Met with NUT today - wants lots of calories...

Here is where I have more room to maneuver as in truth, it is not critical that you go on a diet right now.  Having said this, there are a few good reasons to curb your eating and avoid all food funerals that have as much to do with your psychological state as with the weight loss.  I would strongly advice you to put yourself on a simple diet of lean protein, and green veggies.  I would cut out the carbs almost completely and keep your calories under 1200 for now.  I would practice taking smaller portions (around 3-4 ounces of protein and a cup of veggies) per meal and try to eat mindfully.  I would also practice taking tiny, pencil eraser sized bites and chewing them 30 times each.  In addition to this, I would commit to drinking about 100 ounces of water a day.  I would do this for the two weeks before my surgery for two reason.  The fist, is that it will help you get your mind focused on your future rather than your past, and second, because the first weight we lose is from our liver and our internal organs.  Losing this weight makes it a bit easier on your surgeon when he goes in to operate. 

THANKS, Elina - excellent advice. I just got a response back per email from my NUT saying my surgeon would explain when I see him this Friday why he does NOT recommend liquid diet pre-op. But I can't see how it could possibly hurt to follow your suggestions. Thanks for the specifics. It makes SO MUCH sense. Getting off here and heading to start this eating / drinking routine. I definitely need to cut sweets, carbs and diet coke. I drink WAY too many diet cokes per day. This is a terrible habit  that needs to die. 

THANKS AGAIN !!!

Susie

This is my take on the 2 week pre-op diet:

-it's not recommended by the ASMBS (or rather they don't recommend it as a blanket practice)

-it is supposed to "shrink your liver" and "reduce the risk of surgery" but it is not a one-way street - there are drawbacks to it too and also no studies that actually support the practice as actually reducing the risk of surgery

-there is nothing magic about liquids. Some patients find it hard to do a liquid diet and some find it much easier but it isn't the fact that that it is liquid that does the liver magic. It's that it's high protein and low carb

-some patients show up for surgery dehydrated and weak after doing these diets. That's not how you want to show up for surgery

Now SOME patients need to lose some weight pre-op. They have incredibly enlarged livers and/or they are so overweight that surgery is truly dangerous just from the anesthesia. But most of us aren't in that position. Is losing some weight pre-op a good idea? Sure. If you can do it in a sensible manner. But dropping 10-20 pounds in the two weeks before surgery? That is going to be mostly water weight anyway and it's hard to do that in a sensible manner.

I lost 32 pounds pre-op but I did it over a 7 month period just gradually cutting back and working on changing my habits to get read for post-op.

Thx, Mac. That makes perfect sense. My doctor does NOT recommend two week liquid diet. But this other makes perfect sense. Thx :-)

I echo what the other responders have said. Why would anyone even bother getting a VSG if they were going to eat 1300 calories a day?

I think that's bad advice from your nutritionist, but I'm speaking as a civilian, not a medical professional. :-)

" know you vets must get tired of answering these questions over and over again about calories and do not want to tell us to go against our NUT."

Oh I have no trouble telling people to go against the advice of their NUT. When their NUT is a nut!!

The thing is, unfortunately:

-nutrition is not taught in an evidence based way in the US and many nutritionists don't keep up with the latest research even if it was

-many NUTs do not modify their advice for WLS patients even though our situations have several aspects about them that make them unique.

-not every nutritionist even has a big credential behind them like being a Registered Dietician or having a BS in Nutrition. Some of them just have a certificate which means they have taken some classes and done some reading -- I've done more reading on nutrition than is required for some of these certificates, btw.

I have read and heard some doozies come out of the mouths of some NUTs. It used to infuriate me. Now it just makes me sad.

Anyway, when it comes to calories, this is my opinion: most WLS peeps have damaged metabolisms and for many, especially the shorties and the older women, 1000-1200 might end up being your *maintenance* calories. Also, in the first 6 months or so, it's never going to be easier to lose weight. You most likely won't be able to eat much and you won't be hungry. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT WHILE YOU CAN. It won't last and it will get harder. But it's not hard now. This is the honeymoon period. Enjoy it by losing a boatload of weight by eating the minimum you can and still have the energy you need to get through your daily activities while getting in enough protein (70 g minimum a day). For most people this is around 600-1000 calories depending on how tall they are and how active.

MacMadame ~ Great Input ~ I think I have a friend request waiting on your approval. Thanks for checking.

Susie

I didn't see it. I'll check again.

When I fired my last PCP back in July because he wouldn't run enough tests to find out what was wrong with me, my new PCP set me up with a NUT. He wanted to put me on a diet and I agreed since I was fat and wanted to lose weight.

So far so good. But his initial diet was 2,500 calories. WHAT? I was shopping and fixing and eating food all friggin day long. I was exhausted from eating. Two months later, I told him I needed to drop to 2,000 calories. He reluctantly agreed. I still didn't lose. So when I finally dropped my intake to 1,200 getting ready for this surgery I started to drop like crazy. Now that I'm in my two week liquid phase leading up to surgery I'm at 600 and am not even hungry.

My current NUT wants me at 700-900. I say Bah Humbug. I am so fat, it's not like I'm going to run out of fuel. 

Okay - thank you all for your responses.  I've been reading and studying this board while I was making the decision to have this surgery and during the recuperation phase.  

I do like the fact that so many veterans are still on this board who have been successful in keeping their weight off and still take an interest in those of us starting out - I don't want this to be one more diet I've failed - I want to use this tool to be successful in getting this weight off.  Thank you for still taking the time to respond to those of us starting out and I do VALUE your advise because you've been through it!  

As a short 54 yr old woman, eating 1300 calories makes no sense to me at all.  I will not be following my EX -NUTS advice.  The only thing I got out of my session with her is seeing the visuals of the plastic food in 2 oz & 3 oz portions!  

I feel like God gave me a brain (even though I'm a blonde)  for a reason and it's up to me to research and make the decisions best for me.  I've been to the different Diet Clinics and had a skinny person counsel me who had absolutely no idea about a weight loss battle and I've walked out.  My 345 lb husband - while in the surgery waiting area on Monday - just minutes from surgery - had an anesthesiologist person ask him - "Now what lifestyle changes have you tried before you made the decision to have this surgery?" - his response - "NONE" !!  His thinking - "Are you freaking kidding me - minutes before surgery you want to talk about all the times I've lost and  gained weight through the years?  I'm not going there with you."

The only thing I can figure out with the NUT's advice is maybe she is used to counseling lap band patients - I think their calorie intake is more???

Okay - I'm going to still eat 600-800 calories and watch my protein and carbs!  Some day my 16 day stall will end (or I'll throw the scale away)!  

THANK YOU ALL!!