I everyone I'm Nate I've posted on here a few times but here's my story- I'm 16 currently weight 383 and I am 6'2 I am just wondering what kinda things got you through I'm still in pre op for like 2-3 more months and I just want to know some good recipes for all the stages you go through .. If you have anything else you may want to add in to make things a little easier please do so!! Thanks guys (:

-Nate

Hi Nate:

I was originally banded in July 2007. I saw my surgeon first time in April 2007. The day I walked out of his office I decided that surgery would be safer if I lost some weight before the surgery. I weighed 324 that day. I lost 38 pounds before my July surgery. I did a sort of "modified weight watchers diet". I had to do a ten day liquid diet prior to surgery. That was the hardest part, but as long as I remembered that I was making my surgery safer it helped me get through it. I also found sugar free popsicles and sugar free diet Snapple peach tea were my saviors.

Unfortunately, I lost my band last July. I've gained a lot of weight, so I'm in the process of trying to get approved for Gastric Sleeve surgery this year.

Best wishes to you.

Sue

Nate - welcome! I commend you for taking this step - I wish you good things!

I'm going to address the next 2-3 months before surgery - this is a great time to prep for your surgery, recovery and life after surgery. Take advantage of this time and the words of wisdom headed your way from other members.

Here are some things I did to prepare for surgery - I had a month to do these things and they helped me greatly.

* Start walking/exercising. Do something to move your body every day. Being in good physical shape with help you recover easier and quicker.

* Start incorporating a shake or two in your diet every day. Play around with different flavors and textures - add some sugar free Torani syrup or some berries, try different temperatures - iced, cold, hot. Find a shake you like (don't overpurchase, your tastes may change after surgery and you don't want a lot of something you're not going to drink)

* Practice eating slower and without distractions. Turn off the TV, radio and don't read during your meal. Sit down and taste your food. Pay attention to how your body feels as your stomach starts to fill up. I downloaded an app called Eat Slower and set it to one minute intervals - it will chime when it's time to take a bite.

* Practice taking smaller bites - I started using small appetizer size forks and spoons. And chew your food 20-25 times per bite. These are things you'll need to do post-op and it takes practice.

* Start limiting your Snacks and soda/caffeine. My doc required me to to be caffeine free before surgery - caffeine withdrawal sucks.

Best of luck to you, Nate. I look forward to reading more about your journey! Take good care.

http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1048-food-and-nutrition/

Nate, here is the link to the food and Nutrition section. Good luck!