I didn't lose a lot in the three month doctor supervised diet I was on pre surgery but I lost 20 some odd pounds and then another 11 on the 2 week liquid liver shrinking diet. I did count calories and stick with it, I did exercise 5 times a week and still exercise, I did give up non diet pop and I never smoked so that wasn't an issue, and have given up all pop and sugar post surgery. I suppose the questions are, when you say you have made changes, did those changes result in calorie deficit, and why did you stop working out? The point of the pre surgery work is to build new habits that will help you reach and maintain your goal. Getting on track and focused now will only help you 1, 2, 10 years from now. Best of luck and don't freak out too much because if they require you to lose weight as part of the pre surgery approval they will simply give you more time and resubmit; if they don't require it then you might consider adding a nutritionist or a fitness trainer to your team if they aren't on it already.

I don't really have any words of wisdom but rather a suggestion that you fully commit to the process. The surgery itself is a tool to help keep you on the path but you need to take it seriously and stay with it. I suggest that you give up coffee and soda now as well as totally quitting smoking. Try to live and eat as you will have to after the surgery. I started my process in July of 2011 and lost 100 pounds prior to surgery at the end of April 2012 by sticking with what my surgical team told me to do and logging everything I ate here on MFP.. My thinking totally changed from being frustrated and thinking I couldn't do it to saying to myself if other people can do it than I can do it too. If I can do it then anyone can Log everything you eat here on MFP and set your goals to lose one or two pounds per week after a while you will change your habits if you are like me because you won't want to log anything embarrassing to yourself.

Make the changes now and convince yourself that you got this build up those habits that will help and try to get rid of teh old bad habits that got you to the place that you are now. Exercise is a critical component start something now it will help you boost your metabolism and also help your skin get more elastic so perhaps it will shrink with you.

Don't worry too much about how much you lose as if they ( the surgeon's team) see that you have made changes and have really put in some effort they will work harder for you and push Tufts for you as well.

If you make changes pre op it will be so much easier post op. My bariatric program has a team approach and you have to be team approved before they will even turn your insurance paper work in or give you a surgery date. You have to not smoke or quit smoking for 3 or 6 months before surgery, stop drinking reg or diet carbonated beverages, only drink decaf coffee and tea and drink 80 oz of water a day. I used to drink 0 water a day. Would drink reg coffee for breakfast and then a diet pepsi with my lunch and dinner. I gave up diet pepsi. I just told myself what diet pepsi I had on hand was the last I was gonna buy. I didn't buy anymore after it was gone. I gradually switched over from reg coffee to decaf and decaf hot or iced tea. I started drinking 80 oz of water a day decaf coffee, tea count as the 80 oz. I used crystal light to mix with the water to help too. I started with MFP on 2/1/12 and ate 1200 cals a day and walked 1-2 miles a day with a Leslie Sansone walk at home dvd and from 2/1/12 to my surgery date of 6/11/12 I lost 47 pounds. I started the WLS process 2/12 and was team approved in April 2012 and insurance approved mid April and had my sleeve surgery June 11, 2012. I could had had it before then but I waited till June due to work related stuff I need to do before taking off work for the surgery. By working on these things pre op it really helped me post op. I didn't have any headaches from no caffine. I didn't miss diet soda since I had already weaned myself off it. I was motivated to do these things so I could get team approval cause they told me it takes people 6 months to 2 years to be team approved and I didn't want to wait that long. Logging all my food, liquids and exercise on MFP helped alot and I still do it daily after surgery and will the rest of my life. My nut. told me that the most successful people after WLS are the ones that honestly log their food, liquids and exercise daily and track them selves with Calories, protein levels and so on.
Like others have said, WLS isn't a magic want but a tool in your toolbox. If you don't change some of your eating habits pre op you won't be successful post op and can and will gain back some or all of your weight with any type of WLS. It doesn't cure head hunger issues either.
Take the time now to be successful post op!
Good luck!

I agree with everyone, but I had a really hard time losing anything before surgery; afterall, that is the reason I decided to have surgery in the first place. I didn't lose a thing before surgery.. maybe 2 pounds total. My insurance didn't require that I lose any, thank goodness. I had surgery in June and I've lost 66 pounds so far. It would have been a lot easier if I had gotten with the program better before surgery, but I have a habit of doing things the hard way! You'll be okay!

The RNY surgery was recommended by my endocrinologist and I was referred to my gastric surgeon by him. The nurse at my surgeon's office helped me get all the insurance information and my only requirement was 6 months medically supervised weight loss (which was actually 7 because they don't count the first month). I started the program in May of 2011 and had my surgery in Dec 2011. The surgeon's nurse/coordinator even helped me find a PCP to supervise my weight loss.

I didn't lose anything during the 6 months prior to my surgery, I actually gained 15lbs and the insurance company still approved me within 48 hours of all my paperwork being submitted.

Just take it all one day at a time and jump through all the hoops you need to get approved, it will all be worth it in the end!

I agree with the others, you have to be fully committed, it is just a tool Decarbing, getting rid of soda/junk food, stop smoking will all make things easier post surgery. Good luck to you !
Mandy