Dieting before WLS - Was it worth it?

[Baconville 578]

I am hoping for a surgery date in late June (I am waiting for insurance approval now). For the last month I have been using my fitness pal.com to help me loose weight. I have lost 22 pounds. My doc only required 10. I have read many posts here from people who had a list of last meals and did not diet and exercise before surgery. I have been focused on making as many changes now as possible thinking that it will help me adjust better after surgery. This weekend (Memorial Day) it would be SO easy to just let it go and eat whatever I want! I have worked hard for the pounds lost and don't want to undo it. It's even harder because for the last week my weight has not moved no matter how much I have exercised or how little I have eaten. I am feeling very frustrated and wondering if it will really be worth it after surgery. So tell me, is it?

[Nel 189]

Yes, it gives you the confidence boost that your body CAN lose weight. Also, that's 22 pounds you don't have to lose after. For me weight loss is slow.

[TinyMamiOf3kids 1,280]

Excellent lost 15 pounds before WLS

[Cherry 71]

Yes it is worth it...

Keep in mind that there are many people who also post about several post-op problems; physical and emotional. My opinion is that those who cannot deal with a 2-wk pre-op diet plan, are going to really struggle post-op. The doctors give us orders, yet many turn to forums to justify defying those orders simply because other people have received different orders.

To me, the pre-op loss was about will power....and I succeeded and lost 40 lbs. But it was important to succeed in the will power....not necessarily the pounds dropped.

No, we are not all perfect and we have set backs and hard times. But this is a life altering procedure with serious potential complications. If the doctor says you must lose 10# pre-op, then please realize there is a benefit and reason for it.

You did great so keep it up. food is NOT better than you!!

[Jeepchick42 193]

I too have been on a diet and exercise plan since my first nut appt in early April. I have lost just over 20lbs since and religiously use my fitness pal and exercise everyday. However, I do plan on having a "last meal" before my surgery on June 5 (woot, woot!!) I also plan on compensating for my meal in my diet. I think that allowing yourself one last indulgence is completely fine and totally normal. I have failed previously on diets by denying myself things that I want and need to change that behavior. After surgery I just plan on reworking the foods that I want into healthier choices.

[heather200202 73]

Yes , it's very much worth it. I only lost a few pounds before my surgery but I was getting used to my diet and exercise when I started the process. It will help so much being in the mid set of exercising, drinking Water all the time, not drinking before, while and after you eat for the time said, and everything else we need to get our minds set to. As for you being stalled for a little bit with losing 20 pounds....it's a first of MANY stalls. Be patient and they will come off. Your body is adjusting to everything. But 20 pounds is 20 pounds!!! Congrats!!

HW: 331 SW: 11/26/12 319lbs CW: 225 05/03/13 GW: 157

[Baconville 578]

Thanks for the pep talk! Just returned from the Y where I did 33 minutes on the elliptical. It would help if I could see the scale move even a little! I know that I am doing all the right things - I just have to keep the faith that the scale WILL move!! It would also help if the sun made an appearance - but the weatherman said that will not happen to next week!! I seem to be short on patience this weekend! LOL

[terry1118 1,274]

I too have been on a diet and exercise plan since my first nut appt in early April. I have lost just over 20lbs since and religiously use my fitness pal and exercise everyday. However' date=' I do plan on having a "last meal" before my surgery on June 5 (woot, woot!!) I also plan on compensating for my meal in my diet. I think that allowing yourself one last indulgence is completely fine and totally normal. I have failed previously on diets by denying myself things that I want and need to change that behavior. After surgery I just plan on reworking the foods that I want into healthier choices.[/quote']

I agree. I had Ben and Jerry's Phish food two weeks ago. But one indulgence was not an excuse to abandon all. For the most part I've been practicing, trying to get into a Vitamin routine, drinking plenty of fluids, exercising, and trying to eat more quality Protein. I'm becoming quite the label reader, too. Four days to surgery...

[deaddemmama 474]

I exercised and watched what I ate before surgery...stuck to the liquid diet religiously. I lost 20 lbs and gain muscle mass. I did go to a nice restaurant for a meal before my liquid diet, but I don't think of it as a last meal...it was just the last gross amount of food I'm ever going to eat. It seem inconceivable that I ate all that now. My team gave me all sorts of stats about how people who exercise do so much better after surgery...I took them at their word.

[Baconville 578]

Well, when I weighed myself this morning I was down a little over a pound! This puts me down 24 pounds in 40 days! After not losing anything for days it was a welcome sight! I have made SO many changes it helps to know that it will make a difference after surgery. I have SO much weight to lose, this is just the very beginning. THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT!

[Cherry 71]

....... However, I do plan on having a "last meal" before my surgery on June 5 (woot, woot!!) I also plan on compensating for my meal in my diet. I think that allowing yourself one last indulgence is completely fine and totally normal. I have failed previously on diets by denying myself things that I want and need to change that behavior. After surgery I just plan on reworking the foods that I want into healthier choices.

For you, perhaps this is fine. And I do agree that when it comes to food, some people do need to satisfy that craving before they blow the entire 'diet'. But that should either be a substitute or the smallest bite possible to satisfy it. The craving at that point is emotional and sets people up for emotional control and an automatic 'rebellion' mode. food CONTROLS PEOPLE and it should not. It makes me sad for food addicts, just as it makes me sad for those who MUST consume a drug. I want to scream that food is NOT better nor stronger than you!

While food is NOT a human relationship, your point about the 'last meal' has been argued to me by MANY about bachelor/bachelorette parties and justifying sexual shannigans with the non-partner. Just sayin'

[mylynn1377 93]

I started to slowly come down on caffeine, watch what I ate, eat better and cleaner, and just move everyday no matter what I'm doing. I don't go to the gym, maybe that will come later. I play with my kids outside, I do go swimming and I Water walk a few times a week. I got in the mindset that the preop diet would be easier for me if I started taking certain things out before hand. I eliminated refined sugar, simple carbs, and most red meat (which is hard because I love steak!). I lost about 4 lbs from last months doctor appt. until Wednesday and from Wednesday I have lost another 6.2 lbs on my first week of preop diet. Considering that last year I had lost 25 lbs and it took me 5 months...I consider my recent accomplishment a victory. So to me you loosing that much in that space of time is awesome.

As for last meals...nahh. I'm hungry now all the time on this liquid preop diet, but I haven't once had a horrible craving for chocolate or cake or anything like that. Which is a big, big, deal for me and one I'm super proud of. So I think I will stick to what I am doing and consider my surgery all the celebration I need. I don't want to set myself up for cravings that I can't or won't satisfy after surgery. It would kind of be like having a good bye cigarette after being smoke free for a few weeks. That can't be good lol.

[Dorian 683]

I dieted the whole six months prior to surgery and lost 40 lbs. My nut gave me a goal each month, such as cutting out soda, fried foods, alcohol, sweets, etc. When you stop each of them slowly, it is easier to keep avoiding them in the long run. I quit most things in the first month, cuz I was so excited to lose weight. Since this surgery is a lifestyle change, it is good to get a head start on this before surgery. Good luck!

[Laverne1908 28]

I dieted before WLS... I lost 64lbs in total prior to March 4th..... Surgery Date...Total lost 110lbs..... It is worth it and it has helped to watch what I was eating then and now!!!!

[Baconville 578]

Thank you for all the great posts! I see the surgeon on Monday for my surgery date - hopefully in late June. Since hitting 24 pounds I have been stuck again. I think it might have something to do with starting birth control pills - the mini pill. I was losing regularly until I started it, and since I did I have lost just a bit over a pound. My clinic requires birth control at least 1 month prior to surgery, so the pills are here to stay for now. I am just going to stick with it - the scale has to move sometime! I still have the pre-surgery diet - I have to believe that the scale WILL move then. I would really like to be down another 10 to 15 pounds be the end of June. I just have to stay focused!