Would it still be considered cheating if I ate a low-fat mozzarella stick or a egg? Even though I am on a liquid diet and I know the whole point is to shrink my liver and start ketosis but I'm wondering if I can eat those things at least this week before my surgery on Aug 23 and still induce ketosis?

If it's not on your diet then, yes, it is cheating. I would be using this time to make mental changes as well, don't think about cheaing, think about sticking to your diet.

I wouldn't stray from the diet you were given by your surgical team. It's not worth it. Stay strong!

You can, eat things without carbs and still induce ketosis and shrink your liver.

Please stop thinking about things as cheating, it just perpetuates the idea of being deprived. Eating properly is a way of life not a diet.

A lot of pre-op diets include lean Proteins, like grilled chicken etc. If you feel like you can't go on just liquids the whole time, a lean Protein is better than going off the rails because you are starving and hit the McDonalds drive-thru.

The last couple days you need to follow your plan exactly because you are cleaning your system out.

I'm not saying to ignore your pre-op diet, but if you get to the point you feel like you have to eat something, a boiled egg, grilled chicken etc are decent options that won't sabotage you.

If your medical team said liquids only for pre-op, stick with it. It is tough yes but try to treat the pre-op and immediately post-op phases as a prescription and follow them as such.

Thank you for all your prospectives..very much appreciated.

It's not a cheat, it's a choice. (I seriously wish the word CHEAT would disappear from common dietary vocabulary.)

If you choose to go off your surgeon's plan, those would probably be your better choices. Personally, I would (and did) call your doctor and ask if you can add some food and see what he/she would suggest.

I was heavily training in Martial Arts when I has my surgery as well as swimming for an hour a day. I was allowed to add unlimited non starchy veggies and an extra 4oz of lean Protein. But again, I CHOSE to ask first.

Talk with your surgeon about this, my surgeon let me have protein 4oz of chicken or fish one meal if I absolutely had to eat something. Your surgical team may allow it but you will never know if you don't ask them.

Got it, thanks!