Pre-Operative Weight Loss
Bariatric Surgery is a tool that helps aid in weight loss. Weight Loss prior to surgery may be required from your insurance and/or surgeon and whether or not is it required it is something we highly recommend. Weight loss before surgery has been shown to make surgery safer by reducing surgical risk factors and decreases the time it takes to perform surgery. Learning to follow the dietary guidelines before your procedure is extremely helpful for you to see firsthand that our prescribed diet works, Think of it has a test drive before surgery.
Start by eliminating the sugars in your diet. Sugar is a key component that if eliminated will help aid in weight loss. Sugar is highly addictive and can lead to withdrawals. Therefore prior to your procedure to help make the transition after surgery easier it’s important to eliminate. If you do consume sugar it’s very important that you burn that sugar and/or calories off otherwise that sugar is stored as fat in the body and can lead to weight gain. The more weight you can lose following TSB’s dietary guidelines the further you will become in your journey towards improved health and ultimately will put you closer to your weight loss goal. Remember after all any weight you lose counts, even if it’s before surgery. A report in the Archives of Surgery found that patients who lost at least 10 percent of their excess body weight had fewer complications compared to patients who lost less weight before surgery. The loss of weight prior to surgery not only helps get you closer to your goal but it also allows the patients liver to shrink improving safety and making the stomach easier to access during surgery.
It’s not only important that you eliminate certain foods from your diet like sugar but it’s also important that you add certain foods to your diet like protein, fruits, and vegetables. Protein is the most essential portion of any bariatric diet. Fruits and vegetables are an essential source of nutrients that to your body requires. Think of your body like a car. A car needs gas to run, just as your body needs fuel to function. If you don’t obtain adequate amounts of protein the body will not function properly just like a car that’s low on gas doesn’t run properly. Think of protein as the fuel you need to keep your body going.
If you lose weight prior to bariatric surgery it can help put you in the right mindset. If you successfully lose a few pounds before your procedure, you will know that you have it in you to reach your weight loss goals after surgery. Plus, losing weight before surgery will make you more knowledgeable of what to eat, how to exercise, and which eating and fitness schedules work for you. Working all of that out before you have your surgery will mean you’ll be able to jump right back on track once you’ve recovered. This is important, because weight loss surgery will only work if you do. Surgery is not a cure but it is a tool to a healthier lifestyle.
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