11 days Pre-Op Diet and 11 lbs DOWN!! SAY WHAT????

The scale says it's true, but the real proof is how my go-to jersey dress is hanging that much further to the ground!!! Meaning, my belly isn't sticking out as far..thank goodness.  My sister told me once, which actually made me feel better somehow, that I carry my weight similar to pregnancy weight; meaning i'm all in the middle people.  Barrel chested, at least that is how it is described in my family. Another one of those ways we justify our weight problem.  Or, corn fed.  Or another one of my favorites is farm girl arms.  Meaning many many bails of hay can  be lifted by these arms.  Look out, we might have another contestant for the strong man competition....easy fellas...i've got one specialty...tossing hay...don't hate.

This is me in one of the many jersey dresses that I mentioned above, so easy, so stretchy...so limiting..

Come on back to center Bandito....

In that 11 days of pre-op mania, I went to see my surgeon for my pre-surgery appointment.  The time with my surgeon was quicker than I imagined, but I don't feel any less confident in my procedure or his abilities.  The one thing that I did take away from his visit is the idea that over-planning can become a barrier in your weight loss.  He described it as this;  go through your days how a man would approach it.  Meaning a man wakes ups, gets dressed and goes to work rarely thinking of what he will eat next until his stomach starts growling, then he eats, then its over until it growls again.  In contrast a woman like myself, who is a self described over planner, will have each meal planned and boxed by Sunday so that I know what i'm eating at each meal.  The problem with that is...what if your not hungry for that meal.  You are basically force feeding yourself the calories.  Not good.  Straight out of the horse's mouth: You will not get too skinny, you will not become emaciated..you need very little food to live.  Don't each just because it's "meal time" eat when you are hungry and that is it. LIGHT BULB!!

But make good choices and don't ever go over 1200 calories....and you must exercise.

Another gem of a statement from my surgeon was this: No one has ever gained weight from eating 1200 calories a day. If they have, they have missed calories somewhere and are not tracking properly.

So, here is my game plan...

Have low calorie, high protein foods available at work and at home if i do get hungry and walk in the am and pm for at least 15 minutes each due to time constraints.  And....continue to cook for my family, but using better, leaner lower calorie ingredients. 

This will make much more room for so many more things in my life.  I'ts as if Dr. Reilly gave me a gift of more time and less stress.  I hope that it will be as easy as that!! The pre-op diet has proven to me that I can eat smaller meals and survive just fine, just imagine having my hunger under control, the kind of success I will have then!!!!

Looking forward to it people!  Only 6 more days until surgery and I'm feeling fine!!!