just checking in! how is everyone doing? had my surgery on the 17th, my first week check in with my dr. and everything is going marvelously. i will admit, i cheated the liquid diet on thanksgiving with 1 spoon of each: yams, lima Beans, collard greens and potato salad (which i mashed to mush). i had an awesome holiday, nibbled and pecked on my saucer all day long, no one noticed a difference or questioned me, and i was very happy.
i am back on liquid diet today. lol.
Hello all-
Here are my stats:
Surgery date: 11/18/2014
Pre op: 339 lbs
Day of surgery: 325 lbs
Current: 312 lbs
Down 27 lbs!
Everything has been going really well up until today. For some
Reason after I chewed my Vitamin i got sick several minutes later and was vomiting. Been kind of blah feeling the rest of the day.
How is everyone doing sticking to the good stages ? I admit i had some mashed potatoes on thanksgiving and a bite of yam (added milk and squished both up good). Trying to stay on phase 2 stuff but boy am I ready for stage 3.
Good Morning Everyone! Happy Thanksgiving to all. So we have all gotten through the first week. Yay! How is everyone doing? Fortunately all is fine here. I find it weird to just drink and at night I tend to be sore, but otherwise, the recovery has not been complicated.
So on this day of gratitude I am thankful for this opportunity to start a new life journey and I wish all of my fellow "sleevers" good health and happiness.
My sleeve experience was not what I was expecting. I had to stay in the hospital for 4 days after surgery, due to elevated heart rate and blood pressure. It was a side affect of anesthesia. I am home and enjoying my bed. Everyday it gets better. I am learning to eat with my new stomach. I can't seem to know when I am hungry or full from drinking liquids. I am so happy to be sleeved. Ready for the lbs to shed.
My sleeve experience was not what I was expecting. I had to stay in the hospital for 4 days after surgery, due to elevated heart rate and blood pressure. It was a side affect of anesthesia. I am home and enjoying my bed. Everyday it gets better. I am learning to eat with my new stomach. I can't seem to know when I am hungry or full from drinking liquids. I am so happy to be sleeved. Ready for the lbs to shed.
My sleeve experience was not what I was expecting. I had to stay in the hospital for 4 days after surgery, due to elevated heart rate and blood pressure. It was a side affect of anesthesia. I am home and enjoying my bed. Everyday it gets better. I am learning to eat with my new stomach. I can't seem to know when I am hungry or full from drinking liquids. I am so happy to be sleeved. Ready for the lbs to shed.
I don't think anyone has mentioned it in this post yet, but typically day #3 of the liquid diet tends to be a bit of a turning point in regards to your body adjusting to it. I struggled the most on day #2, and by day #4 is was more a battle of what my head wanted, rather than actually feeling hungry.
This is my 2nd day on my pre-op diet and this really sucks. I think if my head will stop hurting I would feel a lot better. I don't feel hungry, just know that I should be eating. I do keep my mind on the prize and the fact that I was given permission to eat a Thanksgiving dinner which I won't. i prepared Thanksgiving Dinner this past Sunday before I started my liquied diet. Instead I am going to enjoy my favorite restaurant which will be opening here on November 22nd. After that it's back to liquid diets. I am looking forward to the restriction on my stomach and feeling full faster and longer. Best wishes to all on this journey to the losers bench.
The holiday season can be a nightmare for anyone trying to lose weight. Once you’ve started thinking seriously about weight loss surgery or you’ve had weight loss surgery, you’re even more serious about eating healthy. Still, it can be tough to eat as cleanly as you do at other times during the year. For that reason, many weight loss surgery patients modify their goals for November and December to make them more realistic given the holiday treats that are everywhere. Are you changing your goals as we head into the holiday season?
No, I plan to stick to my normal diet and I’m keeping the same goals for weight loss and eating.
Yes, I’m still planning to lose weight, but maybe not as fast as I have been recently.
Yes. If I get through the holiday season without gaining weight, I’ll be thrilled.
Yes, I’m giving up on the scale and making it my goal to eat cleanly.
Yes. I’m not going to worry about the holidays, and I’ll take stock on January 1 to see what I need to do to get back on track.
Other. Let us know in the conversation below!
Mark your answer and explain it in the conversation below! We want to know how you adjust your goals for the holidays.
Its time for another challenge! This challenge will be beginning with the first weigh in and goal on Friday November 7, 2014. From there on after, weigh ins will take place Fridays. Last weigh in will be Friday January 2, 2015. This will allow a total of 9 weigh ins in all. I will post the link for the spreadsheet once its the week of. I know this challenge will be hard for a lot of people including myself because of three major holidays. I want everyone to enjoy this time with their family and friends.. This challenge is to help us make healthy food choices during this time.
Few reminders
You will know it is updated once I have liked your post.
Please post weigh ins here in this post only. We are all here to support each other..so questions posted here will be answered by anyone else willing to help. If you want to adjust your goal weight, just add that in any reply to this post. if you miss a weigh in...no biggie. Just report back in the next week.
But If you missed three or more weigh ins, i will amuse that you no longer wish to continue the challenge and your name will be removed from spread sheet.
Have fun with this! Challenge yourself in new ways! Join us for the Holiday Challenge!
Spread Sheet Link: http://onedrive.live.com/redir?page=view&resid=BAD9C9C886818A59!558&authkey=!AMesfcbyXWutAvY
Girl, I am right there with you. I had a small piece of chicken and some veggies yesterday (my two week diet is liquids only) and I cried for like an hour, doubted my decision, beat myself up, etc. I am so miserable (today is day 6), food has ALWAYS been my comforter and I am addicted to it (duh). But nothing worth having comes easily! We can do this!!!! Keep your chin up and I will, too!! ❤️
Introduction
The following information provides guidelines for you to follow before and after Gastric
Sleeve Surgery and for the rest of your life. Gastric Sleeve Surgery is a weight loss tool.
After surgery, you will be required to make lifelong changes in your eating habits and to
exercise on a regular basis in order to achieve and maintain your weight loss goals.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery reduces the size of the stomach which restricts the volume of food
that you can consume at one time. This means that you will feel full after eating a small
amount. The surgery also induces hormonal changes which help prevent you from feeling
excessively hungry.
You should avoid drinking liquids with meals. This is to prevent overfilling of the
stomach. Frequent snacking or grazing must also be avoided as this contributes to excess
calorie intake and can slow weight loss or cause you to gain weight.
Exercise is an important component of weight loss success. Exercise is recommended
before and after surgery in order to maximize the amount of weight that you lose and keep
off. If you have not been an active exerciser, always consult with your physician for
clearance and recommendations before beginning any exercise program.
It is important to follow the lifetime Gastric Sleeve diet rules, supplement guidelines, and
exercise recommendations in order to achieve and maintain optimum weight loss success.
In order to begin preparing for surgery, start implementing the pre-surgery diet
goals listed on the next page.
4
Pre-Surgery Diet
Practice Tips
1. Choose
low-fat foods, and avoid fried foods.
2. Stop using sugar. Use
sugar substitutes such as Sweet & low, Equal, or Splenda.
3.
Decrease intake of Desserts and candy.< /span>
4.
Stop drinking sugar-sweetened beverages such as regular soda and sweetened
Kool-Aid.
5. Start weaning off of
caffeine and carbonated beverages.< /span>
6. Start
cutting back on fast food and eating out. Begin making healthy meal
choices
when eating out and at home.
7. Eat
3 meals a day. Do not skip Breakfast.
8. Start
decreasing portion sizes.
9. Eat more
fruits and vegetables.
10.
Practice drinking Water and other fluids between meals, not with meals.
11. Drink
64 ounces Water a day.
12.
Practice sipping liquids.
13.
Avoid alcohol.
14. Begin some form of
exercise.
15.
Review the following information on the gastric sleeve diet.
16.
Practice chewing foods thoroughly, 20 - 40 times or to paste consistency.
17.
Purchase your Protein drinks or supplements.
18.
Purchase your Vitamin and mineral supplements.
19. Begin
planning a schedule for mealtime, fluids and Vitamin and mineral
supplements.
5
Post Gastric Sleeve Surgery Diet
Important Diet Guidelines:
1.
Eat 3 meals per day. Avoid snacking and grazing.
2.
Eat small amounts. Initial portion size should be no more than 1 - 2 ounces -
approximately 2 - 4 Tablespoons - of food per meal for the first month. At first you
may not be able to tolerate this amount. Over time, you will slowly tolerate more
volume at each meal. Long term, the stomach will eventually hold about 4 - 8
ounces (1/2 - 1 cup) of food per meal.
3.
Eat Protein foods first.
4.
Do not try to eat food and drink liquid together.
•
Consume liquid 30 to 60 minutes before and/or 30 to 60 minutes after
eating meals but
not during meals.
5.
You are required to take a Multi-Vitamin with minerals for the rest of your life.
6. Eat slowly!
•
Each meal should last 30minutes or longer.
•
Avoid gulping foods and drinks.< /span>
•
All foods must be well-chewed to a paste consistency.
•
Using a small fork or spoon (i.e. baby utensils) can help control portion sizes.
•
Have one place to eat (such as at the table) and avoid reading or watching TV
while you eat. This helps you to enjoy your food, concentrate on eating slower
and to realize when your stomach is full.
7.
Drink plenty of calorie-free, non-carbonated, caffeine- free fluids between
meals
.
•
Drink slowly-sip fluids, never gulp.
•
Calorie-containing beverages should be limited to skim milk and Protein Drinks.
•
Limit juice to no more than 4oz. per day.
•
Consume zero-calorie beverages throughout the day.
6
Diet Progression After Surgery
The diet after gastric sleeve surgery progresses through several stages. Your surgeon will
let you know when it is okay to progress to the next stage.
Day 1 - 2 after surgery:
Clear liquid diet
The clear liquid diet means fluids or foods that are liquid at body temperature and can
almost be seen through. You will be on a clear liquid diet while you’re in the hospital.
Examples of Clear Liquid Diet (No Added Sugar/ Sugar Free):
•
Clear (diluted) fruit juices without added sugar: apple, grape or white grape or
diet cranberry
•
sugar-free Crystal Light drink mix or popsicles, sugar-free Kool-Aid
•
Herbal tea, caffeine-free tea
•
flat soda
•
Sugar-free Popsicles
•
Sugar-free Gelatin
•
Clear broth
•
Water
????
It is best to dilute juices by 50% with water.
????
Avoid citrus juices (orange/grapefruit) and Tomato juice for the first three weeks.
????
coffee and de-caffeinated coffee contain acids which are irritating to the stomach
lining and should be avoided for the first few weeks for healing.
Day 3 through Week 2:
Full Liquid Diet
The next stage is the full liquid diet which consists of sugar-free, low-fat milk products and
the Clear Liquids listed above.
You will need to supplement with protein (drinks or
powder) after surgery. Remember to sip liquids, do not gulp.
Examples of Full Liquid Diet (No Added Sugar/Sugar-Free, Low Fat):
•
Skim Milk or Lactaid milk
•
Soy Milk (non-fat)
•
Low fat, thin, strained cream Soup (smooth, no pieces of food)
•
Sugar-free instant breakfast
•
Protein drinks – Start daily when you get home from the hospital. (See section on
protein and protein drinks)
•
Plain or “light” (no sugar added) yogurt with no fruit pieces
•
Sugar-free pudding or custard
•
Thinned cream of wheat or rice Cereal
7
Week 3 through Week 8:
pureed Diet
You may now begin a pureed diet. This includes all items listed for clear and full liquids,
and the items listed for the pureed (blenderized) diet.
•
Eat PROTEIN foods first
•
Make sure foods are well blended.
•
Start slowly. If you do not tolerate pureed foods go back to the liquid diet and try
again in a few days.
•
Remember to drink liquids between meals, not with meals.
•
Continue Protein Drinks or protein supplements every day.
Examples for the Pureed Diet (Sugar-Free/No Sugar Added, Low Fat):
eggs
cheese
Pureed or blenderized scrambled eggs or egg substitute or cheese
omelet; melted low-fat cheese, low-fat or non-fat cream cheese,
ricotta cheese, very smooth/mashed soft cheese such as mozzarella,
string cheese, low-fat or non-fat smooth or small curd cottage cheese
meat, Fish,
Poultry,
Baby food meat or pureed meat or poultry moistened with broth or
low-fat gravy
Blenderized shrimp, scallops or fish
Pureed tuna or salmon (canned in water) or pureed egg salad with
low-fat or non-fat mayonnaise
Potted meats thinned with broth; smooth deviled ham
Starches Unsweetened instant oatmeal (strained), cream of wheat or rice
cereal, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, smooth polenta, hummus,
refried beans; low-fat or baked crackers or chips
Vegetables Baby food vegetables or pureed cooked vegetables (no corn or peas)
Mashed winter squash, tomato juice or sauce, pureed salsa, marinara
Soup Strained, low-fat cream Soup made with skim milk; fat-free broth
Blenderized lentil or split pea soup or chili
Fruit Baby food fruits (bananas, pears, applesauce, peaches, mango, etc)
Unsweetened applesauce (smooth)
Unsweetened canned fruit – blenderized
Unsweetened fruit juice (diluted, no sugar added)
Remember: IF YOU CAN CHEW IT, DON’T DO IT!
8
Tips to Get Started
Everything that you eat on the pureed diet should be sugar-free or no sugar added, low fat
and blended to the consistency of baby food or smooth applesauce.
•
You will need a blender or food processor or you can purchase baby food.
•
Start with 1 ounce (2 Tablespoon) portions - no more than 4 Tablespoons at the
most. Listen to your body and stop eating as soon as you feel full.
•
Eat protein foods first. Then if you are not too full, try vegetables or fruits.
•
Continue protein supplements (80 g protein per day from supplement).
Helpful Hints for Blenderizing
•
Cut foods into small pieces before putting into the blender or food processor.
•
Remove seeds, skins and fat.
•
Add liquid for ease of blending. Add enough liquid to cover the blades. Options
include skim milk, broth, strained low-fat cream soup, low-fat gravy, low-fat or
non-fat sour cream or fat-free half & half.
•
Blend the item to a smooth, applesauce consistency.
•
Make sure there are no particles, seeds or lumps remaining. If so put through a
sieve or strainer.
•
If you have leftover blenderized foods, try freezing in single serving portions in ice
cube trays and put the frozen cubes into plastic freezer bags.
Meats
– Very lean and dry meats puree better by adding a small amount of fat (margarine,
oil, light Mayonnaise, gravy, etc.) Fish also tends to be dry. Improve the texture by adding
small amount of lemon juice, light mayonnaise or strained low-fat tartar sauce.
Starches
– Try pureed peas, canned Beans, sweet potatoes. Starches puree better when
hot. Rice and potatoes tend to puree into a Gummy paste and are not recommended.
Substitute cream of rice Cereal prepared with a flavorful broth and seasoned with
margarine. Pasta or noodles are not recommended as they are not well-tolerated.
Vegetables
– Cook vegetables until soft. If using canned vegetables, drain first. Add
melted margarine and puree. Add a small amount of liquid until it reaches the smooth
applesauce consistency.
Fruit
– If using canned fruit, drain first. Add a few drops of lemon juice to help prevent
them from discoloring.
Begin to take advantage of your favorite leftovers before surgery. Process these foods, and
freeze them in an ice cube tray. (Each cube is approximately 1/2 to 1 ounce). When
frozen, pop out into Zip-lock bag; label and date, and freeze cubes until needed.
9
Meal Guidelines for the Pureed Diet
(See Sample Pureed Meals listed in the Appendix)
Once you begin to eat pureed foods (which are considered solids) you will want to start
differentiating between liquids and solids – meals should include pureed foods, and so
liquids (including protein drinks) should be taken
separately from your meals.
•
You should eat 3 meals a day with protein drinks between meals.
•
Protein drinks containing at least 20 grams of protein per serving should be
consumed as needed to meet 80 g/day goal.
•
Start with a portion size of 1 to 2 tablespoons of pureed food for the first month.
At first you may not be able to tolerate this amount. Eat your protein source first, and then
if you have room a small amount of fruit, vegetables or other foods may be consumed.
Hints for Measuring Foods:
Liquids or soft/pureed foods are best measured in
measuring cups or spoons; they can be measured in ounces, Tablespoons or mls.
1 cup 8 Fluid ounces 240 ml 16 tablespoons
3/4 cup 6 Fluid ounces 180 ml 12 tablespoons
1/2 cup 4 fluid ounces 120 ml 8 tablespoons
1/4 cup 2 fluid ounces 60 ml 4 tablespoons
1/8 cup 1 fluid ounce 30 ml 2 tablespoons
1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1/2 Tablespoon = 1-1/2 teaspoons
Week 9-12 After Surgery:
Soft solid food Diet
If you have been tolerating pureed foods, you may now begin a soft diet. This includes all
items listed for clear and full liquids and pureed diets plus items listed for the soft diet.
Try 1 to 2 new foods a day. This will help you to learn what foods you tolerate.
•
Remember your stomach pouch empties more slowly with more solid or dense
foods than with liquids, so you will be able to tolerate a smaller quantity of food
than you could with liquids
.
•
Go slowly. If you do not tolerate the trial of soft foods, resume pureed foods and
try again in a week.
•
Eat protein foods first
•
Avoid foods high in sugar and fat.
•
Space meals 4-5 hours apart
•
Continue your protein drinks between meals
•
Drink other fluids constantly between meals
10
Examples of Soft Diet (No Added Sugar/Sugar-Free, Low Fat):
•
Baked fish (no bones)
•
Imitation crab meat, baby shrimp
•
Bananas
•
Canned peaches or pears in water or juice
•
Well-cooked vegetables without seeds or skin (no corn or peas)
•
Scrambled, poached or hard boiled eggs
•
Tuna or egg salad (no onions, celery, pimientos, etc.)
•
Finely shaved deli meat
•
Baked, grilled or rotisserie chicken
o
Moist foods will be better tolerated. Moisten meats with broth, low fat
mayonnaise, or low-fat gravy or sauce.
o
Fish and seafood Proteins are softer and easier to break down than poultry
or red meat Proteins.< /span>
o
Reheating foods tends to make them dry out and hard to tolerate.
Common Problem Foods
(Avoid for 3 months after surgery)
•
Red meat such as steak, roast beef, pork. Red meat is high in muscle Fiber, which is
difficult to separate even with a great deal of chewing. Avoid hamburger for one
month after surgery.
•
Un-toasted bread; rolls, biscuits. (Toasted bread may be better-tolerated.)
•
Pasta
•
Rice
•
Membrane of citrus fruits
•
Dried fruits, nuts, popcorn, coconut
•
Salads, fresh fruits (except banana) and fresh uncooked vegetables, potato skins.
Month 4 After Surgery:
Regular Diet
•
Problem foods as listed above can now be tried.
•
Rice, Pasta and doughy bread may not be tolerated for 6 months or more.
•
Try fresh fruits without the skin first. If tolerated, the skin can be tried the next
time. Salads are generally well-tolerated if chewed well.
•
Go slowly. Try a small amount to see how you feel.
•
Avoid high sugar and high fat foods to avoid a high calorie intake.
11
Foods to Avoid
:
Hard/crunchy foods may always be poorly tolerated. Nuts and seeds
are difficult to break down. Fried foods/greasy foods are hard to digest and are very high
in calories.
•
Corn chips, potato chips, tortilla chips, hard taco shells
•
Nuts and seeds
•
Fried foods and greasy foods
Points to Remember:
•
Solid foods will fill your stomach pouch more than liquids so you will be eating
smaller quantities of foods versus liquids.
•
If you don’t tolerate a food the first time, wait a week and try again.
•
You may find that you tolerate a certain food one day and not the next. It is
normal for this to happen.
•
If you don’t tolerate certain foods or notice nausea, vomiting or diarrhea during
or after eating, ask yourself the following questions:
o
Did I chew to a paste consistency?
o
Did I eat too fast?
o
Did I eat too much volume?
o
Did I drink fluid with my real meal or too close to my meal?
o
Did I eat something high in sugar or fat?
o
Was the food moist or was it too dry?
Steps for adding solid foods:
•
Try only 1 small bite of the new food and chew well. Wait awhile and if there are
no problems, take another bite.
•
If at any time you feel too full, nauseated or vomit, stop eating and rest. Take only
clear liquids at the next meal and add blended foods and liquids at the following
meal. Try one solid food again the next day.
12
PROTEIN
Protein is
the most important nutrient to concentrate on when resuming your diet.
Because the volume of your meals will be limited, you should aim for a minimum of
80 grams of protein per day – this needs to come from your protein supplement
.
Why is protein important?
•
Wound healing
•
Sparing loss of muscle
•
Minimizing hair loss
•
Preventing protein malnutrition
Remember to
eat protein foods first at each meal, followed by vegetables and fruit.
These are some good sources of protein:
Protein Sources Serving size Protein (g)
Skim or 1% milk 1 cup 8
Evaporated skim milk (canned) 1 cup 19
Soy milk beverage 1 cup (8 ounces) 7
Non fat dry milk powder 1/3 cup powder 8
Nonfat, sugar free yogurt 1 cup (8 ounces) 8
Nonfat or low fat cottage cheese ½ cup (4 ounces) 14
Nonfat or low fat cheese slices
String cheese
*1 ounce/ 1 slice 6
LEAN meats – skinless chicken or turkey
breast, fish, beef, ham, Deli meats *1 ounce 7
Egg or Egg substitute 1 egg or ¼ cup subst. 7
Peanut Butter (creamy) 1 Tablespoon 5
Tofu ¼ cup 5
Legumes; dried Beans peas or lentils
Chili, bean soup
½ cup cooked
½ cup
7-9
6-7
Soy/vegetable patty (like Gardenburger) 1 patty 8 - 10
Hummus ½ cup 6
Measuring Hints:
*1 ounce of meat is equal to about 3 – 4 Tablespoons of chopped or ground meat.
1 ounce of grated or cottage cheese, tuna or egg salad is ~ 1/4
th cup (4 Tablespoons).
A 3-ounce portion size of chicken or meat is about the size of a deck of cards.
13
High Protein Ideas
Chicken or Turkey
Pureed – Use baby food or make your own. Try mixing it into strained low-fat cream soup.
Breast – baked or grilled
Thin-sliced/shaved deli slices
Ground – meatballs, meatloaf
Canned – works great for chicken salad
Strained out of canned soup – tends to be very moist
Fish (avoid bones)
Baked, broiled, poached, or grilled fish
Shrimp
Imitation or regular crab meat
Fresh or canned salmon in water
Canned tuna in water
Sushi
Beef or Veal (Extra Lean)
Ground – meatballs, meatloaf
Pork
Shaved deli ham
Eggs or Egg substitute
Scrambled eggs or omelet
Homemade eggnog made with skim milk, sugar-substitute
Diet custard
Egg salad
Quiche or frittata
Deviled eggs
Low-fat Dairy Products
Milk (skim or 1%)
Yogurt (plain or no-sugar added)
Low-fat cheeses including cottage cheese, string cheese, ricotta, or any other cheeses
which are reduced-fat or non-fat.
Legumes
Peanut Butter – smooth
Dried beans or lentils – or Soups, stews or chili made from these
Hummus
Vegetarian or fat-free refried beans
Tofu
14
Protein Supplements
????
Because of the limited volume capacity of the stomach, it will be nearly impossible to
meet your protein needs from food sources for up to a year after surgery.
????
You will need to consume a protein drinks to get a total of 80 g protein per day – This
would be 2 protein drinks
I started my liquid diet today and I am starving!! AND I already cheated! I had a small burger on my way to work cause I just couldnt stand the though of strarving all night...
I am scheduled to have my surgery 11/18 and need to be on Clear liquids w/ optional Protein Shakes 3 times a day til then and I just dont know if I can do it....I know that there has been tons of people that have cheated during their liquid diet phase as well, I just didnt know that it was going to be this hard.
Any suggestions/tips on how to get through this? Did you cheat? Any non-cheaters?
Oh this sounds great. .I'm not on pre-op diet yet but still trying to be good even though I'm already approved .anyway. I am starting to be very hungry at bedtime and even waking up at 2 or 3 BECAUSE my un-sleeved stomach is starving.
Look, the pre op diet is hell, and it's hell for a lot of people. You are not alone here. I barely survived it. But what kept me motivated was my surgery date. And now that I'm almost four months out, it's was the worst part of my journey so far. So, drink those shakes, Water, low sodium broth, hot tea, whatever you have to do for the next week. Keep the family meals simple and maybe make enough for a few days. Finally, go to bed early. I would of been fine if I was able to sleep the two weeks away. I had to kick a serious caffeine addiction and the thought of getting out of bed, and not drinking my 20 oz mug of coffee depressed me. You can do this my sister!
Eat something that won't make much of a difference in caloric or fat intake. My surgeon makes his patients do a week (or more) of Nutri-Med, a powder base to create shakes, puddings, Soups, etc. The on-staff dietician said to eat the Soup at night and to add low-fat, non-starch veggies to it. I added a can of green Beans to each one for filling. You can't use other Beans, but I'm sure you could use broccoli, cabbage, or something like that. If you're not using a program like this ... just doing low-fat on your own, open up a can of green beans in the evening and dig in. It's not the best choice for taste, but it should fight the hunger. I lost 14 pounds that week. Enjoy!
I can't particularly relate because I took my doctors orders very serious. The preop diet is designed to shrink your liver so they can better visualize and isolate your stomach. Not only are you putting yourself at a higher risk for surgical complications, but your surgeon may just close you back up if he feels it's too risky to proceed. My surgeon actually refuses to do the surgery if the patient doesn't lose the appropriate preop weight. I had to lose 5% of my body weight on my 2 week preop, which was 12 pounds. I lost 22 just to be safe!
Find a way to stick with it. Besides, the preop diet is nothing compared to the months of eating right to lose the weight and then years of maintenance. Don't get in the habit of cheating. It will make it very hard to be successful in the long run.
I am struggling today the weekends are really hard. I do better during the work because I'm at work and I'm very busy. To make things worse "Big Red" is coming, plus I have been sick. I just got finish telling myself you can do this, so I got up and got a Protein Drink. I want a bag of chips so bad right now. It is a mind thing. If I get to hungry, I have been eating eggs or broth with white chicken meat in it. Trying to stay strong.
My husband and I drove to Vegas from Washington state two weeks after my surgery. I was really tired, but I was able to drive as I wasn't taking any pain meds. I brought Water, Protein Powder, baby food, applesauce, and pudding with me. So I could eat when needed and kept my water bottle full the entire time. Just remember to sleep when you are tired and keep your fluids and Protein up. I still haven't met my protein goal and I'm almost 6 weeks out. It's hard!
I also wore compression sleeves on my legs and got out at gas stations and rest stops to walk and stretch my legs. Every so often I would stretch and pump my legs in the car as well!
Traveling soon after surgery and being idle can increase DVT risks, so I made sure to keep my legs moving ????
christo5 got a reaction from taniaceli in Where are the November Sleevers?
christo5 got a reaction from alexa in Check in: Week of Nov 17th Sleevers!