Frustrated can't seem to Lose enough pre op weight

 I am a newbie. I have been getting support from all of you on OH. Thank you for sharing your journey with all of us. I can't seem to lose very much pre op weight. I have been doing basically the Atkins diet to lose I keep going up and down 2- 3 lbs. any ideas would be helpful. I see my nutritionist next week I want to have lost something. My next step to to meet the surgeon. I'm thinking I might just do all liquid from here on. Ugh. Thanks for listening.

What did you mean by basically? If you are allowing any sugars or carbs into your diet, its going to effect how you process the proteins. If your body doesn't go into ketosis, you won't lose anything.  I've done Atkins and its an all or nothing kind of diet. 

Good luck! 

Commercial diet programs are designed to sell you their packaged foods. That is how they make money. But processed foods are bad and are going to hinder your progress. Here is what worked for me to lose 13 pounds in the two weeks before surgery. 

Each day you are allowed up to the following (I didn't use every category):

15 oz poultry or fish (baked, broiled, boiled, or grilled) and eggs (limit of two egg yolks)

1/2 cup beans and legumes

1/4 cup nuts and seeds

1-2 servings of protein powder

2 cups low-fat dairy products (milk, milk substitutes, greek yogurt)

3/4 cup fruit

3 cups non-starchy vegetables

unlimited broth, seasonings, vinegar, mustard, tea, coffee, sugar-free beverages, sugar-free popsicles and fudgsicles, sugar-free jell-o, and sugar substitutes

Do you have a number you have to lose before surgery? I had to lose 40lbs. and it took a year to do so! Following Medifast helped me, but if I had to do it again, I'd probably follow a Whole 30 program.  

If it's Atkins, and you add any carbs, you either gain or loose nothing. That's what happened to me. I tried Nutri-system and gained 20 pounds. Not until I was honest about food and snacks that I was eating did things start to turn around for the better. I made sure I stuck to no more than 65 grams of sugar per day. You basically are eating protein, and non starchy vegetables and you do not have to worry about calories this way either. No dairy eaten and use nut oils for salad dressings. Cheese (dairy) has hidden fats and converts to sugars with little nutrition, plus there is a lot of sodium in cheese that will make you retain water. Herbal teas either cold are hot. No carbonated drink, since the bubbles are sodium based too. Artificial sugars will make you crave too. It the beginning it will be tough but working it through the detox moments takes patience. Good luck.

how are you tracking your food? my surgeon makes us keep a food log and the nutritionist reviews it each month. I use myfitnesspal.com

You are likely eating too many carbs or too many sugars or both.

My presurgical diet given to me (Not the Liquid phase) was; Eat 100g of protein a day including a protein drink, and no more than 100g of carbs. You do not have to count the carbs in non starchy vegetables. Some fat is OK.

If your not losing definitely do the liquid! I had to be under 400lbs or my surgeon wouldn't do surgery so I had to lose 65lbs pre/op and I did it by doing full liquid diet every other 2 weeks for 5 months I lost over 70lbs so if you have to lose before surgery do the liquid! Good luck! 

Thanks for the feed back. I am taking it to heart. I received the green light for surgery today!! I have to meet with the nutritionist next week, hoping to get appt to see surgeon after I see her.