Two Sticks or a Lighter

Slim Fast and Atkins and Jenny! Oh My!

Posted by Sherry , Monday, March 15, 2010 Monday, March 15, 2010

By my own accord (and insanity) I started a liquid diet today.

Unlike many of you, my doctor only requires a 24 hour clear liquid fast pre-op. Yes, I can hear the groans, ladies!

I know many of you did weeks of diet H.E. Double Hockey Sticks before you even got to the operating table and I guess part of me just wants to walk in your stylish, smaller-sized Jimmy Choos.

Really, though, Dr. E IS strict about his 5 pound gain rule: If you gain 5 pounds between the day you were in his office to schedule your surgery (about 4 weeks ago for me) and the day of surgery, he reserves the right to postpone. And I AM NOT POSTPONING.

According to my scale I'm up 4 pounds from that last meeting with him – although in my defense, their scale is always lighter than mine by 3 or 4 pounds – but I just don't want to risk it. So despite the angry cries from my stomach and the little begging voices from the pantry (the pop-tarts sound like Rodney Dangerfield and they are NOT getting the respect they deserve) I've decided to spend these 4 days pre-op on a non-clear liquid diet.

And, I'm cranky. I mean, not 16 month-old-toddler-without-a-nap-cranky (that would mean there were TWO of us in the household today) but just kind of cranky.

Today I've had a Carnation Instant Breakfast, a Special K protein water and a bowl of tomato soup.

I feel like I'm on a diet. And I don't want to feel like I'm on a diet. I want to feel like this is a first step in my 'life change.'

Reading a lot of other bandster blogs I can see that many of you track your foods every day. Which makes me think of Weight Watchers.

And some of you eat mostly protein shakes or Atkins bars. And that makes me think of Slim Fast.

And some of you eat the same foods, day in-day out because its easier to manage. And that makes me think of Jenny Craig.

See where I'm going here?

Does it end? Do you ever get to a point where you just kind of pick the right foods (with occasional indulgences) and know your full point and live your life?

I'm not scared of having that diet mentality for the rest of my life. Honestly, its the only way I've known since I was about 10 years old. I am pretty sure I could win the “How many Weight Watchers Points Is That Meal?” trivia game without even looking in my “Points Bible.”

I just kinda hoped it would go away. Its just, as I've said previously, my brain is wanting new challenges.

And I'm tired of being on a freakin' diet!

Ho-hum. Off to eat a yogurt.

7 Response to "Slim Fast and Atkins and Jenny! Oh My!"

Sandy Says:

Good luck on the the few days on liquids. You can do it, although the first 5 days were the worst for me. I don't record what I eat (too WW for me), nor only eat "diet stuff". My problem is once off all the sugar and salt I was addicted to eating, I don't have the same desire. In fact, I was trilled when I could eat 3 stalks of roasted asparagus and some broccoli with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Yum! 2 months ago all I could think about was the burger from McD's. So we all figure out how best to work this lapband thingy and so will you. I don't want this to be a 'die't but a 'live'it. Good luck on your surgery. You'll do great.

March 15, 2010 at 12:48 PM

TJ Says:

Yes, I think you do get there. However, it is called a preop diet and postop diet. It took me a while to come to grips with it b/c I wanted to look at it as not being a diet, but it is - for a while. Now, I don't have good restriction, but mostly I don't diet. I typically eat smaller portions of good food. I eat out. I even get fast food. The difference is I pick better foods and eat less. For example, my fast food maybe grilled chicken wings at KFC - 2-3 of them. When I go out I try to check calories and pick a reasonable item - and that might or might not be a "diet" item.

That doesn't mean I don't use the tools available when needed (calorie tracking, slim fast, or protein bars). I do when needed. If I stop losing I start counting calories for a few days. If I am traveling or having problems with protein I use protien bars. And since the sound of food at 8am rolls my stomach I typically have a slim fast (with extra protein), but I really don't feel like i am dieting.

For me, I had to come to the conclusion that this is what skinny people do. MOST of them can't eat whatever they want. Heck most of the people I see with protein bars/shakes are half my weight! It seems like they use them just like I do - as a tool to help them make/keep their goals.

March 15, 2010 at 12:59 PM

Jen Says:

I know you are worried, but it will happen. It takes some longer than others to get there. It took me 8 months.
Now I can make good choices and feel satisfied. (see my post on 3/8 about being happy with a salad) I can also eat 1/4 of a piece of birthday cake and be happy with it. Those things pre-band were impossible.
Of course, there are days where I could eat a horse or crave candy, but those days are manageable because I know it's temporary and mainly hormone induced. (TOM)
To be honest though, it does take some 'dieting' to make this work. Until you get the proper restriction you will have to work the band harder than it's working you. Until you have proper restriction, the band will help with hunger and it forces you to slow down but you have to make good choices.

Good luck on your self imposed liquid diet! I did 14 days of Slim-Fast and broth, water and SF Popsicles for my pre-op diet. You can do this!!

March 15, 2010 at 1:20 PM

Jess Says:

Gen (http://ihearttheband.blogspot.com/) lives the mentality you seek. No diets, not counting, no journaling. And she's doing great.

I feared the pre-op liquid diet more than anything else relating to surgery. Somewhere during day 3 I stopped being hungry.

March 15, 2010 at 2:03 PM

Anonymous Says:

Sherry,

First of all, I am not sure I would do just liquids unless you really want to. My pre-op was 2 shakes a day and a low fat protein/veggie/salad for dinner and it worked great. Also I do not live by the "diet" mentality. Every now and then I will plug my daily intake into thedailyplate.com to see how I did that day but I don't count calories, I eat what I want and I don't diet. You can live that way and still lose weight. I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full, I have lost 41 lbs in 5 months and I am not dieting. Thank goodness, I couldn't live my life dieting anymore. The band is working for me just the way it should; I eat smaller portions of the foods I want. Hope your pre-op diet goes fast for you...

March 15, 2010 at 4:37 PM

Banding Life Says:

Hey, Im sure the above comments answered your post, but I thought i would give in my 2 cents.
Alot of bandsters do the protein shakes cause they need to get in the protein but cant eat in the morning. I know alot of bandsters who eat different things each day and dont count calories. Keep your head positive, all is well and your doing a good thing =)

March 15, 2010 at 7:26 PM

Gen Says:

Hey there! You MUST visit my blog. I am 6 months out and COMPLETELY free of the dieting mentality. I am just short of 50 lbs lost.

I spent about 30 years yo-yo dieting, and I decided this had to be different. IT IS!!!!! But it is hard in the beginning, until you have good restriction. Until then, a little bit of the dieting stuff may be necessary - tracking calories, etc.

I eat virtually everything. I very rarely track calories. It is HEAVEN! So excited for you to make it there!

And about the pre-op diet...I too had the clear liquid diet - except mine was for 3 days! It was hard, but I lost 8 lbs in those 3 days. I knew there was an end in sight! I did try doing some extra dieting, like you did, but it did not work for me. I knew I was just putting myself on a diet. Instead, I decided I would give the 3 days of clear liquids my very best effort. And I cheated exactly once....with a single protein shake. ;)

Good luck!

March 15, 2010 at 8:14 PM