Question:
WHAT IS THE BEST FOOD AND LIQUIDS?

I HAVE TO LOSE 30 POUNDS BEFORE I HAVE SURGERY. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT? LIKE WHAT PRODUCTS ARE REALLY GOOD. KEEP IT REAL NONE OF THAT NASTY STUFF. pROTEIN bAR sHAKES, FOOD ETC...    — Ms-Pink (posted on March 28, 2006)

March 28, 2006
Liver Shirink Diet also called a protein sparing diet. Breakfast: 2.0 oz. of cooked lean meat or 1 egg/eggbeater 4 oz. veggies 8 oz. noncalorie beverages Mid Morning Snack: 8 oz noncalorie beverage 4 oz. veggies Lunch: 3-4 oz. cooked lean meat 4 oz. veggies 8 oz. non-calorie beverage mid afternoon snack: (same as mid morning allotment) Dinner: (same allotment as Lunch) Evening Snack: Same as all other snacks 4oz. cooked veggies= 1/2 C cooked or raw veggies 3oz protein= size of a deck cards/bar of soap Take a multivitamin with minerals daily, 1000mg of calcium daily (split 2xday) Drink at lest 64 oz fluids daily (calorie free...crystal lite, water, tea, coffee, broth, seltzer, club soda, artificial sweeteners are OK Meats: (NO SKIN, packed in h2o not oil)very lean burger, chicken, beef steak, turkey, egg whites, eggs, egg beaters, veal lean, lamb lean, pork lean, liver, fish (haddock, perch, cod, flounder, crab, halibut, tuna, shrimp are all low in fat) Veggies:sprouts, asparagus, bambooshoots, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cukes, peppers, lettuces, mushrooms, pickles, radishes, spinach, summersquash/zucchini, tomatoes, green/wax beans, collard/other greens, tomato juice FREE FOODS: sugar free hard candy, sugar free jello, sugar free ice pops, sugar free jellies and syrups, butter buds/mollymcbutter, horseradish, soy sauce, kitchen bouquet, vinegar, lemon juice, nonstick pam, bullion/broth, all herbs/spices, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, unsweetened pickles This diet is a 600-800 cal/day diet consisting of lean meats and veggies, with little carbs, it maximizes fat breakdown without losing lean muscle mass, fat is used as energy and the small amount of protein saves the lean tissue in the body :spares it". Diet is VERY limited and you may only have 1-2 bowel movements a week. EAT ALL Allowed veggies for bulk! Only to be used for short periods of time (1 mo or so)....You will be in ketosis on this diet so drink plenty of fluids to flush wastes out! You may notice sweet fruity breath, this is normal, it is the body's way of blowing of some ketones.... Good luck ! This was taken directly from my handout from the clinical nutritionist!
   — Flo

March 28, 2006
Have you tasted today's protein bars & shakes? They are NOT like the olden days at all! I'm enjoying a nice hot cocoa, as we speak. Chocolate + vanilla-cinnamon in warm water. Perfect. 30g protein, 2g sugar. The problem is that I won't want any food for while now.
   — vitalady

March 28, 2006
My surgeon has all of her patient's do a 4 week pre-op skim milk diet. For 10 minutes 3-5 times a day you can drink all the skim milk you can handle - that is it. It takes about 4 days to get used to but after that it is pretty easy. It also helps to distinguish between head hunger and real hunger which will be beneficial post-op. It works, usually her patient's have lost 20-30 pounds. Good luck.
   — classite

March 28, 2006
Notwithstanding my opinion that a 30 pound pre-operative mandatory weight loss seems excessive (after all, if you could have lost weight on command, you would not have needed surgery), the fastest way to lose weight is to greatly restrict your carbohydrate intake (try to keep it below 20 grams per day) and consume at least 80-100 grams of protein. Of course, you should also realize that for about 2 weeks prior to your surgery date you need to seriously restrict fat intake to shrink your liver (losing weight, in and of itself, doesn't accomplish liver shrinking unless the weight is loss on a fat-restrict diet). However, in the short term, to get the required pounds off fast, you need to get your body into ketosis, which is accomplished with high protein-low carbohydrate intake.
   — SteveColarossi

March 28, 2006
This is really unbelieveable! :eyes rolling: If I could lose 30 pounds on command, I'd have done it already! You do know there are lots of doctors out there who WON'T torture you with demanding you lose unreasonable amounts of weight before surgery? Dr Elariny is in VA and he doesn't require a presurgery diet. I'm having surgery on 4/6/06 and have been guiltlessly enjoying all the foods that I think I may miss -- for months now! Mind you, not to excess and I'm sure I haven't gained weight -- but more importantly -- it doesn't matter if I DO! Geeze, what's up with these doctors! (I understand the liver shrink -- but you know that can be done with a short diet and much smaller amount of weight loss.) Good luck, sweetie!
   — [Deactivated Member]

March 29, 2006
I have to lose 14 lbs before surgery (April 24). I have 5 to go. I agree with the higher protein diet. I do have carbs for lunch, like a sandwich on whole wheat bread. Not wheat but whole wheat. You have to make sure the word "whole" is in the ingredients. I don't agree with lori not to lose any before, because if I did that than I would gain 20 lbs before surgery because I am a compulsive eater. The lap band to me will be tool. I know if a person has to lose 30 lbs before surgery, someone will say "If she can lose 30 lbs. why have the sugery"? That person can gain the 30 lbs back but the lap band is for helping you not gain it back. Then you will continue to lose weight, if you use it right. That is my estimation on this whole subject. Donna
   — skinnycat

March 29, 2006
Ms. Pink, I too had to lose weight before surgery. My surgeon, Dr. Micheal Johnell, explained this to me. He said that the liver has to be moved for any type of work on the stomach. Since the liver stores fat around it, losing some excessive weight before surgery not only makes it easier to get to the liver, it also makes it easier to move. IE: much safer. Also, when you are at your haviest, your belly is as tight as it gets. In order to do laperscopic (sp?) surgery, the belly has to be filled up with gas so the surgeon can manuver around. If it is as tight as it gets, it's hard to fill up with gas and move the instirments around. I truly beleave it is a good idea to lose some excessive weight for those reasons. The way I did it was by having a protein drink in the morning and at lunch. EAS Advent....choc or vanilla....is very good, I didn't like the Slim Fast low carb. One time during the day, I'd eat seven Wheat Thins with two slices of jack cheese. At night I would eat a normal meal. I was able to lose 20 pounds in a months time with this deit. Every-once-in-a-while I'd even have in a Snickers protein bar....they are good....just like having a candy bar. I think the nutty one was the best, my hubby like the carmel one. Good luck with this, I wish you the best!
   — Michelle M.