successful preop diet- why surgery?

[******** 397]

I dont mean to sound rude or anything I'm just confused because I only started this process not too recently.

A little about me..ive been eating 1200 calories or less for the past 3 years (most days under 1000 calories) and exercising regularly 6 days per week. I do this all to remain stable and not gain weight while ive been wanting to lose weight it wasnt happening so I looked towards surgery.

I see people on here say they lose 30-50, even more lbs on a preop diet and my dr said if I could do that then there would be no point of the surgery. I'm just wondering if some people can lose that weight on their own, why do they get the surgery?

Once again I dont want to sound rude just a little new to all this

[magpie30 187]

it depends on how much weight you want to lose. If you are 350 lbs, dropping 50 lbs, while amazing, still leaves you at 300 lbs. Also the pre-op diets are pretty severe. usually liquid only, and about 500-600 calories. This is not a sustainable was of eating or living your life, it's pretty miserable in fact. The surgery is also about complete life style change, and keeping the weight off once it is lost. The sleeve is a tool to assist in that. That is the biggest thing to remember, the sleeve is a tool not a cure.

[lilbearzmom 584]

Because it's not sustainable? Because most likely you will gain it all back plus some when you can't do it anymore? Any number of logical reasons. Hard to believe a doctor could be so short-sighted.

[rebecca_dsu 241]

A little about me..ive been eating 1200 calories or less for the past 3 years (most days under 1000 calories) and exercising regularly 6 days per week. I do this all to remain stable and not gain weight while ive been wanting to lose weight it wasnt happening so I looked towards surgery.

I don't mean to sound rude...but if what you said about what you are eating is true, you really need to have some tests done. Perhaps your thyroid isn't operating correctly.

I took your stats and put them into the BMR Calculator and got 2,037 calories. This means at your weight/height/age, if you sat still all day, your body would need 2,037 calories a day just to function and to stay at the same weight. Lets say you are working out and burning 400 calories... that means if you ate 2,437 calories a day you would stay at 268.

Something doesn't add up if you are only maintaining. Either you aren't being honest about how much you are eating or you have a metabolic/thyroid issue.... and I'm not sure that the sleeve is going to fix that for you.

Have you shared your food journals with your nutritionist or doctor?

[SMO 193]

Most of us are eating less than 900 calories for quite a while after surgery. I ate no more than 800 on the week long pre-op. I will tell you the difference. Hunger. I thought I was going to starve to death on the pre-op. It was awful and some people have to do that for weeks. After surgery, I could eat 200 calories a day and not feel anything like that gnawing hunger. There would be no way I could have sustained the pre-op diet for a year. And as soon as I gave in to the hunger - and I would have - I would have put it all back on plus more. Many of us have repeated that cycle over and over. Taking out most of my stomach and taking away both hunger and the ability to eat more than a bit at a time was my only hope.

[******** 397]

I don't mean to sound rude...but if what you said about what you are eating is true' date=' you really need to have some tests done. Perhaps your thyroid isn't operating correctly.

I took your stats and put them into the BMR Calculator and got 2,037 calories. This means at your weight/height/age, if you sat still all day, your body would need 2,037 calories a day just to function and to stay at the same weight. Lets say you are working out and burning 400 calories... that means if you ate 2,437 calories a day you would stay at 268.

Something doesn't add up if you are only maintaining. Either you aren't being honest about how much you are eating or you have a metabolic/thyroid issue.... and I'm not sure that the sleeve is going to fix that for you.

Have you shared your food journals with your nutritionist or doctor?[/quote']

I have had many tests done. The thyroid test came out fine, I shared everything with my nutritionist and she said everyone's body is different and I may need less than 1000 calories to lose weight..I tried and felt too hungry. And if I dont work out for a few days like when I sprained my ankle I would gain weight

And of course there are days where may go out to dinner or out drinking and go above those calories but never 2000..I would be way too full

[******** 397]

Ok I get it now..my surgeon doesnt require a preop diet so I didn't realize how intense it is for some people. .I saw some people in other threads say they had to restrict their calories down to 1500 and eat less carbs and they lost 50 lbs in a month and another person said they were on 1400 calories of mostly liquid and to me that all seemed doable..but you are all saying its a lot lower and I understand now

[JerseyGirl68 1,172]

It's a valid question, that I was asked prior to surgery. Losing weight has been a struggle, but I was able to do it successfully in the past. I lost over 100lbs. on Weight Watchers about 14 years ago. Though "successful" I wasn't full or satisfied when eating a calorie restricted diet. Maintaining has always been my biggest problem, couple that with I really do enjoy food and had quite a big appetite, then BAM.. 14 years later those 100 lbs, plus more came back. I started my journey in January of last year with research. By June I made my decision to go the surgical route. I got a physical and joined Weight Watchers again. At the time, my insurance required a 6 month supervised diet and I wanted a jump start. I met with my surgeon in July and by that time the insurance requirement was dropped. But I stayed on it. I wanted to be in the best shape I could be prior to surgery and if I was taking this permanent/non-compromising action, I wanted to go into it fully committed to change. I was originally scheduled for surgery in November but had to wait until Dec 11 before I was sleeved. I started in June at my heaviest of 355. The day of surgery I was 296. I do think I could have stayed on that diet and lost more, but I have been there and done that, it didn't last. I'm almost 5 monhts out from surgery and down an additional 60 lbs. My NUT says she thinking I'm losing slower because I lost so much pre-op but I'm ok with that. I'm focused on the big picture and my long term goals.

The single biggest difference this time around in my pursuit of weight loss is that I'm restricted in my intake, but i'm full. Completely satisfied. I do not go through the day counting down the minutes until my next meal. I don't worry about getting to my breaking point and eating a big meal, because I can't.

I'm still in control of what I put in my body and in charge of doing the work I need to do to lose the weight, but the sleeve gives me the tool to be successful going forward.

[Poolguard 55]

In my opinion, some people's biological/genetic make up does not allow for diet to = weight loss or more specifically sustainable weight loss and quality of life. In such instances surgery like this is the only thing that might help.

[UPRR Wifey 89]

To stop the process of yo-yo dieting. After that diet is over and it's back to the real world of food again some people gain their weight plus more back and hopefully the surgery can stop that.

[FeeIsMe2 508]

Losing weight was not the issue...maintaining that weight loss was the issue for me. I have lost over 100 lbs with Weight Watchers, diet and personal trainer and each time I gained it all and then some back!

I had this surgery to stop the yo-yo dieting!

[NoOrganicForMe 40]

I cheated during my post op diet....... My doctor said drink only Clear Liquids all day long for 1 week prior to surgery.. and while I was doing that. I had to take care of 3 children , a husband, a house. I could not do it... I ate salads with grilled chicken or shrimp in between the liquids. I just could not do it, I had no energy. so, I did not follow orders, however, I ate no fat or junk, just salads.

[Kelsan 117]

My pre-op diet is two Protein Shakes + crystal light or water! I could barely stand myself the first two days I was so grumpy.

[Kelsan 117]

NoOrganic: That didn't hurt? You must be a brave lady, I would be terrified to put anything in my tummy.

[Danilax 56]

Honestly I was starting to wonder if I couldn't just keep doing the pre-op diet since it wasn't so bad. I didn't follow the diet they wanted me to follow. They wanted me to just drink 4 or 5 Slim Fasts a day. Instead I drank 2 and ate an extremely low-carb dinner. I found that had me quite satisfied and I still lost double digits since I was always under 1000 calories. I only did all liquids the two days before surgery.

But the weight loss was already starting to slow down in the 2nd week and it was a very limited diet. Slim Fast might taste okay but for that to be the only thing I ever have for Breakfast and lunch for the rest of my life? Doubtful I would have stuck with that.