Question:
Dr. Said I have to loose 35 pounds before he will do surgery.

Dr. Said I have to loose 35 pounds before he will do surgery. Any advice? He gave me a atkins book with a smaller "study guide". I understand all of it, but my problem is i have been on atkins before and NEVER lost. I don't know what to do. I want this surgery so bad. I already DO NOT drink any caffeine or soda. I drink roughly 200 oz water a day (10- 20oz bottles). I have not had bread, rice or potatoes in 2 years. Also i do not eat any candy, sugar free or regular. Still haven't lost. I NEED rapid weight loss. Please Help.    — Navada L. (posted on September 29, 2007)

September 29, 2007
I, too, was told any weight I can lose will help the surgeon. I lost 20 pounds by working with a nutritionist. It took six months, three appointments and I did what she said and it worked.. I hadn't kept off an ounce in thirty years. She introduced me to foods that satisfy and are nutritious, such as Fit and Light Yoghurt with only 60 calories, she got me eating dense low fat protein and I now read all the labels when I go to the grocery store. In addition, I got on FitDay on my computer which tabulates not only the calories and nutrition content, but moods. These are my suggestions. By forming new habits I feel I am getting ready to be successful with my upcoming surgery. I have faced medical problems with my lungs which have delayed surgery but I am sticking to what my nutritionist told me and keeping those 20 pounds off. Protein, vegetables, fruit, fiber and water. Just keep doing it. I wish you the best. It is a lot of pressure to be told to lose 35 pounds before surgery but if you think of it as part of your overall plan rather than a dictate and forget about doing it fast (just do it--it takes whatever time it takes) and love yourself into your new life.
   — [Deactivated Member]

September 29, 2007
I, too, was told any weight I can lose will help the surgeon. I lost 20 pounds by working with a nutritionist. It took six months, three appointments and I did what she said and it worked.. I hadn't kept off an ounce in thirty years. She introduced me to foods that satisfy and are nutritious, such as Fit and Light Yoghurt with only 60 calories, she got me eating dense low fat protein and I now read all the labels when I go to the grocery store. In addition, I got on FitDay on my computer which tabulates not only the calories and nutrition content, but moods. These are my suggestions. By forming new habits I feel I am getting ready to be successful with my upcoming surgery. I have faced medical problems with my lungs which have delayed surgery but I am sticking to what my nutritionist told me and keeping those 20 pounds off. Protein, vegetables, fruit, fiber and water. Just keep doing it. I wish you the best. It is a lot of pressure to be told to lose 35 pounds before surgery but if you think of it as part of your overall plan rather than a dictate and forget about doing it fast (just do it--it takes whatever time it takes) and love yourself into your new life.
   — [Deactivated Member]

September 29, 2007
Hi Linda I have a few suggestions, although noone really knows what your metabalism is like. I would definately step op the exercise and eat 3 to 5 small meals daily. Mostly protein and vegetables and fruit. Then as your mainstay, eat cabbage soup whenever you get really hungry, or eat it as your meals. There are recipes all over the internet, but it is onions, celery,a few carrots and all green vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, and tomatos with a water or chicken boullion base. Cut out the fats. You aren't eating startches or sugar, so that's no problem. Try it for a few days and I promise you will see a difference. You can also do that and try ALLI which is now on the drugstore counter. Good luck to you.
   — bderuiter

September 29, 2007
Hi my name is terrence i think you should try just a liquid diet. I have go on a liquid for about two weeks so can shrink my fatty liver before i have my surgery. On 10/15/07 check with your dr first wish you the best let me know how you made out.
   — bigman567

September 29, 2007
A few ideas: Hook up with a nutreionist and fitness instructor. They can work together to help you make your goal. I used to go to Spectrum Club - they helped me (of course, I gained it all back, but if you lose to have surgery, you will be GREAT). I would check into accupunture - why not, I heard good things. Another suggestion - go full liquid. It bites, but if you can do it for a week or two or three. Full liquids, exercise and you should lose. Good luck.
   — jammerz

September 29, 2007
My dr has me eating 3 meals a day from the south beach or lean cuisine frozen food menu. I am to eat no cheese or milk, drink 64 oz of water daily and excerscise as much as possible . I am loosing weight... maybe this will work for you. Good luck... see you on the other side... my surgery is zNv. 8 2007. wishing you well Robin
   — skywriter35

September 29, 2007
Weight Watchers is a good balanced program. I know lots of people who lost on WW. Good luck....
   — Lori S.

September 29, 2007
I, too, had to lose weight before surgery. As always on my diets, I was able to make myself exercise and eat healthier, but I always ate too much. I'd make chicken and green beans for dinner, and eat half (still more than a reccommended serving size) and would vow to save the other half for lunch the next day, but I'd end up eating it 45 minutes later. I found a weight loss clinic that Rx'd phentermine to me, along with a pill that was supposed to curb sugar cravings. It really worked! I didn't feel like eating much, and the pills gave me more energy for my exercise routine. The pills "worked" for only about 2 1/2 weeks, then my body didn't respond to them, I'd have to get off the pils for 2-3 weeks, and then restart. I lost 28 pounds from February to August, with my usual yo-yo'ing. I told myself it was just a temporary solution, because I noramlly would frown on this method . . but if I've tried for years to keep from eating so much, and finally am intending to resort to gastric bypass, why would the doctors think that I can just lose that weight by willpower before surgery?
   — starby

September 29, 2007
It sounds to me like what you need is not a diet, it is a trainer or exercise program. Sometimes diets put your body into starvation, and your body won;t let go of anything. Try eating 5-6 small meals a day in high protein and low carb and step up the exercise burn. By eating so often it does 2 things. It keeps your metabolism rev'd and the body doesn't go into a starvation. Within 3 days, your body realize that you are not going to starve it and will start letting go. Then remember-- Calories in vs Calories out. Good Luck-Judy Harris
   — jk_harris

September 30, 2007
To answer your question, we need to know what you are eating, not what you aren't.
   — geneswife

September 30, 2007
MY INTENT IS NOT TO FLAME YOU BUT...You must be doing something to be at your current weight. I was 350lbs myself and often thought I was "doing the right things". It took me going to a bariatric nutritionist (my surgeon's dietician) to "see the light." You will learn so many things that we have been tricked into believing (such as fatfree salad dressing is the way to go, when it has loads of sugar and your better of using LESS of the regular or light dressing). Portion control was a huge shock to. To get an idea of this start measuring everything according to serving size. When I started this I was convinced I was going to starve! It was indeed an eyeopener, I can't even begin to touch on the ammount of info I learned. My WLS doctor tells us all to lose 10% of our weight. Well From July to Nov 21st I lost around 25lbs, a friend lost 50lbs!! You can do it and will be better armed if you have the right information. Again I really am not trying to be mean, if the rest of us had this surgery then we weren't all able to do it on our own either. If I haven't completely offended/hurt you and you need a friend that has been there than feel free to email me at [email protected] By the way starting weight 350lbs that July and am 150lbs now 21 mos postop. Best wishes and goodluck!!!-Heather
   — tazthewiz23

September 30, 2007
I feel for you because I thought I was doing all the right things but I couldn't lose either! My best advice is exercise...it has been my "magic pill" to weight loss. I find myself at goal now eating all the time but keeping it off due to exercise. So, get a good plan from a bariatric nutritionist, start having protein shakes, record your caloric intake on fitday.com, eat 5-6 small meals a day and get MOVING! I have become a gym rat, something I never saw myself doing a year ago. Good luck!
   — Sheri A.

October 1, 2007
Hey there. Although I haven't had the surgery, you might try cabbage soup. Best of luck to you.
   — barbara50

October 4, 2007
your dr needs you to loose so that your liver will shrink. Your liver is a fatty tissue, that bleeds very easily and they have to manipulate it to do either surgery whether it be the band or by-pass. the higher your bmi, the more at risk you are. i couldn't understand how I got to 325 either, until I had my band, I could'nt believe that I could survive on as little as I did. I listened to everything I was taught and learned and took it to heart. I lost 125 lbs in 5 1/2 months. But i was lucky and my dr hit my sweet spot on my fill the very first time. I had to go on a liver shrinking diet before they would do my surgery as well. what I did was drank only crystal light or water, and ate all the protein bars and sugar free russel stover candies that I wanted. As long as I stayed under 40 grams of carbs a day, I totaly lost. I lost a total of 27 lbs in 2 weeks. It was almost unberable at first, but I reminded myself that this was the beginning of a new life, and If I wasn't committed enough to do this diet for 2 weeks, what made me think that I would be committed enough to follow through with the diet for the band or by-pass. this is a whole new life, the sooner we grasp it and learn to love it, the happier we are, and nothing feels better than being thin, losing weight, and feeling good about life again. Best of luck, if you need any help, feel free to contact me. remember life is beautiful, and so are we.
   — mccabesmom

October 11, 2007
I too had to lose weight before my surgery. I used HMR800 meal replacement shakes. You can get them at www.hmr800.com I drank one every 3 hours (5 per day) and lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks. Try it out! Laura H.
   — stormi25

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