I started my pre opt diet today....and I have to admit at first I thought it was going to be ok...but I am absolutely starving. With my bmi only being 38 my doctor has me drinking two protien shakes and then one "Lean Cuisine" meal. I was hoping that I would be able to save that meal for when my family has dinner...but I am so hungry....any tips anyone might have. Surgery is scheduled for January 28th and I refuse to fail on this!

I am on Day #8 of my preop diet and the first three days were really hard. If you keep up with your Protein the hunger should go away. If the hunger is still really out of control, maybe you could ask your surgeon if you could have an extra Protein shake or veggies. also I found that drinking lots of broth and calorie free beverages helped as well. You can do this!

IF you stay with it, it WILL get much better after 3 or 4 days. If you don't than you'll need to "start over" and be hungry each day as if it were day 1.

TRY HARD, drink Water, walk, take a nap.

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Thanks guys!! I'm hoping I can!

I'm dong the premier Protein shakes...vanilla and chocolate at 30g protein....any suggestions for other ones?

Some people have found a post I made last year in May helpful, or at least somewhat uplifting.

Hi guys. I see a lot of you are struggling and worried pre-op about the pre-op diet. It is a HUGE challenge, but for me, it was an important one.

Exactly 1 year ago, I was in the middle of a 2 week liquid pre-op diet because my BMI was 55+ and I was self-pay in Mexico. Traveling from Canada meant that a reschedule would be A LOT of extra expense if my surgeon had to stop due to an enlarged liver mid-surgery. I had NO CHOICE but to follow the diet.

It also meant that cheating would increase the chance of complications and a longer recovery (or worse), all because I could not follow a 2 WEEK diet. Really? Here I was, about to take a seriously radical, life-changing step and get 85% of my stomach cut out permanently. But I can't follow a 2 week diet? That's crazy.

Post-op was going to be difficult for MONTHS, not days. So if I couldn't get my head in the game for the pre-op diet, then maybe I wasn't ready for what was going to follow post-op. I was terrified!

So I started the liquid diet. And I was STARVING. I was dreaming of all the foods I thought were leaving my life forever. Suddenly I didn't care that I had spent my life morbidly obese, I wanted my comfort back. I wanted to fill myself to bursting at every meal, like it was my last meal forever.

But I didn't break my diet.

Because for once, I wasn't going to cheat myself. It was time to grow up (I'm 43....) and take responsibility for my health, my future and my choices. A lifetime of justification, gluttony and excuses brought me to that operating room. Now it was time to face the music and get on with owning my future.

The first 3 days were HELL. That is when your body is detoxing from the carbs. You are using up the glycogen in your liver (to help "shrink" it) and it's screaming for replacement carbs to fill it back up. You can get through it. After 3 days it gets MUCH better. After a week you start to feel normal and more healthy than you have felt in years. You may be hungry, but you don't have the carb cravings anymore.

Most importantly, you feel IN CONTROL; and mentally and emotionally strong for battling your demons and winning. This is the first tangible proof in an unsure future that you CAN get through the post-op recovery and that you CAN succeed in losing the weight this time, FOR LIFE.

Whatever weight you lose during your pre-op diet is really inconsequential. What is important is what you gain:

- Confidence
- Emotional and physical self-control
- The desire to succeed and overcome "impossible" obstacles
- The knowledge that you are a WINNER as long as you do your best

Please don't look at the pre-op diet as a "condition" that your surgeon imposes on you (and some surgeons don't require it!). It is an OPPORTUNITY for you to test yourself, to help build your will, character and emotional toughness BEFORE you have the surgery.

It's like training for a marathon.....you put the blood sweat and tears in before the race to help you finish the race on game day. Without training and preparation, you will likely fail and you can get hurt really badly along the way!

Use your pre-op diet to work through your demons, build up your confidence and prove to yourself you can do it. If you "fall off the wagon" one day, the next day is a fresh start.

Aim for excellence. You owe it to yourself.

Here is the link to the actual posting (so you can see some of the replies):

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/249104-the-pre-op-diet-is-not-a-punishment-its-an-opportunity/

Some people have found a post I made last year in May helpful, or at least somewhat uplifting. Here is the link to the actual posting (so you can see some of the replies): http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/249104-the-pre-op-diet-is-not-a-punishment-its-an-opportunity/

So glad to see you back Webchickadee! I've missed your words of wisdom around here!

Some people have found a post I made last year in May helpful, or at least somewhat uplifting. Here is the link to the actual posting (so you can see some of the replies): http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/249104-the-pre-op-diet-is-not-a-punishment-its-an-opportunity/

So glad to see you back Webchickadee! I've missed your words of wisdom around here!

Look at you! Great BMI! You're so close to goal it's fantastic!

I took a 6 month "break", much to my detriment. I stopped logging and though I was exercising a lot, my weight stalled (no surprise). Then stopped exercising after doing the Toronto 1/2 marathon in Oct (toe injury) and packed on 12 lbs over the holidays.

Back on the bandwagon now (logging every bite!), started crossfit classes (ouch!) and I will make goal this year! Woohoo!

Edited January 14, 201412 yr by Webchickadee

I start mine tomorrow, my surgery is scheduled for the 29th! We got this, just keep it up, hopefully we can have each other's backs, and we can do anything....its just 2 weeks then we will have our tools to help us continue!! Postive thoughts...

I don't start my pre-op diet until Friday, but I decided to cut down already so I'm ready. My doctor actually doesn't do a liquid diet pre-op, he just does a thousand calorie a day diet. I'm not sure I like that. I have fatty liver disease and I'm afraid that my liver won't be small enough when the surgery date comes. I've already cut myself down to less than 1200 calories a day, and it actually wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I just make sure to eat lots of protein. I'm still thinking of putting myself on the liquid diet when Friday comes along.

Thank you Webchickadee for that post...it was really up-lifting. I have also realized that I had put almost 5 hours between my first shake and my second. I need forty to make myself more aware. I also have a fatty liver and I refuse to let that end up stopping my surgery. I also went out and bought some decaf herbal.tea to help.curves the hunger. Ty all foe the great responses.

Look at you! Great BMI! You're so close to goal it's fantastic! I took a 6 month "break", much to my detriment. I stopped logging and though I was exercising a lot, my weight stalled (no surprise). Then stopped exercising after doing the Toronto 1/2 marathon in Oct (toe injury) and packed on 12 lbs over the holidays. Back on the bandwagon now (logging every bite!), started crossfit classes (ouch!) and I will make goal this year! Woohoo!

Thanks! I've been bouncing around the last two months. I'm doing my first half marathon on Sunday (Maui Oceanfront 1/2). The trip is to celebrate my one year surgiversary and running my first 1/2. I'm struggling with eating enough to have energy to run versus eating to lose. I'm only 6 pounds away from goal and I'll refocus as soon as I finish this 1/2. I'm also going to change up my exercise when I get back and try more weight lifting exercises. Great to see you back!

Look at you! Great BMI! You're so close to goal it's fantastic! I took a 6 month "break", much to my detriment. I stopped logging and though I was exercising a lot, my weight stalled (no surprise). Then stopped exercising after doing the Toronto 1/2 marathon in Oct (toe injury) and packed on 12 lbs over the holidays. Back on the bandwagon now (logging every bite!), started crossfit classes (ouch!) and I will make goal this year! Woohoo!

Thanks! I've been bouncing around the last two months. I'm doing my first half marathon on Sunday (Maui Oceanfront 1/2). The trip is to celebrate my one year surgiversary and running my first 1/2. I'm struggling with eating enough to have energy to run versus eating to lose. I'm only 6 pounds away from goal and I'll refocus as soon as I finish this 1/2. I'm also going to change up my exercise when I get back and try more weight lifting exercises. Great to see you back!

That is amazing! I completed my 1st 1/2 marathon on my 44th birthday this past October 17 months after my surgery. It was a very special day and I'm sure you will feel the same great sense of accomplishment and victory on Sunday!

Also, doing it in Hawaii is a GREAT idea.....a victory celebration and vacation....all rolled into one!

Good luck. Just remember...hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. And pace yourself....raceday excitement is contagious! I set a PB 21 min faster than any of my training times for the full distance...but ended up with runner's black toe to show for it.

Have a great day, have fun and be careful.

That is amazing! I completed my 1st 1/2 marathon on my 44th birthday this past October 17 months after my surgery. It was a very special day and I'm sure you will feel the same great sense of accomplishment and victory on Sunday! Also, doing it in Hawaii is a GREAT idea.....a victory celebration and vacation....all rolled into one! Good luck. Just remember...hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. And pace yourself....raceday excitement is contagious! I set a PB 21 min faster than any of my training times for the full distance...but ended up with runner's black toe to show for it. Have a great day, have fun and be careful.

Thanks! Congrats to you as well. I've never had toe problems... that sounds painful. I'm 48, so better late than never for getting in shape! I don't think I'll set any records. I just want to run the whole way and finish. I'll take pics and post.