Pre and Post-Op Diet Plan
Pay attention to food labels:
- “Nutrition Facts” is the information you’ll use to compare foods and make informed choices. Be able to identify the serving size, calories, and amount of protein, sugar, and fat in a particular food.
- “Ingredient List” is just as important. Ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance by weight, meaning that the ingredient that weighs the most is listed first, and the ingredient that weighs the least is listed last.
- Check out the serving sizes in our Bariatric My Plate. If you eat too much, you may gain weight even if you’re eating healthy foods.
Food Group Guidelines
PROTEIN
TIP
To prevent deficiency:
Reach for 40-60 grams of protein each day
Always Choose
- Lean ground chicken, turkey, or beef (90% or higher: Loin, round, & extra lean)
- Baked or broiled fish
- Canned meats
- Thinly shaved lean luncheon meat
- Dried beans and peas
- Skinless poultry (white meat)
- Meat alternatives made with soy or textured vegetable protein
- Egg whites or egg substitute
- Shellfish
Sometimes
- Whole eggs (no more than 3 egg yolks per week)
- Unlimited egg whites or egg substitutes
Limit/Avoid
- High fat cuts of meat (ribs, T-bone, 80/20 ground beef or pork)
- High fat luncheon meats such as bologna, salami and pepperoni
- Processed meat such as sausage, hot dogs, and bacon
- Poultry with skin or dark meat
- Fish in butter, cream sauce, breaded or fried
- Any fried foods
CARBOHYDRATES
TIP
Breads, cereals, grains, starchy vegetables
Look for Whole Grain products with (per serving):
• <6.5g total fat
• <1g saturated fat or less
• <10g sugar
• >3g fiber
Always Choose
- 100% whole wheat or whole grain breads or crackers
- Whole grain pastas
- Wild rice, brown rice, & barley
- Corn tortillas
- Popcorn (non-buttered)
- Starchy Vegetables (prepared without added fats): peas, corn, potatoes, winter squash, legumes (dried beans and lentils)
- Sugar-free hot cereal such as Quaker Weight Control or sugar-free oatmeal
Sometimes
- White Bread
- Sweetened cereals
- White rice
- Regular pasta
- Flour tortillas
- Beans prepared with fat
Limit/Avoid
- Pastries: doughnuts, biscuits, croissants, muffins, cakes, cookies, muffins
- Egg noodles
- French fries
- Snacks made with partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats): Chips, snack mixes, butter-flavored popcorn
FATS
TIP
Fats should contain:
- <5 grams or less of total fat
- Unsaturated fats
- Fatty fish sources
Always Choose
- Unsaturated Fats: Olive oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, canola oil
- Vegetable oil spreads
- Seeds and Nuts: Ground Flax, chia, hemp seeds, dry roasted, no salt or added fat (chew thoroughly)
- Avocados (little goes a long way)
- Fat-free or light salad dressings
- Non-stick cooking sprays
Sometimes
- Mayo
- Salad dressings higher in fat
Limit/Avoid
- Saturated Fats: Butter, shortening, stick margarine, & partially hydrogenated oils: tropical oils (coconut, palm, palm kernel oils)
- High fat meats: hot dogs, pork or beef sausage, & bacon
- Whole milk/creams
- Full Fat salad dressings
- Snack chips/crackers
- Sweets: donuts, cookies, & pastries
- ***Partially-Hydrogenated oils are usually soft to semi-soft. These contain dangerous artery-inflaming Trans-fats