Pre-Surgery Weight Loss

I have begun my journey towards surgery - I am about 10-12 weeks away. My doctor gave me a goal to lose a certain amount of weight before the surgery or he would consider NOT doing it. The amount he asked me to lose is a very doable goal, but I am in what I call "my last meal" mode. Since he gave me that assignment, I have been eating all my favorite foods like their is no tomorrow - which I guess is exactly what I am telling myself.  Thankfully, I am not binge eating, just not getting serious about losing the small amount of weight I need to before surgery. Did any of you go through this "last meal" phase before getting serious about losing the weight before surgery? Also, any good, simple plans for the pre-surgery weight loss? Thanks

Did I do the "last meal" thing?  I did the last meal thing for weeks.  Back in the day we didn't have to lose any weight to have surgery.  Don't feel bad, we all have done it...  Keep us posted on how you are doing.

It all depends on how you value your life:  is it worth eating yourself into obesity (like you have already done) or is it worth your health?

Your decision.

Cut out all white foods such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes.  Empty your cupboards and get them out of your house.  Speaking from experience, I found it much easier to resist temptation that way.

Eat high protein first, then complex carbs such as veggies.

Walk, if you can.

Drink lots of water.

You won't have to do it for long, and it will get your head in the right place.  Is your life worth an entire pizza?  

I am ten years out.  I eat the topping off one or two slices of pizza but only rarely.  I don't care for greasy foods.  I do have to watch myself with sweets;  too easy to go down that Slippery Slope.

I had several food funerals until my pre-op diet.  

This is a good indication that you have emotional food issues -- and that you need to start addressing them now rather than later.  One of the best things I did was establishing a relationship with an eating disorder counselor before my surgery.  This gave me a support system in place for the pre-op diet, immediately after surgery and while establishing new eating patterns to make the best use of my honeymoon period. 

Surgery will not fix your head -- but give you an amazing tool if you take advantage of it.  Use this time to start investigating your unhealthy relationship with food, to find new coping mechanisms and to prepare for your wonderful opportunity!

Its not just about losing weight...its about starting to get yourself used to your new future way of eating.

That being said, I totally gave myself leeway to indulge on more than 1 ''last meal'' 😃

As a matter of fact, I was invited to a Korean wedding just one week before surgery.  I mean full on with Korean BBQ...the works.  I actually strongly condidered not going because I knew there was no way I could refrain and I was doing very well on my protein shakes for the day and one small meal at night 2 weeks pre-op surgeon prescribed eating plan.

So, I actually told my surgeon and asked him if it would ''kill'' me if I went and indulged.  He told me to go, eat, and enjoy.  Man, I ate like I was going to the electric chair the next morning. 😃😃😃😃😃😃

Seriously, enjoy yourself somewhat, but try your best to lose some weight, shrink your liver, and start getting used to your new healthy lifestyle.  After surgery and you have no hunger and fill up on a meal half the size of your fist you'll look back at this dilemma and laugh.

I did a couple of "last meals" as well, but I paced them out over a few months and stuck to my pre-op diet and exercise plan otherwise. Every weekend I had a small food funeral at one of my favorite places. But I didn't "overdo" it. I just ate a normal portion and went back to my diet the next day. And some of my "last meals" weren't even that crazy. I had a Sonoran Hot Dog, Carne Asada with Flour Tortillas, some great Mongolian Beef, Su****hings like that. I certainly wasn't shooting up lard in an alleyway. But once my 3 week pre-op date hit I went hard on that diet because I knew I had to shrink my liver.

I know people who did not get the surgery because they did not lose the required amount of weight... How much do want the WLS?  

Yes I did do some "last meals".  There are some foods that I will still eat as treat once in awhile.  There are some I have never eaten again since then and now do not miss at all. 

I guess I had this idea that after you have surgery you can never have ANY of these foods ever again.  But that's not the case.  As long as you eat a healthy diet and live a healthy active lifestyle there is nothing wrong with partaking in a little "treat" once in awhile.  You just have to make sure it does not become a habit.  Like eating at fast food places for lunch a little too often.  It really is a slippery slope so tread carefully. 

Hi Fritz,

As someone who is addicted to food, I also went through the "Last Meal" mode in the weeks before my lap-band surgery. I wasn't required to do any weight loss or pre-surgery diet, so all the way up until midnight before my surgery date, I ate and ate and ate. I thankfully had no complications with the surgery, and my body healed fine afterwards. Unfortunately, I still had the hunger. From the 1st day after my surgery. I was on the liquids phase and kept thinking "I just want FOOD". Unfortunately, it didn't get any better for me and here I am 4 years later in the approval process for a revision to another surgery type.

This time, I am approaching it completely different. I *LOVE* food. However, when I decided I was going to see a surgeon and revise to another tool to get this weight off, I COMMITTED myself to doing it differently. I vowed to not binge any longer - to not go through my "last meal" phase like I did last time, and to not allow myself to see my favorite foods as "treats". Something that helped me come to my senses about this was thinking: "I am not a dog - I do not need to reward myself with a treat for being a 'good girl'!"

I have my DH as a reality check as well. Just last night we were writing the grocery list together and I said "Ooh, we can get XYZ and make a really yummy ZYX meal with it!" - And because XYZ ingredient and ZYX meals were both unhealthy, he pointed out that No, we are eating for nutrition and weight loss and NOT for special treats. 

Now, I still want to have something to look forward to. Previously -- before I ceremoniously purged my house of all of the bad foods -- I would look forward to treating myself to a large bowl of popcorn with tons of butter/oil/salt. Or whatever dessert was in the freezer.  Or whatever salty/sweet snack was on hand. Those were my treats.  Now, with this NEW LIFESTYLE, I look forward to a new, healthier ME. I also set up mini-goals along the way, and when I reach them I am going to treat myself with a non-food treat.  If I lose 20lb before my revision surgery, I am getting treated to a mani/pedi and massage!  I also set up roadside goals on the journey to my goal weight as well! Every 50lb is a treat too - For example when I hit ONEderland (199lb) we are going to book a vacation!

Sorry that I kinda just kept typing on and on... I just wanted to share that I think the 'last meal' and considering food a 'treat' really helped set me up for failure before and I have changed my way of thinking.  You might be fine!  Just some words of caution after my own failed first experience.

I had three "last meals"...one a homemade dinner (thanksgiving style), another fast food and my favorite breakfast. 

Totally normal and by the time surgery came around (Which was very fast for me) my doc thanked me for all my hard work before hand since he said everything was perfect for the surgery