Talking to my surgeon, he told me that the hormonal changes that come with the removal of most of the stomach are as important if not moreso than the restriction. I lost 100 pounds pre-surgery and am finding post surgery that eating less than 1000 calories per day is incredibly easy. I believe that this is due to the hormonal changes (especially the reduction of ghrelin production, produced in the stomach lining).

For this reason, I believe that the VLCD would be much more difficult without the surgery. I was eating a 1500 calorie diet from April until my surgery. It was tough, but sustainable, although I couldn't count on keeping that discipline forever, especially with my history of loss and regain.

I went ahead with the surgery, and hope to lose another 60 pounds from today, eventually returning to a 1500-ish calorie maintenance diet. Assuming I will be able to eat more in 6 months than I can today, I hope that this plan is sustainable going forward.

Feel free to follow up with any questions, either here or in a PM.

Rob

I am pre-surgical at this point and on the 1400 calorie diet. I can barely do that one, I can't imagine doing the post surgical thing without the diet. I would be out of my head with hunger. As it is, my hunger is there but it is not a growling tiger. As the weeks have gone on (I am on month two of five) I have gotten better, but it's only seeing a light at the end of the tunnel that keeps me going. I have lost ten pounds so far and probably will add another five at my next official weigh in.

But I do have to say that since this is all documented for the doctors, I have been much more ethical about not cheating and writing everything down that I eat.

I have not yet had surgery either, but I couldn't imagine eating that low without it. The sleeve removes the part of the stomach that produces Ghrelin (which is basically a hormone that sends a message to your brain that you are hungry).

I am 3 years out from surgery and I can tell you with certainty, there is no way I would still be eating the plan if I hadn't had the surgery. I depend on my sleeve to keep me from overeating, it's an automatic portion control, even now. And if I overeat on anything remotely bad for me, I'm so sick feeling and uncomfortable that, well, Let's just say I so I rarely do that anymore because it's just horrible. Nutritionally it's no different for someone who hasn't had the surgery. You would still need to do blood work to monitor your nutritional levels, but I agree with everyone here. Without the surgery, maintaining the eating plan long term to lose and then for the rest of your life to keep the weight off is highly unlikely.

There was not a chance is hell that I could have followed a VLCD with the surgical tool. My Dr. tried for years to get me to try less than 1500 calories to lose weight and was amazed at the success I had post surgery.