Okay... I know I am a big girl and this is part of the process but I am totally dreading the two-week liquid diet that I have to start on Monday! For those of you who have done it... how did you manage?!

Eat/drink on a schedule.. I have a fit bit and i scheduled

My alarm to go off to remind me to eat. Drink plenty of Water.

I won't lie, the first few days are the pits. You may experience headaches and being tired. I didn't have headaches but boy was I drained. I often took naps after work.

The good thing that happened to me. My body adjusted to my new eating habits and by the end of the first week I wasn't hungry, I had to force myself to eat.

Bottom line, I just put on my big girl panties and did it. Not only did I do it, I did it over the holidays with Christmas parties, birthday celebrations and a funeral. It's just part of the process I chose to undertake by having WLS. Keep focused on your end goal and don't get caught up in every little discomfort along the way. A good attitude goes a long ways and really, two weeks is a fraction of time compared to the months and years of being a thinner, healthier you.

And if you think the preop is hard, wait till you get to maintenance! I've put myself on a voluntary liquid "preop" diet numerous times in the last year in order to drop those few pounds that tend to creep on. It's just another tool to use to obtain and keep that ultimate prize we all had WLS for in the first place.

PS. And I don't wear big girl panties anymore.

Make your mind up right now that you can do it. Mine was two of only liquids. No Soups, only broth. sugar free Popsicles saved my butt cuz I felt like I was eating. I drank ready to drink Protein shakes. Premier Protein were the best. They kept me full for the most part. To be honest, I dreaded the liquid diet for three months. I was really scared to fail. I will tell you it is the hardest part about this whole process BUT it was not anywhere as bad as I thought. Not even close. Shakes kept me full mostly and I had broth and Water and tea and coffee with no sugar or cream. You can do this. Lots and lots of us have done it and survived. I liked the saying above, "I put on my big girl panties". That is exactly right! I sucked it up and did it. It went by fast!!!!!!! The first two days are hardest and third day your body goes into keypads and your life gets easier!!

Hang in there. We are here for you!!!!!

Gors into ketosis, not keypads Hahahahah.

Thanks guys! My surgeon requires optifast which are okay tasting but aren't super filling. I guess I'll keep myself busy so I don't focus on not being able to eat!!! Can't wait to be healthier!

@@rking

My surgeon's practice puts all his patients on ketosis diets, beginning while on our 1-6 month long supervised diets and continuing forever, more or less. (They make you make the majority of your eating and lifestyle changes before surgery instead of after. Wasn't expecting that!) I'm thirteen days in and thought I was going to DIE only having 20g of carbs a day. Last weekend I almost cried while my husband and kids were debating where to go for lunch, but this weekend is SO MUCH BETTER.

You go ahead and cry!!!!! It is so tough!!!!! You are 13 days in, how long do you have to do it? Just get tough girlfriend!!! You can do this. You are already passed the hard part. Sounds like you are rocking!!!!! I did pout and whine a lot hahaha but it wasn't all THAT bad. The time goes fast.

I am soooooo happy that it is so much better this weekend. Great attitude!

We are here for you!!!!!

First 3 days are the worst. Just be prepared for that. But it does get easier. If your doctor does allow broth, look for something other than plain chicken. I used Swansons Mexican Tortilla Soup broth and man that saved me! It tasted wonderful! They have a Thai Ginger one too I think. Broth helps. sugar free Popsicles help. Lots of Water or tea or whatever else you are allowed and just keep your eye on the prize. YOU GOT THIS!!

Hi Curvy. I was just about to write this exact post. I start my pre op diet on Monday also. I have chugged down almost an entire two liter Pepsi today. It has to be my nerves!

Good to know the first 3 days are the worst, as today was day 3 for me. Actually days 1 and 2 were fine. But we've had over a foot of snow so I did a lot of shoveling today. Thankfully mine is not 100% liquid. I had my premier shake and my Greek yogurt snsck together, before going out to shovel. I still ended up feeling slightly lightheaded until after I ate dinner.

I also used the snow day to make my own chicken broth. Much better than store bought. So much so that I drank a mug while moving the Soup from the pot to

Containers, and ended up not eating the vegetables I was allowed at dinner.

Jess, mom to Ysabel, 6 and Maggie, 3

@@rking

I have 90 days of a supervised diet. I'm so freaking glad that's all my insurance asks for -- if I had to do this for six months before surgery I think I might throw in the towel because that seems SO FAR AWAY. But ALL of their patients do this, and the practice has amazing results overall, so I'm going to be an adult about it as best I can.

This month is for getting into ketosis and getting the macros balanced and hitting targets -- tons of fat (75%), tiny bit of carbs (5%) from veggies (almost) only, moderate protien (20%). I'm not even supposed to work out until 21 days in, because of the raging bitch syndrome/exhaustion/hot mess/keto flu that accompanies sugar/carb withdrawal. And I'm not supposed to restrict calories too much this month, either -- 1890 per day. Next month they'll tweak the plan based on my feedback, drop the calories a bit and up the cardio and I'll have to start seeing their trainer at their gym. Same thing during the third month -- drop the calories, up the cardio, fix what isn't working. Then the two week pre-surgery diet, which is two or three protien shakes and a meal per day. After surgery there is one week of Clear liquids, two more week of all liquids, two weeks of soft foods, then a "New Normal" plan that is also a ketosis diet for at least the first 6 months. My docs REALLY ride the heck out of the honeymoon period. They expect their patients to lose 25% of their total body weight by 6 months post op, and if they haven't, they have plans for that, too. It is FAR MORE INTENSE than I was expecting from lurking on these forums for a few months.

So far I have made good choices. White carbs, grains, Beans, starchy veg, fruit, bread, tortillas, sugar, honey, sodas, milk, lattes, chai lattes, etc are all totally gone. I did go over my carb allotment one day because I used 4 Ricola cough drops without logging them and didn't realize they have a bunch of carbs, but other than that I've stuck to the plan.

@@Daisee68

I totally agree with the flavored broths! I love to add sriracha sauce, garlic, and lemongrass to chicken broth. Sometimes Miso sauce and ginger. Fish sauce is great too! There are a ton of ways to mess with boring old broths. (I get sick a lot because I have a 3 year old in preschool and she's mommy's little patient zero, so I had plenty of ramen-only days.)

When's your surgery??? And congratulations!!!! Mines February 24

I started my Optisfast 2 week diet on Friday and the first few days were VERY hard!!! I got lots of headaches and felt tired. Today is day 3 and after a big sleep in, Im not feeling too bad.

Im allowed to replace 1 Optifast meal for a "real meal" which consists of a palm-size piece of meat or 2 small eggs together with the required 2 cups of low starch vegetables with it (and 2 cups of veggies) with lunch.

I picked up a cookbook from my clinic that has recipes for each "phase" you go through so have made a lovely mixed vegetable soup and a vegetable curry that has been a nice addition to the Optifast shakes. I also added some vanilla essence to the shakes to make them a bit more "palatable"..lol

I know that alot of pre-op diets vary depending on their surgeon but thats what Im allowed.

Hope that helps and good luck

I am in the same boat as you. I start my 2 week liquid diet next friday. It's gonna be hard but it will be worth it in the end. I heard the 1st 3 days are the hardest and to definitely keep a timer going every 3 hours. Good luck to you!