Pre-op diet started, but it's rough
To me,the preoperative diet was the hardest thing. Food has been our friend and comfort for so many years it's hard to give that up. There will always be hard choices in the day to days of life,but just keep reminding yourself of the end goal--a healthier more active you. This morning when the alarm went off at 6 am I would rather have stayed in my warm bed but I looked in the mirror at the me that is 150 plus pounds lighter,dressed and laced up my tennis shoes and headed out for my walk with my boxer Lily. I like the end result so now my job is to keep making the best choices to get and keep me there. You If I can do this,you can too--one choice at a time!
The first 3-4 days are by far the most difficult. It's like cutting off every drug your system is used to (caffeine, alcohol, preservatives, artificial flavors & colors, etc). Your body has been very used to running on all of this for years - then poof, one day it's all gone.
I travel & entertain clients for my job, and I was on a business trip for 6 of the 14 days of my pre-op. I sat in front of clients & co-workers and drank a premier Protien shake while they are steak, lobster & drank bottles of wine that I was buying for them. I had to take them out for evening drinks on 3 of those nights while I drank water with a slice of lime and said it was a Gin & Tonic.
But here is the best part. I didn't cheat - not even once. I followed my surgeons instructions to the letter. And in return I had a 100% successful surgery with no complications and I headed home with nothing more than tylenol.
That surgery was 6 months ago - and at 5'8'' I went from 256lbs down to 164lbs. In 6 months people don't recognize me. I was a size 22 and now I'm a 12, with about 15 more lbs to go.
ITS WORTH IT! Focus on the long term. You won't remember the headaches, but you will remember how great this feels! Stick with this, you're on the right track!!
Erin - 5'8''
HW: 260; SW: 237
CW: 164; GW: 145
RXY Surgery Date: 03.23.16
Or, "Scififiend and the horrible, no-good, very bad day."
Yesterday was a bad day. I had worked six out of the last eight nights, and I was tired. I had also worked the last two nights caring for a very large, very ill teenage patient, and I was exhausted and STARVING. Day one of my preop (Monday), I had had 715 calories and 68g of protein. I also had had no caffeine. Do you know what it's like to be a night-shift nurse with no caffeine? Ugh. Double ugh when you factor in that I've had at least two caffeinated sodas a day, minimum, for years, not including coffee, tea, and caffeinated beverage mixes. My head was killing me all Monday night into Tuesday morning. Add to that, tragedy befell my blender bottle, so I was only having pre-made Slimfast high protein shakes for my meals. That added some monotony, even with the added sugar-free, low-fat foods I can snack on. Then, Tuesday, I couldn't go home and go to bed; I had to go to my nutrition class and my pre-op testing appointment, which was at 12:30pm. So, no sleep for me. Very few carbs, no caffeine, no sleep, and the same drink four times in a row, which left a nasty taste in my mouth. I was a very sad, angry panda Tuesday morning. I got through it with an early protein shake for the day (still slimfast, but it gave me a boost), my trusty water cup, and Tylenol liquid gels. Thankfully, they were able to work me in early for my preop testing (it always helps to be polite to everyone, even if you're in a low-carb rage inside), so I made it home by noon, ate some cream of wheat cereal (allowed on my plan) with milk, a lot of cinnamon, and some splenda, then took a long nap. Then I had some fuzzy navel Nectar for dinner, and that helped me not hate everything.
I woke up this morning at 1am with a raging headache, still tired, and just miserable. I'm better after a little unfiltered apple juice cut with water (100% Juice is allowed) and some more Tylenol. I know I'm whining, but I could use some support from those who have done it. I'm drinking my protein, drinking my water, taking my vitamins, and logging everything into MFP. I'm not going to cheat, because this surgery means too much to me. I just really wish I could have some cheese right now.
ETA: Also found out that my surgery is scheduled for October 11, not October 10. Whoops! Just as long as I show up on the right day, that's all that matters.
I know they are on your plan but the apple juice is pure sugar. You will never get detoxes from it by eating it. You will continue to feel miserable if you don't get it out of your diet. It is a crutch. Same for the cream of wheat.
I am only 19 days post-op and I did 3 weeks very low cal diet before surgery. I did the best I could do. Food was my best friend and I fell down several times, giving in to last meals quite a few times. But I did the best I could do. Got through it, and am now on the other side and doing well. I was asked to give up coffee pre-op and I did, but now am back to a little bit of high protein milk with coffee for flavoring. I also had to give up my arthritis meds, which I weaned myself off of and which was incredibly difficult for me. Still is very painful, but I am losing weight at a good pace and hope that a thinner me will not hurt so much.
