Pre-Op Gastric Bypass Diet
There are so many options out there for surgical weight loss, yet gastric bypass remains the most well known procedure. The surgery reduces stomach size and reroutes part of the intestine in order to facilitate safe and rapid weight loss. Dr. Francisco Gonzalez has helped numerous patients at our Tijuana, Mexico surgical weight loss center by performing this procedure.
The team at Oasis of Hope would like to consider how patients prepare for surgical weight loss treatment. Adjusting eating habits is an important part of this process. Let’s explore this issue in greater detail.
Why Pre-Op Diet Matters So Much
The pre-op gastric bypass diet helps in a few important ways. For one, it helps get patients ready for the sorts of foods they’ll eat after the surgery is complete. This means high protein diets with few refined sugars and carbs. Patients also switch to a liquid diet in the week or so leading into surgery, which helps transition into the liquid diet during the first week or so of the recovery process.
Losing Weight in the Lead Up to Gastric Bypass
In the lead up to gastric bypass surgery, patients are encouraged to lose as much weight as possible through natural means. This helps make the patient healthier heading into the surgical procedure, which reduces the risk of post-surgical complications.
While physical activity is an important component of pre-surgery weight loss, improving your diet will also play a major role in this.
Eliminating Certain Foods as Surgery Draws Near
Patients at our Tijuana weight loss surgery center are encouraged to avoid junk food, heavily processed foods, and any foods with added sugar. Focus on healthy whole foods and lean sources of protein instead. Try to get rid of high-carb foods, especially breads and pastas, and cut soda from your diet entirely.
Liquid Diet: One to Two Weeks Before Gastric Bypass
In the weeks leading into your gastric bypass surgery, patients must be on a liquid diet. This will consist primarily of protein shakes with some soup broths and vegetable juices. A liquid diet will also help remove solid food from the digestive tract, which will make the surgery easier to perform.
Some patients may be able to eat very soft proteins in addition to protein shakes heading into surgery, but this will vary from patient to patient based on their weight prior to surgery. Be sure to follow your bariatric surgeon’s instructions.
What to Eat the Night Before Surgery
Patients may be asked to do a clear-liquid fast diet for 24 to 48 hours before surgery to help ensure a problem-free procedure and optimal outcomes. Other recommendations may be made as well based on the suggestions of the bariatric surgeon and/or anesthesiologist. Again, be sure to follow all of your surgeon’s pre-op instructions as directed.
Other Pre-Op Instructions to Note
A lean, protein-based diet is just one of the changes patients should make headed into surgery. We also recommend that patients quit smoking before surgery, avoid having alcoholic beverages, refrain from binge eating, and practice drinking between meals rather than during meals.
There will be more instructions for patients to note prior to surgery, but they are best discussed during the consultation process at our Tijuana weight loss center.
Learn More About Gastric Bypass Surgery
For more information about weight loss surgery and what to expect from the process, be sure to contact a skilled bariatric surgeon. You can reach the team at Oasis of Hope by phone at (619) 690-8417.
