Is 1000kcal a day too little PREOP???

[New&Improved 1,780]

Hello everyone. I'm currently 8 weeks out from the surgery date I have at the moment.

I've just decided to start dieting as of a few days ago mostly shakes and tuna/salmon cans and maybe 1 teaspoon of Peanut Butter.

I'm getting around 1000cal per day and maybe 100gm Protein.

I've cut out carbs and sugars and being quite strict on myself.

Am I being too strict? The protein makes me feel full for longer and I'm not craving like I used to?

I'm seeing surgeon 4 weeks and really want to show him a good effort on my part!!

Thanks for your feedback everyone!

[ValerieInMexico 162]

Mikey, high Protein, low carb diets can cause problems for some people with kidney issues. You do not need 100gm of Protein, but good that it is not animal protein. Can you consult with a dietitian? For most people having bariatric surgery, high protein, low carb is the best choice, but a dietitian may want healthy carbs in the mix for some. There are shakes here in Canada, vegan, with a lot of greens in the shakes. Even fermented vegetables. Also.... beware of constipation! Just saying.... that Fiber is important.

1000 is pretty common for pre surgical diet, I think.

Best of luck. Really happy for you and GREAT attitude!!!

[GreenTealael 25,155]

If you use a tracking app like MyFitnessPal it gives you caloric min/max to lose X lb/kil per week. That's a managable start especially for 8 weeks until surgery (you don't want to burn out). Play around and see where you are comfortable, but listen to your body if it suggests you need more

Good Luck 💜

Edited August 30, 2019 by GreenTealael

[RickM 1,747]

Too strict is more of a philosophical thing - both yours and your surgeon's - and also a matter of need. I was a "moderate lightweight" of low 40s BMI at surgery time, so really didn't need to get much of a jumpstart on things as the surgery had plenty of power to drive my weightloss toward normal; someone starting in the 60's BMI range needs all the help they can get as the surgery can only do so much. Some surgical programs are pretty high on driving intense diets pre-op (up to six months of liquids only - yikes!) while others really don't want their patients doing any intense fasting as they want them as strong as possible going into surgery. My philosophy, given my moderate needs, was/is to work on developing or reinforcing the good habits that will help control weight in the long term, well after the weightloss has stopped - look five years ahead rather than five weeks or months. I never worried about low carb counts (or fat, or anything else like that) but rather getting the most bang for my caloric buck in real, whole foods. Added sugars and most simple carbohydrates were out, but not the fruits, veg and even some whole grains.

On Protein, 100g is not unreasonable for a guy - most plans specify something like 60-80 g for women and 80-100 g for men. Protein need most closely associates with our lean body (or muscle) mass, so guys naturally need more than women. My target, based upon my 150+ lb lean mass is about 105g; a typical 5'2" woman would need about half that. If one is seriously working to increase muscle mass (which you are not - now) that number can easily increase by 40-50g and not be excessive - assuming that one does the actual work to accomplish that. Simply increasing protein intake under the belief that that alone will increase or preserve muscle mass (without the work) or will just be more satisfying can lead to excessive consumption (relative to body need) and potential kidney problems.

[FluffyChix 17,414]

Great post @RickM