Does liquid pre-op dieting slow weight loss post-surgery?

[WorldTraveler 79]

Greetings to all,

I was thinking about the pre-op diet last night and wondered if an extreme pre-op diet slows post-op weight loss. I was given a low carb diet to follow for one week before surgery, which I will absolutely do, however, I can't help but wonder if I started strict low-carbing at 7+ weeks before surgery if it would affect my post-surgery loss. Is there anyway to tell?

I see a lot of people on here pre-surgery that have already lost 20-30+ pounds. Will the weight loss keep going? If you lost a lot prior to surgery, please respond if you kept losing or if it was slow post-surgery.

If you lost 10lbs or less prior to surgery, please respond if your loss was fast or slow post-surgery.

Thanks so much for your help!

[kcipriano 4]

I was wondering the same thing. Upon my surgeon's recommendation, I lost 32 lbs before surgery. After the surgery, while still in the hospital, I lost 12 pounds. It's been 4 weeks since my surgery and I've only lost 3 pounds since leaving the hospital. I was wondering if this was my stall. I hope so because it's discouraging not having that visual of the scale moving.

[belunos 93]

I don't know there would be any correlation. From the testimonies I've read the surgery just sacks everything to hell. Some people gain from the fluids.

My experience: I lost 27 lbs on the pre op, and another 25 or so in three weeks after. Hit a stall at week 3, but I doubt it's related.

[PdxMan 4,292]

Most people will lose the quick 10 early in just about every diet. This is due to the glycogen stored in the liver being used first. Have you ever noticed on you other diets how difficult it was to lose weight after the first 10? Notice how easy it was to put back on 10 pounds? Glycogen. So, people who have pre-op diets are going to lose this prior to surgery while those who don't have pre-op diets will lose this after surgery.

As you may imagine, this is going to skew the results of the two groups. Just one of the many reasons people just should not compare themselves to each other. So, keep this in mind when you read people's stories and inevitably compare their results to your own.

So, you ask, if I lose 20 to 30 pounds pre-op, will the weight loss keep going. The honest answer is ... it depends. It depends on your compliance with the guidelines given to you by your medical team. Early out, you are not going to have a choice but to be compliant, for the most part. I'll never forget the lady who came on here asking what she can eat at Dairy Queen 3 days post-op. Folks with this mindset will struggle.

My advice is to follow the guidelines as best as you can. Weigh yourself at a minimum once a week. Once a month, if you can. Weighing daily can only bring disappointment as it is natural for your body to retain liquids and release them on a day to day basis. Are you looking to lose weight or fat? Weighing once a week will be a better measure of fat loss.

Good luck!

[angiem1973 11]

It may slow the weight loss after the surgery, but I look at it this way - the pounds are gone forever! I think it's a psychological thing that we want to get a big number loss after the surgery. I know I lost 12 pounds before the surgery and then it was a little slower afterwards (I'm 5 days post op now) - but then my logical brain takes over and says "hey - that weight is GONE!"

:-)

[PdxMan 4,292]

A point I was trying to make, but after re-reading my post, I don't think I did a very good job of, was comparing pre and post weight loss. Let's take a look at this scenario of identical twins with exact starting numbers.

One twin is on a two week pre-op diet and they lose 10 pounds. Two weeks post op, they have lost an additional 5 pounds. The other twin doesn't have a pre-op diet and they have lost 15 pounds in the two weeks following surgery.

Would you say the twin who had the pre-op diet has had their post surgery weight loss slowed due to their pre-op diet? I would say the answer is no. That 10 pounds is going to come off regardless due to the glycogen factor. It is not 10 pounds of fat, which is what most people are looking to lose anyway. I think if you are bound and determined to compare, you will find most people who are rigorously compliant with the guidelines begin to lose at similar rate. The bottom line is, for the most part, if you burn more calories than you consume, you are going to lose. The longer you maintain this imbalance, the longer you will continue to lose, over the long run. Yes, there are going to be stalls. It is quite natural and a necessary part of the journey. Expect them.

[WorldTraveler 79]

Thanks, everyone! I intend to follow the diet-I would not have taken this drastic of a step and self-pay for the procedure without a strong desire to adhere. It makes perfect sense, PDXMan, and I'm going to just start low carbing and not worry about seeing big numbers after surgery. It's been nearly a life-long battle and it will remain so after surgery.

[Journey2BNThin 62]

I am will be 4 months out on the 17th of Thai month and down 60lbs. I didn't have pre-op diet,, I lost 17lbs my first week post-op. I was down 31lbs one month post-op and down 52 three months post-op. I hope this info helps.

[Cindy vsg 7]

I'm 5 months out, he 290 and lost 61lbs in the 6 months prior to surgery and have lost 50 lbs since surgery. My rate of loss is 10lbs a month, prior to as well as after surgery. I can't really say if I would have lost at a higher rate after surgery if I'd not lost so much prior, but I'd guess yes, simply because when you weigh more, it usually comes off a bit faster, but either way, it was weight I had lost and I felt like I was ahead of the game