Hello! Next week Thursday is my final appointment with my surgeon before he submits to my insurance company for approval. The problem is, my insurance specifically says that I cannot have any net weight gain. Well, after COVID and my gym being closed, I am 5 pounds heavier than I was 6 months ago. Does anyone have any tips to drop 5 pounds quickly that I could do in the days leading up to my next appointment? Thanks!

Disclaimers: I am not a physician & It's not really suggested to lose weight through precarious methods because of (fill in the blanks)* ....

Reality: 3 day colon cleanse regime available at pharmacies & health food stores; extended fasting with adequate fluids; zero carb week leading up to weigh in; follow the liquids only pre-op diet...

(I would honestly only do things that you would conceivably need to do right before surgery because those methods are usually physician approved)

* Also consider calling your team to ask for suggestions

Basically you have to lose half a gallon of water at this point. You’ve left yourself few options that don’t involve risk to your health. In no particular order of efficacy or detriment to your health:
Starve yourself.
Spit constantly.
Take diuretics.
Espom salt laxative (pulls a lot of water out of your system, if you’ve never done this, don’t plan on going anywhere for 12 hours at least).
Cut off an arm.
Or eat healthy and get some exercise starting now and hope you sweat out five pounds (it’s doable).

Understand the policy is for your benefit, and if you don’t make it explain with all honesty to your doctor why you were unable to meet your requirements. Once you get cut there’s no going back and if they feel you aren’t ready and committed they pretty much have a duty to say so. I’m really hopeful you can get the help you need to be successful and I hope you make your goal, it can be done... but going forward this tool won’t help you if you make bad choices, regardless of what is going on in the world.

Honestly? My suggestion would be to contact your weight loss team and ask them to delay submitting for approval with your insurance for another month. That will give you the chance to adjust to a diet that will get your weight down below where you started off and start some exercise.

While I was still waiting to meet my reqs, my diet was one 30g protein shake at 9am, a 20g protein bar at noon, a cottage cheese cup/low-sugar greek yogurt/another protein shake or bar at 4pm, and then 5oz of lean protein and 5oz of veggies at 7pm. I'd generally end up between 1000-1200 calories. For exercise, I would just walk outside for about 30-45 minutes since the gym was not an option.

Couple that kind of a diet and routine with delaying submitting to insurance for 4 weeks and you should get back below where you started.

Google how body builders make weight when they need to lose. I had to do this one time during the 6 months of appointments & that advice is how I lost 8 pounds in just a few days. The weight came back, of course, but it was a "quick fix". Good luck!

If you’re not eating low carb now, I’d suggest trying keto. I usually drop 5-6 pounds in my first week because of the water weight