What food can I eat? I'm Starving.
Is there anywhere to get a list to compare foods to eat? I'm pre-op and starving trying to diet before I go Sept. 28th. Dr. Aceves. I feel really confused about fat, carbs, sugar, calories, ect.... It is very over- whelming to try and figure it all out so I just don't eat. Can anyone help me figure some things out to eat? Where is the best place to buy protein things on line? I ordered unjury protein powder and chicken soup already. I hope I can stand to eat it. Can you suggest more ways to get protein and products that are good.So confused. Thanks.
As for the pre-op diet, you don't have to worry about calories so much as you need to stay under the carb limit and get enough protein per the guidelines provided in Dr. A's patient guide. It says to not let yourself get too hungry because you're likely to breakdown and eat high carb foods, which totally defeats the point of the pre-op diet. The goal of the pre-op diet isn't really weight loss, it is to shrink your fatty liver. Having a large, fatty liver makes the surgery more difficult. So that's why Dr. A recommends the pre-op diet for at least 7 days prior to your surgery date. However, for most people, if you do the pre-op diet right, you'll lose some weight anyway.
I actually felt quite satisfied during my pre-op diet because I made sure not to let myself get too hungry. I ate plenty of protein in the form of lean meats like chicken and tuna. Other good protein options are low fat cottage cheese, Frigo string cheese (they're only 50 calories but have 7 grams of protein), and nonfat plain Greek yogurt. Of course, you'll probably want to add some flavor to the plain Greek yogurt with some sugar free sweetener or even herbs/spices if salty/savory is more your taste. You're going to want to stay away from fruit and most vegetables because they'll quickly push you over your carb limit. I ate a few times at a restaurant called HuHot, a Mongolian grill place where you pick your meats and sauces and they grill it right in front of you. Definitely no rice, noodles, or potatoes/corn. Those will put you way over your carb limit. There's another place like that called Ghengis Grill, but I don't know what you have where you live. Other good options are Japanese steakhouses where they serve hibachi (where they grill the food in front of you) but make sure you choose lean meat like chicken or fish and make sure the sauces are low carb. Most sweet tasting sauces are high carb, so you'll want to avoid those.
A good way to track your calories, protein, fat, carbs is using MyFitnessPal.com. If you haven't used that before, I highly recommend it, because it will be a helpful tool for you after surgery, too.
Good luck!
I actually felt quite satisfied during my pre-op diet because I made sure not to let myself get too hungry. I ate plenty of protein in the form of lean meats like chicken and tuna. Other good protein options are low fat cottage cheese, Frigo string cheese (they're only 50 calories but have 7 grams of protein), and nonfat plain Greek yogurt. Of course, you'll probably want to add some flavor to the plain Greek yogurt with some sugar free sweetener or even herbs/spices if salty/savory is more your taste. You're going to want to stay away from fruit and most vegetables because they'll quickly push you over your carb limit. I ate a few times at a restaurant called HuHot, a Mongolian grill place where you pick your meats and sauces and they grill it right in front of you. Definitely no rice, noodles, or potatoes/corn. Those will put you way over your carb limit. There's another place like that called Ghengis Grill, but I don't know what you have where you live. Other good options are Japanese steakhouses where they serve hibachi (where they grill the food in front of you) but make sure you choose lean meat like chicken or fish and make sure the sauces are low carb. Most sweet tasting sauces are high carb, so you'll want to avoid those.
A good way to track your calories, protein, fat, carbs is using MyFitnessPal.com. If you haven't used that before, I highly recommend it, because it will be a helpful tool for you after surgery, too.
Good luck!
HW: 291 SW: 273 CW: 168 GW: 153
M1: -22 lbs M2: -18 lbs M3: -13 lbs M4: -10 lbs M5: -5 lbs M6: -9 lbs M7: -5 lbs M8: -9 lbs M9: -10 lbs M10: +3 lbs M11: ? M12: -2 lbs Stair-step loser.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, my favorite protein mixes are Jay Robb and Biochem Whey Protein. And you can find them at most natural/organic food stores like Whole Foods or Wild Oats, so you don't have to order them online. Both are low in carbs and have 20+ grams of protein per serving. Most other protein mixes I've found in stores have only 15 grams of protein per serving. Then there is the liquid Isopure, which comes in a bunch of flavors. My favorite flavors were the orange and peach mango. It doesn't taste totally awesome, but it's pretty good. It's a clear liquid that you can sip on all day and one bottle gives you 40 grams of carbes. I find it tastes best served really cold over ice.
I ordered Unjury plain unflavored, chicken soup, vanilla and chocolate. I did not like the unflavored or chicken soup AT ALL, but the vanilla and chocolate ones were fine. See what you like, though, because some people love the unflavored and chicken soup Unjury powders.
If you use protein mix during your pre-op phase, you should mix it with water, not milk. Milk has carbs, enough to push you over your limit.
I ordered Unjury plain unflavored, chicken soup, vanilla and chocolate. I did not like the unflavored or chicken soup AT ALL, but the vanilla and chocolate ones were fine. See what you like, though, because some people love the unflavored and chicken soup Unjury powders.
If you use protein mix during your pre-op phase, you should mix it with water, not milk. Milk has carbs, enough to push you over your limit.
HW: 291 SW: 273 CW: 168 GW: 153
M1: -22 lbs M2: -18 lbs M3: -13 lbs M4: -10 lbs M5: -5 lbs M6: -9 lbs M7: -5 lbs M8: -9 lbs M9: -10 lbs M10: +3 lbs M11: ? M12: -2 lbs Stair-step loser.
Some of my go-to foods during Dr. Aceves's pre-op diet: any grilled meat w/ veggies, string cheese, shrimp, Premier Protein drinks (ready to drink, so no mixing involved, and the chocolate tastes a little like chocolate milk! I get them at Sam's or Costco)...
Before surgery, I started eating smaller meals every 3-4 hours... now I pretty much have to eat every 3 hours or I get hungry (because I'm not eating enough to thwart hunger longer than that at a time).
Oh, and make sure you are staying hydrated! Dehydration can feel like hunger :)
Before surgery, I started eating smaller meals every 3-4 hours... now I pretty much have to eat every 3 hours or I get hungry (because I'm not eating enough to thwart hunger longer than that at a time).
Oh, and make sure you are staying hydrated! Dehydration can feel like hunger :)
Highest weight: 277 Starting Weight: 250 Surgery Weight: 241 Current Weight: 130
Goal Reached in 10.5 months :)
You do not need to be on a diet right now, although you'll do yourself a huge favour if you start cutting down on sugar, snacky stuff, sweets and white carbs. (rice, pasta, baked goods, anything made with white flour) You'll also be helping yourself if you gradually switch to decaf coffee. If your BMI is 40 or higher Dr Aceves requires a 7 day high protein, low carb diet which he will send you.
Buy a few things: ****tail forks and spoons, sf jello and pudding, sf Hawaiin Punch singles, Isopure clear protein drinks in different flavours for the first few days, Centrum chewable multivitamins, cal/mag citrate chewables, zinc lozenges, stool softener capsules, Miralax, sf Popsicles, a small blender for shakes if you don't have one now.
When you get home your FIRST priority is fluids. Protein is very important, but fluids trump protein every time. Things won't taste the same, so have a variety of broths, teas and other sf beverages. (I couldn't stand the taste of Crystal Light for the first 6 weeks. It tastes fine now)
Isopure protein drinks don't taste fabulous and you may like some flavours and hate others, so buy, say, 2 bottles of each flavour. That way you aren't stuck. Buy just 1 of each if you have someone to shop for you. On the plus side, if you can get 2 bottles of Isopure down each day, all you have to do for the rest of the day is drink whatever fluids you like. Score!
If I could get Isopure drinks up here I'd probably have stuck with them for the second 5 days, since I didn't like my powdered shakes mixed with water. I drank them anyway, but I may have whined a little. Chicken broth with unflavoured whey powder and protein jello were my favourites - I still like them.
Dr Campos will give you a little talk on living with your sleeve. Listen well - he knows what he's talking about. Dr Aceves will talk to you about your responsibility to use your sleeve well. He does his share, but if you don't do yours you won't get the results you want.
Hopefully you're taking a support person with you. You'll feel much more comfortable with a familiar person with you. Be sure to have the English/Spanish cheat sheet with you. Most of the nursing staff knows a little English, (and Drs Aceves and Campos speak excellent English, as do Yolanda and Blanca) but being able to point to a line of text and have them understand sure helps at 2am.
Buy a few things: ****tail forks and spoons, sf jello and pudding, sf Hawaiin Punch singles, Isopure clear protein drinks in different flavours for the first few days, Centrum chewable multivitamins, cal/mag citrate chewables, zinc lozenges, stool softener capsules, Miralax, sf Popsicles, a small blender for shakes if you don't have one now.
When you get home your FIRST priority is fluids. Protein is very important, but fluids trump protein every time. Things won't taste the same, so have a variety of broths, teas and other sf beverages. (I couldn't stand the taste of Crystal Light for the first 6 weeks. It tastes fine now)
Isopure protein drinks don't taste fabulous and you may like some flavours and hate others, so buy, say, 2 bottles of each flavour. That way you aren't stuck. Buy just 1 of each if you have someone to shop for you. On the plus side, if you can get 2 bottles of Isopure down each day, all you have to do for the rest of the day is drink whatever fluids you like. Score!
If I could get Isopure drinks up here I'd probably have stuck with them for the second 5 days, since I didn't like my powdered shakes mixed with water. I drank them anyway, but I may have whined a little. Chicken broth with unflavoured whey powder and protein jello were my favourites - I still like them.
Dr Campos will give you a little talk on living with your sleeve. Listen well - he knows what he's talking about. Dr Aceves will talk to you about your responsibility to use your sleeve well. He does his share, but if you don't do yours you won't get the results you want.
Hopefully you're taking a support person with you. You'll feel much more comfortable with a familiar person with you. Be sure to have the English/Spanish cheat sheet with you. Most of the nursing staff knows a little English, (and Drs Aceves and Campos speak excellent English, as do Yolanda and Blanca) but being able to point to a line of text and have them understand sure helps at 2am.
Highest 303.4, Surgery 263, Current 217.8, Goal 180
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