This is not easy /////////
on 1/7/14 5:34 am
The pre-op is hard.But it does get easier.I think at first you miss all the food you used to eat.The liquids diets are hard but two weeks will fly.Time goes by so fast.It just seemed like yesterday I was on the beach.Now we are past the holidays.So take one day at a time and one meal at a time.I made my kids and husband make their own dinner those nights.I made lists of things I wanted to do after the surgery and visioned myself doing them.Look online and see what you would like to wear after you lose the weight and picture yourself in it.It will be over before you know it.
on 1/7/14 6:06 am
I was only allowed clear liquids for two weeks. I thought I would really be ready for something else after surgery, but the surgery took away my appetite permanently. The pre-op is hard because you still have your full stomach and full appetite. I was excited about surgery though, so just sucked it up and did what I was supposed to do.
Learning how to make warm protein drinks will be good for you. For Hot Chocolate, just mix a scoop of chocolate protein powder with a little water in the bottom of a mug, then slowly mix in hot, but not boiling water. If it curdles the water was too hot. You will get the hang of it. Mixing with hot coffee is also good. The DaVinci sugar free syrups are wonderful for adding flavor like hazelnut, vanilla, peppermint, caramel and many more.
It is such a mental game more than the physical hunger. I just tried to keep myself busy and focused on other things so that I wasn't focused on eating. Harder to do when you are stuck inside, but do your best!
Definitely try some things that are warm like broths - I found ones that were organic to be the best because they weren't as salty, but that is completely a preference thing. Get creative with making shakes too...you can blend so many different things so that you don't have the same thing twice. Sugar Free Hot Chocolate like someone said and apple cider were good. I also did some decaf hot teas.
I HATE milk, but I found that the EAS CarbAdvantage Protein Shakes were pretty good. They are pre-made in like 5 or so flavors and available at Walmart and almost all grocery stores. I definitely liked making my own better, but these definitely worked for me.
You can do it and remember, even if you aren't perfect at it all day every day, your body and health are in a better place than the day before no matter what. Don't beat yourself up if you make a mistake and don't force yourself to do things you hate. Find a way to make it better with flavor or a different brand. Remember it is a lifestyle change, not a diet, so find things you love and roll with it.
Best of luck and congrats on being so close to surgery!
Carrie
on 1/7/14 7:31 am
The first 3 days of pre op was the worst for me. I was working full time at a pizza place, and smelling food was the hardest. Now the smell of food is still hard, but because it makes me sick to my stomach. As far as the cooking for my family during that time, I loaded my Hubby up on all the meals he liked that I do not care for. The teenage son just wanted his junk food, and would convientiently be "too full" to eat. Before surgery I could tolerate any of the shakes that was on my surgeons list. Afterward was a different story, but I finally found a few that I can tolerate. It does get better once the "detox" part of it is out of your system. Keep up the good work.
