Pre-surgery Diets; What Did You Do?

So, I'm sure your surgeon instruct you to lose 20 to 40 pounds before surgery to shrink the liver and make the surgery a little easier.  Maybe he asked you to lose 10% of you bodyweight. My question is this. If the Surgeon did not specify how he wanted you to lose the weight how did you do it? I am currently lifting weights like a mad man in hopes of not losing too much muscle. Any suggestions on a way to drop 20-40 pounds really quick and possibly save some muscle in the process?

Muscle (+)
Fat (-)

P.S. I'm not delusional. I know I will lose some muscle. I just really hope I can counteract the damage.

You didn't see a Dietitian? That's who is gave me my instructions.  

I am on my second day of meal replacement protein shakes. I ordered 5lbs of Whey Isolate powder from NutraBio.com.

Oh I just ate everything I could like there was no tomorrow so I wouldn't miss out eating anything I could never eat ever again. No, just kidding. I went on a 4 shake a day high protein shake mix  plus one meal diet, using HMR 800 brand shakes. Personally I hate them, but they do have enough protein so I went with them. I did have an occasional bowl of chili instead of a shake, if I went out, but that wasn't often. the real food (meals) I did have were low card and high protein. My diet was planned by my nutritionist before hand.
Nick

Protien shake in morning and afternoon. Low Carb/fat dinner. On weekends i'd screw off on the stuff I'd miss most.

i can have breakfast, lunch and dinner shake and 2 shake snacks, crystal light, clear broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free jello..

OMG the diareah and this is the 2nd day. everyone is grilling today, everything on TV is food related.  I am dieing here.

I found a jalapeno in my fridge last night and i ate it stem and all.. lol

Yeah I remember all the diareah. Especially the bue diareah! I feel for ya man, but it's always worse before it's better right?!

I am on the same diet as Unidos but without eating any "REAL" food haha.  I noticed the same thing abou****hing TV.  Every other freaking commercial is about FOOD!! I have 2 more full days until the big day.  I am soooooo tired of drinking shakes.  I couldn't do broth after the 1st week.  I told my girl as a joke today that I wanted to go eat Chinese food tommorrow and just gag it up afterwards.  After I said it I thought to myself hey that doesnt sound like a bad idea hahaha.  Just a lil of whats on my mind.  My head hurts!!  I can almost taste a double quarter pounder right now!!! MMMMMMMMMMM  Ok I am off to go put my hand in some fire for day dreaming about food

not a bad Idea but the force of trying to gag it up will make the liquid shoot out the other end..

I just want Sonic Taddr Totts

Maybe I just got lucky but my doc allowed me to eat a high protein, no carb diet for a week pre-op.  Translated that meant meat only with one green vegatable till the last day when I transitioned to liquids. 

One week before surgery I was allowed

3 protien shakes per day, mixed with water not milk of any kind
1 palm sized meal for dinner.

Nothing else. I lost 20 pounds in that week and I dont think I lost any muscle as I had plenty of protien, aprox 90g per day