Habits to Adopt Pre-Surgery

[brightfaith 187]

Hello all. I received a checklist from my surgeon's office of habits to adopt now (I am at the beginning of the 6-month supervised nutrition program) so that when I have the surgery, I can focus primarily on healing rather than changing many behaviors at once. For those who have been through surgery, what would you add to this list?

• Begin all of your Vitamins (done)
• Eat three meals a day around the same time and decrease meal skipping (have been doing this, a major change for me)
• Meal length should be around 20-30 minutes (I am about there, usually more like 20)
• Decrease portion sizes (mine have definitely decreased as I am really working to reduce/eliminate non-hunger eating and overeating)
• Stop all fried food (done)
• Stop all carbonated beverages and sweetened beverages (done)
• Limit caffeine and coffee intake to 1 cup per day (does not count toward Fluid goals) (done--eliminated)
• Drink at least 64 ounces of non-caloric (<10 calories) fluid daily (done)
• Do not use a straw (allows air into stomach, which will stretch the pouch) (done)
• Practice chewing foods thoroughly and stop eating when you are full (practicing--haven't been focusing enough on chewing, though, I think)
• No drinking during and 30 minutes after meals (done)
• Track steps daily and increase by 500 per week until you reach 10,000 steps daily (bought a FitBit, trying to do it, but mobility challenges make increasing difficult)
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes three times per week (does not count toward daily steps) (doing it by Water walking)

I would very much appreciate input! Thank you!

[James Marusek 5,244]

Since you are at the beginning of this process, I would recommend three things.

1. Take a good before photograph of yourself, so that you have something to compare to after surgery. Many times we are blind to our obesity. We do not see ourselves. Therefore when the weight begins to drop off rather dramatically, we question if this is really happening. Photographs are a good visualization of our success. Many people carry a before and after photo with them, just to remind themselves of their success.
2. Walk 30 minutes each day, every day until surgery (or equivalent exercise). Walking helps the recovery process go smoothly and minimized the pain levels from surgery.
3. Wean yourself from caffeine and carbonated beverages now. After I gave up my 6 diet coke a day habit, I suffered from a week of severe withdrawal syndrome consisting of severe headaches and body aches. I was miserable. You don't want to combine the effects of caffeine withdrawal with the effects of surgery.

[brightfaith 187]

Thanks so much, James, this is very good advice.

I have some good photos of myself from an event in August, so I think I will use those.

I do really struggle with walking. My leg muscles fatigue extremely quickly -- they feel like lead after just a short distance of two blocks, likely related to some diabetic neuropathy in addition to deconditioning. And I am very out of breath. This is my major motivation for the surgery -- wanting to regain mobility. I walk in the Water, and while I feel fatigue, moving through it is more doable. But I can't be in the water most of the time. I think what I need to do is start with several short walks throughout the day (around the office, to the other end of the building) until I can work up to 10 minutes at time, then 15 minutes, etc.

I feel for your caffeine withdrawal! After I went to the orientation session, I stopped carbonated/caffeinated drinks -- I was drinking 2 or 3 Diet Mountain Dews a day to make up for poor sleep. I am happy to have stopped (and to have the money back in my wallet). I do wish I had some caffeine to pick me up in the mornings, though. Never been a coffee drinker.