so if you cheat on your liquid phase pre-op........

does that mean your a failure and the band might not be for you??

No, what it means is you need to figure out how badly you want this and be healthy.  The liquid pre-op is always hard, but after 2-3 days you will be okay with it and it also serves you as discipline in the future when you get fills. 

The band is not a diet, it is a tool, it works because YOU make it work, not because it works you. 
Get back on track and reach for your goal!!!!   We all have our ups and downs!!!


Blessings,

Nina

Definitely not!  MY dr didn't have a liquid pre-op but I was supposed to try to loose weight.  I lost 4 lbs over 6 months--- and that was probably by luck.  Since my surgery in Dec I've lost 50 lbs.  I remember having the same concerns that I wouldn't suceed but I have.  IT's work but it's doable.

I didn't even have to do a pre-op diet, of any sort!

Docs *****quire liquid diets do so for a reason, usually to shrink the liver and so, obviously, those told to do some sort of diet, should do so. So cheating should be avoided.

But I don't think that cheating means the person will not be able to "use" the band afterwards. IMO successful weight loss is all about mindset and actually having the band, for  me, gave me that new mindset.

Kate

My 2 days of pre-op liquids were by far the hardest part of eating I've had to do with the band.  If we were all "good" dieters we wouldn't need the band at all.

Some doctors just put too much expectations on their patients and judge us, that annoys me.  They should evaluate the patient and prescribe what needs to be done to make things optimal.  It just blows my mind how some doctors require weeks of pre-op liquids, others 2 days and others just don't eat after midnight the night before. 

My doctor does the 2 days as a rapid liver shrink and to just make sure your stomach is flushed out of food.  IF you come in on your 1 week pre-op and say you've gained 10 pounds since the 1 month pre-op then he'll put you on a full week of liquids because your liver will have expanded due to the rapid 10 pounds in a month gain.

Controlling your eating pre-band is way harder than post band. 

Thanks for all the replies.  My doctor did not put me on any special diet b4 hand.  He just said not eating after midnight and not to gain weight.  I was just doing the liquid diet because some many others were doing it.  I cheated yesterday and felt like such a failure.  That was when I was wondering if I could really do this.  I think in the back of my head I keep saying "you know you really do not HAVE to do the liquid diet". 

I think that knowing that you don't have to do the pre-op diet makes it much easier to "cheat".  Once you get your band you HAVE to follow what they tell you and it will be much easier to follow.  Don't feel bad, one of the biggest things that made us fail in the past was not getting back on the wagon after we cheated.  We used it as our excuse to prove to ourselves that we just couldn't diet.  You can do this, You Can Do This, YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!  That's what I keep telling myself

Thanks Cathy for the encouragement!!

Cheating on the pre-op is not indicative of your success post-op.  What it is indicative of is that you have trouble staying on a prescribed diet without usefull tools or a specific plan.  Nothing more, nothing less in my opinion

Above not withstanding, It is always a positive to start cutting back where you can pre surgery for a couple of reasons,  1) shrinking the liver and 2.) post band, you will definately be eating less and you may encounter "head hunger" if you are used to eating alot pre band and now suddenly you can't.  This is especially true if you are detoxing from a high carb diet pre-op.

Since you were not specifically required to participate in a liquid only diet, I would suggest something along the lines of what my Dr prescribed for me..................

Total daily calories around 1000 - 1200 comprised of the following:

Unlimited high proteins like meat, fish, eggs, etc (at least 70-90 g per day)
70 oz's of water or Crystal light per day
total carbs < 50g per day

In addition it was recommended to start observing the no drinking with meals rule !

I accomplished the above by food journalling every day using one of the many free websites, I used Fit Day to track everything that went into my body.

I found that to accomplish the above it was necessary to substitute at least 2 meals with a protein shake. (You can read about my recipe and the brand I used at my blog)

In the four weeks leading up to my surgery, using the above plan, I was able to lose 22 lbs and I was much better prepared for the liquid / mushy stages post op and experienced little or no head hunger.

I hope that this information is helpful to you.  Seconf guessing is a common theme as we all approached the surgery date.  I had it as well, but I am so glad that I went through with the surgury, and that I am proof that it can work if you are committed to treating it like a lifestyle change and not a temporary diet.

Best of luck,

FatGuy(shrinking)inNC

Thank you shrinking guy!!  I do enjoy your inputs.  They help me lots!!  Wish you much success and many blessings!!