One Week After Surgery

Well, tomorrow will mark one week after surgery. Sticking to an all liquid diet is not easy. For two weeks before the surgery, the Doctor told me to go on a pre-op diet. I was allowed to drink three protein shakes a day. I asked him if I could have any solids. He told me that every once in a while I could exchange one protein shake for a small protein meal. He wanted me to stay under 800 calories a day. I guess the idea is that you lose some weight before surgery so that your liver isn't so fatty. He said that when you lose weight, the first place to actually lose fat is the liver. They want the liver to have less fat because they have to move part of your liver so that they can reach the part of the stomach that will be banded. Anyway, before the surgery I lost 14 pounds. That has really motivated me after the surgery.

I'm now on 7 days of protein shakes since the surgery and I have lost another six pounds...which makes a total of 20 pounds! Everyday I have one Premier Protein shake (can be found at Costco) for breakfast, one for lunch and then for dinner I'll have some broth (sometimes accompanied with a protein shake). Last Friday night we all went out to Olive Garden. I ordered one bowl of soup and I just ate the broth....I had the Pasta Fagioli. It made me feel like I was eating again! Last night I had some of the broth from a Chicken Noodle Soup....and I gave the noodles to my kids as part of their dinner. It's all going well.

For now, I want to continue losing weight so I try to keep my calories low and I take my protein shakes as meal replacements. I hope to lose 50 pounds by summer. Kevin and I have been talking about going to the river during the summer. We went all the time when we were thinner. I've avoided going for the last four years. If I lose the weight, I'll be the one packing the trailer! The kids are older and they would have a blast. We'll wait and see what the future holds.

Brenda