although I am tried of the really hard work, I am willing to give it my LAST best effort. However, the band will make it easier, I am willing to give the best effort possible for this 2 week period of time. The whole purpose of the diet is to prepare the liver NOT to actually loose the weight. So that helps me to focus my energy. Do you have other friends that can help encourage you through this process? You can always contact me. We can help each other through it. I will be working at the same time.... Do you find yourself wanting to eat your favorites before you have to start the diet? Boy I sure have. Although I am not overeatting but I am trying all my favorites. Just keep your eye on the goal.

Shannon

[snowbird]

To be truthful, my husband and I did not do the liquid diet. We started about 6 weeks ahead of our surgery date and just ate lean cuisines and smart ones meals to lose the weight. We are lucky in that we didn't have to cook for anyone else during that time, so those not terribly attractive frozen meals were all we had in the house. If at all possible, try to get out of the job of meal preparation for others during the pre-op diet period. That's a real diet-killer for me.

The things that made the pre-op diet doable for me, rather than the zillions of diets I tried in the past, were simple:

It is for a limited time. I can do anything for a week or two; it's thinking about doing without the stuff I love for the rest of my life that usually kills my diets.

There is no fudging on what day I start doing it. It isn't a case of, "Well, I was bad today but it's okay--I'll start tomorrow . . . or the next day."

A knowledge that someone is going to be weighing me before surgery and either patting me on the back or giving me hell . . . I guess you could call that the "weight watcher's theory" of dieting, like weekly weigh-ins.

the knowledge that I am going to make the surgery and post-recovery easier on myself if I do what I am supposed to. That's a little more immediate reinforcement than vaguely knowing my health will suffer in the long run if I don't lose weight.

The other thing that the pre-op diet helps is adjusting to the post-op liquid phase. The pre-op diet gets you into the mode of eating less, and for us, it also helped us to get the tempting bad stuff out of the house.

If you have other people at home you are cooking for, make them understand that they may have to do without some goodies for a couple of weeks too, because having that bag of chips around is just going to kill your diet efforts. They may not think that's fair, but remember junk food isn't good for them either. Tell them if they need a pizza fix to take it outside away from you!

[Shanny]

To be truthful, my husband and I did not do the liquid diet. We started about 6 weeks ahead of our surgery date and just ate lean cuisines and smart ones meals to lose the weight. We are lucky in that we didn't have to cook for anyone else during that time, so those not terribly attractive frozen meals were all we had in the house. If at all possible, try to get out of the job of meal preparation for others during the pre-op diet period. That's a real diet-killer for me.

The things that made the pre-op diet doable for me, rather than the zillions of diets I tried in the past, were simple:

It is for a limited time. I can do anything for a week or two; it's thinking about doing without the stuff I love for the rest of my life that usually kills my diets.

There is no fudging on what day I start doing it. It isn't a case of, "Well, I was bad today but it's okay--I'll start tomorrow . . . or the next day."

A knowledge that someone is going to be weighing me before surgery and either patting me on the back or giving me hell . . . I guess you could call that the "weight watcher's theory" of dieting, like weekly weigh-ins.

the knowledge that I am going to make the surgery and post-recovery easier on myself if I do what I am supposed to. That's a little more immediate reinforcement than vaguely knowing my health will suffer in the long run if I don't lose weight.

The other thing that the pre-op diet helps is adjusting to the post-op liquid phase. The pre-op diet gets you into the mode of eating less, and for us, it also helped us to get the tempting bad stuff out of the house.

If you have other people at home you are cooking for, make them understand that they may have to do without some goodies for a couple of weeks too, because having that bag of chips around is just going to kill your diet efforts. They may not think that's fair, but remember junk food isn't good for them either. Tell them if they need a pizza fix to take it outside away from you!

Very well said, Snowbird. =D>

[Cygnus]

I just got the paper work printed out for a thankgiving time surgery, and it says I have to lose 5% of my weight. If I could lose 5 ounces I wouldnt be here, How did others cope?

I did soy milk and whey protein shakes with frozen strawberries, also slimfast until I was so sick of it, slimfast bars, cookies. I would do great until there was a plate of donuts or cake or cookies at work, or my husband came home with his dinner, or a loaf of french bread. Then, being hungry, my willpower finally caved in. I also did ok, and was set to go for surgery then the date was rescheduled. I went out and celebrated that I wasn't starting on the 2 wkk post surgery liquids. So I gained back some I had lost. This week, scheduled again, now for Nov 1st this is what I did. I went on a total pinneaple binge for 2 days. A little dried pinneaple and 3 large cans of pinneapple juice over 2 days. Then I did the Hollywood miracle diet, but I drank all that juice in one day. Then on the 4th day I took magnesium citrate laxative and ate very little. I was back on the protein shakes (3) today. I discovered a really tasty very low cal soup I can mix up at work. 1 can of low sodium V8 and 3 teaspoons of Gayelord Hauser natural vegetable broth. It counteracts the desire for something not sweet. I so wish diet products were not all sweet. As of yesterday I had lost 7.5 lbs. Not quite the goal but maybe a little more today and hope it will be enough.