DougNichols

Well I've lost 21 lbs in 21 days, so I can safely say that this pre-op diet works quite well. I just needed to be a little more patient for it to get ramped up.

What are you eating (well - drinking, at your stage)?

How much Protein are you getting in per day?

Here's his hairy chested channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/NathanChef

Yeah I'd double check everything with Aetna.

- saw nutritionist once a month for 3 months. Once in Nov, once in Dec, and once in Jan.

Looks right, except for this one. Wasn't it 4 appointments? Mine was at least.

I've been reading this board for a long time, and this is the first I've heard of that. Did anyone else need to pick one up before surgery?

Supposedly it functions like a weight belt, so when you perform your cough test after surgery, it doesn't hurt.

Having surgery 1/31 with him.

In addition to his wall that's filled with awards and accolades, my PCP weaves tales about him like he's a miracle worker. Apparently he's in the top 5 for Texas, and his dad was a surgeon too so you have a couple generations of experience.

Don't think you can go wrong with Nick.

http://www.youtube.com/user/vsgweightloss

Thanks everyone!

I've been doing the treadmill for an hour a day HARDCORE trying to get ready for this thing.

I've heard from some people that you run a treadmill, and others that you just lay on the table.

Anyone have experience with this test?

Worst case, I've lost some weight doing this.

Thanks for the thoughts, this prepares me more for what's to come!

This is the best chili I've ever had. Addicting, hard not to eat it for several meals in a row:

Soup, you just make prep it and go to work. Then dinner's ready in the slow cooker when you get home. Skip the black Beans and corn to reduce the carbs:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Chicken-Taco-Soup/Detail.aspx

The easiest pot pie you'll ever make:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cheater-Pot-Pie/Detail.aspx

I'm with ya 100%. I keep craving all my old foods, but we can't cheat - or you gotta reschedule surgery and probably pay 10k cash for wasting their time.

Perception IS REALITY.

If you walk in believing you'll fail, YOU WILL. Any surgery is an opportunity, not a solution.

If you're homeless, and you win the lottery - you can still be homeless a year later by spending all the money on crap (drugs / alchohol / nice ride). The lottery money is an opportunity, not a solution. By changing your habits, cleaning up, becoming a different person in regards to money, the lottery BECOMES A SOLUTION.

Same with eating. Change your habits, your relationship with food, change your life.

You have over a year after your stomach is snipped to change up.

How will you use it? Fall back into the same patterns, or stand and deliver?

(my two cents)

Hey DougNichols,

Thanks for your answer ! What was your 3 months like ? did you have to log your food and exercise everyday? Did the doctor office send your logs to Aetna ? How long did it take Aetna to approve your surgery ?

Thanks

I only saw the nutritionist. Since I had been reading this board for so long, I knew everything she was saying, so she kinda gave up and just handed me the "official documentation" for post-op diet, nutritional guidelines for my 3 months, etc. Our visits lasted like 15 minutes each.

I did not log my food.< /p>

The surgeon's office had to obtain all sorts of extra documentation from different people, which took a week. Then I was approved after another week. Since it was Christmas time, it took a total of 3 weeks from the last nutr appt to approval.

You need 4 visits in 90 days. Days in between don't matter. I think mine was like 20 days, then 35 days, etc, and I got approved no problemo.

I love watching these, keep up the great work!

Take a real close look at your total caloric intake, it is probably higher than you think.

Everything that goes into my mouth is recorded in my FatSecret journal. My calories/carbs are on track with the prescribed pre-op diet.

Slim fast is too many carbs and sugar crap. Go to Atkins bars/shakes if you want to stay in Shake/Bar mode.

My pre-op diet text:

1200 calories, 120 gm carbs -> lose 5% of starting weight

Use Slim Fast High Protein drinks or meal bars. You need to eat 3 meals and Snacks everyday.

You can have shakes/bars for any meal or snack when you are hungry.

Once per day you can allowed to have an actual meal within the guidelines provided.

Choose up to 5 Slim Fast High Protein shakes or meal bars per day. Always have a shake or bar for Breakfast when you wake up. Do not skip meals.

I ordered Atkins shakes to sub in for dinner. Plus I'm upping my Protein with some Isopure zero carb soon. Hopefully this helps.

Guess I'll up my exercise too. A lot.

I'm eating 1k calories and 80 carbs, laced with these sugar filled SlimFast shakes and bars. Working out 5x per week for an hour per shot.

AND NOT LOSING ANY WEIGHT

I know my body quite well - it's gone into starvation mode and holding on to whatever it can.

I joined up with the neighborhood 12-week Weight Loss Challenge, and I'll certainly be the laughing stock next week for my first weigh in.

But note: I'm following my pre-op diet to the letter.

I'm assuming this will continue after surgery for my 3-week liquid diet, too.

What would you recommend I add to chicken broth from the store, to make it not-so-nasty by itself?

I tried shrimp ramen packet, and that was pretty good.

Any other ideas? Need to stay liquid only for the first 3 weeks after surgery, and seeking some flavor.

My date is 1/31, so I'm just barely getting in on this January thread.

I'm all SlimFast shakes + one meal per day. And I'm not losing any weight, despite 45 mins aerobics 3x week. This sucks, I'm starving.

Good luck! I hope all goes well.

Carbs 42

Oh my - in one sitting? That's my total for the day right now.

My guide says "flavored Water is ok", so I'm wondering about carbonated flavored water as well.

For those on a SlimFast liquid diet + one real meal per day (5 oz meat, 2 cups veggies).

thanks!