How to Lose Weight Fast & Safely Pre-Op

Surgery is often times a necessity, but that doesn't change the fact that all surgery carries risks. A 2007 study conducted by St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, found that risk of serious complications are increased in obese people and include deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, infection and kidney failure. However, according to a 2007 study published in "Archives of Surgery," obese patients who lose between 5 percent and 10 percent of their body weight before surgery reduce their risk to that of a person with a healthy body weight.

Things You'll Need

• Multivitamin
• Fiber supplement

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Instructions

• 1

  Determine how much weight you need to lose. Ten percent of your body weight is the current ideal. Write down your current weight. Move the decimal over one space to the left. That is 10 percent. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, moving the decimal over would give you 20.0 pounds. Ideally, you'd need to lose 20 pounds of fat before surgery.

• 2

  Drop your calories accordingly. To lose weight quickly pre-op, you'll need to drop your calories 1,000 to 2,000 below maintenance. Calculate your daily caloric need and then subtract 1,000 to 2,000 from it. Keep in mind that the women must take in at least 1,200 calories a day and men need at least 1,500 calories daily. Do not drop below these values unless ordered to by a physician.

• 3

  Keep track of your macro-nutrients. Protein, fat and carbohydrates are all considered macro-nutrients. When trying to lose weight fast and safely, most of your calories should come from protein. Limit your carbohydrates and fats to 20 grams a day. Get the rest of your calories from protein. This speeds up weight loss and preserves lean body mass.

• 4

  Engage in at least an hour of low-impact aerobic exercise daily. Aim to burn 500 calories a day through exercise. During low-impact aerobic exercise, the body uses mostly fat for fuel. This, in combination with the extra calories burned while exercising, leads to greater weight loss. Walking and swimming are the two exercises most commonly used for fast and safe weight loss pre-op.

• 5

  Take supplements to stay healthy. Take a multivitamin and fiber supplement daily. It is difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals you need when on a restrictive diet. The multivitamin gives your body all of its required nutrients. Fiber keeps your gastrointestinal tract running efficiently. Fiber also helps keep you full.