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My Gastric Bypass Journey Series: Part 2, Pre-Operative Guidelines

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Hi! Beauties! Today I will be sharing with you My Gastric Bypass Journey Series: Part 2, Pre-Operative Guidelines. This article is going to touch on what is expected of you before the surgery is actually performed. We have already touched on the point that most insurance companies require you to lose 10% of your body weight before surgery so this article is going to assume you have done that and are getting prepared for the actual surgery.

First let me share the actual full name of the gastric bypass procedure I had done. It is called the Roux-en- Y Gastric Bypass. Just thought I would share this with you so you will have the actual name of the procedure to help with any research you might want to do for yourself. As I have said in prior articles this surgery is not for everyone and I am in no way trying to talk anyone into choosing this route for their weight loss journey. My goal in doing this series is to help by making sure you have someone else’s experience and journey to use in your research for any one that may be considering having this surgical procedure done. There are actually 6 stages you will go through for this surgery.

Today we will be going over Stage 1: Pre-Operative Diet. This diet you will have to follow for the 10 days prior to your surgery. It is a low carbohydrate, high protein, liquid diet to deplete liver size.

Stage 1: Pre-Operative Diet:

•It is recommended by your surgeon and dietitian to follow a high protein, low carbohydrate, liquid diet 10 days before surgery.
–This diet will deplete your carbohydrate stores which will “shrink” your liver making laparoscopic surgery easier for your surgeon to perform.
–This stage allows you to experiment and find a protein supplement that you like BEFORE surgery.
–This stage prepares you mentally and physically for the liquid stages after surgery.
•Consume a protein supplement 2- 3 times per day ( I will be including a list  the approved protein supplements)
–Protein will keep you full and prevent you from feeling hungry
–Choose any protein supplement (drink or bar) that meets the criteria:
•Less than 200 Calories
•Less than 6 g Total Fat
•Less than 6 g Sugar
•At least 15 g or more Protein
–Do NOT  buy:
•SlimFast®, Ensure®, Boost®, Carnation® Instant Breakfast (too much carbohydrate)
Do:
•Consume 2-3 servings of milk products each day
–Milk products contain protein which will help reduce hunger
•1 cup of milk (skim, ½ %, 1%,, Soy, or Lactaid® )
•6-8 oz Light Yogurt (Dannon® Light n’ Fit, Yoplait® Light, or Blue Bunny® Lite 85)
•1 packet sugar-free cocoa
•6-8 oz low-carb drinkable yogurt
•½ cup cottage cheese
•1 string cheese stick
•½ cup no added sugar pudding or custard
•1 cup low-fat strained cream soups
•2 no added sugar fudgesicles
•The following liquids contain little calories if consumed in proper servings:
–Sugar-free beverages: Crystal® Light, Wyler’s® Light, Sugar-free KoolAid®, Sugar-free Tang®, Diet Snapple®, Lipton® Diet Green Tea, decaf coffee or tea w/ sugar substitute
–Broth soups (All varieties; strain all soups with solid foods)
–Sugar-free popsicles and Italian Ice
–Sugar free flavored waters:  Fruit 2O®, Propel® Fitness Water
–Sugar free Jell-O®

Pre-Op Shopping List:

  • Protein supplement
  • Low-fat milk (skim, ½% or 1%)
  • No-added sugar yogurt/drinkable yogurt
  • Chicken or beef broth
  • Low- fat cream soups
  • Vegetable juice
  • No added sugar puddings/ custards
  • No added sugar fudgesicles
  • Sugar- free Jell-o
  • Sugar-free popsicles
  • Sugar-free beverages
Acceptable Full Liquid Diet Foods:
Applesauce, sugar free unsweetened
Cottage Cheese/ Ricotta Cheese  1% or fat free
Custard, sugar-free, made with skim milk
Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice, Farina, Grits thinned
Instant Mashed Potatoes (thinned)
Cream Soups (no solids), Egg Drop Soup
Milk: ½ %, 1% or Skim, Soy
Double Milk: add 1/3 c dry milk powder to 1 cup milk
Pudding, sugar-free, made with skim milk
Yogurt: drinkable, plain, vanilla, no added sugar (no more than 12 g Total Carbohydrate)

 

Pre-Operative Liquid Diet Sample Menu

The following provides: 883 calories, 79 g carbohydrate, 111 g protein

Breakfast

½ cup cottage cheese

½ cup sugar- free Jell-O®

Snack

1 scoop Nectar mixed with 16 oz water and crushed ice

Lunch

7 oz Dannon® Light ‘n Fit Carb and Sugar Control Smoothie

1 cup chicken broth

Snack

11 oz can World Wide® Pure Protein

Dinner

1 cup broth soup

Snack

1-2 sugar free popsicles

Approved Protein Supplements:

  • Whey Protein (Walmart)
  • Designer Whey (Drug Emporium)
  • EAS AdvantEdge Carb Control (Walmart)
  • EAS Myoplex Carb Sense (Drug Emporium or GNC)
  •  ON 100% Whey: Gold Standard (Drug Emporium or GNC)
  • Perfect Isopure (Drug Emporium , Smoothie King or GNC)
  • ProComplex (Drug Emporium)
  • Unjury Products (www.unjury.com)
  • World Wide PureProtein (Drug Emporium)

So as you can see from above this pre-operative diet is not easy, but it can be done. You just have to keep reminding yourself that this is the start for a whole new lifestyle for you. Plus, you have to just try to keep thinking about what the end results of all this process is going to be.

Thank you for visiting my blog and reading this article. I hope you have enjoyed part 2 of My Gastric Bypass Journey series. Part 3 will be coming next week. Please subscribe if you haven’t already, it is free and you will be notified when any new articles are posted to my blog. I  love to read any comments, suggestions or feedback. You can leave these in the comment section below. Also please leave any questions you may have for me. I read and respond to all my comments. As always you can also connect with me through any of my social media icons, I am just a click away!

Reference material:

  • Trinity Mother Frances Bariatric Surgery’s Gastric Bypass Guide Booklet