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My Journey - musings of a food junkie



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Today is T minus 10 days to surgery and Day 1 of the pre op diet. My Doc prescribed a low carb max 1000 calories pre op diet with the suggestion of Protein Shakes for Breakfast and lunch and a light dinner. I had to take the scouts camping tonight so I did my best to adhere to the diet. I did the protien shake for breakfast and lunch. For dinner we cooked beef and potato burritos. I only had one, which is very challenging for me. They tasted delicious but I was also hungry. I also packed some veggies and has them as a snack. I tracked it all in myfitnesspal and came out at 747 calories. Not to shabby. Day 1 down, onto Day 2.

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T minus 9 and Day 2 on Pre Op. Today was challenging. Thankfully I was busy with coaching soccer and working on the yard. I started the day with an Atkins strawberry shake, which tastes pretty good. The soccer game was at 10:00 AM, and it was difficult not to stop and get lunch on the way home. My kids both were hungry, but thankfully my wife likes to eat at home and is not a big fan of eating out. So she supported me going home for lunch. Lunch consisted of a Coco Libre Coconut Milk chocolate shake. I was being a little adventures. The shake actually tasted fine, but I was still hungry. Mowing and fertilizing the lawn took my mind off of the hunger. After working on the flower beds, we broke for dinner. I was feeling very hungry at this point. We grilled chicken and added a green salad with black bean, corn and avocado salsa on top. I practiced hard taking my time, putting my fork down between bites and chewing my food slowly. I think it helped. We ended the night watching the new Annie movie with the family. I munched on celery and carrots, while the kids ate buttery popcorn. I would have much rather had the popcorn. :( All in all it was a descent day. Calorie Count on MyFitnessPal is 831. I was very careful with dinner to weigh everything to get my exact calories. I am really looking forward to getting past the pre op diet and onto the surgery. Best of luck to all of you experiencing this diet...it truly is not easy.

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T minus 8 and Day 3 on Pre Op. Sunday was not easy. We usually get together for a family dinner and I knew going into this, it will be one of the more difficult food situations for me. Both my wife and I have large families and they both get together regularly on Sundays for dinner. Luckily, this was a Sunday that we didn't have a family dinner. However, I was home sitting around, itching to eat some comfort food. I am pretty much at a constant stomach grumble at this point. The Protein shakes don't do much for the hunger. I have been drinking chicken broth spiked with Tabasco and that seems to help calm my stomach. Anyway, survived another day. Calorie count was 948.

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My 2-weeks pre op was nothing but shakes. Then the same 2 weeks after surgery. You can do this. Time passes fast. Get some sugar free popsicles & Jello. It's going to be a major lifestyle change. Follow the guidelines the nutritionist & doctor gave you. I'm 4 months post op &-have had no setbacks. Lost 90lbs so far. Good Luck to you

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Every day behind you is another hurdle jumped. You're doing great!

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My 2-weeks pre op was nothing but shakes. Then the same 2 weeks after surgery. You can do this. Time passes fast. Get some sugar free popsicles & Jello. It's going to be a major lifestyle change. Follow the guidelines the nutritionist & doctor gave you. I'm 4 months post op &-have had no setbacks. Lost 90lbs so far. Good Luck to you

Thank you for your enthusiasm. I can't wait to be on the other side of the surgery. I knew the pre op diet would be rough. I am undoing a lifetime of bad eating habits. I truly appreciate your cheerful thoughts!!!

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T minus 8 and Day 3 on Pre Op. Sunday was not easy. We usually get together for a family dinner and I knew going into this, it will be one of the more difficult food situations for me. Both my wife and I have large families and they both get together regularly on Sundays for Dinner. Luckily, this was a Sunday that we didn't have a family dinner. However, I was home sitting around, itching to eat some comfort food. I am pretty much at a constant stomach grumble at this point. The Protein Shakes don't do much for the hunger. I have been drinking chicken broth spiked with Tabasco and that seems to help calm my stomach. Anyway, survived another day. Calorie count was 948.

Oh my goodness my grandma has a Sunday dinner every single Sunday and I've been thinking about when I start my pre-op diet next month! How difficult it's going to be sitting there while everyone's eating all this big spread of food that she puts out and I'm going to be sitting there with Protein Shake LOL

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You are doing an amazing job! I like that you are tracking those calories and seeing those numbers. It's also great that you are staying so active despite the reduce intake. Keep that up!!!

I'm still not even scheduled for surgery but trying to stay on low calories to lose some weight (started at 417!) It is challenging and I am hungry ALL the time. But we can do it!

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5 days to surgery. Day 5 of the pre op diet and half way there. I missed logging a couple of days, but all is going well. I actually went to a spinning class at the gym on Monday and that felt great to get some activity in. Surprisingly, my energy level has been good even on the restricted calories, even with the exercise added in. I have been diligent keeping under the 1000 calories requirement and no carbs and this is translating to the scale. I have dropped about 12 lbs in the last 5 days. I know about half of this is Water weight, but 5-6 lbs is body weight..

I have been getting ready for the surgery the last couple of days. The hospital called to preregister and set up the presurgery lab draws. They also called wanting the payment. I am self pay, so I have to cough up the $19,000 for the surgery. I basically took a loan on my 401K to pay for it. It will take me 4 years to pay back, but the payment is reasonable considering the reduction in future medical bills and the improvement in quality of life.

I meet with the Doctor on Friday. He requires a 1 hr education class on the new lifestyle and then a 1 hr exam and Dr consultation. His practice also announce the May support group schedule. I am looking forward to attending the meetings and meeting more people like me, going through the same experience.

My family has been pretty supportive. No one has been negative. I think they are a little stand offiish on the subject because they just don't know how to talk about it. My siblings are all pretty heavy and all could probably use the surgery. Maybe I will set the example and they will follow. Who knows? My wife has been very supportive. She did question me a week ago if I really wanted to go through with it. She has tried to make dinners and eating work with my diet. It's a little challenging at times because she has never dealt with any weight issues. I probably come across crazy at times going from diet to diet. I don't blame her sometimes being frustrated with me and what to cook for dinner. Hopefully this will get much better after the surgery.

Anyway, I am rambling, and life is moving forward.

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Good luck. Gbs was the best decision I ever made, complications and all.

:). :). :)

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Morning of the Surgery - I am excited, yet a little nervous. My surgery check in time is 10:45. I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday at 2:00 and started the bowl cleanse at 4:00. To say the least, I am starving. The bowl cleanse didn't hit until 4:00 this morning. I woke and felt a gurgling in my stomach, then for the next hour I visited the restroom. All in all, it wasn't so bad.

The pre op diet is over. I survived! I have lost about 15 lbs in 10 days. It was difficult though. life goes on around you and all those old food situations don't go away. I am ready for the permanent change. I know that I can never eat the same again, and that's a good thing.

My Family has been very supportive. My Mom and Dad came to visit last night and my Sister and her family also. They wished me well. I looked at my mom and my sister and wonder if they would ever follow me and have the surgery done. I guess if it is successful for me, they might do it.

the pre surgery exam and labs was on 3 days ago. I liked the meeting and was glad my wife came along to hear them talk about the process and after food life. The dietitian was pretty good. She spoke with authority and offered help at any time. The ultrasound of my gal bladder didn't show any disease, so I doubt they will remove it. All my labs came back normal.

So it is off to the Hospital. I wish all of you considering the surgery or going through it right now the best possible outcomes!

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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