Week 1 - Meals

During this week's Optifast program, I have been trying to get 2 shakes and 1 soup every day.

Breakfast:
Either vanilla shake or chicken soup

Lunch:
Either Chicken soup or Strawberry shake - both with salad (cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, 1/2 carrot, white vinegar, 1/2 tsp of olive oil

Dinner:
Strawberry shake and steamed/roasted/stir fried veggies (varied combinations of capsicum, onion, 1/2 carrot, mushroom, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, cauliflower, bok choy, celery) when stir fried I use the other 1/2 tsp of olive oil or olive oil spray.

The last few days I substituted one shake a day (lunch or dinner) for either 2 boiled eggs, 100g lean chicken or 100g springwater tuna - not advised for everyone - I spoke to my dietician about feeling sick and weak and this was recommended for me.

Beverages:
Water, water, water and more water

Snacks:
Diet Jelly
Sugarfree lollies

Exercise:
Didn't do a lot of exercise - just upped my incidental exercise like walking more, not sitting for too long, doing housework, shopping etc.. to be honest, between feeling weak and feeling sick I was in no mood to do any outdoor, sweaty exercise this week.

Optifast update

Okay so I have been on the Optifast program for my preop diet for 8 days now and I thought I would share what it has been like.

First day was hard. Very hard. I was not only having the drastic meal changes, I was also giving up my beloved Diet Coke (not required for Optifast program but I was recommended to wean off before surgery). The withdrawal headaches were constant the whole day.  Foodwise, I was hungry, very hungry. I was at home with my daughter in a house that still had all the wrong foods around... that night I went to my parents' house for dinner and it was hard being the only person not eating everything. I had my 1 cup of steamed green beans and mushrooms and my shake.

The second day I went shopping for 3 hours with a relative. The caffeine withdrawal headaches continued and I started feeling just low in energy, weak and tired. I just drank water and powered through. I fell asleep extremely early that night.

On the third day the sleepiness and weak feeling continued. I kept busy and fought this constant craving for any kind of food I couldn't have (mostly for bread). By the end of the day I began literally passing out. I was also quickly woken up by sick tummy pains. I was ill the whole night.

Fourth day had a family brunch/lunch gathering and was drinking my water while everyone else had eggs, bacon, scones, sausages, biscuits, cupcakes, potatoes, fruit etc. I just sat and talked and sipped my water. The utter exhaustion and tummy sick was really getting to me.That night I passed out early and went to bed. Felt sick again.

Fifth day, I was home and called the Dietician to ask what I can do to get more energy. I told her that I had been sick, sleepy and weak.
She suggested the following:
●  try more benefiber
●  try low lactose Optifast products (original choc or vanilla shakes, chicken soup, choc dessert, bars)
●  because of my weight I can add 100g lean skinfree chicken to my lunch

If these didn't work she gave me more of a meal diet decreasing Optifast products.  She said it would be harder to clean the liver and stay energised with the meal diet as Optifast contains nutrients, minerals, protein, carbs and dairy in the shake, and the foods I was allowed wouldn't replace it all.  Also she advised NOT to take multivitamins on Optifast as some contain certain ingredients that would hinder the liver shrinking process. If anyone wants to know what the meal plan is please ask.

I tried reducing Optifast products and added eggs, chicken and tuna to different meals over the next three days. I felt better because I was eating but also could tell the weight loss was slowing.

Day eight I went to work and had a shake breakfast,  shake and salad lunch and chicken dinner. Not sure what's causing it but was tummy sick all night long.  Its making it really hard to have enough water.

I jumped on the scale and had lost 5.5 kg this week. Besides my sick belly, I feel great. Im awake, my headaches have stopped and I'm caffeine free, my skin is looking and feeling better, my mind is clear not foggy, my body is in less pain, I am able to sit at a table with people eating all sorts of yummy things and has been getting easier and easier to only eat what's good for me.

The surgeon had told me most people feel sick during pre op Optifast because the bodies are shaken up with the change in food.  That it gets better as your body adjusts.

Only 4 days left before surgery. I'm really excited and cant wait.

=)

Optifast

Before surgery, it is important to shrink the liver and reduce the fat that is inside it.  This is because the surgeon will lift my liver during the operation and the smaller it is, the easier it will be for the surgeon to manouver and safely work around.  If the liver is too large, there is a risk of it being cut or damaged during the procedure.

OClinic recommends at least 2 weeks of the Optifast diet program prior to surgery.

You replace three meals a day with an Optifast product (shake, soup, bar or dessert).  You are also allowed no more than 2 cups of specific vegetables over two meals a day (eg 1 cup with lunch, 1 cup with dinner).

On top of the meal replacements and vegetables, you have to consume at least 2 litres of water every day.
Other beverages allowed are tea/coffee (no milk or sugar), sugar free soft drinks, sugar free cordial and unflavoured mineral water.

If you are still hungry you can have some diet jelly, clear broth, celery sticks or drink more water.

Allowed vegetables:
Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Capsicum
Carrots (no more than 1 per day)
Cauliflower
Celery
Chinese Green Vegies
Cucumber
Green Beans
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onion
Spinach
Squash
Tomato
Watercress
Zucchini
Herbs and Spices

Also include 1 tsp of oil per day (helps gallbladder).