5 Things to Know Before Bariatric Surgery

If you’re preparing for metabolic bariatric surgery, you’ve probably heard a lot of advice, some helpful, some likely overwhelming. The decision to have surgery is personal, powerful, and life changing. And while the physical part gets most of the attention, preparing your mind, routine, and environment is just as important.

Here are five key things to know before surgery that can make your recovery smoother.

1. Nutrition Starts Now

The way you eat leading up to surgery can impact everything from how easily your procedure goes to how well you recover afterward. Think of this time as a chance to build habits that will support your body in the long term.

Start with protein. Protein plays a major role in healing and preserving lean muscle. After surgery, your food intake will be limited, so it’s helpful to get used to prioritizing protein now.

• Many people find it helpful to begin incorporating high-protein meal replacements into their daily routine before surgery.
• These shakes are easy to digest, provide consistent nutrition, and can serve as a helpful tool for meeting pre-op protein and reduced calorie goals.

Hydration counts. Aim for at least 64 ounces of fluid each day, unless your provider gives different guidance. Dehydration is one of the most common reasons patients are readmitted to the hospital after surgery.

• Practicing consistent sipping now can help train your brain and body for your post-op hydration routine, when drinking too fast or too little can lead to discomfort.

Follow a pre-op diet. Your surgical team may prescribe a specific eating plan in the days or weeks before your procedure, usually lower in calories and higher in protein.

• The goal is to reduce the size of your liver and decrease surgical complication risk.
• Even if a strict plan isn’t required, reducing processed foods and high-sugar snacks can help your body feel better and improve blood sugar levels before surgery.

Practice mindful eating. Start by chewing thoroughly, eating without distractions, and paying attention to when you feel satisfied. These habits can help reduce overeating, improve digestion, and make the post-op transition easier.

• Mindful eating also gives you a better connection with your hunger and fullness cues, which can shift after surgery.

Consider a food log. Tracking what you eat and drink for a few days can highlight patterns you may want to shift. Are you skipping meals? Drinking too little? Grazing in the evening? Awareness is a powerful first step.

• Baritastic is a free app that is a helpful tool to log meals, track fluids, and start building routines that align with your surgical plan.
• In a study of more than 4,000 gastric sleeve patients, those who used the Baritastic app at least 27 days per month lost up to 46% more excess weight over two years compared to those who didn’t. †
  • Building this habit now may help support better long-term body weight outcomes.

2. Not All Vitamins Are the Same

After bariatric surgery, your body permanently changes how it absorbs nutrients. Even with a healthy diet, deficiencies can still develop, which is why bariatric-specific supplements are essential for life.

Your core supplement routine should include:

• A bariatric multivitamin with iron, designed with higher doses of nutrients like vitamins A, D, K, B12, thiamin, and iron
• Calcium citrate, taken at least two hours apart from your multivitamin to avoid blocking iron absorption

Calcium citrate is especially important because it doesn’t depend on stomach acid for absorption, making it the preferred form after surgery. It helps support your bones, muscles, and heart, systems that are harder to protect if calcium intake falls short.

Your provider may recommend additional support depending on your surgery type and lab results. That’s why routine lab work is a key part of your ongoing care, it allows for personalized adjustments based on your needs. Without the right supplements, deficiencies can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, hair thinning, anemia, and even permanent nerve damage over time.

Want help figuring out exactly what to take? This blog covers it.

Remember, supplements aren’t a backup plan, they’re a daily commitment to protecting your health. Start the habit now, so it feels familiar by the time surgery day arrives.

3. Moving Your Body

You don’t have to wait until after surgery to start feeling the benefits of movement. Even gentle daily activity can support your recovery and improve how you feel going into surgery.

Regular movement helps:

• Improve circulation and reduce the risk of blood clots during and after surgery
• Strengthen your lungs and heart, which can make anesthesia and recovery safer
• Build mobility and stamina, so it’s easier to walk shortly after surgery, a key part of post-op care
• Ease anxiety and support better sleep, both of which help your body and mind prepare for change

Start with whatever feels manageable. A 30-minute walk most days of the week is a great foundation. This can be broken up into 3, 10-minute walks if 30 minutes at once is too much. If walking isn’t ideal, stretching, chair exercises, or gentle water-based activity are all excellent options.

Simple tip: Walk for 10 minutes after each meal. Add music or a podcast to help build a routine you actually enjoy.

If you’re not sure where to start, try tracking your daily step count with your phone, a smartwatch, or the Baritastic app. Once you know your baseline, aim to increase your steps by just 100 per day. Small, steady improvements are more sustainable and can help you feel a difference by surgery day.

Look for easy ways to add movement into your normal routine:

• Park farther away at the store or work
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator when possible
• Pace during phone calls
• Set a timer to get up and stretch every hour

These little changes may not feel like much, but they add up. Plus, they help build the kind of movement habits that make post-op recovery and long-term activity feel less intimidating.

4. You Don’t Have to Go Through This Alone

It’s completely normal to feel a mix of emotions before surgery, hopeful, nervous, excited, uncertain. Bariatric surgery is a major decision, and while it’s deeply personal, it’s not something you have to face on your own.

Talk to people who’ve been there. Connecting with others who’ve had bariatric surgery can help normalize your experience and give you insight into what recovery really looks like. They’ve been where you are, and hearing their stories can be incredibly reassuring.

Loop in your circle. Let a few trusted friends or family members know what you’re doing. They don’t need to understand every detail if you don’t want to share, but just knowing you have someone to lean on can make a big difference.

Join a group. Virtual or in-person support groups offer more than just advice, they give you a place to be seen, heard, and encouraged. Research shows that patients who participate in support groups after surgery are more likely to stick with their new habits and maintain long-term weight loss.

Find your fit. If large groups aren’t your thing, try smaller accountability circles, online communities, or local events hosted by your bariatric clinic. You can also explore organizations like the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) for educational resources and advocacy.

Support isn’t just emotional, it’s practical too. The people around you can help with things like walking after surgery, preparing meals, or simply checking in. These small gestures can lead to better recovery and stronger long-term outcomes.

Need a place to start? Join our next virtual support group.

5. Nerves Are Normal

Feeling a little anxious, excited, or unsure? That’s completely normal. Bariatric surgery is a big decision, and most people feel a swirl of emotions leading up to it. You’re not alone, and you’re not doing anything wrong if you feel nervous.

Choosing surgery means you’re taking an active step to improve your health, mobility, and quality of life. Try these mindset tips to stay grounded as your surgery date gets closer:

• Write down your “why.” Keep a short list of reasons you’re doing this, whether it’s to improve your health, reduce your medications, move more comfortably, or feel better overall.
• Visualize success. Picture yourself walking more easily, playing with your kids, or simply feeling more free in your body.
• Name your feelings. Saying “I feel nervous today, and that’s okay” can help reduce anxiety rather than avoid it.
• Celebrate your courage. It takes strength to commit to change. Remind yourself of that when self-doubt creeps in.

It’s common to worry that others may see surgery as “taking the easy way out.” But the reality is very different. Bariatric surgery is a medically recognized, evidence-based treatment for obesity and is recommended by leading health organizations.

Choosing surgery isn’t the easy way out. It’s a responsible way forward.

You’re making a decision based on science, long-term health outcomes, and a commitment to improving your quality of life. This is a new beginning, not a finish line. It’s okay to feel emotional. Just don’t forget to make space for hope, pride, and possibility too. You’re choosing something better for yourself, and you deserve to feel good about that.

_{†Based on 24-month data from post-VSG patients; utilizing Baritastic for at least 27 days per month (Story C et al.), and the lowest reported percentage of EWL in the literature (Dogan).}