Diets before gastric bypass surgery will help prepare patients physically for surgery and begin the transition to a new way of eating. Many people are asked to diet for two to three months prior to their surgery to help their bodies prepare for the operation.

Gastric bypass candidates are not in the best of health and any reduction in fats held in the liver prior to surgery will help their success rates. Loosing even 10 pounds before surgery has been proven to reduce the risk of complications. A traditional reduced calorie diet can help prepare the body for surgery and shed several pounds in the process. By reducing the refined carbohydrates and fats, and increasing proteins the size of the liver can be reduced. The organs in the abdomen will shrink, thus leading to a greater possibility of having gastric bypass surgery laparoscopically with less recovery time. Reducing caloric intake is essential to loosing weight, and even a reduction of 25% can make a difference.

In the months before surgery, it is important to not gain any weight. If patients continue to gain weight before surgery, the procedure may be postponed or they could be re-evaluated as a candidate for surgery. Some of the suggested habits for diets before gastric bypass surgery include eating three meals per day that are low in fat, eliminate between meal snacking and sweetened beverages.

In two weeks prior to surgery, many surgical centers such as the Virginia Weight Loss Surgery Center recommend a protein liquid diet such as Optifast or Medifast. The liquid diet will insure that several pounds are lost before surgery and improve protein levels in the body. High protein levels are essential for proper healing.

Losing weight pre-operatively with a liquid diet will reduce a fatty liver and abdominal fat mass, reduce the surgery time, ease recovery and improve respiratory functions. Because gastric bypass surgery can have serious complications, a patient would be wise to reduce their risks through following the appropriate pre-operative diet.