Tomorrow I see my surgeon for the first time since the seminar. I suppose this is the appointment before the surgery? and tomorrow *hopefully* I get a surgery date. As far as I know I have completed all the requirement.

So I'm just wondering what I can expect from tomorrow's appointment?

Also, for everyone who is on the other end of this and are a few months out.... Do you stick strictly to only approved foods by your surgeon? If I'm going to be honest with myself I know that after surgery I can eat much smaller meals without a problem and I know I can stick with eating Protein first and eating healthier food options. What I fear is not being able to eat all the vegetables they want me to eat and not being able to stick strictly to their approved only foods for the rest of my life. This is what really scares me. What is your experience with this?

Hi, I'm only a month out and here's what I can tell you. .. it's really hard at first, especially the pre op. Your detoxing and it sucks. But you can do it. After surgery all you can have are liquids. . It too starts to suck after a while but it's easy. Then for a long time you will be concentrating on mostly protein. .. by that time you will have been off carbs and sugars for so long you most likely won't even want them any more. I personally am afraid to eat them so I haven't had any problems sticking eith the program. I even tried cottage cheese the other day. .. I didn't hate it. You'll make it work. It's easier with the surgery because even if you mess up you can only mess up a little because your stomach is tiny. We're all scared in the beginning. Make a commitment to yourself. .. you'll get there. Good luck

strict adherence to the pre- and post-op diet is actually a matter of safety and the best way to reduce leaks, complications, etc. So sticking to the plan is in a way, non-negotiable.

But once you are over the first few weeks and cleared for solids, strict adherence is necessary to maximise your first few months of weight loss. IT gets harder as time goes, your appetite increases, and you really don't want to lose the "honeymoon window" of the first 6-9 months.

Once you are at goal weight, can you eat cake on your birthday? sure. Can you eat cake everyday? nope. At no point in time can you waltz around eating chips, Cookies and cake and not expect to gain weight.

But I do see vets who are at maintenance allowing themselves the odd treat or two during a week with no ill effects. I think of that as eating like skinny, healthy people. Most skinny people don't eat junk food every day. Nor can we.

Be sure to ask a lot of questions, understand expectations clearly, and accept that you will be working under those guidelines. That seems to be the path to success that I see all the successful vets here having taken.

and good luck

Ok, let me start by saying: I followed my drs orders strcitly during the time of healing (1st 8 wks). I didn't cheat once. I was so scared that my starting food too early would cause a leak. I was afraid to eat Jello for fear it was too solid. That said....

Im now 4 mths post op and I eat whatever I want, just literally only 6-8 bites. I eat bread, potatoes, Pasta, Cookies, candy, etc. I dind im cranky when counting anything. Seems too much like a diet to me and that's what I had wls to begin with. To stop all the dieitng. Im proud of the fact that I've lost almost 100 lbs (most of it lost from the lapband. Revision 4 mths ago) eating everything. I still eat burgers (I can eat about 1/3 of an In and Out burger), tacos (1 Del Taco small taco), pizza (1/2 regular pc), fries (about 4-6), and cookies (2 small or 1 med). Gone is the day where I could devour 1/2 batch of cookie dough, 2 burgers, 5 tacos, and 1/2 pizza.

And gone r my ice cream days. Im a slow learner cuz everytime I try ice cream I get severe cramping and diarrhea. I think I've now learned my lesson.

I may get bashed for posting that I eat whatever I want, as we r sposed to be teaching the newbies the importance of healthy eating. I do round out my melas with plenty of Protein, I eat lotso veggies and drink tons of wtaer. If im steadily (slowly, very slowly) and im happy with my progress (im now in a sz 8 and if I never lost another lb id be happy) why should I count every calorie that goes into my body?

Only my opinion. If I could only eat protein/veggies, count religiously, stay away from all carbs I would've never even eeded wls in the 1st place.

Good luck to u.

Ok, let me start by saying: I followed my drs orders strcitly during the time of healing (1st 8 wks). I didn't cheat once. I was so scared that my starting food too early would cause a leak. I was afraid to eat Jello for fear it was too solid. That said....

Im now 4 mths post op and I eat whatever I want, just literally only 6-8 bites. I eat bread, potatoes, Pasta, Cookies, candy, etc. I dind im cranky when counting anything. Seems too much like a diet to me and that's what I had wls to begin with. To stop all the dieitng. Im proud of the fact that I've lost almost 100 lbs (most of it lost from the lapband. Revision 4 mths ago) eating everything. I still eat burgers (I can eat about 1/3 of an In and Out burger), tacos (1 Del Taco small taco), pizza (1/2 regular pc), fries (about 4-6), and cookies (2 small or 1 med). Gone is the day where I could devour 1/2 batch of cookie dough, 2 burgers, 5 tacos, and 1/2 pizza.

And gone r my ice cream days. Im a slow learner cuz everytime I try ice cream I get severe cramping and diarrhea. I think I've now learned my lesson.

I may get bashed for posting that I eat whatever I want, as we r sposed to be teaching the newbies the importance of healthy eating. I do round out my melas with plenty of Protein, I eat lotso veggies and drink tons of wtaer. If im steadily (slowly, very slowly) and im happy with my progress (im now in a sz 8 and if I never lost another lb id be happy) why should I count every calorie that goes into my body?

Only my opinion. If I could only eat protein/veggies, count religiously, stay away from all carbs I would've never even eeded wls in the 1st place.

Good luck to u.