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Pre-op liquid diet question

A

Alilovesib

Member
Hi. I just joined. I'm done with the intro webinar and I'm scheduling my first meeting with the place on Tuesday. I was just curious about the liquid diet before the surgery. Why do they make you do that? Is it so that we get mentally used to it or is there a physical reason?

Now that I have decided to definitely go through with the surgery, assuming it gets approved, I am finding myself less worried about what I am eating. I don't often binge, I actually hate feeling too full, but I consistently eat too many calories in a week. I am finding myself not as worried about sticking to a fasting schedule everyday or about counting every single calorie because I know once I get surgery I will lose weight. I know I shouldn't gain any weight and I am exercising a lot. However I am wondering if once people made the decision to go through with the surgery if they felt like it wasn't worth it to try to be so strict. And sometimes I think I eat less when I'm not trying to restrict what I am eating, if that makes sense.
 
Welcome to the group. This is a place full of support and information. I learned the liquid diet is to reduce your liver for surgery. It makes it easier for doc to do their thing. Logging what you eat before and after surgery is to help you see where you need help. Are you getting enough protein. Fiber? How many carbs are you eating. Is it all sugar based?. Are you eating three meals a day how much are you snacking? My -resurgent diet log is in the pics section. I made it into a steno book and it kept my full without being hungry and actually eating better than ever. After surgery on this site, I learned of app called bariatastic. It is really a handy tool that I keep on my phone.
 
Welcome! Depending on your presurgical weight, drs requirements, and insurance requirements, there might not be a preop diet. But apparently that’s rare. I didn’t have have one bc my dr was worried I’d go under the insurance mandated BMI of 40, and on surgery day I was 40.2, so cutting it close. The liquid diet isn’t a tool to help get you in the mind set, it just helps the surgeon navigate the area easier like Roni said. Which surgery are you planning for?
 
3momchaos said:
Welcome! Depending on your presurgical weight, drs requirements, and insurance requirements, there might not be a preop diet. But apparently that’s rare. I didn’t have have one bc my dr was worried I’d go under the insurance mandated BMI of 40, and on surgery day I was 40.2, so cutting it close. The liquid diet isn’t a tool to help get you in the mind set, it just helps the surgeon navigate the area easier like Roni said. Which surgery are you planning for?
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I want the regular gastric bypass. I have reflux and I'm really excited about the thought of ending that. I looked at your stars, I think we are similar. I am 5'7" and I am around 295 so I'm guessing for surgery I will be at that or a little lower. I think that puts me at plenty over a bmi of 40. I wasn't aware of the liver shrinking issue. I definitely think knowing there is a reason will help. Thank you.
 
Welcome! In answer to your question about the "Pic" section to find Roni's post, look at the top of the screen in the dark blue header and find Pics. Of course there are a lot of pictures there so you can use the filter and put in Roni's name as the author.

I wish you luck in your journey!
 
Hello and welcome. I think it's great that you've already joined a support group and hope you'll stay involved. I wish I would have started immediately. You can track your food on an app (myfitnesspal or baritastic are both great), which is easier for many of us. Others like to keep a manual journal, so whichever you prefer. I had the gastric bypass myself almost a year ago and highly recommend it. I did not find myself eating more or caring less pre-surgery because I felt accountable due to the monthly doctors appointments. Although I do not feel that I was super strict about it either. Mostly, it's a great opportunity to make small changes slowly, so you don't have to change your entire eating routine at once. Add in water until you get to 64 ounces. Give up soda. Start eating breakfast. Track your macros. etc. (those were my biggies and may not be yours.)
 
missyinacage said:
So I HATE tracking my food, it makes me stressed and I actually cried when I found out they want a food log. But I think it is only for the last couple of months, so I downloaded my fitness pal. I was thin for most of my life, and I don't drink soda, so when my dr. sits there with me in these monthly visits (I have had two of them) we almost have to make shit up...like say I am going to cut back on soda, and fast food...I don't drink soda, and I don't eat unhealthy, but I have severe sleep apnea, and I am obviously consuming too many calories. I was put on antidepressants and gained over 100 lbs. About 120. I am at 298 right now. I am 5'7". I did have 4 surgeries since last August, 3 were major surgery including 8 weeks of no walking for an ankle repair. I lost 7 lbs from visit 1 to visit 2 in the 6 month thing. But I am more mobile now. I swim a lot, and I am trying to walk, but it is a LOT of extra weight to carry, I would rather swim for 90 minutes than walk for 30! But I have definitely been in the overweight category for the past 5 years.
I started intermittent fasting and usually do that at least 4-5 days a week. I actually gain weight when I am having to either stay on a certain caloric restriction and have to track my intake. I understand they do this so you know what macros you are eating, but I am perfectly capable of counting my grams of protein after the surgery...so I am stressed about that part of it. But I am going to do whatever I have to do so I don't have to sleep with a freaking mask on my face....I am praying that once I lose the weight that I do not have to use that anymore.

Also, why do I have to start eating breakfast? I try to eat between 11-7 during the week, so I eat 2 meals a day. I am not a big snacker, but sometimes if I don't eat after 4-5 pm because I got too busy and I am up late, I get super hungry and I will eat late.

I already found protein powder and some things on the bariatric food source sites, so other than knowing I will struggle a bit right after the surgery, I am not expecting to have too many problems after with getting in enough protein and nutrients. I was expecting to not even try to eat anything the first few days, it sounds awful, and fasting for even a week will not harm you. So if there is a reason to try to stuff protein down my throat the day after the surgery, someone please tell me what it is. Of course I will discuss this with my surgeon, but according to anyone who believes in fasting, a week with just water will not be detrimental at all to me.
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I am not kidding when I tell you I had almost this literal conversation with my nutritionist .. sometimes bi-weekly. We are all resistant to parts of the process, especially early on. So I will allow your weight loss team to fight that battle. I would suggest you do some research on your own regarding what this surgery entails and what those first few months post op are going to be like. But, in the spirit of being a support group, I will try to explain parts of the process, as they went for me.

The reason for all the protein is it keeps you from losing too much muscle while rapidly losing weight. And the majority of us can barely get in 1oz of liquid over 15 minutes for weeks on end. Which makes it very difficult to reach your water or your protein goals. I was on a liquid diet for 2 weeks pre-op and 3 weeks post op. My cousin was 2 weeks pre and 5 weeks post. There are multiple weeks of puree and soft food after those weeks. There is literally no way you can get your protein in that does not involve protein drinks and multiple meals, starting with breakfast pretty much as soon as you get up. Even now a year out, I cannot eat enough in 2 meals to get close to my nutritional needs.

Everyone is resistant to tracking. And no one, regardless of what skills they think they possess, is actually able to properly track their intake without a lot of practice measuring and tracking. I have been cooking for years, so I can now put spices in my hand and it will be VERY close a teaspoon. I have eaten an ounce of almonds pretty regularly for over a year. I grab 1.1 or 1.2 ounces almost every time I try to eyeball it and then weigh it after. 1oz of almonds is 164 calories, 6g protein, 6 carbs and 14g of fat. But it's the PRACTICE of measuring and tracking that has given me that knowledge. All these requirements they put on you are not forever, but are totally necessary in the beginning to ensure your long term success.

Again, I would recommend doing your own research into this process. IMO, the original seminar that I had made everything seem a lot easier than it actually ended up being. And while I HIGHLY recommend having the surgery, I think it's important to know what steps you need to take to ensure your own success. The earlier you start following their recommendations the faster you start developing those healthy habits that will ensure your success for years to come.
 
I have started tracking my food, I've done it quite a bit over the past year, but I'm sure im not alone when I say I hate doing it. Actually, I don't hate it, I just find myself obsessing about food. I switched to my fitness pal so I can print the logs when they are needed. I am still not sure I will get the surgery. I am being told that my insurance rejects a lot of people so I really have no idea if I will get approved. When I found out it can cure reflux I really became interested. I am really hoping I can get through the next few the and get it done.
 
Alilovesib said:
I have started tracking my food, I've done it quite a bit over the past year, but I'm sure im not alone when I say I hate doing it. Actually, I don't hate it, I just find myself obsessing about food. I switched to my fitness pal so I can print the logs when they are needed. I am still not sure I will get the surgery. I am being told that my insurance rejects a lot of people so I really have no idea if I will get approved. When I found out it can cure reflux I really became interested. I am really hoping I can get through the next few the and get it done.
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I'm going to share some of my tracking and measuring tips, because as much as I tout the benefits, I KNOW it's a pain!!
  • Buy tupperware style containers in multi sizes and use them to eat out of, until you get used to what a 1/2 cup etc looks and feels like. I still eat my oatmeal in a 1/2 C tupperware.
  • Save the things you always eat together as a "meal" in your app. I eat the same thing for breakfast at least 5 days a week. After I put all the ingredients in, I saved it as "BREAKFAST". Now I click it and it adds all the ingredients of my overnight oats, coffee and my supplements in one click. (this changed my life, I'm not even kidding. o_O)
  • Meal Prep those things you eat often and store them in the correct serving size. I get almonds at Costco. I come home and make 10 individual servings. Now I don't have to think about it again. (sorry, I know meal prep can be considered a pain as well.)
**Keep in mind, it's not forever. After about 6 months, you will know the value of the foods you eat regularly and will be able to eyeball a serving size.
I still track and measure at least once a week, because I still worry about it getting away from me. But you'll have to decide what works best for you long term.
I hope any of this can help make it a little easier.
 
That's awesome. Thanks.
I have a food scale and I'm getting used to measuring. I'm using my fitness pal and it has me at 1770 calories a day to lose 1.5 lbs a week. I found out my swimming burns more calories than I thought. I ended up buying the app so it would not automatically add those calories back. I swam 45 minutes leisurely and 15 minutes of relaxrd treading water and it was like over 700 calories. I swim at a quarry from one end and back and sometimes I do part of the perimeter so it's a minimum of an hour. I do not count when I'm floating on my back lol. So if I can keep this up and lose 40 or more lbs in a few months, I may not have to do the surgery. I want to lose 120 and ideally I want to lose 20 after that. Surgery is still tempting because of the bad reflux I have.

The woman who does intake and prior authorization at the surgeon's office has kind of been scaring me. She honestly seems like she wants me to fail. 1st they have not called me and it's been over a week since the 1st initial meeting online. And I will lose my insurance by the end of the year so I do need to get this done and she is trying to tell me that might not happen. I'm just really frustrated because she told me that most people get denied who have state health care. She said even diabetics that are on 2 types of insulin have been getting denied. So I know I need to do everything by the book. But if I have to start my 6 months over I will not have insurance by the time I get finished. I guess I'm going to still try but if I can get this weight off without the surgery obviously that is ideal. I go back and forth on this opinion.
 
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