Preparing For Surgery

Once you have visited our weight management team you will have a clear understanding of obesity and the treatment options available. If you feel you have tried many diets before and have not been successful and feel you need to have surgery then the following diet is recommended as preparation for surgery:

Dietary guidelines to prepare for surgery (pre-op diet)

The pre op diet should be followed for 1-2 weeks before surgery. The diet is mainly composed of high protein low carbohydrate meals and helps to prepare your body for having a successful bariatric surgery. The diet tremendously helps reduce the liver fat (like a detox diet) and that helps to make it easier for you to recover from the anesthesia after surgery.

Basic dietary guidelines

1: Take up to 3 glasses of low fat milk per day which gives you 20g of protein daily. This may be in the form of a low carb shake.

2: Eat non-starchy vegetable intake as much as you can take. These may be cooked or taken as salads and includes carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, green beans, tomatoes, and iceberg lettuce.

3: Balance your protein intake. You can have ¼ – ½ cup chicken, fish, eggs, cheese per day, either baked or grilled.

4: Avoid fried foods and starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, peas or beans.

5: Set your meal timings. Do not skip meals.

Dietary goals

  • Total calories per day = <1000 calories
  • Protein per day = 90 grams
  • Carbohydrates per day = <50 grams
  • Low incidence of adhesion & obstruction
Allowed Avoid
All non starchy Vegetables Starchy Vegetables
½ CUP COOKED PROTEIN (baked or grilled) Potato
Chicken, fish, beed Corns
Eggs Peas
SEASONINGS/FLAVOR Beans
2 tbsp low carb dressing (<3g carbs) Added Sugars
All non starchy Vegetables Glucose
1 tbsp Soy Sauce Fructose
1 tbsp Oil (olive or canola ) Sucrose
Spices or Fresh herbs Molasses
Artificial Sweeteners Honey
Sucral High fructose corn syrup
Splenda Syrup
Stevia Agave Nectar
Clear Liquids (Drink a lot) Sugar
Water High Carbohydrate Food/Drink
Broth (any flavor) Bread  
Sugar-free: gelatin, popsicle, water Fruit/ fruit juices
Decaffeinated unsweetened iced tea Rice
Decaffeinated coffee Cereal
Sugar free flavored water Chips
Full Liquids Cookies
Skim or 1% milk Sugar
Unsweetened plant based milk (almond, soy, coconut, flax, cashew, etc.) Regular soda

Pre op sample menus

SAMPLE 1:

1: Breakfast

1 cup Milk (low fat) +2 tsp almond powder

2: Midmorning

½ cup non starchy vegetables with calorie free beverage

3: Lunch

1 cup eggnog (low fat milk) and 2 cups of leafy vegetables salad with ¼ cup chicken boiled and 2 tbsp dressing

4: Evening

½ cup non starchy vegetables and 1 cup clear broth

5: Dinner

¼ cup lean meat or fish baked with seasoning and 1 cup steamed non starchy vegetables

6: Bedtime Snak

1 cup Milk (low fat) +2 tsp almond powder

SAMPLE 2:

1: Breakfast

2 eggs with 1 cup Milk (low fat) +2 tsp almond powder

2: Midmorning

½ cup non starchy vegetables with calorie free beverage

3: Lunch

1 cup Milk (low fat) +2 tsp almond powder and 2 cups of leafy vegetables salad and 2 tbsp dressing

4: Evening

½ cup non starchy vegetables and 1 cup low fat milk

5: Dinner

1 cup Milk (low fat) +2 tsp almond powder and 1 cup steamed non starchy vegetables with2 tbsp seasoning

6: Bedtime Snak

1 cup clear broth

SAMPLE 3:

1: Breakfast

1 cup Milk (low fat) +2 tsp almond powder

2: Midmorning

½ cup non starchy vegetables

3: Lunch

1 cup Milk (low fat) +2 tsp almond powder and 2 cups of leafy vegetables salad with ¼ cup chicken boiled and 2 tbsp dressing

4: Evening

¼ cup grilled chicken with 1 slice cheese

5: Dinner

1 cup Milk (low fat) +2 tsp almond powder and 1 cup steamed non starchy vegetables with seasoning or 2 cups raw vegetables salad with 2 tbsp dressing

6: Bedtime Snak

½ cup non starchy vegetables and 1 cup clear broth