Why Losing Weight BEFORE Your Surgery Is Important

If you are researching metabolic surgery or have already made the decision to undergo a weight loss procedure, you may have heard that you will need to commit to a pre-surgical weight loss program.  This request may seem strange and out-of-place.  After all, you have already attempted to lose weight in the past.  And isn’t weight loss supposed to be the end result of the surgery?  It is easy to be surprised and confused by this somewhat startling requirement.  However, as you will learn during your pre-surgical consultations with Dr. Wiljon Beltre at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery in Maitland, Florida, starting a weight loss program before your surgery is a critical part of making your weight loss surgery a long term success, because it will:

Make surgery faster and safer, and decrease the risk of surgical complications. 

Excess fatty deposits in the liver and around the intestines can lead to dangerous complications during surgery.  A fatty liver is brittle and may crack during surgery, causing internal bleeding and other serious complications.  Fat around the stomach and intestines complicates the use of advanced laparoscopic instruments, potentially leading to injury, leaks, and other complications.  Therefore, your pre-surgery diet will be specifically designed to reduce fat in these critical areas.

Decrease your recovery time. 

When a procedure is completed as quickly as possible, without complications low, the faster most patients can recover.  By reducing the length of your surgery and increasing its safety, you are putting yourself in the best possible position to recover quickly and effectively!

Stimulate post-surgical weight loss. 

Developing new eating and exercise habits in advance of your surgery will enable you to start off your new lifestyle quickly and effectively, right from the start.  You will also know how to make knowledgeable choices about your food intake and your exercise habits, so proper lifestyle habits and successful long-term weight loss can begin immediately.

Demonstrate commitment to long-term lifestyle changes. 

Weight loss surgery requires a lifetime commitment to major alterations in what you eat, when you eat, and how you eat.  While these commitments are easier to maintain after surgery, you still must be ready to demonstrate your willingness to make the necessary lifestyle changes.

May be required for insurance coverage. 

While insurance companies are recognizing metabolic surgery as an effective treatment option for obesity, most will only approve coverage if they receive documentation of participation in a medically-approved weight loss program in advance of the surgery.

It can be easy to be intimidated by the need to lose weight in advance of your surgery, but working with Dr. Beltre and his caring, warm, and compassionate team of weight loss experts is different!

• You aren’t doing it alone: You will be working closely with a dedicated support team committed to helping you start your weight loss journey on the right foot to ensure lasting success.
• Your pre-surgery weight loss goals are limited: The goal is not to lose a significant amount of weight, but to lose a small amount of weight to make your surgery safer and easier.
• Your motivations are different: Pre-surgery weight loss is only the first step on you weight loss journey, and knowing that makes the commitment to critical dietary changes much easier!

Board certified surgeon Dr. Wiljon Beltre at the Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery in Maitland, Florida, offers a multifaceted approach to weight loss, coupling cutting-edge weight loss surgery with a long-term support network.  If you have tried—and failed—to lose weight in the past, we encourage you to attend an informational seminar or contact our office today for a free, individual consultation.

To find out more about the procedures & treatments performed by Orlando Bariatric Surgeon, Dr. Wiljon Beltre, at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Call 321-499-6505 or Click Here to Schedule a Consultation.