Kiwi Girl:
Some people lose sense of taste and appetite thanks to OHS, and others don't skip a beat (or meal,
I should say). Some actually gain a little weight, due to fluid retention.
I lost about 24-26 pounds within 3-4 weeks of my surgery due to lack of appetite. I could afford to lose weight, but that was a faster weight loss than is advised by medical professionals. A loss of about 2-3 pounds/week (0.9-1.35 kg/week) is the good, steady way (I started to mistype it as WEIGH
) to go. At least, that's what I learned in Weight Watchers.
Since you don't have a surgery date yet, you may want to plan an occasional day of low-fat meals until then. Search online for recipes that appeal to you and make a note of what you liked about them and what you'd change if you make the recipe again.
I have some Weight Watchers and American Heart Association cookbooks; I prefer the WW ones. Some restaurants include recipes on their websites, and I've adapted some to fit my preferences.
I regained some of the weight I lost post-op, but a year later I joined Weight Watchers and within 6 months became a lifetime member. I stopped going to meetings several months ago, but have been able to maintain my weight.
My heart surgery was the turning point for me to learn a healthier approach to food, not just to diet, but to eat healthier and lose weight and keep it off.
Just keep me away from BBQ-flavored wavy potato chips (Lay's) and butter pecan ice cream (Blue Belle). I can eat a bag of chips or a pint of ice cream at one sitting. (The devil made me do it, as comedian Flip Wilson used to say.)
Good luck with your plans for surgery and weight loss!
