I am new here. I am about midway through the prior to surgery routine. I have had two of my dietician meetings and have the psychological evaluation in a few weeks. I have had success in eliminating soda and caffeine from my diet and I am going to the gym lifting weights on the machines. I was drinking almost 12 cans of diet mountain dew and a few cups of coffee a day. I started at 345 pounds when I saw the Doctor and am down to 323, but I wasn't told a specific amount of weight I need to drop before surgery. I am still struggling with the low carb diet, and I haven't fully committed to making most of my own meals. Doubts are beginning to creep in about whether I can make the necessary diet changes on a permanent basis and if I really have the after-surgery support, I may need.