Finally got my surgery date... when did you cut things out?

[shannamarie 51]

On 6/20/2019 at 5:19 PM, MeowAMR said:

I was torn between that... having a food funeral like some of yall and just eating, but then thinking that it might hinder me in the long run because its gonna be a cold Turkey quit. Do yall who did that feel like it hindered you at all? I'm definitely going to cut out sugary drinks and caffeine because I don't wanna suffer those headaches while trying to recover. But cutting out sweets, breads, pastas wasn't sure when I should stop those. Seems like most stopped well before.

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I haven't had what I consider a "food funeral" but I have visited my two favorite restaurants this past week. I'm looking at it like it won't be that I can't ever go back again, it'll just be a long time, and I will be ordering different by that time!

[Frustr8 7,886]

Just tell yourself in your mind " They are all just going on holiday! When they return, our relationship will be different, just on an More Adult Basis!" And it is amazing how much better it is and how little of anything it takes to fill YOU up!!!

[MeowAMR 219]

1 hour ago, shannamarie said:

OP, we are surgery twins! I am starting my pre-op Optifast diet today but I already cut out everything except caffeine in my coffee. But I got low acid coffee so it won't affect my tummy anyway. I've even been quit smoking for over two months now after smoking since like middle school!

What does your Optifast diet consist of? I just bought a ton of different Protein Shakes from Bariatric Pal and a variety pack of broths and those broth sticks then some calcium citrate. I swear I can't find citrate Calcium in stores its always the other one (I cant think of the name off the top of my head). I grabbed some Protein shakes from the store the other day to try them. Premier Protein everyone talks about them. I liked the Akins ones but they only have 15g of protein rather then the Premier it has 30g so that's a no brainer. My surgeon didn't tell me to start anything yet, but I wanted to have it all ready for the 2wk pre surgery diet. I see him the 12th of July I assume that's when he will tell me to start it.

[shannamarie 51]

1 minute ago, MeowAMR said:

What does your Optifast diet consist of? I just bought a ton of different Protein Shakes from Bariatric Pal and a variety pack of broths and those broth sticks then some calcium citrate. I swear I can't find citrate Calcium in stores its always the other one (I cant think of the name off the top of my head). I grabbed some Protein shakes from the store the other day to try them. Premier Protein everyone talks about them. I liked the Akins ones but they only have 15g of Protein rather then the Premier it has 30g so that's a no brainer. My surgeon didn't tell me to start anything yet, but I wanted to have it all ready for the 2wk pre surgery diet. I see him the 12th of July I assume that's when he will tell me to start it.

Basically it's 5 Optifast products (soups, shakes, bars) and 1 food meal per day. Mostly shakes - Soups and bars are limited to one of either per day. My dietitian also made one of my shake products one with extra protein because my muscle mass isn't so great. Details in the attachment!

[MeowAMR 219]

Nice! I wonder if I'll get something like that. I know I have a 1hr class I have to attend then after I have a 2hr class its on the 19th. I should probably have asked more questions about it and what they are for and when I would get the 2wk preop diet.

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[shannamarie 51]

2 hours ago, MeowAMR said:

Nice! I wonder if I'll get something like that. I know I have a 1hr class I have to attend then after I have a 2hr class its on the 19th. I should probably have asked more questions about it and what they are for and when I would get the 2wk preop diet.

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you're probably right! I have to go in once a week for a weigh-in and class where they'll teach about post-op stuff.

[djgirl19 276]

On 06/20/2019 at 00:58, MeowAMR said:

Good to know! I will start cutting everything out. I only have a few soda's left so once they are done that's it and I'll switch to my unsweetened tea to curb the headaches then Decaf unsweetened tea if I want something other then Water. I know sugar is going to be hard to cut out, but I know it's just something I have to do.

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I started drinking passion tea with Splenda from Starbucks years ago and it’s something still allowed bc no caf or sugar. It tastes great if you make it at home. If you go there you have to specifically tell them no sugar only Splenda. They normally put simple Syrup in it. They actually have a Decaf espresso as well so you can add sf syrup for a treat. I quit soda ages ago but had one on occasion. I think it’s really important to find a doable way to make choices but not have to change everything about who you are or what you like.

[MeowAMR 219]

I started drinking passion tea with Splenda from Starbucks years ago and it’s something still allowed bc no caf or sugar. It tastes great if you make it at home. If you go there you have to specifically tell them no sugar only Splenda. They normally put simple Syrup in it. They actually have a Decaf espresso as well so you can add sf Syrup for a treat. I quit soda ages ago but had one on occasion. I think it’s really important to find a doable way to make choices but not have to change everything about who you are or what you like.

I actually like the passion tea with sugar free vanilla syrup it tastes so good! Good to know it's allowed! Thanks!

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[ARMoma45 353]

5 hours ago, MeowAMR said:

Nice! I wonder if I'll get something like that. I know I have a 1hr class I have to attend then after I have a 2hr class its on the 19th. I should probably have asked more questions about it and what they are for and when I would get the 2wk preop diet.

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I got my 2 week diet info immediately after I paid my surgeon...however, I didn't get my surgery date for about a month after that.

[Sheribear68 3,200]

On 06/19/2019 at 15:50, MeowAMR said:

I finally got my surgery date for July 23rd so I have a little over a month before surgery. When did you start to cut things out? Like soda, sweets, ect... I probably drink one soda a day maybe two tops. I use to be a Venti frappuccino everyday person, but I've already cut those to like once a week. I do still eat sweets after dinner like an ice cream cone. I don't snack anymore and I'm trying to eat Breakfast. Before I would skip it and only eat one or two meals a day then snack. So I'm wondering what I could be doing better to get ready for not eating the things I normally do.

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The answer to this depends on your individual situation.

Even though I had what I considered co-morbidities, my insurance absolutely refused to pay unless I was at or over 40% BMI.

If.... at ANY time in the process I weighed under that number, I would be automatically disqualified and would have to start the process from the beginning— assuming I weighed heavier again.

I was right on the cusp, so I had to endure maintaining for 5 months. If I had lost even 6 pounds from when I started it would’ve been “too light”
I mean, this procedure is so important that it’s silly to miss out on a lifetime of health over a few measly pounds.

I wanted so badly to clean up my diet pre-surgery and I had to be completely on top of what I weighed before I dared go in for an appointment.

One time during the holidays I had been sick and lost a few pounds and I actually went in for my appointment wearing ankle weights under my jeans.

That being said, I couldn’t go into losing weight mode until the day I had my surgery class because that day was my last weigh in.
At my clinic, we have surgery class 16 days pre-surgery because our Doc wants us starting on the low carb liver shrink 10 days pre surgery and then pure liquid diet for the last 3 days pre.

That was a VERY rough transition and I wish I’d have been able to start eating better more than 10 days before.

[djgirl19 276]

On 06/22/2019 at 21:00, MeowAMR said:

I actually like the passion tea with sugar free vanilla Syrup it tastes so good! Good to know it's allowed! Thanks!

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Wow...I never thought to try it with vanilla but I will now. I was going to mention the skinny lattes, there. I don’t really order lattes but it’s nice to know there’s an option if I want to. The sugar free syrups are great and I wish more places offered similar options. One thing I’d love in particular is sugar free slushees. I went to DQ with the family and opted for a fudge bar(which was on my allowed foods list, strangely) and it was so good. Made me feel normal and was a great treat. It is artificially sweetened and only 50 calories.

[Lynnlovesthebeach 626]

The night I went to my seminar and found out what was required I adopted a "bariatric" lifestyle. That was one month before my first surgeon's visit and 5 months before surgery.

[KarenLR75 515]

Several of us replying on this post are scheduled for JULY! I'm scheduled for July 1st!!

I actually cut out sugar a year to 15 months ago as I was doing Keto and trying "one last time" to lose weight on my own and ended up tearing my knee up while exercising so have been trapped with a swollen knee for over a year that needs to be replaced but ortho won't touch me until my BMI is 40 or less. At my highest...I guess my BMI was around 56 to 60? It's closer to low 50's now, not good at all but less than it was.

Personally, I'd cut sugar out ASAP as along with coffee it seems to be one of the harder things to 'detox' from to borrrow a word. If I hadn't already been doing a low carb lifestyle, for MYSELF, I would have done basically a keto/low carb approach leading up to my true pre-op diet plan to shrink my liver. That way I could have gotten thru the detox/keto flu from getting all of those nasties out of my system and not have that being an additional thing that makes me feel bad when, if I hadn't done anything prior to my pre-op 8 day diet, and all of a sudden I've just removed sugar, carbs, caffeine, etc. all at the same time and gone down to 600-800 calories a day.

That's a BIG HIT to anyone's system and I would rather tackle some of them earlier and kind of smooth out the negative effects (which are temporary but can be a pain in the tush).

Sigh..caffeine, my last 'frontier' to give up. Ironically am planning to do what you are doing, switching to unsweetened ice tea.

I'm going to have to go look at the JULY 2019 Sleevers thread - hope to keep in touch with all of you. I'm nervous, and hopeful...scared.anxious...and SO ready to get this done.

[LW101 11]

6 months before

[MeowAMR 219]

I ran out of soda so far and I haven't drank any since. I've done unsweetened tea plus Water of course. Cutting out sweets is next which is going to be hard! 😥