The Journey Begins *long*

[JustinNC 51]

Well I'm going to kind of use this as an opportunity to keep my own journal of my progress so to speak. So forgive me for boring details and length, as a lot of it is just for my own record to reflect back on lol.

Well my story starts early 2012 when my wife visited her regular doctor, and he basically told her something had to give or she'd never see her kids graduate high school. She was refered to Dr. Heider (we're local to his office anyway, extremely convenient). Ever the skeptic, I supported my wife, but had the "Good ole diet and exercise is the ONLY RIGHT way to lose weight" attitude, but I supported her anyway. No way I was going to do that crap.

The time came for my wife's surgery and fast forward a few months, I watched how my wife struggled, yet powered through the procedure in late June. Was hard watching her only eat a few sips of broth or Protein Shake and a sip of Water here and there for a while, them move on to soft food. I slowly realize this was not the fabled "easy way out". In fact, diet and exercise were still a key part of this.

To date, from my wife's peak, pre-op weight to current, she has lost 120lbs!

Moving on to August, I was sold on the surgery and schedule my first appointment with Dr Heider. Fast forward to Thursday February 21, 2013 and I have my nutrition and "what to expect" workshop. It was essentially my benchmark where I will weigh myself from, from this point forward, as I was to start my pre-op diet on February 25th, 2013. For the record, I'm 6'0 (to help you imagine). Will post before and after pics later! Surgery will be on March 18, 2013.

• February 21, 2013 (4 days before pre-op diet)- weigh in at 371lb
  
• February 25, 2013 start liquid Optifast diet
  
• February 28, 2013 final surgeon visit prior to surgery- weigh in at 357lb
  

Liquid Optifast preop diet is 3 weeks. Consists of minimum of 3 Optifast shakes and 2 other Optifast products(shake/soup/protein bar). I can have sugar free/calorie free Jello or popsicle, 1/2cup of plain cucumber or celery, sugar free gum or mints. Water, water with crystal light, unsweetened or artificially sweetened caffine free tea, caffine free coffee, no Creamer.< /p>

Original plan was:

7AM- shake for Breakfast

9:30-10:30AM- Shake for AM snack

12:00PM- Soup for lunch

3:00-4:00- Shake for PM snack

6:30-8:00PM (4 kids, hard to pin down time lol)- soup for supper

8:00-9:00PM- cucumber for snack

Worked out that way two days. Plan now is

10:30AM- "brunch" shake

12:00PM- lunch shake

3:30PM- soup for PM "snack"

4:30-5:00PM- shake for 2nd PM snack

6:30-8:00PM- soup for supper

8:00-9:00PM- cucumber for dessert (savoring the crunch and chewing at this point haha)

I have a gag reflex when I eat early in the AM. I don't know why. I feel hungry, but I can't eat. It's only been this way the last few years. No set time, but generally have to be up at least and hour or two before I feel like eating. I used to be able to eat straight out of bed when I was younger haha.

Anyway, I found that combined with the gag reflex I can stave off eating until 10:30 or so, along with the help of LOTS of water, and some sugar free gum. That helps me stay full the entire day. The first two days, when I started early, I stayed hungry the rest of the day. I'm sure it was probably also before it was the first two days and my body was in shock, but I just find the schedule I'm on now to be easier to keep full.

I drink 24oz of water on the commute to work. I try to get at least another 24 oz of water in before noon, and then another 24oz+ from Noon til bed time. My eyeballs feel like they're floating after the second 24oz, but I know I need at least 64oz a day, so I shoot for 72oz, as I have a Turvis tumbler water bottle that holds 24oz. Three tumblers a day at least. I don't consider it drank until I chew up the last of what little ice if left by the time I'm done.

Things I've learned:

• Day 1 and 2 are the hardest.
  
• Put yourself into temptation- it helps strengthen will power (office took co-worker out for lunch 2/27/12. Watched, with trembling lips lol, everyone eat delicious Italian food while I had a shake and water haha. It was extremely tough, but also a great victory in not cheating)
  
• 64oz+ of water is HARD to do
  
• I am a sweet tea FANATIC. Born and raised in the south, thought it would be the hardest to drop, it's not been nearly as bad as I thought. I used to could keep an IV of that stuff in and be happy happy happy.
  
• I miss chewing, but gum helps a TON
  
• Break your spirit. The mental game on preop diet is that hardest. If you can beat it in your head, you have 99% of the battle won, as your body QUICKLY adjusts to change much more so than your brain
  
• Feel a lot better without the sugar rushes and let downs
  
• I loved food a lot more than I thought. I didn't realize how much I thought of food or what my next "meal" was going to be until pre-op diet. I constantly get a small rush thinking of calling the wife to see what she wants to do for dinner, only to be let down within seconds when reality strikes. It's not bad now only on day five, but day one and two were completely crushing when that realization set in.
  

I know this is long, but I'm using this if nothing more, as a blog to document my progress and current thoughts along the way if for nothing else but my own record and curiosity. I will update with thoughts/struggles/ and maybe advice for those not as far along as I (I'm still preop, but at some point, we all are), periodically.

[JustinNC 51]

Went for pre-op today, March 14th, 2013. Down to 351. Did cheat on pre-op diet for another co-workers birthday and my mother's bday, but otherwise have done well. Surgery is only 4 days away!

[SpaceDust 585]

Hey, did you know you can actually have a blog on this site as well as post in the forums? I'm not at all suggesting you want to stop posting here (please don't stop; I know I read the forums from my phone when I'm on the go!), but you might find it helpful to do more extensive blogging as well.

Good luck on your journey!

[JustinNC 51]

I didnt know that. Thanks!

[kokomoshell 3]

Great read,, this i new n always looking 4 more info about what is going 2 happen....

keep going both of u...

[JustinNC 51]

Well almost a week out of surgery. Feel pretty good. Weighed in at the hospital at 341lb. Surgery was about an hour.

Was up and moving that evening. A little nausea feeling the first time on my feet when the gas started coming up, but quickly subsided.

Started shakes and a little broth or strained chicken Soup two days later.

I now try to get one shake in over the course of a day, but all the ones I've liked thus far are now nasty to me. Still bouncing around on those. Trying the GNC Total Lean with 25g Protein per serving.

Getting more and more energy. Able to lift 40lbs or so.

More to come....

[JustinNC 51]

Down to 327lb per my Dr visit today.

[shuckybucky 107]

Well almost a week out of surgery. Feel pretty good. Weighed in at the hospital at 341lb. Surgery was about an hour.

Was up and moving that evening. A little nausea feeling the first time on my feet when the gas started coming up' date=' but quickly subsided.

Started shakes and a little broth or strained chicken Soup two days later.

I now try to get one shake in over the course of a day, but all the ones I've liked thus far are now nasty to me. Still bouncing around on those. Trying the GNC Total Lean with 25g Protein per serving.

Getting more and more energy. Able to lift 40lbs or so.

More to come....[/quote']

Isn't it strange how our taste buds change and we dislike Protein Shakes after surgery. You might look up Healthwise Protein drinks. They are more like crystal light and come in all kinds of fruity flavors. They don't have as high Protein as others but they have less carbs. IDK if you have any rules about your protein from your doctor.. I don't. Best of luck on the rest of your journey.