PREPARING FOR SURGERY

Nutrition Before Surgery

Following surgery, your eating habits will be very different from what they are now. With that in mind, we recommend you begin making modifications NOW, even if you are still evaluating your surgery options.

• Wean yourself from carbonated drinks (soda). You will not be able to drink these after surgery.

• Wean yourself off sugar.

• Practice slowing down at meals and chew each bite at least 15 times. You will have to chew longer than this after surgery so that food becomes the consistency of applesauce.

• Practice reducing your portion sizes or practice leaving one bite on your plate at meals.

• Eat the protein first (meat, poultry, fish, eggs and cheese) with each meal and chew it well.

• Take vitamins and minerals daily.

• Practice stopping eating when you are satisfied – before you are full.

• Practice drinking water between meals, not with your meals.

If it is necessary for you to lose weight before surgery, you may want to make further changes to your diet. The more weight you need to lose, the sooner you will want to start making changes. Do as much as you can, knowing that any change will make a difference.

• Try to follow a diet of about 1,000-1,200 calories per day divided into 3-6 eating events per day. The more often you eat, the smaller the meal should be. The best foods to eat during this time are lean meat, poultry, or fish (60+ grams of protein a day); vegetables (4 servings); healthy fats (1-2 servings) including cheese, avocado, olives; whole grains (1 serving or less);  fruits (1 serving or less).

• Drinks enough water each day that your urine is light yellow to clear.

Remember that each healthy choice will benefit YOU.