Has anyone ever tried?
 

Has anyone ever tried to do the post op diet as if they had already had the surgery? Basically, pretend you have the surgery but don't have it? I am just wondering because I have a surgery date of Feb 11th and last week I went in to get weighed and get a copy of the post op diet. I started to follow the diet-as if I had had the surgery. I LOST 11 LBS THIS WEEK!!!!
I told my doc, I'de like to give it 2 more weeks, and see how I do. He was thrilled, 100% supportive. Has anyone done this that you know of? Thanks everybody!

What diet plans have you tried in the past, and why is this diet easier for you to stick with? If you can figure out what is easier for you to stick to, then you'll probably be able to continue losing weight without the surgery. Pardon my bluntness, but WLS is a last resort, it's a drastic and sometimes fatal way to force you to eat less, when you couldn't force yourself on your own. If you can eat less without the surgery, you'll be better off in the end. We fully support those that do find themselves in the position of needing the surgery as a last hope effort to save their lives. Our own sister, Amy 3FC, had gastric bypass last year. But when you show that you can stick to a diet and lose weight without the surgery, then it's clearly an option worth exploring. This 11 lb loss may excite you, and motivate you to keep on losing weight. It feels good! Take the time you need to see if you can do it on your own, or you may regret not taking that time later. It's easy to reschedule surgery. Good luck :)

Hi tfarah,

I think it's great you've done so well following the post-op diet. If that's going to work for you, Suzanne's absolutely right - WLS is a last resort.

I was always able to diet and lose weight to a point, but eventually I'd stop losing and the weight would pile back on and invite it's little fat cell buddies to join it. I think the problem for most people who have WLS is that they can't keep the weight off. I don't know your history, but I think it's important to look honestly at yourself and assess whether you have really tried everything you can before you have surgery. I know that personally, I was at my wit's end with the whole dieting thing. LapBand Surgery was the answer to many, many prayers. Trust me, it's still a whole lot of work after surgery, so if you're able to do it without being operated on, go for it! By the way, I don't really diet, I just try to make good food choices and follow the bandster rules of protein first, veggies second, anything else third. Pretty easy, especially if I'd follow them all the time!

Chickadee

oh sarah... it SEEMS like such a simple question should have a simple answer, but as suzanne and chickadeedeedear have pointed out, it's actually complicated.

they are right... both of them. if you can lose weight AND KEEP IT OFF without the surgery, then go for it! and if, as chickadeedeedear suggested, you haven't taken an honest look at whether you've done EVERYTHING POSSIBLE over and over and over again, then perhaps surgery isn't the best thing RIGHT NOW.

however, having said all that... are you following the immediate post-op diet of protein supplements and liquids? this gives you roughly 500 calories a day, and puts your body into serious starvation mode. it's not sustainable. nor is the weight loss [in a non-surgeried body] sustainable.

or are you following the MUCH LATER postop diet of small portions, lots of veggies, lots of protein, no liquids with meals, limited carbs? if so, this stands a chance of working. and you MUST do the exercise along with it.

i'm not trying to put a damper on your enthusiasm, but there are many issues here. bottom line, however, even if you decide to have the surgery, the pre-op weight loss reduces your risk of complications.

please stay here and talk to us as you work this out. it's a tough call.. and believe me, we're not pushing the surgery on you by any means. this is a very individual decision, and it truly is a last resort. to make it work, though, ya gotta be committed to the eating requirements and exercise, just as someone who does it the 'old fashioned' way.

More about me
 

Thank you all for your words of wisdom. I have been reading all your threads for so long-and you are all so great! I have tried several, several diets in the past. This surgery is not something I was going to do on a whim. I have researched it for 3 years. Gone to support groups and meetings. Been on the net every night. I take it very seriously. I am 33 yr old fm, 297 lbs(before the 11) I think I have figured out what kind of person I am. I am a "cold turkey" person. When I was young I did drugs-woke up one day and said "Nah I'm done" never touched them again. Recently, I used to drink a 6 pack of Mt. Dew everyday. I just thought one day "I wonder if Mt. Dew is causing my headaches?" So I just switched to water, no juice, no nothing, only water. Been drinking water for 6 months, no relapse. So, when I got the post op diet-I said "Ok, time to go cold turkey on food." I can do that" I'm one of those people that can't seem to have a little of something, I can't do things in moderation. Sure for the first 3 days, I was going NUTS, but I got used to the hunger, so it was just an issue of what my head wanted. I did test my stomach one day with food. I had 1/2 of that $1.00 salad at McDonalds and I thought I was gonna burst! My part isn't going to be hard in the liquid stage, its going to be hard in the food stage. I already set up to see the nutrisionist every week, and talked to my RNY doctor about attending the support groups. Since our groups are so small he had no problem with it. Even though I won't have surgery issues, I will still have other issues and need support. I even have a psycologist I can go to. The only things I have been successsful at are my kids(God bless them-5 yr old twins) and "cold turkey" things. Can I keep it up? I don't know-but I do know that if I were to have the surgery I wouldn't have a choice. So, between the weight loss excitment and support, I hope to have the same results. I don't want to quit, I have always eventually quit other diets. I have to think of this as a permenent life change. I will hopefully be able to mentally have this surgery, food hunger is a mind game anyway. If I can't continue this post-op diet then I don't give myself much hope for being succesfull with the operation. Thank you so much everyone for your input

food hunger is a mind game anyway. If I can't continue this post-op diet then I don't give myself much hope for being succesfull with the operation.

i was right with you until this statement... yes. much of hunger is a mind game, but it's mediated by a whole bunch of neurochemicals in a complicated relationship. the surgery shortcircuits some of this. AND we're not physically hungry for quite a while.

soooo. having said that... what you're dong sounds reasonable... and i hope you hang out with us!!!! good luck!