Hello,

I have United Health Care and they require me to do a 6 month supervised diet for insurance approval. I have been seeing a nutritionist since early September and she has put me on the pre-op diet right away.

My surgeon's office does not do a liquid only pre-op diet, but does a high Protein low carb pre-op diet.

I will be doing this diet for the 6 months before surgery and have been having a real hard time.

My first month check up with the nutritionist I GAINED 6.2 lbs. I was following the diet to the T!

I have been excercising several times a week with a personal trainer and still have been gaining.

My nutritionist told me some people on this diet don't lose until the 3rd or 4th month. I have never been on a diet that I have gained weight before.

I don't know what to do. My next check-up with the nutritionist is in 2 weeks, and I still have not lost any weight. I haven't gained this month but not losing is killing me!

I know this is why I am having the surgery in the first place because diet and exercise just don't seem to work for me. But I have to do 4 more months of this before surgery, and a lifetime after. Its so frustrating!

What kind of food do you guys eat?

My guidelines are:

Only 3 meals a day. No snacking.

All meals include:

3 to 4 ounces of protein

1 cup of fruit

1 cup of veggies

64 ounces of Water a day

That's it! I have been following it with very little hiccups and I am just not losing!

4 more months of this!

Maybe you are losing fat and gaining muscle? As muscle is heavier than fat.. That is all I can think is happening. I would suggest staying the course and see what happens.

Lily

Ummm. From my experience with low carb diets. and I did mine for 4 of my 6 month diet documentation and lost 40 lbs in that 4 months( the first 2 months I follwed the diet my doc gave me and lost nothing). I have also done atkins 2 other time and lost a lot of weight but was just unable to stick with it for more than 6 months. The diet you describe has too many carbs and not enough food. Sounds as if you're not getting to ketosis, there are ketone sticks you can test your urine with that you can get at walgreens in the diabetic/diagnostic section. If I were you I would try one month with more protien and no fruit. Just a suggestion from someone who's been there.

I also have United HC and had to do a 6 month supervised "plan" ...not really a diet, though. I have a Bariatric Case Manager AND a Bariatric Nurse both from UHC, and both of them said that I didn't have to lose weight to qualify for surgery. In fact they said my BMI meaurement on my final 6 month appt. would be the weight they use to base everything on. And then there is the surgeons office where I am recieving my nutritional supervision, and my NUT said they don't expect us to diet either, just make changes related to surgery (i.e. not drinking with meals, taking daily Vitamins, cutting out white carbs, etc.) This is just my personal plan, even though we have the same insurance, there are tons of variables.

I guess if the NUT says to just keep going, I think I would flip back over to UHC and ask specifically if you are required to lose XX amount of weight to qualify. I mean it is touch and go because you not only have to satisfy the insurance co., but also what your surgeon requires. If your surgeon is REQUIRING you to lose XX weight, then I would definitely go back to the NUT and see if you can try tweaking the plan so you can lose.

Sorry, it is frustrating at best isn't it?

I don't think I need to lose weight for insurance approval. I have not heard, or read that in any on the descriptions. I just can't stand the feeling of being on this diet and gaining weight.

I know i'm not allowed to go off the required foods. My only carb intake should come from the fruit and should be about 90 carbs a day if I'm eating fruit/yogurt at all 3 meals.

My next appt is October 14th. If I haven't lost the 6.2 lbs I gained last month, we definately need to make some changes.

It doesn't sound like you're getting enough protein from the diet that they put you on. Good luck with it!