Lap Band Newbie Needing Pre-Op Diet Advice

[MissManders 3]

Hi, my name's Amanda. I'm going through True Results in Scottsdale, AZ and my surgery is scheduled for March 8th!!!! I decided to get a jump start on my pre-op diet and started it today...it's never too early to start eating healthier, right? Anyway, my patient advocate told me the pre-op diet is 2 Protein shakes, a snack, and a sensible high Protein meal....stay away from the carbs! Today I had my two Protein Shakes, a Protein Bar, and my meal consisted of some fish and some raw veggies. What I'm wondering is...how do you know how much of what to eat? I've been on a diet before where veggies were kind of "free". Meaning, you could snack on them through out the day and it didn't count towards your totals. I want to make sure that I'm doing myself good and not harm, so like tonight....how do I know how much veggies to have with my meal?

Any advice at all on the pre-op diets.....from what you ate for your sensible high protein meal, to how much, would be GREATLY appreciated!

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Hi Amanda and welcome

Have you met with a dietitian yet? You will soon if not, and they would be the one to ask specific amounts.

Here's the thing about the different diet stages. The pre-op diet is for one man reason: Shrinking the liver prior to surgery. Obese people also tend to have enlarged fatty livers. In order for the surgeon to access your stomach, they want our livers shrunk as much as they can. This also reduces risk of the liver being accidentally nicked too.

What you're doing sounds great, btw! The big focus on Protein really comes into play post surgery. Be it via shakes or just in the food you eat, you will need the Protein not only to heal after surgery but to maintain muscle and lose fat. This is why post surgery we're advised to always eat our protein first, the rest of the meal (veggies, carbs, etc) after. They want to make sure if nothing else makes it in the protein does.

As a general rule, most people recommend 45-60 grams of protein a day. Personally, I suck at keeping track of stuff like that so I downloaded a free app from the Android market called "Lose it!". It tracks it for me so i can see at a glance how much I'm eating and what nutrients it offers. If you're interested, here's a link to another post here I started about it: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/141462-great-android-app-for-food-intake/page__p__1704624__hl__android__fromsearch__1#entry1704624

Also keep in mind, it seems surgeons don't all follow the same exact diet either. They all focus on protein, but the way the prefer you go about it varies, including how much. So, regardless of what I or anyone say here, always follow your doctor or dietitian's orders above ours.

Best wishes to you

[honk 780]

I would measure your Protein to 3 or 4 oz. I would eat what you want of veggies (stay away from corn or white potatoes) as long as they are low fat/cal. IE don't cover them in cream sauce, butter or cheese. My doctor did'nt really give me a preop diet so I did do 2 Protein Shakes (made with fat free milk, and fruit), and one low cal/fat meal for about a month preop.

[Cazzy 725]

Sounds like you are doing fine, I ate a lot of veg pre-op and stuck to a 600 calorie a day diet for nearly 3 months. I would just avoid eating too many root veg as these contain a lot more carbs than good green veg. Celery is a good snack veg, as its mainly Water. Once you are post op u will have to cook your veg tho until you get to know what is possible to eat

I still eat, a year later post-op, green veg Soup home made every lunchtime. It has served me well !

[BlueTattoo 43]

I would suggest talking to your nutritionist about how many calories to be on and how much Protein. Cazzy said she was on 600 calorie diet , while I'm on 800 calorie. It all depends on weight/height/bmi and the nutritionist. Just for getting healthier before your visit to the nutritionist though stick with 1200 calorie diet. Make sure you are getting in your protein! It's the fuel for your body and go go go juice! (Besides caffiene!) LOL I would say veggies are a free be for now...until you talk to your nutritionist. I went with the iphone/computer app www.myfitnesspal.com To track exercise, protein, calories, ect. A few have tried Lose It! I haven't yet i've been content with myfitness pal. And there's quite a few of us that have the app and are able to look at each others daily food intake to get ideas. I hope this was somewhat helpful and good luck!

[Knaroz 31]

The #1 thing to also focus on during the pre op is keep AS MUCH FAT out as you can. Keep it as lean as you can (skinless white meat chicken) no pork, cook with sprays to limit the amount of oil etc. The less amount of fat you are taking in will really help shrink that liver. I am jealous that your preop allows you to have a meal, my two week preop was liquids only (the shakes). That was a rough 2 weeks lol. But most definitely worth it. Good luck!!

[Cazzy 725]

I did have to lose a fair amount of weight pre-op to be in the best possible shape for surgery, but imagine going pre-op from 600 calories to around 1000 calories post -op it was like eating a feast ! But as bluetattoo says speak to your nutritionist

[MissManders 3]

Thanks for all the advice, guys! I'm so excited about having my surgery and getting on the track to a new and healthier me...I want to make sure that I'm successful as possible on this pre-op diet!

[COCAMOKIS 4]

Amanda

I am in the Savannah, GA area and I would say your lucky because I am on my pre-op diet but our pre-op diet is liquids which are Water, the Protein shakes, ice chips suger free kool-aid etc.. we can have suger free Jello and suger free pudding. I was told going through my journey and classes that we shouldn't have anymore than a dessert plate of food but every where is different I am finding out. Good luck and I am on day 2 of the pre-op diet, my surgery date is February 7th!

[54Shirley 105]

Hi, my name's Amanda. I'm going through True Results in Scottsdale, AZ and my surgery is scheduled for March 8th!!!! I decided to get a jump start on my pre-op diet and started it today...it's never too early to start eating healthier, right? Anyway, my patient advocate told me the pre-op diet is 2 Protein shakes, a snack, and a sensible high Protein meal....stay away from the carbs! Today I had my two Protein Shakes, a Protein Bar, and my meal consisted of some fish and some raw veggies. What I'm wondering is...how do you know how much of what to eat? I've been on a diet before where veggies were kind of "free". Meaning, you could snack on them through out the day and it didn't count towards your totals. I want to make sure that I'm doing myself good and not harm, so like tonight....how do I know how much veggies to have with my meal?

Any advice at all on the pre-op diets.....from what you ate for your sensible high protein meal, to how much, would be GREATLY appreciated!

Hi Amanda ! Good Question. The best thing to do is join myfitnesspal.com it's free! and you can load in everything that you ate or want toeat, and see how much you can have. Example: say your doing 1200 calories a day, and you recorded only 700, well you still have 500 that you can manage to eat or maybe 300 more wouldn't hurt. As a result,,, you will find yourself eatin 1.000 calories and keeping track of everything. It's also kept in memory in case you ever want to look back for something. Record your ecercise too, and view what other people are eating also,and get ideas,.

Look me up, and I can friend you in.

I am Losingintime on that site.

a lot of us from here are there. I think you will find it useful.

[MissManders 3]

I joined the myfitnesspal and...surprise to me, I had TOO FEW CALORIES for the day. I didn't think that was possible! I ended up drinking some milk with some Protein powder in it to up my calories, since...apparently, too little calories isn't good either. I can tell what a process and journey this is going to be, but I'm willing to do it and make the adjustments I need to make!

Anyone who is willing to add me as a myfitnesspal friend....my user name there is missmanders88

[Alex Brecher 10,516]

Hi Amanda and welcome

Have you met with a dietitian yet? You will soon if not, and they would be the one to ask specific amounts.

Here's the thing about the different diet stages. The pre-op diet is for one man reason: Shrinking the liver prior to surgery. Obese people also tend to have enlarged fatty livers. In order for the surgeon to access your stomach, they want our livers shrunk as much as they can. This also reduces risk of the liver being accidentally nicked too.

What you're doing sounds great, btw! The big focus on Protein really comes into play post surgery. Be it via shakes or just in the food you eat, you will need the Protein not only to heal after surgery but to maintain muscle and lose fat. This is why post surgery we're advised to always eat our protein first, the rest of the meal (veggies, carbs, etc) after. They want to make sure if nothing else makes it in the protein does.

As a general rule, most people recommend 45-60 grams of protein a day. Personally, I suck at keeping track of stuff like that so I downloaded a free app from the Android market called "Lose it!". It tracks it for me so i can see at a glance how much I'm eating and what nutrients it offers. If you're interested, here's a link to another post here I started about it: http://www.lapbandta..._1#entry1704624

Also keep in mind, it seems surgeons don't all follow the same exact diet either. They all focus on protein, but the way the prefer you go about it varies, including how much. So, regardless of what I or anyone say here, always follow your doctor or dietitian's orders above ours.

Best wishes to you

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Please leave us some good reviews on Android market!

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Oh awesome! I'm downloading it now!

[Terri jg 2]

I too had mine done there last June, how did yours go?