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Pre Bariatric Surgery Diet
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Pre Bariatric Surgery Diet: Your Pre LAP-BAND® Diet
What you eat in the weeks leading up to your stomach band surgery is very important!
While you might feel tempted to binge, that "last supper" mentality can actually cause you some harm.
As you gain more weight, more fat may be deposited in your liver. A fatty liver is a big liver, and a big liver is particularly bad news pre-op.
Fatty liver = BIG liver
BIG liver = BAD news
Why?
Your stomach and liver are neighbors, and a big liver can actually get in the way during stomach band surgery. That big fat liver makes it harder for your surgeon to properly place the gastric band around your stomach.
This increases the chance of having your surgery performed as an open procedure rather than a laproscopic one.
Think, "Big scar." Think, "Longer healing time."
Now, one big meal won't make or break you, but a pattern of overeating pre-op will most certainly lead to weight gain and a bigger liver.
So dump that "last hurrah" thinking and accept your new relationship with food ASAP!
If you want to enjoy live life as a smaller person, you need to change how you think about eating. Starting your pre bariatric surgery diet on a good note is an opportunity to practice your new, healthy relationship with food.
Your Pre Bariatric Surgery Diet: What To Eat
There is increasing consensus among medical professionals that a high protein, low calorie diet before gastric band surgery can actually shrink the liver, while decreasing the risk of complications and improving outcomes.
Pre-op LAP-BAND® Diet: High Protein, Low Calorie
Following a high protein, low calorie diet can be accomplished in one of two ways:
- Purchasing pre-prepared bariatric diet kits.
- Following a traditional calorie restricted, high protein diet that you prepare yourself.
Pre Bariatric Surgery Diet: Purchasing Pre-prepared Bariatric Kits
Thankfully, there are a growing number of companies that offer full meal replacement diet kits to make your pre-op LAP-BAND® diet a "no-brainer." It takes all the guesswork out of what and how much to eat.
I like WonderSlim's pre bariatric surgery diet products and recommend them to my clients regularly.
Bariatric eating made simple: You get all of your high protein meal replacements and protein supplements delivered to your door as well as daily meal plans, lifestyle guide, and grocery lists. Each pre bariatric diet kit includes all of your low calorie, high protein meals for 2, 4, 8 or 12 weeks.
Granted, it might cost a little more than your groceries would (or it might not!), but you're gaining something valuable:
- Cost of 1 week of food: $~$75
- Having the peace of mind that you are eating a low calorie, high protein, balanced diet...priceless.
Ordering Pre Bariatric Surgery Diet Kits is a good option for you if you:
- Don't like to cook
- Don't like to plan your meals
- Don't want to spend a lot of time worrying about what you should eat
- Don't want to spend time making separate meals for yourself and your family
- Don't have to eat "gourmet" food
- Don't mind spending a little extra money
Pre Bariatric Surgery Diet: Following a traditional calorie restricted, high protein diet that you prepare yourself
A calorie restricted, high protein diet can be defined as follows:
- 800-1200 calories per day
- 70-120 grams protein per day
Here's a sample menu for a pre bariatric surgery diet that's 1200 calories and 100 grams of protein:
Breakfast
Protein Shake: Blend 1 cup water + 1 scoop protein powder + 1 cup frozen strawberries. Blend until smooth. Eat with 1 slice whole wheat toast + 1/2 Tbsp. peanut butter
A.M. Snack
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt + 1/2 banana. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Lunch
1/2 sandwich: 1 slice whole wheat bread + 3 oz. turkey breast + 1 tsp. mayonnaise. Eat with 1 cup baby carrots.
Snack
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese + 1 small apple
Dinner
3 oz. baked chicken
1/2 baked sweet potato
1 tsp. butter
Garden salad: 2 cups salad greens + 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Replace two meals/day with high protein shakes:
Breakfast: High Protein Shake (~250 calories with ~30 grams protein)
Snack: Piece of fruit
Lunch: High Protein Shake (~250 calories with ~30 grams protein)
Snack: Reduced fat string cheese OR 1 hard boiled egg
Dinner: 500 calorie dinner: Lean Cuisine frozen meal (~350 calories) + Garden Salad (2 cups salad greens + 1 Tbsp. olive oil for dressing)
Recipe for 250 Calorie Protein Shake with ~30 Grams of Protein:
Blend 1 cup skim milk (8 grams protein) + 1 scoop Jay Robb Whey Protein Powder* (25 grams protein) + 1 cup frozen strawberries. Blend until smooth.
* Jay Robb is just one brand of protein powder I recommend. I love the taste myself! Feel free to use something comparable (~100-120 calories with 25-30 grams of protein).
Other brands of protein I recommend.
Pre Bariatric Surgery Diet for Stomach Band Surgery: When to Start
Typically, patients follow a low calorie, high protein diet for at least 2 weeks (and for as long as 3 months) prior to gastric band surgery in order to get the body ready for surgery and make recovery easier. Be sure to follow the advice of your surgeon.
