Pre-op Diet Woes and a Silver Lining

So, just a little update. I started my official pre-op diet yesterday and man, it sucks. I was already doing pretty damned good with eating 1,000 calories a day (in my opinion), and yesterday's calorie count was 402. I was miserable all day long and cried once last night as I watched my husband eat a meal that I cooked for him. That meal was hamburger helper. I believe that hamburger helper is an abomination that should not exist and I was honestly salivating for it. Bleh.

For breakfast I had a protein shake containing one scoop of chocolate peanut butter protein powder mixed into 16 oz of water. It was horrid. It looked as bad as it tasted. I plugged my nose and forced it down, but I decided to try a different approach for lunch. At lunchtime I used a scoop of the unflavored powder mixed into 16 oz of water, but I added a packet of fruit punch crystal light. People, hear me - do NOT do that. It was even more horrendous than the breakfast shake. It was like pepto pink bile. Again, I plugged my nose and swallowed it down. I felt like a beast afterwards, and not in a good way. Now, keep in mind that I do not, in general, mind protein shakes. I am not being a diva about this, I swear! It really was that bad.

When my husband gets home he always has a snack, and so of course I wanted one too. He reminded me that I can eat an unlimited amount of broth, so I had two cups of low-sodium chicken broth that I heavily seasoned with thyme and rosemary. It was heavenly! For dinner I had 2 cups of squash with some dill and garlic sea salt sprinkled on it and the saddest little 4oz tilapia filet I have ever seen (seasoned with pepper and lemon juice).

Other than water that was it! Now, I know what you're probably thinking, "So you had to be hungry one day, BFD". Yes, that's true, it was only day one; but that's the point! I know that as hard as yesterday was, I have TWO WEEKS of this! And at the end of those two weeks? I don't get a prize, I get 3/4 of my stomach cut out. Though, I guess in this case that is a prize of sorts?

First thing this morning I emailed my dietitian to clarify some things - first can I please, for the love of my gag reflex, drink pre-made shakes? She said yes (thank goodness!). Next, is 400 calories a safe amount for me? Because Myfitnesspal says it is not. My app is concerned for my safety and suggested that I contact a doctor. She says I need to eat about 700 calories, but she will get back to me on how to do that, whether it be to up my serving size of meat or add a snack somewhere. Either way, YAY!

So, the silver lining. Having been given the clear to drink premade shakes this morning, I dove for the one that was already chilling in my fridge - a water based (rather than the usual cream-type) that is new to me, Protein 2O, berry splash flavor. It is such a relief! It is wonderful! It literally just tastes like flavored water. It doesn't have any of the weird questionable murkiness of many protein shakes, There is sadly only one place very close to me that sells them, and it is in a mall, and they don't carry the flavor that I want. I would love to get my hands on some lemon flavored, as I love lemon water - but this berry flavor is just fine with me for now. I will likely buy some from their website, as it is cheaper there than from the Vitamin World in the mall. This is less calories (only 70 compared to 111) and tastes so much better. SO much better. I lose some protein with this one when compared to the powder my surgeon gave me, but honestly right now I don't care. I can make up for it by drinking a Premier shake for lunch, which has 30g of protein (more than my surgeon's vomit powder).

So, so far on day two, very little nausea and I am doing okay. Tonight I am going over to my husband's best friend's house. He is a chef at a local high-end steak house and he is making lobster mac and cheese for dinner (le sigh). It's okay! I can do this! I will update again after my pcp appointment on Thursday.