Pre-Op Diet . . . What's yours?

[Lori_K 0]

Well, I started my pre-op diet today (my surgery date is near the end of the month) . . . I know some of you must have been on a pre-op diet already! I am just wondering what some of your experiences are.

This is the diet plan I'm on:

Breakfast: 1 HMR shake

lunch: 1 HMR shake

Midafternoon Snack: 1 HMR Shake, 1 fruit serving

dinner: 1 Protein serving, low-starch vegetables (they are unlimited), 1 starch serving, and 3 fat servings.

Evening Snack: 1 HMR Shake

Plus 8 cups of Water per day.

Calorie total of the diet is about 1,010-1,060.

(HMR is the package of shake mix sold at the weight loss center I'm going to, as directed by my dietitian . . . HMR: Health Management Resources.)

So far I've had a couple of shakes, and they taste good, and when whipped up in a blender with some ice, are really quite filling. I have vanilla and chocolate, plus a booklet that has recipes to change the flavor of the shakes (adding extracts and sugar-free fruit Gelatin mixes).

So . . . it's all very tasty and such . . . but my body knows the difference!!! I can feel the hunger and desire for food already . . . this is gonna be rough! I'm gonna tough it out and do my best to shrink my liver before surgery (I don't want any complications!) . . . but it sure points out how much food was a part of my life. I was one who thought I wasn't eating that bad, making healthy food choices and all (my waistline says differently though! lol). Now I see how bad I was. This is a good learning experience! And I know I'll be much healthier for it.

I would love to hear what other pre-op diets my fellow Victorious Valentines are on (plus get to meet some of you, I'm kinda new here) . . . and what your experiences are, and how you are feeling!

<---- trying to convince by body of this right now, lol! :eek:

[marathinner 1]

Hi Rhapsody..

Welcome and CONGRATS on being a fellow Victorious Valentine!! My pre-op diet was almost identical to yours. Yes..the first few days are tough and you really do battle the horrible hunger pang. I broke up my "meal" with my Protein Shakes. For instance, I had a little bit of eggbeaters in the morning, a shake around 10am, a few almonds in the afternoon, a shake around 3pm, a small dinner (of what you described) and a shake around 8pm. I found that by spreading it out it may be feel more sustained. I've lost 12 lbs so far and my surgery is on Tuesday. My pre-op blood work came back "normal" so my liver is in good shape and I'm ready to go!! The diet isn't only good to shrink your liver, it's a great kickstart to our new journey. Hang in there. You CAN do it. And if you have a little "hiccup" along the way, don't beat yourself up. Make the necessary adjustments to adhere to the diet and will do AWESOME!!

[Lori_K 0]

Thanks for the welcome and the support Bigmarathoner! that's a great idea to break up the evening meal a bit . . . a few almonds (a fat serving) would be good about now, lol. Thanks for the help! I'm really gonna try and adhere to the diet as closely as possible . . . I wanna lose that weight! (hoping not to "hiccup" ).

Congratz on your weight loss! And the very best of luck to you on your surgery on Tuesday . . . you'll be in my thoughts, I wish you a speedy recovery! I'll be here, checking to see how you are doing!

[taismommy 0]

HI!

My doctor basically put me on a South Beach diet type for 10 days then full liquids for the last 4 days.

Good luck with your Pre-op diet Rhapsody

[StLouisGal 1]

You are all going to hate me. I have no pre-op diet. I just have to eat small light meals the day before surgery. Can't really believe it myself.

[Angie4b1g 1]

Lucky you!!

[AppleSmith1226 1]

Well guys my pre-op diet consist of a Protein Shake for Breakfast ... Protein shake for lunch ... protein shake for dinner and Water throughout the day as well. I have been on it for 1 week now and I am 14 pounds down!!!!!!! I can't believe I haven't seen the scale move in yrs! So I am happy. I HAVE NOT CHEATED AT ALL! And I dont plan on it ... LOL everytime I look in the mirror I remember why I can't cheat I am just hoping I am not on liquids again for 2 long after surgery. I can't wait to even have a Soup or a salad. However my out look on food is changing and now that it has been taking away from me so to speak I see how much my life really revolved around it and that sucks. But that's why I am having surgery I need help. But thanks for readind APPLES!

[Lori_K 0]

Wow, such a big difference in diets! :eek:

Your South Beach diet is sounding good right now Taismommy, and good luck to you too!

StLouisGal - Very Lucky you! :biggrin: Did your doctor say why you didn't need a pre-op diet? (I'm just curious.) My weight loss doctor (I have a surgeon, weight loss doctor and dietitian) said that if I had lost 5 or 6 pounds, I wouldn't have had to do the pre-op diet either, because my BMI would be 45. She said I'm "right at the border with a BMI of 46". Well, I didn't lose the 5 pounds, lol . . . but honestly, I kinda wanted to do the diet before surgery . . . I think it might make me feel better losing a few pounds before, and this diet is easy enough to follow. But maybe that's why you don't need the pre-op diet? I see your BMI is 45. I wonder if anyone else with a BMI of 45 needed a pre-op diet?

And AppleSmith . . . congratz on the weight you lost! Sticking to my diet without cheating for the first day has been an accomplishment for me :biggrin: I'm just gonna take it one day at a time, and try to do the same every day . . . hopefully I'll make my weight loss ticker move soon. I love reading stories like yours though . . . it gives me inspiration to do my best as well.

Nice to meet everyone btw! :tongue:

[gweniviere 0]

Hi there all!

I am new here...I'll be banded on Feb.15th and am wondering why there are so many pre-op diets? I mean I am on one...and let me tell you ...its terrible! So I am wondering if I can do somthing different. Hmmmmm

[Shinyhappymommy 2]

My surgery is scheduled for this coming Friday (AAAH!) and my surgeon told me three days of liquids before and that's about it. I almost didn't see the note about no anti-inflammatories (for 7 days before) and I do take Advil from time to time. So that's one to watch out for.

I got a power point presentation from my nutritionist via email and in it she says to do a 7 day liquid diet. I about freaked because mentally I wasn't ready to be done with food today. She said my surgeon had advised the 3 days for me so that was fine. I'm going to dinner w/ my dh on Monday night, the night before I begin, so I'm glad we can still do that. We never go out, so it's a real treat.

[Princess21 0]

I have a two week pre-op diet. The first week is two Protein Shakes and one small meal per day. The next week right before surgery is three Protein shakes per day. I have been on the pre-op diet for four days now and I have lost 7.9 lbs.

The pre-op diet has been really hard. I am hoping it will help me with my post-op diet after surgery. My surgery is 2-13-08. Yea!

[gweniviere 0]

I'm so relieved to hear someone else say that the pre-op diet has been hard! I thought for sure that meant I was in no way ready for this...glad I am not alone.

[Angie4b1g 1]

Oh my gosh I thought I was DYING the first 3 days. Major carb withdrawal, I suspect. lol

[babedoe4 5]

I'm sooo glad everyone feels the same about the preop diet. Anyone have to take citrate of magnesium before the surgery as a prep to poop?

I'm soo excited for everyone. A lot of us will be going on Monday

[coolcrystal 1]

I don't get the whole liquid diet thing before the surgery. My doctor has us do the South Beach diet (phase 1) 10 days before the surgery. He says it does the same exact thing as the liquid diet does and doesn't think its fair to make people suffer when there is something else they can do that allows us to eat real food. It's basically a carb free diet, but you eat lots of chicken and veggies.. no fruit though.. I got a little South Beach diet book at half price books for like 3 bucks and it has all of the phases and a bunch of recipes and charts that are helpful.