My surgeon told me two weeks min...my job is fairly demanding and long hours. Im sure you will do great on the diet! Leafy greens kept me going when I needed a snack.

My pre-op diet was only Optifast. Shakes, soups and bars. Appreciate the "real" food you get to eat along the next 2 weeks and savor it, lol. Drink lots of water!!

Pre-op I had two weeks of the food my surgeon's office uses for their non-surgical weight loss program and then one week of high protein liquids. And I had to decaffinate myself! I am a coffee addict, so that first week I weaned myself off real coffee by adding more and more decaff to the pot until by the end of the week I was full decaff without any caffine withdrawls. Tips? Increase your water intake (flavored or plain) between meals, because it really does help. And if you have one meal a day, eat the protein and then wait an hour to eat the vegetable/salad portion. I still do this sometimes because it really helps with the urge to snack in the evening.

Time off? I have a desk job and my doctor advised 2 weeks as did a friend of mine who had the lap band. He also has a desk job and was so bored he convinced his doctor to let him go back after 1 week. He said he really felt like he rushed himself and wished he had taken the full 2 weeks because he didn't get a good handle on what he needed to do for food and drink, wasn't really prepared. So I took my full two and when I came back to work I was confident that I knew what I needed to bring for food and drink during my work day and how I was going to get a walk in, etc. It's not that this is extremley hard to understand, it's that we get so much information and at the beginning, changing information those first few months as we heal, that we need time to digest that information and know our plan.

Hope that helps!

I planned on returning to work at one week but decided to take off 3 more days - I absolutely feel well enough, just decided to milk a little more sick time and take the mental time off. Like everyone said, everyone is different. I didn't use and pain meds and have felt pretty great since about 5 hours after surgery. I have played pool and gone to baseball games/cook outs this week. It's been 6 days. I feel like a million bucks! Good luck!

So excited for you as you begin this journey!! Everyone's so different, but we're all working to the same goal. I started my surgery diet 3 weeks before my surgery. I exclusively drank Premier Protein shakes - chocolate. This worked for me because it took out all guesswork and "thinking". My days are crazy and I travel a lot so I put my 5 shakes on my calendar to remind myself and drank them at the same time each day. Additionally, I started my doctor's vitamin regimen before surgery which I think helped a great deal as I was deficient in several key vitamins and minerals in my "old" diet.

My surgery was on Thursday and I was back working from home on Tuesday - back in the office on Friday. On the weekends since, I've been very careful to take it easy.

My surgery was on April 17th and I cannot tell you how much better I feel already!! This is an amazing journey - there will be ups and downs, but it's so worth it!! I have 242 pounds to lose and as of this morning, I'm down 48.

You're going to do great - just remember why you're doing this and stay positive!!!

Good luck!!!
Vanessa

and then i realized that i didn't take my januvia yesterday because I was out..so this is my fault. I have to pick it up today after work, so I had to stop today's stuff. I'm going to get back on it again tomorrow. All I want is water and soup today anyway. My stomach still feels queasy.

Good luck to all of you. Just a few thoughts/ advice

1) I took 2 weeks off the biggest thing like others say is your tired the other is trying to adjust in the beginning only fluids it is challenging. It can be done I know someone who is a nurse she took the weekend off and went right back to work. If you can take the time take it.

2) If you drink any kind of caffeine (soda, coffee and tea) say good bye to Soda and drink caffeine free now in the beginning just getting fluids in is a challenge remove those obstacles now. Also start logging everything start your vitamins and also count the calories and carbs in those some of those gummy vitamins have way too much sugar!

3) write down your goals and what you hope to accomplish take all your photos and measurements one thing that really helped me is I always had a pair of pants that I could almost zip up. When I used up all the sizes I had I bought them from used stores weekly I would try the, on this trick helped me. Go down 6 sizes. Don't go to crazy buying clothes till you reach your goal.

4) enjoy each stage don't be in a hurry. I regret now that I added something's sooner then I should have the longer you can avoid the things you don't need the better you will do.

5) get rid of anything in your house that will tempt you. When you feel like your starving you may cave in. Buy sugar free Popsicles and jello these saved me. Also the protein soups were my savior when I went through my post op it was Thanksgiving and my birthday very difficult but I would think I just can't eat it today. If I think I can Never have something makes me crave it but if I say just not today or not now I handle it better use what works for you.

Best thing I ever did. I also try to take it one day at a time recently still trying to lose the last 12 I ask myself before I eat if this will help me? 90% of the time I am on track making life changes done come easily!

Good luck to all of you! Give me a shout if you need help. I went to California but live in Maui have had little support but recently joined this group

Welcome David!