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Pre-op weight loss

N

nsimon7

Member
I am in process of doing all my pre-op screening and hope to schedule surgery in December. I have a very stressful job and after the extra stress of the Covid Pandemic I'm completely burnt out. My boss is too, and he has turned into a micromanaging toxic boss...
A new less stressful job opportunity came across my desk (an old colleague from 18 years ago wants me to join her team). So that process has started, but I won't start the new job until Jan of Feb... so I will have some time to recover from surgery before I start.:)
At my current ridiculously stressful job I just asked to take the entire month of December off... starting Thanksgiving weekend, and if all goes well on timing I will start my pre-op diet right after thanksgiving.
OK here is my challenge (that I'm having real trouble with). I am nearly 200 lbs overweight and am physically exhausted. (I avoid walking the dog on my 8 block loop, I avoid walking up and down stairs, etc). I am putting a tremendous amount of focus and energy into getting all the pre-op stuff done (Primary care doctor visits and paperwork, Gastro doctor visits, Colonoscopy, Upper Endoscopy, Pulmonary visits, sleep study, getting used to a CPAP, blood work, radiology, Psyche eval, nutrition seminars, Cardiology... (plus I just had 3 wisdom teeth out last May - at age 52, and I have some other oral surgery issues going on). I've also been keeping up with my daughter taking her to her pediatrician, dentist, orthodontist, eye doctor... it never ends...
So, already burnt out and drained from a stressful job and a toxic work environment, I have not been able to muster the energy to focus to prepare healthy food and practice good portion control. Weight Watchers is great and is the only thing that has ever worked for me (between falling of the wagon and yo-yo-ing back up and ending up worse), but before Covid my best attempts on WW no longer resulted in weight loss, only maintenance... right now I can't even weigh myself because my scale max's out at 300 lbs.... I have not even been able to get back to eating the healthy foods I used to on Weight Watchers, never mind worrying about portion control and point counting ... right now I'm in survival mode and eating take-out and too often quick boxed meals like hamburger helper that my husband is willing to make. When he makes veggies he drenches them in butter or cheese sauce... but beggars can't be choosers and I eat it...
How do you all find the time and energy and focus ahead of surgery to do so well? I'm jealous, but also just baffled. I can't just wait until I have vacation from work to start this transition. I know I need to start now. Help!
 
I am sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time. I have also had my share of stressors, although it was after surgery,which I won't get on into. But, I do understand how easy it is to get bogged down.

The problem is life is going to continue to happen. Kids have projects due tomorrow, cars break down, jobs require more, parents have strokes, siblings get cancer the list goes on and on.

At some point, you are going to have to make yourself a priority. Life will not pause after you have surgery. You aren't going to be able to eat a lot of what you're eating now as you will make yourself sick. And honestly, isn't that what we all did to need WLS to begin with? Ate ourselves into a position we needed surgery to save ourselves?

Make yourself a priority right now. Stop and grab a rotisserie chicken instead of fast food and open a can of green beans. Keep ready to eat fruits and veg in thehouse. Instead of hamburger helper, use ground turkey and slow cook some chili, stuffed peppers etc. Use dessert plates for dinner to enforce smaller servings. You have to lose or maintain weight to be approved for surgery, so you may as well try to develop some of those healthier habits now.

I hope things improve for you soon.
 
Well said Missy.

NSIMON7, Missy pretty much covered it. You just have to "suck it up" and put yourself first for once. It is hard for all of us but it has to happen.
I don't have kids, so it is obviously a little easier without kids but I took care of my mother for years. (Who frankly is like taking care of a disabled toddler). She wouldn't do anything to help herself, like take her meds properly etc. In and out of the hospital... the list goes on. I finally hit my wall and told my 4 Aunts they can figure it out now, I can't do it anymore and walked away. It was the hardest and best decision I ever made. To be clear, I am still in my moms life but not as here caregiver or the person "responsible" for her. Although I do things sometimes still, like get her to doctor apts and such. (She doesn't drive).

Anyway, I am also the primary cook so that was an easy change too as I just had to change myself and you can eat what I cook or make your own food.

There are lots of "healthier" quick options if you are just too overwhelmed to cook a meal.

The pre-op process is overwhelming it itself with all the appointments and classes. My team gave us a "passport" which was basically a folder with a chart of the list of appointments we needed and when in the process we should do them. Had a spot to put dates and to check off when it was completed. Same with the classes we had to take. It made it much easier to keep everything organized.

Just step back, breath and then small steps forward.

YOU CAN DO THIS AND YOU WILL DO IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO!
I wish you the best!!
 
nsimon7 said:
I am in process of doing all my pre-op screening and hope to schedule surgery in December. I have a very stressful job and after the extra stress of the Covid Pandemic I'm completely burnt out. My boss is too, and he has turned into a micromanaging toxic boss...
A new less stressful job opportunity came across my desk (an old colleague from 18 years ago wants me to join her team). So that process has started, but I won't start the new job until Jan of Feb... so I will have some time to recover from surgery before I start.:)
At my current ridiculously stressful job I just asked to take the entire month of December off... starting Thanksgiving weekend, and if all goes well on timing I will start my pre-op diet right after thanksgiving.
OK here is my challenge (that I'm having real trouble with). I am nearly 200 lbs overweight and am physically exhausted. (I avoid walking the dog on my 8 block loop, I avoid walking up and down stairs, etc). I am putting a tremendous amount of focus and energy into getting all the pre-op stuff done (Primary care doctor visits and paperwork, Gastro doctor visits, Colonoscopy, Upper Endoscopy, Pulmonary visits, sleep study, getting used to a CPAP, blood work, radiology, Psyche eval, nutrition seminars, Cardiology... (plus I just had 3 wisdom teeth out last May - at age 52, and I have some other oral surgery issues going on). I've also been keeping up with my daughter taking her to her pediatrician, dentist, orthodontist, eye doctor... it never ends...
So, already burnt out and drained from a stressful job and a toxic work environment, I have not been able to muster the energy to focus to prepare healthy food and practice good portion control. Weight Watchers is great and is the only thing that has ever worked for me (between falling of the wagon and yo-yo-ing back up and ending up worse), but before Covid my best attempts on WW no longer resulted in weight loss, only maintenance... right now I can't even weigh myself because my scale max's out at 300 lbs.... I have not even been able to get back to eating the healthy foods I used to on Weight Watchers, never mind worrying about portion control and point counting ... right now I'm in survival mode and eating take-out and too often quick boxed meals like hamburger helper that my husband is willing to make. When he makes veggies he drenches them in butter or cheese sauce... but beggars can't be choosers and I eat it...
How do you all find the time and energy and focus ahead of surgery to do so well? I'm jealous, but also just baffled. I can't just wait until I have vacation from work to start this transition. I know I need to start now. Help!
Click to expand...
I am about as far along as you are in the process. I started in January and it has been a long journey. I work full time so getting appointments in has been really tough. I am suffering with pain from weight gain and sciata and I can't tell you how hard it has been to wait. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and had to wait 2 months for a cpap. It just arrived, and I have a minimum of 30 days before a follow-up. I don't expect to have surgery for a few months.

I have a hard time too and I am not a good cook! I eat very simple, and don't have a lot of time for dinners. Some of my go-to's are frozen dinners, pre-packaged salad (Taylor Farms Chicken Ceasar is easy to take to work, and takes time to eat) and high protein yogurts. None of these items need to be prepared. Also, Brownberry makes a Keto bread that is white and not bad. Wendy's chili is good and can be reheated easily. Good luck and please tell your hubby to stop sabatoging your efforts.
 
missyinacage said:
At some point, you are going to have to make yourself a priority.
Click to expand...
Yup. That is the only way... I feel proud of the changes I've made since May when I started this process. I've done a lot, but there is still more I need to do. It feels overwhelming. That said, I know everyone is right. I have to commit to making better food choices now, as well as after the surgery.
Today is Saturday. The first day with some free time in a long while. I was bummed that a friend from Florida missed her flight this morning, but actually that gave me 6 extra hours to do what I needed to do for myself today... I did laundry, food shopping and TONS of food prep for the upcoming week. Tomorrow (Sunday) I'm back on the hamster wheel with back to back commitments all day, and then, another week... work and then meetings every night this week. I need to find a way to get out of this rat race! But at least for this week, I will have healthy food to keep me going.
 
nsimon7 said:
Yup. That is the only way... I feel proud of the changes I've made since May when I started this process. I've done a lot, but there is still more I need to do. It feels overwhelming. That said, I know everyone is right. I have to commit to making better food choices now, as well as after the surgery.
Today is Saturday. The first day with some free time in a long while. I was bummed that a friend from Florida missed her flight this morning, but actually that gave me 6 extra hours to do what I needed to do for myself today... I did laundry, food shopping and TONS of food prep for the upcoming week. Tomorrow (Sunday) I'm back on the hamster wheel with back to back commitments all day, and then, another week... work and then meetings every night this week. I need to find a way to get out of this rat race! But at least for this week, I will have healthy food to keep me going.
Click to expand...
I'm so proud of you making so many changes pre-surgery. The above suggestions are spot on. I'm also going to add the suggestion of making a commitment to drinking 64+ ozs of water daily. If you drink ANYTHING that has sugar, please wean yourself off of them. This includes pop, fruit juice, sports drinks, etc. Fruit juice is not a healthy alternative to eating real fruit, which contains fiber. Of course eating too much fruit can be almost the same as eating candy, as far as your body is concerned. You might want to try to add protein shakes to your daily routine. 30 grams of protein help build muscle, and high protein helps keep you fuller.

Good luck as you continue your journey to better health. ❤❤
 
It is hard. Especially if you start looking at all the changes you need to make. So, just do one at a time. This week focus on 64oz of water. Next week, add 2 extra servings of veggies. This process is slooow and the journey long, so take your time and make sure you are on solid footing!

I personally fought against my nutritionist almost every step. Eat breakfast? No, thanks. Drink protein shakes? No, thanks. Give up pumpkin spice coffee? Hell NO! But, I started drinking a protein shake for breakfast, figuring 2 birds, one stone lol And eventually made all those healthy changes she insisted on. My tastes have changes so much that I actually prefer whole, healthy foods.

You will get where you need to be. Stay positive and remember that its not only okay, its necessary to put yourself first.
 
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