New -- Need Some Diet Advice.

Hey, guys, I've been lurking, but not posting. I'm scheduled for RNY just before Christmas, but I'm having trouble losing the 20 lbs my surgeon wants me to lose before then.  I wasn't given a formal "diet" to follow, but was told to do whatever has worked in the past, which for me was low calorie, low fat, etc. But, I'm been doing about 1200 to 1500 calories a day for a month now, and have gone down only 5 or 6 pounds.  A few years ago, I would have lost 30 lbs in a month on that type of diet. The difference -- frankly, my health.  Right now, I am so fat that I can barely catch my breath when I walk a few feet, everything is a struggle, I'm sure you get the picture. Are there any "tricks" to jump-starting weight loss, like maybe high-protein, low-carb?  I'd be willing to try pretty much anything.

Welcome to the Men's Locker Room, A high-protein, low carb regimen is a good strategy to take especially since post-op life will place an emphasis on protein as your priority.  At this point if your not having results with 1200-1500 calories, then I'd suggest dropping down to about 1000 calories per day.  There are a variety of high protein low-carb shakes on the market that are good to include...EAS, Slim Fast (low carb), Muscle Milk and Muscle Milk light are all decent examples.  Try substituting the shakes for a meal or two and in between to keep your hunger down, find a healthy, low calorie snack (mid-morning and mid-afternoon).  Meals need to concentrate on protein - chicken, fish, seafood, lean beef or pork and veggies (salad w/ low-fat dressing, broccoli, green beans, etc.)...stay away from the whites such as potatoes, bread, pasta (although there are some pastas that are viable alternatives in moderation).  Nothing new or earth-shattering here huh?  Here's the kicker that could help get the weight loss jump-started.  First two days - all liquids.  For example - 5 Slim Fast low-carb shakes spread throughout the day.  In addition, clear liquids - 64 oz...water, crystal light, decaf tea, etc.  This is a pain in the butt, but the idea here is to detox your body, get it flushed out and clean out the carbohydrates.  Once the carbs are out of your system and you're taking very little in - your dependency and cravings for them should significantly decrease.  I also suggest that you begin taking vitamins if your not already doing so.  You want to decrease what your taking in, but it's critical you get in your daily nutrient requirements. Take this advice with a grain of salt.  I'm not a doctor - but I could lose weight like a mo-fo!   I was good at losing weight, but unfortunately I was a professional at gaining weight!  This strategy worked for me...everyone is different...what worked for me may not necessarily work for you. In addition, if physical activity is difficult for you such as walking, if there is a fitness center or hospital that has a pool with a water aerobics program, it's an excellent option.  The exercise is low-impact and takes less effort but still delivers good results working several muscle groups and gets your heart rate up.  Give it a try! Best wishes! Cards Fan loseSMART!  loseSTRONG!

Welcome to the forum Dan, and congrats on your surgery date. I too had to shed some lbs prior to surgery to get my BMI under 60. Dr Put me on a low carb (30 gr or under) diet and the weight slid right off. No potatoes, rice, pasta, sugar/flour free too. I ate steak, salad, tuna, chicken, etc right up till I had to begin my liquid diet.  I dropped about 15 lbs in a 10 day period. I have found that low fat diets usually contained hidden sugars which contribute to fat increases. I can sympathise with you when you say that being so fat, everything is a struggle. I was 450 lbs this past spring and I went on a very low carb diet and shed 50 lbs in a few months, but as soon as I had some carbs, I regained about 22 lbs in 2 weeks and I knew it was time to go ahead with WLS. My preference was the Lap-Band, and it seems to be working well.  Once I went back on low carbs the weight came off fast. All of us have different reactions to different things. For some, carbs are no issue but for others they can be a real pain in the ass. My unofficial and totally unprofessional suggestions to you is to limit your carbs to no more than 30 per day and see what happens. I wish you well, Dan...good luck! Jeff  

Welcome and congratulations on your progress!   I don't have answers specifically for your situation, but some folks use the BMR calculations to get the optimal calorie range ..  check out some websites ..  The BMR calculation is to maintain your current weight, so to lose weight the calories should be below that number.   Others will suggest exercise or certain food choices. The Plateau Busting Diet is good for some folks - a Dr. Fox gives to his RNY and AGB patients: #1 Do for 10 days to break plateau #2 Drink 2 quarts of water a day #3 You must have 45 grams of protein supplement and all your vitamin & mineral supplements each day. #4 You may consume up to 3 oz. of the following high-protein foods, 5 times a day: a.. beef, b.. pork, c.. chicken, d.. turkey, e.. lamb, f.. fish, g.. eggs, h.. low-fat cheese, i.. cottage cheese, j.. plain yogurt (or artificially sweetened), k.. peanut butter, l.. beans/legumes. #5 You may also have: a.. sugar-free popsicles (avoid juice popsicles), b.. tea or coffee, c.. sugar-free sodas, d.. sugar-free Jell-O, e.. broths & bouillons, f.. Crystal Lite drinks. #6 IF IT IS NOT ON THE LIST YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT! #7 Keep a food diary and try to get 30 minutes of exercise daily.

Hey Dan... These brother have given you great advice...if you do the shakes...make sure they are no carb type.....you can put on 1600 cals a day in shakes russ Welcome aboard...

Hi Dan and welcome, You've gotten some good advice (and be sure to follow Russ's reco to avoid high-carb protein shakes). I had good pre-op luck drinking two low-carb, high-protein shakes and eating one low-carb frozen dinner a day. It wasn't easy, but it worked. When I absolutely had to have a treat (one per day) I had a 40 calorie, carb-free Fudgesicle. You may need to saty at or under 1,000 cals, but you'll be glad you toughed it out once you've had your surgery. Good luck and glad you posted.

As always....these men have given great recommendations.......  All I can add to this is just to make sure youfrink lots and lots and lots of water.  You will be amazed at how much "fluid weight" your body is retaining and by getting in lots of good "Hydration" via water....you'll actually **** of a few poundsw before you even know it. Good luck and don't give up!

Provided you are otherwise healthy (no heart problems), getting out of breath easily could be a blessing in terms of exercise. Get out of breath and stay that way for 30 seconds, rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat. The muscle exertion involved will probably be low, so you will probably be able to continue for 30-60 minutes. This kind of exercise will burn a high number of calories than steady exercise.

Best Wishes,

Dave

Yep, What they said! Read your labels. If you keep carb intake below 20gms a day? Your body will drop into Ketosis and start burning fat. Back when I was at a BMI of 51+ I could drop 30 pounds that way in 30 days. (I unfortunately always had a way or gaining back 35 of it.) Welcome to posting! Jump on in. You’d be surprised how much Collected experience is dropping in here….. Best Wishes- Dx