Getting started

Yup. And I have a very strong feeling I will not be a dumper. Going to try and stay away from sugar and simple carbs  as long as I can, so I don't find out hahha 

Congratulations on making your decision! Shame is such a destructive force. It's what kept many of us from reaching out sooner. It keeps us isolated, and feeling like no one else can relate. But it's not true. For example, there are hundreds of us on this board, who know exactly what you are feeling. And I promise, there is nothing you can put in that food log that a dietitian at a Bariatric clinic hasn't seen.

Everyone approaches preop a little different, and it seems like no two plans are the same. In my case, before surgery, I started practicing the post op behaviours and habits my clinic recommended. Those included:

journaling

switching to decaf

eliminating alcohol

Slowly reducing carbs ( I still ate things like an English muffin instead of 2 pieces of bread (or 6....), beans, lentils veggies etc) 

Not having liquids with meals

start moving more 

you cant expect to be perfect at any of this, but look to improve a little each week. I didn't try to actively lose weight pre op, but by doing the above, I did.

as for what to expect from your first appointment with the dietitian, it varies from clinic, but in my case, they were looking to see if I understood The basics of nutrition. They went through my log, showed me areas where I could make healthier choices, how to balance my meals etc. more teachable type session. Then, the second one was to see if I'd been able to implement those changes. Again, they aren't looking for perfect, just that you are progressing, and learning. 

Keep reading and posting on here. If you haven't, make a list of why you are having surgery, and look at it often.

good luck! And again congratulations!

Luckily I have the moving part down...I do go to the gym most mornings before work and jog. I am the crazy MO person that does frequent the gym and I enjoy it.  Never thought I would but about 1.5 years ago my  husband had a heart attack.  We made major life changes then and I did loose weight for a few months but then just plateaued and eventually gave up with the diet part.  But I did maintain most of my exercising.

Same! I have always been relatively active. Strength training, team sports, yoga, boot camps etc. 

Thats great that you have that part down!

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement.  I am going to sit down this evening and make a list or realistic changes I can implement now before surgery that will make this transition easier.

I am going to start writing my food down and being honest with myself and my nutritionist so that I can get the help I need to address my habits and weight! 

The people reviewing the diary with you are medically trained - they have an  idea of how many calories most people need to maintain a MO weight.  You will not shock them and if you are going to do a surgery then you need to be honest with these folks because down the road you health may be impaired if you cannot be honest about embarrasing details of your life - eating, having BMs(or not have them), binging or other eating challenges you are facing. 

If you feel you cannot be honest with your medical team at this time- ask yourself is it you or them?  If it is them, and there is a reason for you not to trust them with the intimite details of your life, then find a new team.  If it is you, then you must work through the issue or you will not build the relationship you need to have with these people who are on your side.  If all goes well, you wil be working with them for years, so decide now what it takes to be honest with them.

I agree with the others who've said that a professional dietitian will probably be able to guesstimate how many calories you eat, so it won't shock him/her.  Plus if they're used to working with bariatric patients, then this won't even faze them.  They've heard it all before - many times.  I'd just be honest.