Why is Pre-Op Bariatric Diet important?

This 2week fat-free diet plan is designed to optimise your nutrition in preparation for your weight loss surgery. It makes the surgery safer by reducing the size of your liver, thus helping to prevent intra-operative complications and reduce the length of the operation. In addition, the multivitamins and protein supplements build up a reserve of these essential nutrients in anticipation of a reduced intake in the two weeks immediately following the operation. Thus, overall it helps in reducing health risks associated with the procedure.

When to start with the Fat-Free Diet Plan?

 It is advised that patients should start and strictly follow this pre-op diet plan at least 10 to 14 days prior to the surgery date, or as specifically requested by your Surgeon.

How is Fat-free diet done?

During this pre-operative period, you will be required to eat a diet which is very low in fat content and increase the number of proteins, vitamins and minerals in your daily intake. Thus the following diet plan is recommended.

1. Extremely low fat or no fat in your meals.
2. A Supplement of High potency Vitamins and Minerals such as Dynamic or Centrum
3. One to two supplements of Protein supplements, usually a Protein shake that contains at least 40 grammes of protein per serving

Examples of food rich in fat that need to be eliminated

1. Fried food: French fries, chicken nuggets, fried eggs, fried rice, fried noodles, fried meat/fish…
2. Butter, ghee, cream, margarine, vegetable oil
3. Most of the fast foods: hamburgers, hot dogs, chips…
4. Cheese
5. Whole milk
6. Eggs
7. Ice cream, pastry, puff pastry, cake, chocolate, pastry roll.
8. Skin of chicken, rib steak
9. Sauce made of cream, cheese

Please try to limit as well food rich in sugar, like sweets, soda, milkshakes/smoothies, cakes, biscuits, pastries, as they are a concentrated source of nutritionally non-interesting calories.

To prepare your meals, prefer the following cooking methods, which require only a little bit of fat or no fat at all:

Steaming, stewing or simmering, boiling,“court-bouillon” (low-fat vegetable stock), “en papillote” (in aluminium foil in the oven), broiling with max. 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, oven-roasted (without fat)

To add flavours to your preparation, think about using salt, pepper, garlic, onions, herbs, spices, condiments/seasonings, mustard…

To help you prepare your meals, here is an example list of food to prefer and food to avoid: