I asked the Fresh Start Bariatrics dieticians, Joann Schaumb and Alyssa Bixler, what they recommend for patients preparing for bariatric surgery.

"This is a very key topic! These comments are an initial response. We will share more later.

I think it is helpful to have people practice before surgery, eating the types of foods they will need to eat after surgery. I like to work together with clients to find foods that they like well enough to eat regularly instead of the high fat, high sugar choices they may have enjoyed in the past. This takes some trial and error, particularly in restaurants. It is important though, because people eat what they like. To achieve long term weight loss, they need to like lower calorie foods. It may seem hard, but we are usually able to help people find these foods.

When you focus on what to eat instead of what not to eat, it puts you in a more positive frame of mind and healthy eating becomes easier. We like to help people build confidence in their ability to enjoy healthy foods.

One of the most challenging goal on our pre-op list of goals is eating small, frequent meals. People are very busy and don't always think about eating much during the day. The typical American pattern is to eat very little or nothing through the early part of the day and consume most of the calories late in the day. This pattern leads to weight gain. Stomach capacity is limited after surgery, so we strive for high quality, nutritious foods. Every bite contributes to good health.

It is helpful to plan specific times for snacks and meals and design reminders, like setting a cell phone to beep when it is time for a snack.

It is very important to drink calorie free beverages. We recommend some weight loss prior to surgery and this is a very effective way to achieve that. Liquid calories are generally not satisfying. When you drink calories, you still eat the same amount of food, so total calorie intake is higher and leads to weight gain.

Replace liquid calories with calorie free drinks such as Crystal Light, Powereade Zero, Decaf coffee or tea, diet juices, diet flavored water or water with lemon."

I think their recommedations are terific and this is a great start to help people what changes would be helpful to make before surgery!

Want to make a comment or ask your question? Click on the word ”comments” at the end of this posting.

Want to have new postings I make to this blog sent free and automatically to your email? It takes less than 30 seconds. 1). Enter your email address where requested on the left side of this blog.2) Click on “subscribe” and follow directions to prevent spam.3). Click on “Complete Subscription Request”. It’s just that easy! Your email will not be shared or used for any other contact.