Advice for pre-op diet and journals

[KayBes 8]

Hi everyone!

My name is Kayla, I'm 31 and got approval to start the journey to a vsg surgery in February of this year, so I've completed my education webinars and a week of trial liquid and healthy eating diet. The surgeon here in my province (there's only one) requires me to continue the bariatric diet and to complete daily food journals from now on. If I don't have these food journals they may delay my surgery.

I'm finding it really difficult to stick to 3 oz Protein and half a cup veggies (surgeon recommended diet) with small Snacks of a half serving of fruit and protein. I won't likely get to have the actual surgery for up to another 11 months, only one surgeon means looong wait lists. Without the surgery as a tool my hunger is constantly there, and I am constantly not satisfied.

Just to clarify, I am following the guidelines, but I have slipped up a few times (slice of pizza on my birthday) like increasing my protein to 5-6 ounces or having extra cheese in order to curb some of the hunger, I've also taken to eating sunflower seeds, slowly one at a time, to stop myself from thinking about other food. But it's a struggle.

Just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation, how did you deal with having to follow the post surgery diet without the actual surgery to help? Has anyone had to do a long time of food journals and how to you keep on top of it? I've tried the app but having better luck actually writing mine down, but still forgetting sometimes.

Advice, stories, anything would be greatly appreciated!

[Frustr8 7,886]

Welcome Kayla, I think you are the 1st Newfoundlander, only seen 1 from the Maitimes and think she was in New Brunswick.I believe there are a couple from Ontario and a couple from Alberta, both our BC have had their surgeries and have disappeared. I wish I knew for sure Mrs Ganges from Red Deer Alberta had hers, she was about 3/4 of the way through 2 years. At least you guys do have provincial healthcare even if it does move slowly, ours in the USA seems to be quicker but the insurance carriers can be a pain. Me I was lucky to have mine covered by Medicare/Medicaid, I'm almost as old as dirt but getting it done at 72, 73 now, not many do someone my age. But I kept on until I had mine last September 5th, 3 years, 3 weeks after I started, quite a story there but it's more than worth it! Down over 100 pounds from my High Weight, 70 or so since surgery and I am finally undergrowing my clothes! I can't hardly believe it at times. So if I can help you with anything just ask! There is a lot of good advice on here! I still am learning myself at times.

[KayBes 8]

1 hour ago, Frustr8 said:

Welcome Kayla, I think you are the 1st Newfoundlander, only seen 1 from the Maitimes and think she was in New Brunswick.I believe there are a couple from Ontario and a couple from Alberta, both our BC have had their surgeries and have disappeared. I wish I knew for sure Mrs Ganges from Red Deer Alberta had hers, she was about 3/4 of the way through 2 years. At least you guys do have provincial healthcare even if it does move slowly, ours in the USA seems to be quicker but the insurance carriers can be a pain. Me I was lucky to have mine covered by Medicare/Medicaid, I'm almost as old as dirt but getting it done at 72, 73 now, not many do someone my age. But I kept on until I had mine last September 5th, 3 years, 3 weeks after I started, quite a story there but it's more than worth it! Down over 100 pounds from my High Weight, 70 or so since surgery and I am finally undergrowing my clothes! I can't hardly believe it at times. So if I can help you with anything just ask! There is a lot of good advice on here! I still am learning myself at times.

Hi Frustr8

Thanks so much for sharing your story! It's so nice to have people willing to reach out and be a source of advice and support! I'm not lucky enough to live on the island actually! I'm in Labrador so I'll have to fly back and forth to the island to get the surgery and meet with surgeon, worth it in the long run but tricky in the short term

I've noticed that the timeline for people in the states seems a lot shorter! But much more expensive and a lot more hoops to jump through. I was hoping there might be people out there who've had to wait a long long time before their surgeries too.

Congratulations to you on your accomplishments so far!! I bet you feel so much better with those 70+ lbs gone, that's amazing!

[justmetj 421]

That seems a little extreme. I also had to do a food journal for four months. We were required to write it down. All I can tell you about that is to try to stay on top of it because falling behind then trying to catch up is stressful and time consuming. My nutritionist told us that the journals were for feedback. I would write down if I had a piece of cake on my birthday and stuff I shouldn't have had on Christmas but I always tried to keep the portions small. I don't think they expect you to be perfect throughout this process. I mean on the diet they have you on you won't even need the surgery in eleven months. I think your Dr. would go out of business if you all adhered to that perfectly.

[KayBes 8]

11 minutes ago, justmetj said:

That seems a little extreme. I also had to do a food journal for four months. We were required to write it down. All I can tell you about that is to try to stay on top of it because falling behind then trying to catch up is stressful and time consuming. My nutritionist told us that the journals were for feedback. I would write down if I had a piece of cake on my birthday and stuff I shouldn't have had on Christmas but I always tried to keep the portions small. I don't think they expect you to be perfect throughout this process. I mean on the diet they have you on you won't even need the surgery in eleven months. I think your Dr. would go out of business if you all adhered to that perfectly.

Hey justmetj!

Yes, it's the post surgery diet, just we're required to eat it up until the surgery, but without the tool of the actual surgery. So right now the amounts seem super small and I'm always hungry, so I've slipped up a few times.I'm not sure though how to keep the surgery team happy as well as tweak the diet enough so that it isn't as intense.

Yes! I wouldn't have gotten to the point of needing the surgery if I could eat 4-5 ounces of food a meal and be happy with it lol I'm trying to stick to this diet though because I'm afraid of surgery being delayed or denied if I don't do it perfectly. My surgeon here also seems a bit more strict though as lots of people I see on here are allowed caffeine and my surgeon requires no caffeine for the rest of my life. Not too bad for me because I'm not a big hot drink person, but it would kill my mother who has 5-6 cups of tea a day lol

Thank you so much for replying, it's nice to talk to people who've gone (are going) through this weight loss thing too.

[justmetj 421]

I think if you show that you are adhering to the diet on paper and can keep loosing at least a little every weigh in you'll be fine. Good luck and ask any questions that come to mind. This is a great forum with lots of helpful friendly people that are all going or have gone through the same things.😊

[49Nash 103]

That is brutal!! My process has been about a year (more actually because I quit at one point and had to restart) but I would never had been able to adhere to that diet for a year without the surgery. Good luck, I’m sure they don’t expect you to be perfect but you probably have better long term outcomes by knowing what you are in for. My surgery is in 8 days, which is freaking me out after all this time!!!

[KayBes 8]

3 hours ago, 49Nash said:

That is brutal!! My process has been about a year (more actually because I quit at one point and had to restart) but I would never had been able to adhere to that diet for a year without the surgery. Good luck, I’m sure they don’t expect you to be perfect but you probably have better long term outcomes by knowing what you are in for. My surgery is in 8 days, which is freaking me out after all this time!!!

You're so close!! Just think that the next part of your life is right after that surgery! The next 10-11 months for me feel like torture lol, if I could I'd go in today to get it over with. Yes it's a harsh diet,but I think with the sleeve as a tool it'll be great. Just in the meantime with my fat belly telling me it's hungry lol

Good luck with your surgery!! Fingers crossed!

[CyndieRI 251]

WOW! I never could have done that! Like you said - if we COULD do that - we wouldn’t need surgery!! I did track all my food for 3 months before surgery. I used the Lose It app on my phone because I always had my phone with me. I would set reminders in my phone to make sure I tracked my food so the tracking wasn’t too bad (for me). As for eating - I found if I ate almost the same thing every day for Breakfast, lunch and Snacks - and just varied my dinner, it was easier. But again - I only had to do 3 months - NOT a year!! But the GOOD news was I lost 38lbs in those 3 months!! 👍

[49Nash 103]

46 minutes ago, KayBes said:

You're so close!! Just think that the next part of your life is right after that surgery! The next 10-11 months for me feel like torture lol, if I could I'd go in today to get it over with. Yes it's a harsh diet,but I think with the sleeve as a tool it'll be great. Just in the meantime with my fat belly telling me it's hungry lol

Good luck with your surgery!! Fingers crossed!

I felt that way forever too, that I just wanted to get it done. Now I’m nervous but also excited. I used to get so jealous when people would post their date. Even one week before mine would make me jealous..... lol. It seemed so far away and now it’s almost here. I’m glad mine took me a year, I feel like I’m as mentally prepared as I’m e we going to be for this

[KayBes 8]

3 hours ago, CyndieRI said:

WOW! I never could have done that! Like you said - if we COULD do that - we wouldn’t need surgery!! I did track all my food for 3 months before surgery. I used the Lose It app on my phone because I always had my phone with me. I would set reminders in my phone to make sure I tracked my food so the tracking wasn’t too bad (for me). As for eating - I found if I ate almost the same thing every day for Breakfast, lunch and Snacks - and just varied my dinner, it was easier. But again - I only had to do 3 months - NOT a year!! But the GOOD news was I lost 38lbs in those 3 months!! 👍

I will check out that app! I tried fitness pal but I just kept forgetting to log. I am finding myself repeating lots of meals too, I think it may be why the hunger especially in the evening is so sucky. Way to go though, 38 lbs is no mean feat! I lost 12 the first month but in the last couple of weeks I went back up 2, every pound seems to be a fight before the surgery.

[othella 20]

I make everything the night before. I fill out the food logs and make sure I do not take any money to go out to buy something else while at work. For Water I have a water bottle that's 32 ounces, or I measure it by the 16 ounce water bottle.

Sent from my Moto E (4) using BariatricPal mobile app

[shanshan 175]

I wasn't required to follow a special diet before surgery only after. I was told to make healthier choices, eat 15 mins after drinking or before drinking. And two days before surgery I should do a full liquid diet only.

Sent from my SM-G925T using BariatricPal mobile app

[Biker6977 1]

Wow, I guess I'm "lucky" I have to pay myself. I don't think I could do it for that long, if I could I wouldn't need the surgery. I'm in the US but my insurance doesn't cover so I'm doing the self pay in Mexico. It will be a well spent $4900 just so I don't have to go through that. Keep coming back here for support and keep the long goal in mind.