I’m starting my second week of the 2 week pre-op diet. The diet is 3 shakes and 2 300 calorie meals per day. I have lost only 3 pounds – and that was the first day of the diet. It seems like I’m eating a lot less than before. I’m hungry and headachy all the time, but the weight does not move. I’ve read that the amount of weight you lose in the pre-op phase is indicative of how much you will lose after surgery. So I’m not a happy camper. Is this a typical weight loss in the pre-op phase?

I was only allowed protein shakes, water, Powerade zero and diet Snapple during my two week liquid diet. No food at all. Lost 11pounds.

My PA...who had bariatric surgery....said that she didn't lose anything on her pre-op diet. Not a single pound. And she did all shakes and clears. She has type one diabetes and was going through menopause at the time, but she mentioned it twice in seminar...... If you don't lose much during the Pro-Op diet, it doesn't mean you're broken. Be patient, be consistent, you'll get there.

She lost a tremendous amount of weight, has most of her health issues resolved, and looks terrific. Took her two years of patience and consistency, but she got there.

25 minutes ago, Liz49 said:

I’m starting my second week of the 2 week pre-op diet. The diet is 3 shakes and 2 300 calorie meals per day. I have lost only 3 pounds – and that was the first day of the diet. It seems like I’m eating a lot less than before. I’m hungry and headachy all the time, but the weight does not move. I’ve read that the amount of weight you lose in the pre-op phase is indicative of how much you will lose after surgery. So I’m not a happy camper. Is this a typical weight loss in the pre-op phase?

The pre-op diet is a miserable rite of passage. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about losing weight on the pre-op diet. If I am correct in my understanding, the purpose of the pre-op diet is to shrink the size of the liver, ultimately making you safer for surgery. Each person's body is a little different and people will lose at different rates. Just stick to it, take it day by day.

I totally agree with Creekimp. I lost a sum total of 6 pounds on the pre-surgical "liquid" diet. I was allowed 3 protein shakes and 1 sensible (low carb) meal/day. I was faithful to that routine, although I did allow 1 cheat day because my pre-op diet was during Easter. So, I allowed myself to have Easter meal with my family and was careful not to overindulge. That carb withdrawal was he// at the start of the pre-op diet and I certainly didn't want to endure days of headaches and foggy head again.

Because I wasn't losing, I was a little worried that I was "broken", that I had somehow messed up my metabolism so badly that even this strict diet wouldn't help. But, I came here and found out that limited to no loss on the pre-op diet is not terribly uncommon and I felt a lot better.

Stick with it. The primary purpose of the pre-op diet is to reduce a fatty liver and make your surgery less risky to perform. Any weight loss during it, would be considered bonus. You'll soon be on the losers bench with the rest of us. Hang in there!

Thank so much to Creekimp13, Mattymatt, and S@ssen@ch for those words of encouragement. Yes, indeed I feel broken – a natural result of having dieted for decades and still weighing more than I ever have. I just needed some assurance that I wasn’t going to go through surgery and still be stuck. I’m excited and ready to go with the surgery (April 30), but it is still kind of scary, especially since I’ve never even been in a hospital over night.

it'sonlythefirststep - I’m not complaining about the pre-op diet. It is certainly doable, although no fun. Just seems like it should be more effective weight-loss-wise. But I’m sure my liver is now sleek and slim and ready for her runway debut.

You're doing great. After two weeks of liquids, I lost seven pounds. My nutritionist said its also to prepare me for post op. Surgery is tomorrow and my liver should be really small as I was 100% faithful. You got this!

Browneyez42, Best of Luck! Sending you positive thoughts and wishes.