Channel Swimmer's diary

[Channel Swimmer]

I start my pre-op diet tomorrow. Having gone through this once already for surgery that didn't go ahead I should know the drill, but I am approaching it differently this time. Last time I did lighter life for a couple of weeks (I was told that was ok) and then a reduced diet for another week or so. This time I'm not paying lighter life as I still have some shakes left.

2 weeks sounds so short compared to how long some of you have had to do this and at the same time I know I'll struggle to adapt somewhere along the way.

Diet sheet says:
Breakfast: small bowl of cereal or 1 slice of toast with a scraping of low fat spread (not butter)

Lunch: 1 slice bread or 2 crispbreads. Small portion lean meat or fish, or small portion of cheese, or 2 eggs (not fried). Green salad or tomatoes (no dressing)

Dinner: small portion lean meat or fish or small portion low fat cheese, or 2 eggs, or tofu or quorn based dish. 1 small potato or 2 tablespoonfuls pasta or rice. Vegetables (as many as you like except for high carbohydrate root vegetables like potatoes)

Daily: 1/3 pint milk (skimmed or semi-skimmed) for use in drinks and on cereal. 2 portions of fruit. 1 low fat, low sugar yogurt or fromage frais


My plan from this
So my limitations are that I don't eat cheese and don't like salad (except peppers) but love cooked vegetables. So I was thinking.......

Breakfast: Oat so simple

Lunch: Lighter life milkshake

Dinner: Small chicken breast (or other small piece of lean meat) with either small jacket potato or 2 baby new potatoes with stacks of veg & gravy. Yogurt for desert

Snacks: 2 bits of fruit and if needed some pepper


Put it like that it and it sounds easy and even quite tasty. I wonder if I'll feel like that after 2 weeks.

Here goes........................

 

[drylaw]

good luck

 

[Yvessa]

you should try to have your yohurts/milk as it will help you to protect your muscle mass and make sure you lose fat instead.

Good luck

 

[Channel Swimmer]

you should try to have your yohurts/milk as it will help you to protect your muscle mass and make sure you lose fat instead.

Good luck

Thanks Yvessa. I've planned my yoghurt for after my evening meal and my milk on my porridge.

I wonder if there is any actual milk product in the lighter life milkshake? I remember being amused by the fact that the meat based meals were suitable for vegetarians. Perhaps that's why they're all called foodpacks as it's basically all the same just with different flavourings!

 

[Channel Swimmer]

I have survived day 1, although it was an interesting choice to do a 1hr 45min training session first thing - I spent most of the day wanting to eat my own arm!!

 

[Yvessa]

There usually is. Or soya. Am now on my 9 th day with milk diet for preop. Envy you your packs!

 

[Channel Swimmer]

Day 2 done with another training session for good measure (might as well make the most of that while I can!)

I'm on a 2 week pre-op diet. How long is your Yvessa?

 

[Yvessa]

Mine is two weeks. But am most of the way through now, only 4 days left. Will start making post op soups over the weekend.

 

[Channel Swimmer]

Mine is two weeks. But am most of the way through now, only 4 days left. Will start making post op soups over the weekend.

How exciting!!!!

 

[Channel Swimmer]

How exciting!!!!!

 

[Yvessa]

I am still very 'bleh' I don't know why, I feel really strange. But I don't often let my emotions out to play normally and not yet feeling much of anything. Except worried that I am putting on pounds rather than losing it despite the horrid preop

 

[Yvessa]

Just wanted to say a big thank you - you inspired me to give it a go - went swimming today for the first time in almost 10 years. Much slower than I used to be and can't do a quarter of the laps I used to do for warm up alone, but I went!

 

[Channel Swimmer]

That's fantastic - well done you!!! I hope it helps you feel a little less 'bleh'.

I'm also extremely slow at the moment, perhaps we can pick it all back up together.

 

[Yvessa]

It made me laugh thinking I used to do 16 laps without stopping before! Front crawl, to warm up. I did one and I was plenty warm! It would be great although suspect I won't do much now before my op.

 

[Channel Swimmer]

It'll come back. I've only got another 10 days before I fly out so I'm just making the most of it before I can't again.