Restriction pre-surgery
OH members, I turn to you for advice once more!
So here's the deal: I was supposed to get the bypass over the summer but it didn't happen due to the fact that the surgeon's office screwed up (I won't go into that in detail, but suffice to say that it honestly wasn't my fault and was HUGELY frustrating). My new date for RNY is at the end of December.
Of course, having anticipated getting this weight-loss party started several weeks ago, I'm now left super excited and motivated! You guys! I am so pumped! Weight loss, hell yeah! Why not start now? My surgeon doesn't require weight loss before surgery, but I want to get down to 215 (from around 240 now) by my surgery date. The nutritionist told me that this was completely doable.
The thing is, the only method of weight loss that has ever, ever worked for me has been restricting to under 1000 calories a day -- 'starving' myself, basically. For the last two weeks I've been eating between 700-900 calories a day. It's not difficult for me to mantain this level of intake; I lived on under 1000 cal/day for a year when I was fifteen, and spent at least three days a month water fasting. Of course it isn't sustainable, and isn't even reliable; I only lost 20 pounds during the year I followed this system (plus working out daily for at least two hours). My metabolism is pretty f***ed. But again, it's the only thing that's ever worked, and I REALLY want to go into surgery at least 20 pounds closer to my goal weight.
My worry is that I'll go into starvation mode and once I get the bypass my weight loss will be really slow because my stupid body is hoarding calories. So what do you think? To restrict or not to restrict?
ETA: I should add that I'm being EXTREMELY careful to get in enough protein. I'm using MyFitnessDiary to track my intake and trying to exceed my protein goal every day.
So here's the deal: I was supposed to get the bypass over the summer but it didn't happen due to the fact that the surgeon's office screwed up (I won't go into that in detail, but suffice to say that it honestly wasn't my fault and was HUGELY frustrating). My new date for RNY is at the end of December.
Of course, having anticipated getting this weight-loss party started several weeks ago, I'm now left super excited and motivated! You guys! I am so pumped! Weight loss, hell yeah! Why not start now? My surgeon doesn't require weight loss before surgery, but I want to get down to 215 (from around 240 now) by my surgery date. The nutritionist told me that this was completely doable.
The thing is, the only method of weight loss that has ever, ever worked for me has been restricting to under 1000 calories a day -- 'starving' myself, basically. For the last two weeks I've been eating between 700-900 calories a day. It's not difficult for me to mantain this level of intake; I lived on under 1000 cal/day for a year when I was fifteen, and spent at least three days a month water fasting. Of course it isn't sustainable, and isn't even reliable; I only lost 20 pounds during the year I followed this system (plus working out daily for at least two hours). My metabolism is pretty f***ed. But again, it's the only thing that's ever worked, and I REALLY want to go into surgery at least 20 pounds closer to my goal weight.
My worry is that I'll go into starvation mode and once I get the bypass my weight loss will be really slow because my stupid body is hoarding calories. So what do you think? To restrict or not to restrict?
ETA: I should add that I'm being EXTREMELY careful to get in enough protein. I'm using MyFitnessDiary to track my intake and trying to exceed my protein goal every day.
I think that's not enough calories.
I also think that it must not have worked so well for you in the past, or you wouldn't be needing WLS now.
I think you would be better off eating a reasonble number of calories from healthy foods between now and surgery. I would focus on improving your health, not losing weight (the two will probably go hand in hand, but I think it's more important to be well nourished going into a major surgery than to be less heavy). I would also focus on developing the mindset and the habits you're going to need after surgery.
I also think that it must not have worked so well for you in the past, or you wouldn't be needing WLS now.
I think you would be better off eating a reasonble number of calories from healthy foods between now and surgery. I would focus on improving your health, not losing weight (the two will probably go hand in hand, but I think it's more important to be well nourished going into a major surgery than to be less heavy). I would also focus on developing the mindset and the habits you're going to need after surgery.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Thanks for yor responses!
The thing is, developing healthy habits is EXACTLY what I'm trying to do! I'm eating like I probably will after the surgery -- high protein, low fat, low sugar, low carb, lots of veggies and fish, a little fruit, a lot of water. I'm just also restricting my intake.
While you're right that this hasn't 'worked' for me in the past LONG TERM, it DID work short-term! And, after all, the RNY is going to be my long-term solution -- I just want a short-term strategy until then.
I take your point that I need to focus on being physically healthy, not on what the numbers say. While I understand that intellectually, I'm also impatient to get to my goal! After all, I was supposed to be post-op by now. Sigh.
One part of my question has gone unanswered, but I'd really like to know: will eating like this make it more difficult to lose weight after RNY??
The thing is, developing healthy habits is EXACTLY what I'm trying to do! I'm eating like I probably will after the surgery -- high protein, low fat, low sugar, low carb, lots of veggies and fish, a little fruit, a lot of water. I'm just also restricting my intake.
While you're right that this hasn't 'worked' for me in the past LONG TERM, it DID work short-term! And, after all, the RNY is going to be my long-term solution -- I just want a short-term strategy until then.
I take your point that I need to focus on being physically healthy, not on what the numbers say. While I understand that intellectually, I'm also impatient to get to my goal! After all, I was supposed to be post-op by now. Sigh.
One part of my question has gone unanswered, but I'd really like to know: will eating like this make it more difficult to lose weight after RNY??
Eating the types of foods now that you will eat after surgery is an excellent idea. But I think as far as calories go, the best idea now and after surgery is to eat enough calories to keep your body functioning as well as possible while not eating extra unnecessary calories that make us heavy.
I don't think you need a short-term strategy until your surgery day. I think it would be better to begin your long-term strategy now.
I totally understand that you are impatient. I guess all I can say is that sometimes quickest isn't best. If you pick up fast food at a drive thru, is that best or is the homecooked meal, that takes much longer to make, best? Are the home grown tomatoes that take time to grow best, or do you like the ones you pick up in the grocery store better?
As far as whether limiting calories so much now will make weight lose harder after surgery, I don't know. How fast we lose is such an individual thing. Your surgeon might have some ideas about that, since I'm sure he's seen many patients that did the same thing.
I don't think you need a short-term strategy until your surgery day. I think it would be better to begin your long-term strategy now.
I totally understand that you are impatient. I guess all I can say is that sometimes quickest isn't best. If you pick up fast food at a drive thru, is that best or is the homecooked meal, that takes much longer to make, best? Are the home grown tomatoes that take time to grow best, or do you like the ones you pick up in the grocery store better?
As far as whether limiting calories so much now will make weight lose harder after surgery, I don't know. How fast we lose is such an individual thing. Your surgeon might have some ideas about that, since I'm sure he's seen many patients that did the same thing.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
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