Pre-Op Diet for Initial Weight Loss

[Kay07 734]

Hi everyone! So I've been doing LOTs of lurking through the forums, and I noticed there were tons of recipes and food encourangements for POST-Op, but was wondering what you are all doing PRE-Op? I know many of us are required to lose a little bit of weight prior to the big Surg day, so was hoping to stir up some converation on how you are starting your life-changing diets. Not so much the 2 week pre-op liquid, because @FluffyChixhas a fabulous recipe selection for that, but more the diet you enact from your first day up until then! (I must admit guiltily that my surgeon doesn't require a 2 week liquid diet... only a 48 hour one)

So some of the drastic changes I have made over the last month:

• Gave up caffeinated coffee. DAMN did this hurt. I am fairly certain my blood is 60% coffee. Many people mention that food is their go-to comfort source, coffee is mine. I switched to Decaf cold turkey, and lord do I NOT recommend that. The headaches were a real PITA.
• Started focusing my food intake on protein: So my thought process behind this was to start learning what types of foods I would incorporate into my new life and start experimenting. I LOVE cooking, and the thought of challenging myself to find healthier versions of my favorite foods was exhilarating. For example: I am Italian, Pasta is a major major (and did I say major?) part of my genetic makeup. I make homemade pasta with my kids once a month that we use for the rest of the month and its literally one of my favorite things to do. However, apparently I have a gluten sensitivity so I was pretty devastated. And it's like solid carbs so it'd have to go anyways. So I sought out ways to keep a pasta substitute, but bring on the health benefits. That's where my new spiralizer comes in! I made a zucchini pesto "pasta" yesterday that was pretty orgasmic (you know, for a veggie that is). AND super super healthy. If you cook the zucchini a bit longer than you ought to, it does become slightly mushy, making it a GREAT post-op meal too. (Nutritionist approved! Or at least mine did and she's pretty fabulous). I made butternut squash spaghetti for today's lunch to mix with a low-sodium beef Soup punched up with super tender beef and a half scoop of Isopure unflavored Protein Powder that you can't taste which is a serious win in my book
• Gave up carbonated beverages. So in all honesty, this was easy peasy. Mainly because I haven't really drank them in a YEAR in hopes of losing a bit of weight. Because you know the hubby gave up soda for 6 weeks and lost 18lbs. Bastard. I gave it up for a year and lost... nothing. NOTHING! But anyways I gave up seltzer Water too, which I did drink more often.
• Switched out high fat/high calorie things for substitutes. So this one sounds easy, but it kind of isn't. It required a ton of research. Some of them are a bit easier, like say for chicken salad swapping out the mayo (yikes I NEVER realized how fattening it was but damn it makes amazing chicken salad) and replacing with Greek Yogurt. This was difficult for me since I am kind of awkwardly texture sensitive. I also up the quality of meat I buy. With a family of 4, it was just more economic to purchase say 85/15 meat and simply strain the grease. But I've splurged on the super lean 93/7 much to my hubby's dismay (he can be a bit of a cheapo) and it has made a difference. To my wallet but more importantly to my intake counts!

Non-Food Stuff

• My Fitness Pal. This app is amazeballs. Honestly. I realized that prior to implementing said changes, I was eating an average of 800-1000 calories a day. I would love to say this is because I was super health conscious, but that would be a total lie. It's because I didn't make myself a priority. I work in an extremely fast paced job and would end up not eating ANYTHING except for a banana here and there (they are free at my work), an obscene amount of coffee, and then go home and stuff my ever loving face with dinner. Now I am consuming anywhere between 1500-1800 calories a day, and f me sideways I've lost 9lbs!
• Fitbit. I totally thought I walked a bajillion miles a day because I am literally always on the go go go. But my bajillion miles is actually like 8-12k steps a day depending on how busy it is. Which to some people is GREAT. But my body is just apparently used to it and it doesn't really do anything for me. So I bought a fitbit (totally wanted an apple watch, but then I wouldn't be able to lie and say I didn't see that text message...) Not going to lie, the fitbit kind of turns it into a competition. My goal: Start walking before it beeps at me. Some days I win, some days I don't. But I like being able to see. If I notice I am say 1k shy of my goal, I will take the long way to my next meeting instead of the easy way.

I know its not MUCH, but it has made a difference. I am down 9lbs since March 15th, and feeling really excited without feeling like I'm giving up the world. My next task: Find a Protein Shake that I can drink without all of the fancy crap I put in them now because that's not allowed. THAT will be a difficult challenge... HOW can you possibly hide that chalky taste? I tried the PBFit, but even that doesn't hide it! Anyways, I hope you all will share your pre-op diet and recipes!

Edited March 26, 2018 by Kay07

[elforman 234]

You don't seem to need any advice, you've got this.

I'll admit I got lucky in that my nutritionist told me at my first consult for the first month (of three) to just avoid carbs after Breakfast, and that was it. I kind of took it upon myself to go full Keto, keeping myself under 15g of carbs a day and it's working great, down 23 in two months. Due to what amounts to head-to-toe injuries exercise is not an option for me right now, so I can literally say I'm doing all this without breaking a sweat. I haven't felt hungry a single minute since I started and I'm chomping on a hard boiled egg right now. Like you I have no pre-op liquid diet requirement, so that certainly makes life easier.

As for Protein Shakes, I found a giant barrel of Cookies and cream flavored something or other at costco that I mix with unsweetened almond mile. Search the boards and you'll find lots of recommendations for both powdered and pre-mixed shakes. Good luck with everything.

[Kay07 734]

See you just gave me something to think about! I've heard about the Keto diet, but I don't think I really understand it. How do you keep your carbs so low? I try too, but am still doing like 100-150 carbs a day. I feel like I am missing something in the calculations?

[elforman 234]

Just now, Kay07 said:

How do you keep your carbs so low?

I'm sure there are lots of links and resources that can give you a better overview and explanation of how Keto works and I'd suggest consulting your nutritionist first, but it's not really that hard.

My typical weekday is a Kirkland Protein Bar for breakfast (4g net carbs), then a hard boiled egg and piece of string cheese mid-morning. lunch is a spinach salad with low-carb dressing (like a balsamic vinegar), some raw broccoli (also with the dressing), and a chunk of meat. Mid-afternoon is another egg and another string cheese, then dinner is like lunch but with more meat.

My weekends, when I have time to cook, are eggs and bacon in the morning, and the rest of the day is similar except I have a little more variety because I need everything pre-packaged for me at work since I don't have access to a kitchen.

There are great Desserts such as cheesecake made with cream cheese and splenda or cool whip mixed with Peanut Butter then frozen. And sometimes if I want something else in place of the egg and cheese I'll have a Protein Shake like I mentioned in my initial reply. Plus, because the concern is only with net carbs, I found a baking mix like Bisquick called Carb Quick that's almost all Fiber. It doesn't taste great in everything, but it satisfies some of the bread craving. I find I don't miss rice or potatoes all that much since I still eat enough to feel full most of the time.

You need need to be careful about hidden carbs in things like Pasta Sauce which may have added sugars. I also found a Weight Watchers "pasta-like" substance that is almost a substitute for the real thing.

I don't get obsessive with counting every last gram of carbs, I just know I'm keeping it under 20 a day at worst. One of my problems is that I've been eating so much lean meat that except for eggs and cheese, I'm not getting many calories from fat, they're almost exclusively from Protein. That may not be so great either so I'm fortunate my appointment with the nutritionist is tomorrow afternoon and I'll see what she says about that.

[Kay07 734]

Thanks @elforman! I've done some research and adjusted my diet a bit, and I've lost another 2lbs! THANK YOU! What did your nutritionist say about the calorie intake?

[mamaddot 7]

Hi everyone! So I've been doing LOTs of lurking through the forums, and I noticed there were tons of [mention=323408]FluffyChix[/mention]has a fabulous recipe selection for that, but more the diet you enact from your first day up until then! (I must admit guiltily that my surgeon doesn't require a 2 week liquid diet... only a 48 hour one)
So some of the drastic changes I have made over the last month:

• Gave up caffeinated coffee. DAMN did this hurt. I am fairly certain my blood is 60% coffee. Many people mention that food is their go-to comfort source, coffee is mine. I switched to Decaf cold turkey, and lord do I NOT recommend that. The headaches were a real PITA.
• Started focusing my food intake on protein: So my thought process behind this was to start learning what types of foods I would incorporate into my new life and start experimenting. I LOVE cooking, and the thought of challenging myself to find healthier versions of my favorite foods was exhilarating. For example: I am Italian, Pasta is a major major (and did I say major?) part of my genetic makeup. I make homemade Pasta with my kids once a month that we use for the rest of the month and its literally one of my favorite things to do. However, apparently I have a gluten sensitivity so I was pretty devastated. And it's like solid carbs so it'd have to go anyways. So I sought out ways to keep a pasta substitute, but bring on the health benefits. That's where my new spiralizer comes in! I made a zucchini pesto "pasta" yesterday that was pretty orgasmic (you know, for a veggie that is). AND super super healthy. If you cook the zucchini a bit longer than you ought to, it does become slightly mushy, making it a GREAT post-op meal too. (Nutritionist approved! Or at least mine did and she's pretty fabulous). I made butternut squash spaghetti for today's lunch to mix with a low-sodium beef Soup punched up with super tender beef and a half scoop of Isopure unflavored Protein Powder that you can't taste which is a serious win in my book [emoji4]
• Gave up carbonated beverages. So in all honesty, this was easy peasy. Mainly because I haven't really drank them in a YEAR in hopes of losing a bit of weight. Because you know the hubby gave up soda for 6 weeks and lost 18lbs. Bastard. I gave it up for a year and lost... nothing. NOTHING! But anyways I gave up seltzer Water too, which I did drink more often.
• Switched out high fat/high calorie things for substitutes. So this one sounds easy, but it kind of isn't. It required a ton of research. Some of them are a bit easier, like say for chicken salad swapping out the mayo (yikes I NEVER realized how fattening it was but damn it makes amazing chicken salad) and replacing with Greek Yogurt. This was difficult for me since I am kind of awkwardly texture sensitive. I also up the quality of meat I buy. With a family of 4, it was just more economic to purchase say 85/15 meat and simply strain the grease. But I've splurged on the super lean 93/7 much to my hubby's dismay (he can be a bit of a cheapo) and it has made a difference. To my wallet but more importantly to my intake counts!

Non-Food Stuff

• My Fitness Pal. This app is amazeballs. Honestly. I realized that prior to implementing said changes, I was eating an average of 800-1000 calories a day. I would love to say this is because I was super health conscious, but that would be a total lie. It's because I didn't make myself a priority. I work in an extremely fast paced job and would end up not eating ANYTHING except for a banana here and there (they are free at my work), an obscene amount of coffee, and then go home and stuff my ever loving face with dinner. Now I am consuming anywhere between 1500-1800 calories a day, and f me sideways I've lost 9lbs!
• Fitbit. I totally thought I walked a bajillion miles a day because I am literally always on the go go go. But my bajillion miles is actually like 8-12k steps a day depending on how busy it is. Which to some people is GREAT. But my body is just apparently used to it and it doesn't really do anything for me. So I bought a fitbit (totally wanted an apple watch, but then I wouldn't be able to lie and say I didn't see that text message...) Not going to lie, the fitbit kind of turns it into a competition. My goal: Start walking before it beeps at me. Some days I win, some days I don't. But I like being able to see. If I notice I am say 1k shy of my goal, I will take the long way to my next meeting instead of the easy way.

I know its not MUCH, but it has made a difference. I am down 9lbs since March 15th, and feeling really excited without feeling like I'm giving up the world. My next task: Find a Protein Shake that I can drink without all of the fancy crap I put in them now because that's not allowed. THAT will be a difficult challenge... HOW can you possibly hide that chalky taste? I tried the PBFit, but even that doesn't hide it! Anyways, I hope you all will share your pre-op diet and recipes!

[mamaddot 7]

I am pre-op and doing the same, getting ready. I love the Premier Protein shakes. They were highly recommend . I can not do the Unjury they were gross

[elforman 234]

1 hour ago, Kay07 said:

What did your nutritionist say about the calorie intake?

Absolutely nothing. That's one of the better parts about doing Keto. I was given a daily number of grams of expect Protein intake which I know I've exceeded more than a few times. In theory there's a ratio of calorie sources, something like 40% from protein, 50% from fat and 10% from carbs (please don't trust me, look it up), but honestly, I'm not following that. I'm just keeping carbs to a very low level and the rest pretty much takes care of itself. A few times after I felt like I ate too much, even without carbs, I just have four Protein Shakes the next day. Granted, just because this works for me doesn't mean it'll work for everyone, so please check in with your nutritionist.

Meanwhile, congratulations and keep up the good work.

[Blondietex 37]

I really can't look at Keto as I like to work-out and you need more carbs to do that, and I like lots of veggies and fresh fruits which aren't really doable and still keep to the very, very low carb requirements for Keto.

I went back to a modified Paleo/Whole 30 diet which focuses on clean food sources, high Protein and typically no dairy, grains or legumes and is low sugar (and when you do use sweeteners, only low glycemic sources like real maple Syrup, dates or coconut sugar) as this has worked for me in the past. I've never had an issue with eating dairy, grains and legumes in moderation and still loosing weight. So I just don't eat them every day and only in small amounts (like max 1/2 cup serving a day). I make sure any grains I do eat are whole grains or sprouted grains/legumes, and I stick to grass-fed dairy to get the added healthy Omegas. Healthy fat sources are also key for Paleo - like avocados, coconut oil, etc. and keep me from feeling hungry.

My surgeon had also recommended the Paleo diet as well.

When I'm lazy and don't want to cook, I'm luckily we have a place nearby that makes ready-to-eat Paleo dishes and also makes Paleo compliant Condiments like BBQ Sauce, steak sauce, etc. which are a pain to make yourself. However, you can now order these things online, and there are meal prep delivery services that follow Paleo/Whole 30 (or Keto) guidelines.

The real key for me pre-surgery (and will be for post-surgery) has been learning to avoid office food, planning for office breakfast/lunch meetings and limiting my eating out. This is when I fall off my healthy eating I also have a bad sweet tooth so I've been trying to have alternative choices at work and home like sugar-free Jello, stevia flavored gum, real fruit popsicles and fresh fruit. I've been packing my own "snack packs" with things like 1/4c almonds and 1oz of hard cheese or beef Jerky and 1/2 cup of seedless grapes or a hard boiled egg and 1/4c cashews. So when the Bagels appear, I have something I can reach for

11 pounds down so far. [My case is going before committee this month and I hope to have the surgery in May.]

Now I have to gear up my workouts more...

[Kay07 734]

I can understand avoiding office food! At my work, I am constantly setting up lunches or large scale catering events. Luckily, I am usually so busy with the catering setup that I don't have time to eat before the big crowds come in, and then I have to keep an eye on maintenance and refreshing when things get low.

[Sleeved36 356]

It sounds like you are doing great!

I am struggling with pre-op weight loss. I have reduced calories and carbs while increasing exercise with minimal results on the scale. But my pants are a little loose and my wedding ring is closer to fitting. . . . I am choosing to focus on the good stuff.

If it was easy I wouldn't need a surgeon to take my stomach away from me.

[brittcarter91 17]

14 hours ago, elforman said:

Absolutely nothing. That's one of the better parts about doing Keto. I was given a daily number of grams of expect Protein intake which I know I've exceeded more than a few times. In theory there's a ratio of calorie sources, something like 40% from Protein, 50% from fat and 10% from carbs (please don't trust me, look it up), but honestly, I'm not following that. I'm just keeping carbs to a very low level and the rest pretty much takes care of itself. A few times after I felt like I ate too much, even without carbs, I just have four Protein Shakes the next day. Granted, just because this works for me doesn't mean it'll work for everyone, so please check in with your nutritionist.

Meanwhile, congratulations and keep up the good work.

I've heard such great things about keto but I'm worried about trying it again since I have type 2 diabetes. I'm pre-pre-op in that I have decided I'm interested in surgery but haven't actually started the process with my doc yet. Last time I tried keto I got about 3 weeks in and started having hypoglycemic incidents with low blood sugar, dizziness, and even confusion. I'm not sure how to manage keto and my diabetes medication together.

Edited March 30, 2018 by brittcarter91

[elforman 234]

13 minutes ago, brittcarter91 said:

I'm not sure how to manage Keto and my diabetes medication together.

You've got to talk to your doctor. Considering carbs and sugars are directly related to diabetes and you need to maintain a certain balance, you absolutely should not try this on your own.

[Blondietex 37]

13 hours ago, Sleeved36 said:

It sounds like you are doing great!

I am struggling with pre-op weight loss. I have reduced calories and carbs while increasing exercise with minimal results on the scale. But my pants are a little loose and my wedding ring is closer to fitting. . . . I am choosing to focus on the good stuff.

If it was easy I wouldn't need a surgeon to take my stomach away from me.

If you are working out (especially if you haven't for a while), I've always found I don't lose actual pounds at first as I am rebuilding my muscles. However, this is awesome as it helps you burn calories (as muscles require more calories than fat) in the long run. If you are seeing the inches come off, you'll soon see the pounds come off.

Also look to see if (a) you are eating enough calories (sometimes if you reduce too much, especially if you are working out, I have found your body wants to keep its lovely fat stores) and (b) you have included healthy fats. I had an experience in Weight Watchers (one of the many times I've taken off the same 30 - 40 pounds over the past 20 years...) that I wasn't loosing even though I was eating according to plan. The leader suggested adding some healthy fat like 2T natural Peanut Butter, avocado, etc. I was skeptical, but I did it, and the weight starting coming off again.

Keep at it!

I have to get my workouts consistent again. Especially before the surgery as I know it will help speed my recovery and hopefully help with some of the loose skin when the pounds do start coming off.

[Blondietex 37]

9 hours ago, elforman said:

You've got to talk to your doctor. Considering carbs and sugars are directly related to diabetes and you need to maintain a certain balance, you absolutely should not try this on your own.

I agree. Different eating plans work for different people. Keto is working awesome for elforman and modified Paleo is currently working for me, but your body, especially with the diabetes, may need something entirely different. Your doctor and a nutritionist can really help.

We ALL need help through this process.