Bariatric Nutrition Core Points
Bariatric Surgery is a great tool in helping you lose weight. However, we need your help to make your surgery successful by following the nutrition plan before surgery. We ask that you start a high-protein, low-fat, and low-carbohydrate diet.
- All meals should include lean meats/proteins and non-starchy vegetables
- Fresh fruits can be used as snacks and desserts but avoid canned and pre-packaged fruit
- Switch to smaller plates to help with portion control
- Start your day with a protein shake, coffee (not a Frappuccino), unsweet tea, and water for your “before noon” regimen
- Stop drinking soda; regular or diet, these will sabotage your progress
- All liquids should be sugar-free and low calorie. NO FRUIT JUICES
- Eliminate empty calorie snacks (cake, candy, chips) and eat high-protein snacks instead (cheese sticks, rolled deli meat, cottage cheese, tomatoes, celery sticks)
- Exercise at least 3 times per week for at least 30 minutes. You can do this in 10-minute increments if needed
- Start eating salads before eating lunch and/or dinner. Make sure to use LOW CALORIE dressing. We recommend Marzetti’s Simply Dressed from the produce section (50Kcal/serving)
- Practice taking small bites and sips
- Flavor your food with lemon, vinegar, herbs, and spices to add big flavor without adding calories
- Use a food scale to weigh your proteins prior to cooking them. Aim for 4-6oz pre-cooked weight.
- Learn to cook using a meat thermometer. This will keep you from overcooking your proteins which will make them tough and dry. Tough, dry proteins will be problematic after surgery. Typically, you cook beef to 145˚, Chicken to 165˚, Pork to 150˚, and fish to 140˚.
- Drink a protein shake (2 scoops of Bariatric Advantage with 8oz unsweet almond milk or 1.5 scoops of Optimum Nutrition with 12oz unsweet almond milk) for breakfast. Fill the rest of your morning with coffee, unsweet tea, or water
- Limit starchy carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, corn, grits, oatmeal, cereal, buns, biscuits, etc.)
- Measure portion sizes. Small plates, bowls, and cups make portions look bigger
- Limit eating out; share an entrée if possible or ask for a box when not splitting
- Include fresh fruits and vegetables
- Avoid/eliminate desserts and candy (ice cream, pies, cakes, cookies)
- Eliminate Mayonnaise (use dijonnaise or Dijon mustard), cream cheese, whole and 2% milk, butter/margarine (use Pam and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter instead), regular salad dressings (use Marzetti’s Simply Dressed in the produce section or use half of a lemon), luncheon meats like bologna and salami, sausage, bacon (use turkey bacon instead), and breaded and fried foods
- Stick to a low-fat diet (baked, broiled, grilled, and boiled instead of fried, breaded, sauteed, or creamed)
- Increase activity (walking, swimming, apps, YouTube, etc.)
- Eliminate sugary and carbonated beverages. Aim for 64oz of water or calorie-free beverages per day.
- Limit or eliminate alcohol
- Practice chewing foods thoroughly
- Practice sipping beverages. No chugging, gulping, or using straws
- Track your calories on My Fitness Pal or Noom (or any app of your choosing)
Lean Meats and Proteins
How to prepare: bake, broil, boil, roast, grill, air fry, sauté in Pam. Remove all visible fat before and after cooking. NO BREADING OR FRYING!
Poultry: skinless chicken or turkey (light or dark), ground (90% lean). Remove skin from poultry
Fish/Shellfish: catfish, clams, crabs, crawfish, lobster, salmon, shrimp, tilapia, trout, tuna, oysters, mahi mahi, grouper
Beef: tenderloin, roast (London broil, bottom/top round, rump), steak (sirloin, round, cubed, flank), ground (90% lean)
Pork: lean ham, Canadian bacon, tenderloin, center loin chop
Game: venison, rabbit, duck (no skin)
Deli Meats: turkey, roast beef, ham, chicken, turkey pastrami
Dairy: low-fat/fat-free sliced/shredded cheese, string cheese, cottage cheese, Greek or low-fat yogurt (no added sugars)
Soy: tofu, edamame
Eggs: Any way you like them (just not in butter!)
Beans and Lentils: red, white, black, lima, black-eyes peas, chickpeas, hummus (watch the carbs, though)
Nuts and Seeds: unsalted, ¼ cup (watch the calories)
Non-Starchy Vegetables
How to prepare: boil, bake, steam, roast, microwave, grill, air fry, sauté in cooking spray. DO NOT ADD CREAM OR CHEESE SAUCE!
Artichoke
Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Carrots
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumber
Cauliflower
Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower Mash
Collard Greens
Eggplant
Green Beans
Kale
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Okra
Onions
Peppers
Snow Peas
Spaghetti Squash
Spinach
Squash
Tomatoes
Turnip Greens
Zucchini
Zucchini Noodles
How to Choose Fluids
- Plain water
- Water infused with lemon, lime, berries, mint leaves, cucumber slices
- Flavored waters (Propel Zero, Nestle Pure Life Splash, Aquafina Flavor Splash, Hint water)
- UNSWEETENED tea (Homemade, Arizona Diet Green Tea, Diet Snapple, Lipton Diet Green Tea)
- Coffee (minimal creamer)
- Water with added Sugar-free flavorings and water enhancers (Mio, Crytal Light, Wyler’s Light, SF Kool-Aid, SF Hawaiian Punch, Dasani Drops
- Diet lemonade
- Powerade Zero or Gatorade Zero
- Diet Ocean Spray cranberry juice or diet V8 Splash
- Sugar-free Jello
- Sugar-free popsicles
Aim to drink 64oz of fluid a day. This will keep you hydrated AND keep you full!
Ainsley Freshour, MD, FACS, DABS
Robotic, Minimally Invasive, and Bariatric Surgeon
Board Certified General Surgeon and Surgical Intensivist
