Eating crab cakes 3 days before surgery...is that bad?

[MyLife_MyStory 6]

I've been doing pretty good on my 2 week pre-op diet. Not sure what the scale will read tomorrow during my weigh in but I would like to reward myself for sticking to this diet. Im pretty sure im close to my goal of 13lbs because of my clothes are already feeling really lose. But Im not talking about going crazy with eating pizza, Chinese food or a steak and cheese ...just the thought of it makes my stomach hurt, I just want a crabcake, baked potato and small salad, then I'll get back to my liquid diet for the next 2 days. Seriously am I wrong?

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[mylighthouse 782]

Are you allowed crabcakes? Are you on a 2 week pre-op liquid diet? If you are on a liquid diet, then yes, you are "wrong" to eat crabcakes, a baked potato and a small salad.

Even if you are on a 2 week pre-op diet that is not a liquid diet, I don't think the crabcakes or the potato would be allowed. Those two things are very high in carbs. Also, crabcakes are usually fried and full of fat. That won't help shrink your liver at all. The idea of the pre op diet it not to lose weight, although that is nice, but it is to shrink your liver, so that it is not too large and they can easily do the surgery on your stomach. If your liver is too large when they go in to do surgery, they will literally stop what they are doing and cancel your surgery!

You have to get in the mindset that you can reward yourself, but not with something that is detrimental to your health. Don't make the wrong choice, make the right choice. If you feel like you need a reward for sticking to your diet, ditch the crabcakes and baked potato and go with something that you are allowed to eat.

Good luck!

[blizair09 3,250]

Yes, in my opinion, you'd be wrong to eat a crab cake and baked potato.

You're going to want a lot of things as you continue with this journey, and a lot of the time, you just can't have them. The surgery is just a tool; it is continuous good decisions about food and drink that are the key to success long term.

Good luck!

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

The premise of shrinking your liver comes with the removal of fat surrounding and within the liver. It's fat infiltration that expands it in the first place. So if you're on a low carb/low cal diet that adequately burns up fat from the liver causing it to shrink, it's also burning adipose tissue away throughout your body too. Weight loss should come hand in hand with shrinking the liver. The mechanism is the same. One thing to keep in mind is having adequate Protein would ensure that energy (which is what the body uses adipose tissue for when there isn't enough stored carbs) isn't burned from essential areas like your muscles.

Starches are an absolute no-no for pre-op diet. If you're going to make crab cakes, substitute bread crumbs with almond meal. No potatoes. There's nothing special about "liquid" that shrinks the liver any better, just watch your intake.

Edited April 28, 2017 by PatientEleventyBillion

[Kaylalala 24]

If it's not apart of your preop diet, yes it is wrong. To be blunt, if you can't follow this diet, you shouldn't be having the surgery. The preop diet is the beginning of a life long commitment to eating healthy and practicing self control. Slipping up on the preop shows your surgeon that you're not ready to make this change and ultimately results in a cancellation of your surgery. You didn't work this hard to get to this point to ruin it over crab cakes and potatoes. Don't substitute anything. If crab cakes aren't on the diet. Don't eat them. Simple as that. Remember, you're only cheating yourself.

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

3 minutes ago, Kaylalala said:

If it's not apart of your preop diet, yes it is wrong. To be blunt, if you can't follow this diet, you shouldn't be having the surgery. The preop diet is the beginning of a life long commitment to eating healthy and practicing self control. Slipping up on the preop shows your surgeon that you're not ready to make this change and ultimately results in a cancellation of your surgery. You didn't work this hard to get to this point to ruin it over crab cakes and potatoes. Don't substitute anything. If crab cakes aren't on the diet. Don't eat them. Simple as that. Remember, you're only cheating yourself.

I cheated significantly on my diet by this criteria. I couldn't tolerate the liquid they wanted me on. Instead, I researched the premise of liver shrinking, liver function, and how it correlates with long term healthy diet, and for the 3 month pre-op diet, I was on liquid for maybe a week or two, in uttery misery, did not do it again for 80% of the diet. My diet consisted mainly of string cheese, home made meatballs, almonds, peanuts, Peanut Butter, burgers (even fast food burgers minus Buns and minimal condiments), taking bariatric Vitamins (up until a few weeks before surgery), liver looked outstanding at surgery. I was given a picture of it when I woke up in short stay which I'm keeping forever.

I don't buy that liquid diets do any better.

[gryffen 176]

Look at foods that are healthier to eat on - I couldn't do my 3 weeks liquid so I added yoghurts and low fat food options outwith what I was allowed. Lost 9kg and told my team what I was doing because I knew myself I was being careful. Surgery was fine and liver looked excellent.

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[dhrguru 1,238]

You want to "reward yourself" ...now is the best time to learn how to not reward yourself with food. That's a very slippery slope- and often the root of our eating issues.

[Middus 491]

I've been doing pretty good on my 2 week pre-op diet. Not sure what the scale will read tomorrow during my weigh in but I would like to reward myself for sticking to this diet. Im pretty sure im close to my goal of 13lbs because of my clothes are already feeling really lose. But Im not talking about going crazy with eating pizza, Chinese food or a steak and cheese ...just the thought of it makes my stomach hurt, I just want a crabcake, baked potato and small salad, then I'll get back to my liquid diet for the next 2 days[emoji1]. Seriously am I wrong?
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Per the crab cakes you had, it's not going to make your liver gain back the lost fat, I was given a bit more flexibility in my own program and was allowed at 1 meal (less than 600 cals).
I think the only issue here would be that liquid diet before surgery helps to prepare for the postop liquid-only stage. If following a preop liquid diet feels tough, the post-op liquid stage will really 'test your will power'. I kept dreaming about weird foods for the better part of my immediate post op period in my own case... but it passed.. as do all things..

All the best with your surgery.

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[MyLife_MyStory 6]

I appreciate everyone's response and Thank you. Clearly I was having a pretty bad moment but yet I woke up this morning and said to myself "girl you tripping" lol. If I have turned down going out to eat with coworkers and office pot lucks all happening in the past 2 weeks and during my pre op I'm definitely on my way to a better me. I just needed others opinions due to the fact I really don't have many people who understand what Im going through. But this was my choice and still on this journey to a better me overcoming any obstacles I may encounter [emoji4] [emoji4] [emoji4]

[Kaylalala 24]

I cheated significantly on my diet by this criteria. I couldn't tolerate the liquid they wanted me on. Instead, I researched the premise of liver shrinking, liver function, and how it correlates with long term healthy diet, and for the 3 month pre-op diet, I was on liquid for maybe a week or two, in uttery misery, did not do it again for 80% of the diet. My diet consisted mainly of string cheese, home made meatballs, almonds, peanuts, Peanut Butter, burgers (even fast food burgers minus Buns and minimal condiments), taking bariatric Vitamins (up until a few weeks before surgery), liver looked outstanding at surgery. I was given a picture of it when I woke up in short stay which I'm keeping forever.

I don't buy that liquid diets do any better.

I'm not saying that liquid diets do better. Im fully aware of how diet effects the liver. I'm saying following your doctors instructions should come before everything else. A liquid diet is the ultimate test of readiness for the weeks to come. It is low carb/sugar and is a taste of the diet to come. What happens if she decides she wants a crab cake one week post op? She eats it, it causes a leak and now she has a much bigger problem. Bottom line is, stick to what the doctor ask of you, to make the whole thing easier. Just because it worked for you don't mean it'll necessarily work for her.

[Kaylalala 24]

I appreciate everyone's response and Thank you. Clearly I was having a pretty bad moment but yet I woke up this morning and said to myself "girl you tripping" lol. If I have turned down going out to eat with coworkers and office pot lucks all happening in the past 2 weeks and during my pre op I'm definitely on my way to a better me. I just needed others opinions due to the fact I really don't have many people who understand what Im going through. But this was my choice and still on this journey to a better me overcoming any obstacles I may encounter [emoji4] [emoji4] [emoji4]

Girl we've all been there! What matters is that you've gotten over it! No crab cakes! Proud of you :,)

[Kaylalala 24]

I'm not saying that liquid diets do better. Im fully aware of how diet effects the liver. I'm saying following your doctors instructions should come before everything else. A liquid diet is the ultimate test of readiness for the weeks to come. It is low carb/sugar and is a taste of the diet to come. What happens if she decides she wants a crab cake one week post op? She eats it, it causes a leak and now she has a much bigger problem. Bottom line is, stick to what the doctor ask of you, to make the whole thing easier. Just because it worked for you don't mean it'll necessarily work for her. Although to be completely honest, a 3month liquid preop diet sounds awful. I probably would have done the same. [emoji23]