Surgery is approved but not yet scheduled. Met w/ the nut who said don't start preop diet til I have a surgery date b/c he doesn't want me on the preop diet for longer than around 2 wks (preop diet is just low carb). I met w/ my first surgeon at the end of Feb and have lost 0 pounds. I haven't gained, which I guess is a good thing. I have been weighing myself weekly. Honestly, I haven't been TRYING to loose weight. I was basically just wanting to make sure surgery got appvd and my BMI is 40 so I didn't want to fall under. So now surgery has been appvd and I can loose some weight...but I find myself saying, tomorrow....I'll do it tomorrow....Monday....I'll get serious Monday....next week, etc. I have an appt w/ the dr on Aug 8th and really want to be down something, even if it's just 2 or 3 pounds. My lack of motivation is making me question this. It doesn't help that I am also trying to cut out sodas (major addict) and I keep telling myself that I have to do it before surgery, yet find myself playing the "tomorrow game" with that as well. The reality is that tomorrow is here and I need to step up. I think part of it is that I am so afraid that things are gonna change...and I act like I am never going to get to eat a hamburger or ice cream again.

J

Honestly? I had to do a 6 month pre-op diet and lose 5% of my body weight. I weighed in once a month but my weight kept going up & down. I didn't really try very hard. Luckily (ha!) I got super sick a couple of weeks before my last appointment and lost a bunch of weight... so I made my weight loss requirement and they scheduled my surgery. So before that I'd cut out sodas and changed my eating habits somewhat, but not as drastically as I was supposed to.

I think "Last Meal Syndrome" is normal for us bandsters. I can tell you that you most likely WILL be able to have your favorite foods down the road- just not in the portions you're used to having now. And those big portions probably won't even look good to you anymore. Once your brain gets used to your new portions, you look at a giant plate heaped with food and shudder.

My surgeon just wanted me to not gain more than five pounds between consultation and surgery. That was four months.

I had no pre op diet other than soft foods the day before surgery.

I was serious about the whole thing from day 1. I saw a specialist at the UNIVERSITY of MICHIGAN, With the Water retention that I had going on ! It was not good... He told me if I didn't do something about it, that I would Drown in my own fluids. I new this because I could no longer lay down to sleep, the water was coming up into my lungs. I said lets do something about this ! !

He sent me to a Bariatric Specialist, and with my Ins. I had to pre diet 12 months. So he put me on 1200 calories a day Instantly. It came off, and I'm still kickin, But I never had to wonder,,, do I want to start this now? It was instantly.

I was on a restricted diet and had to lose 14 lbs pre-op (! And failed!). 10 days prior to surgery had to be on a liquid diet...

I was banded on 5/25/11 and feel like things are starting to "click" although I haven't been able to exercise much lately - work has been insane. I've lost 25 lbs since last August when I started the program (including 9 months of pre-surgery classes, diet, etc). Understanding what "full" means is kind of amazing, at 38 years old...

J

Today. This morning I got a call that my insurance has approved my surgery and it's scheduled for 2 weeks from today. I met with my nutritionist about 3 weeks ago and the first week and 1/2 I did really well and lost 8 lbs... But then I started cheating here and there which eventually just led to eating like I was before. I think I've gained back about 4 of those 8 lbs.... I was like you... Kept saying, "ohhh I start back up tomorrow..." but since I only have 2 weeks left I need to kick it into gear.

Good luck!

I got serious once I saw my surgeon and planned to go ahead - about 2 months before the surgery. Like you, I didnt try to lose weight, I had a BMI of 35 and although in Australia, I wouldnt have been disqualified even if I'd lost significant weight, I wanted to use that two months to really look after myself, get my head into gear and start getting fit.

So whilst I didnt diet, I avoided that last meal mentality. Nothing would have made me feel more disgusted in myself than to book weight loss surgery and then indulge in a two months long binge. I had made the decision and my life was changing NOW. So I reverted to what had worked for me in the past - stopped dieting! I ate normally, healthy choices, some treats but enough to maintain weight. I made sure I got plenty of nutrients in. And I started back at the gym with half an hour on the elliptical five days a week or so. I felt good about my choices, good about my behaviour and I didnt have to do a pre op diet so I just continued that until surgery. This was a life change for me and it needed to start right now - no stuffing my face with the security of weight loss surgery down the track to take off any gains - this was mental and emotional for me more so than just physical weight loss.