I just started my 3-month pre-op diet yesterday. The nutritionist said the goal was to get 60-80 grams of protein daily. I'm getting close, but not quite there yet. I have cut my carbs drastically but she didn't give me any idea on how many grams of carbs were OK. Am I supposed to go without ANY? Because when I look at labels it's amazing how many things have carbs that you would not think of. What did all of you do?

Hi lk,

I haven't started my pre-op diet yet since my date isn't 'til March, but here's the info I received regarding carbs:

"Start a low carb (30 grams or less daily), high Protein (minimum 60-70 grams daily), keep a close eye on the fat intake (don't over do it) and at least the minimum required daily amount (64 ounces) of plain Water intake diet prior to surgery.

You may have low fat yogurt, lean meats, grilled chicken, green vegetables. We recommend checking the carb content on your food. You can find a very useful carb

counter on Atkins.com: http://www.atkins.com/Program/FourPhases/CarbCounter.aspx

Examples:

Day #1

Breakfast:

2 eggs (poached, fried, hard boiled, over easy/med/hard, scrambled) 0gms carbs

2 slices bacon (watch brands, some add flavorings that add carbs, read labels) 0gms

carbs

Strawberries, 1/2 cup fresh/sliced 6gms carbs

Snack:

Cottage cheese 4oz 4gms carbs

Lunch:

Tuna salad (1 can tuna in water, Miracle Whip, 1 stalk celery, hard boiled egg if desired)

1gm carbs

2 Parmesan crackers (1 tbls [each cracker] parmesan cheese, microwave on wax paper,

cool until crispy. Add garlic or spices as you wish) 1gm carbs

Snack:

Romaine lettuce leafs x5 large 2gms carbs

Celery 1 stalk 1gm carbs

2 cherry tomatoes 2gms carbs

Low carb salad dressing of your choice such as Italian, Marie's ceasar, etc. 3gms carbs

Dinner:

Porterhouse steak 0gms carbs

Spaghetti Squash 1 cup, butter, cream (alfredo sauce) 10gms

Red Leaf lettuce 5 outer leaves 2gms carbs

No carb dressing of choice

Snack:

S/F Jello

S/F Whipped cream

Total: 30gms carbs"

Hope this helps

Wow, that is a whole lot more than my preop diet. Mine is Breakfast: Protein shake Lunch: Protein Shake Supper: 3 oz lean meat, 1 serving vegetables. No Snacks are allowed, but I do eat dill pickle slices, which have 0 calories, 0 carbs, 0 protein. The pickles give me a little crunchy-munchy for a snack.

Hi lk,

I haven't started my pre-op diet yet since my date isn't 'til March, but here's the info I received regarding carbs:

"Start a low carb (30 grams or less daily), high protein (minimum 60-70 grams daily), keep a close eye on the fat intake (don't over do it) and at least the minimum required daily amount (64 ounces) of plain Water intake diet prior to surgery.

You may have low fat yogurt, lean meats, grilled chicken, green vegetables. We recommend checking the carb content on your food. You can find a very useful carb

counter on Atkins.com: http://www.atkins.co...arbCounter.aspx

Examples:

Day #1

Breakfast:

2 eggs (poached, fried, hard boiled, over easy/med/hard, scrambled) 0gms carbs

2 slices bacon (watch brands, some add flavorings that add carbs, read labels) 0gms

carbs

Strawberries, 1/2 cup fresh/sliced 6gms carbs

Snack:

Cottage cheese 4oz 4gms carbs

Lunch:

Tuna salad (1 can tuna in water, Miracle Whip, 1 stalk celery, hard boiled egg if desired)

1gm carbs

2 Parmesan crackers (1 tbls [each cracker] parmesan cheese, microwave on wax paper,

cool until crispy. Add garlic or spices as you wish) 1gm carbs

Snack:

Romaine lettuce leafs x5 large 2gms carbs

Celery 1 stalk 1gm carbs

2 cherry tomatoes 2gms carbs

Low carb salad dressing of your choice such as Italian, Marie's ceasar, etc. 3gms carbs

Dinner:

Porterhouse steak 0gms carbs

Spaghetti Squash 1 cup, butter, cream (alfredo sauce) 10gms

Red Leaf lettuce 5 outer leaves 2gms carbs

No carb dressing of choice

Snack:

S/F Jello

S/F Whipped cream

Total: 30gms carbs"

Hope this helps

Maybe I didn't call it the right thing. This is a diet for the three-month process that Aetna requires. I don't start the liquids + one meal a day until two weeks before surgery (which will be in April or May). I'm just supposed to be losing some weight and getting in the habit of eating high protein/low carb foods.

Mariah, your list was very helpful. I think I was under the impression I was supposed to get ZERO carbs for the next three months. I guess that would be almost impossible to do and get a good variety of food.

Tonight we went out to eat and I had a hamburger (no bun) with lettuce, dill pickles and cheese, a side of broccoli cheese casserole and ice Water. I did eat half a roll. So I think my only carbs were the half roll and whatever was in the broccoli. I still think I will lose weight before surgery just by cutting out sugary drinks and limiting carbs. Then when I go on the two week pre-op diet, I'll have to really buckle down!

Thanks for your replies.