I’m looking at surgery at the end of September. I’m feeling awful lately. Needless to say I have some time before I start the pre-op diet but I want to start it so bad! Anyone else in a similar situation? I need an all or nothing solution to last me the next 6-7 weeks. What do I do?!

On 06/28/2018 at 15:21, Orchids&Dragons said:

The 15 minute walks are immediately after surgery to prevent blood clots and help ease the gas bubbles out of your body. They want you walking much longer than that when you're past the surgery stage. Try not to focus on the walking itself, listen to music, listen to audiobooks (my fave), pray (if you're so inclined). The time will go by much faster if you don't focus on not wanting to be there. Exercise is definitely part of the program.

I know it is. I know they want you up and moving immediately for those reasons but it helps build a habit right? So that’s what I was thinking. But I’m also thinking that by that point I’ll have completed a 2 week pre-op liquid diet and will have dropped close to 20 pounds. I carry a lot of excess fluid. Getting that off will help me be more energetic. I know it’s long term. I WANT to be more active but a 400 pound body is not easy to move. Every time I lose weight I definitely start wanting to move more because I get a lot of energy as the weight falls off. It’s finding something I love that doesn’t lay me up that’s hard for me. I know I need to find something soon because I know it’s super important.

On 06/28/2018 at 15:37, Frustr8 said:

And that also is one,of my core reasons. You get sick and tired of being sick and tired. Bloated, achy, swollen, stiff, tight, add painful every joint, sadness that pervades, flat out ready to give up. Yep pretty well covers it, CreekImp is correct, it isn't a cure-all but still it's better than where you are now!?❤?

Glad to know I’m not alone. I’m feeling like I’m the only one that has a hard time walking and moving my large body. Self care is becoming a challenge sometimes because I’m so big. It’s starting to feel like rock bottom. I just wish that I had a prescribed diet to follow this next 3 months because I can deal with that MUCH better than trying to figure it out.

I liked walking my dogs, but my knees got messed up. I have a treadmill that is much easier on the joints, but I get bored too. I don't have a TV in that room, but I set up my iPad on the treadmill and stream Netflix. Instead of looking at how long I have been walking, I just think I'll keep going until the end of this episode, and sometimes I start the next one. When I get to a lower weight I plan on going faster. Right now I am sticking at 2.0 and going for a long time because I believe a re-injury would cause me more delays in weight loss. I also mow the lawn with an old fashioned push mower (we have an acre), so I usually only do the front and hubby uses the riding mower for the rest. I'm still not allowed to lift more than 10 lbs for a couple of weeks, so no weed whacking, but that is great exercise too. It is hard to get up and move when you feel like crap, but once you get started it is worth it and you will feel better!

So true! Definitely finding ways to exercise that isn’t “exercise” in a traditional sense will help me to be more successful. I have a bad ankle issue that easily exacerbated with too much activity but expect that will get better as I get lighter. Yard work is a great way to break a sweat!

I admit that I do not have an exercise I love. I don't like it at all. Nevertheless, I'm off to the gym this morning. On work days, I walk around our compound; once before work and again at lunch with a friend. Lately it has been about 92-95 degrees, but we're walking!

I haven’t even seen my surgeon for the first consult yet and I feel awful too girl. Hang in there ?

Maybe start off with light hand weights and try some seated exercises? There's some good examples and youtube videos out there of exercises you can do and of course walk what you can. I'm sure your stamina will increase and pain will decrease as you lose weight.

On 06/29/2018 at 05:31, Orchids&Dragons said:

I admit that I do not have an exercise I love. I don't like it at all. Nevertheless, I'm off to the gym this morning. On work days, I walk around our compound; once before work and again at lunch with a friend. Lately it has been about 92-95 degrees, but we're walking!

Great job!

On 06/29/2018 at 05:43, KatallacStrong said:

I haven’t even seen my surgeon for the first consult yet and I feel awful too girl. Hang in there ?

Same. I do t have it until end of August. There is actually a chance they could tell me they won’t do the surgery but I can’t imagine why. In my head it’s not a guarantee. So I’m stressed about that too. But I’ve set the consult, nutrition, and psych appointment for 8/27 and hope it will be the following month. ??????

20 hours ago, beingdina said:

I’m looking at surgery at the end of September. I’m feeling awful lately. Needless to say I have some time before I start the pre-op diet but I want to start it so bad! Anyone else in a similar situation? I need an all or nothing solution to last me the next 6-7 weeks. What do I do?!

I remember the months leading up to my surgery. I was stir crazy. The one thing I can say is to do as much research and reading before hand as you can. Be prepared! I continuously see things now, that I didn't know before mine. I tried new recipes before surgery too, and did a lot of soups for the pureed phase and froze them in baby food containers (they look like ice cube trays, but silicone). Also, start an exercise routine now, so it's a habit prior to surgery.

Here a few ideas - modify them to suit your situation:

1, Start now having one protein shake meal per day. Just one. Make it the same meal each day. Commit.

2. Walk from your door to X and back. X can = mailbox, a plant, a tree, the next house or apt. Keep it short.

3. The next day, do it twice, walk from A to B and back. That's all. If someone says "What the heck are you doing?", just give a mysterious smile and say "Research!" and move on.

4. The following day, do it 3 times, etc etc.

5. When you feel ready, pick another point B a little further, maybe twice as far. Don't push yourself. Just do it.

6. During commercials, use a theraband or hand weight as you sit or stand. Commit.

7. If possible, see if your PBS station carries Sit and Be Fit - 30 min of exercises sitting in a chair. Tape it, then Watch & Do. Do what you can, rest when you need to. Don't try to keep up, but stay the course.

8. Start drinking 8 glasses of water daily. Can't do it? No prob- just track what you CAN do, each day.

This whole journey is about baby steps. No reason you can't begin yours now!

15 minutes ago, nibble said:

Here a few ideas - modify them to suit your situation:

1, Start now having one Protein Shake meal per day. Just one. Make it the same meal each day. Commit.

I will have to disagree with this suggestion. Don't use protein shakes before you absolutely have to! I made the mistake of supplementing some of my meals with shakes to "prepare myself" for the pre-op diet. Big mistake. You will get to the point where they are DISGUSTING, and you don't want to increase the timeline of that by drinking them before you need to. And there is no such thing as preparing yourself for pre op.

Then I stand corrected! Erase No. 1 on the list. :-)

How about changing that to "1. Add 1 scoop of protein powder to one food item each day?"

2 minutes ago, nibble said:

How about changing that to "1. Add 1 scoop of Protein Powder to one food item each day?"

Or even better, try meeting your protein goals with food & logging it each day. After the initial food progression stages, you need to learn to eat lean protein for every single meal. Its difficult to get in a habit of thinking that a salad without a lean meat or soy option isn't a good choice (veggies you put on salads don't add up to much in the way of protein). Many people don't make protein goals prior to surgery. That was on thing my NUT suggested was to make sure I was meeting this goal prior to. I had to learn what protein sources I liked and which I didn't like. I like to meet my goals with food, vs. protein supplements. But to each their own.