So today i started my 2 week preop diet. I feel so discouraged as if i cant do this, Im very very weak since ive had nothing to eat today, the protein shakes are AWFUL! i already almost threw up twice just from tasting them. the protein bars on the other hand are delicious and i enjoy them. My doctors diet for me consists of 1 protein shake for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a protein bar inbetween meals only 2 a day though. Sugar free jello, broth, propel drinks, crystal light drinks, and carrots, cucumbers, and lettuce. What i was afraid of at the beginning was the starvation feeling, and thats how im feeling right now. I wish there was something else that was "enjoyable" to eat. I know this sounds like a vent, but its my first day on this diet and mind you i havent dieted in a while and it was nothing compared to this. I know a few other people who live around me who have been banded and there diet wasnt half as strict. anyone else have other things allowed? I really want the strength, courage and determination to continue on with this i just feel discouraged at the moment. Thanks for listening. =D

Ah, I'm sorry you're feeling so discouraged. I have not gotten that far in my journey yet so have nothing to add, just wanted to show you some support. Keep your head up and stay focused. But I worry about the same thing. Those shakes.. I used to when i used to use slim fast... hated the shakes! Just yuck. So.. I'm going to have to pinch my nose and just do it. But you can do this.

i know it's hard... almost all of us have had to go thru it. it takes a few days for the stomach to shrink down and once that happens you won't be as hungry. i would try the slimfast shakes in place of whatever your surgeon told you... at least in the beginning. i bought the milk chocolate cans and would put it in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes until it was just starting to freeze. it tasted like a milk shake. being able to follow the pre-op diet really helps you stick to the post-op diet... which is VERY important! i admit, i cheated on my pre-op diet but stuck to the post-op diet!

Just take it one day at a time. You can talk yourself through the hunger most of the time. Find something to occupy your time - for me, if I found something active to do, it helped. Sometime, I just went to bed early.

Also just remember this is the beginning of your lifestyle change. Once you've gotten past the surgery, it gets a little easier. Trust me - a little hunger at first is worth what you lose in the long run! Hang in there, you can do it!

Thank you for all the support it has really helped. Last night before bed I was extreemly weak and shakey i felt like i had no energy what so ever. Does anyone know if I can have an egg? im going to call my dr today and ask if theres anything else I can consume that has food like, ive been munching on carrots and cucumbers but im no fan of vegatables so thats been pretty hard as well. I think i did well for my first day even though im struggling right now nobody ever said it was going to be easy. but I see alot of other people who are allowed like some meat, some other kinds of food that are actually food and not just the shakes.

i didn't have an extensive pre-op diet like most people...BUT the first two weeks post-op were all liquids, and i felt horribly weak, dizzy, etc. I wasn't getting any/enough sugar, so I started making sure I had at least one serving of sugar free applesauce a day to get some natural sugars into what I was eating. That helped immensely, at least for me.

If you don't like the protein shake you are using, try another brand. We all have our favorites (and those we can't stand)...you will be on liquids for several weeks (pre-op and post-op) so it is important to find something you can tolerate.

Sorry you're having such a hard time.I didn't think of my pre-op diet as a diet but just the way it had to be to get the surgery. I had to lose about 10lbs or risk my doc not doing the surgery. I also had the added incentive of the doc filling the band right away if I lost about that much. I dropped 9lbs in 2 weeks and my doc filled my band. My pre-op diet was 2 high Protein shakes and a sensible dinner which was protien, veggie, and fruit. I was also allowed to blend fruit into my shakes. I used the Isopure (chocolate & vanilla) from GNC and blended with ice (they are kind of gross just shaken) and I would either add strawberries or blueberries or a sugar free mocha international coffee. I also play around with sugar free vanilla and caramel syrup, lemon & lime unsweet koolaid packs and stevia/ Truvia sweetener. Coffee, warm sugar free international coffee and chicken broth when I really felt hungry seemed to soothe me a little. I also LOVE the popsicle brand "tropical" popsicles. They are 15 calories and for some reason taste soooo yummy to me in the evenings. The hawaiin pineapple one is my fave. Once I got my surgery 3 weeks ago, it was more liquid diet. But I wasn't that hungry any more so it was ok. I'm finally starting on regular foods now and it has all been worth it. 22lbs later. You can do it! Just try to be creative in your flavors and keep busy. Focus on the end result not the day to day.

Also, if you have a smoothie king around, the smoothie king Gladiator shakes are low carb and 45g protien for a small and really feel like you're doing something a little special as a treat rather then just blending them yourself. Good luck!

Well the problem with changing the shakes is that my doctors office required us to buy THEIR product of shakes and protein bars, it was close to 500 dollars for 6 weeks supply. So i dont want to change them now, because i paid for them already, the protein bars on the other hand are delicious i wish i didnt even have to drink the shakes and just live off the bars id be totally fine, but since i only get 2 bars a day it sucks. Im going to call his office today and ask if theres anything I can add to my diet that requires something other than shakes. Maybe some fruit, an egg, anything with protein.

So today i started my 2 week preop diet. I feel so discouraged as if i cant do this, Im very very weak since ive had nothing to eat today, the Protein shakes are AWFUL! i already almost threw up twice just from tasting them. the protein bars on the other hand are delicious and i enjoy them. My doctors diet for me consists of 1 protein shake for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a protein bar inbetween meals only 2 a day though. sugar free Jello, broth, propel drinks, crystal light drinks, and carrots, cucumbers, and lettuce. What i was afraid of at the beginning was the starvation feeling, and thats how im feeling right now. I wish there was something else that was "enjoyable" to eat. I know this sounds like a vent, but its my first day on this diet and mind you i havent dieted in a while and it was nothing compared to this. I know a few other people who live around me who have been banded and there diet wasnt half as strict. anyone else have other things allowed? I really want the strength, courage and determination to continue on with this i just feel discouraged at the moment. Thanks for listening. =D

My dr. allowed us to have Soup. Could not eat the chunky stuff in side the soup (potatoes, carrots... etc). My saving grace was the Broccoli soup at Apple Bee's. Vanilla boost, very cold and drink it fast. But i'm not going to lie and say i didn't cheat, because i did. I didn't go out and eat a steak, but I did eat a few bites of chicken. I was on vacation on my "two week" diet. So all week at every restaurant it was "i think i'll have the SOUP".......But on a positive note i did lose 8lbs. If you have to eat, find some thing low in sugar. The reason for the diet is to make the liver softer so it can be moved out of the way with minimal effort for the dr. I know people who had not diet before at all....

Stay strong.... you can do it, don't give up. This is so worth it. Two weeks of starving to lose 70lbs in a year was worth it all....... Banded 11/10/09