Preparing for Weight Loss Surgery: Essential Items You Need

If you are pre-op getting ready for weight loss surgery, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed. There is a lot to do to get ready for your new life and you might not know where to start. I remember feeling really stressed that I did not know what to get beforehand to help me on my journey. I knew I needed to prepare for the liquid stage, but I was completely out of the loop with other tools and resources that would help me. Since I got a redo with my conversion to gastric bypass, I was able to relive the early days after my bariatric surgery and be more prepared. The things that I had wish I had on my journey when I first had gastric sleeve 8 years ago, I was able to put into place once I had my second surgery.  We all know the typical things to get right away: vitamins, gas medicine, liquid/puree options, protein bars and so on. However, what about the other stuff? What are the essential items that would make life even easier after surgery that you might not be thinking of?

1. Blender. You will be living off liquids and purees for a while, so I encourage you to invest in a good blender. It can get exhausting using one that does not work well. There are so many fancy ones out there, but you do not have to spend a crazy amount on a good one. Do your research and find one that works for you. I really liked the Nutribullet because it was small and convenient and had a lot of settings that gave me the consistency I needed with my foods. 
2. Food Journal. Tracking your food is an essential part of this lifestyle change. You must learn how to hold yourself accountable and tracking with a food journal can really help keep you on track. I have learned that you cannot always just guess with the nutrition of a food. It all adds up very fast and a food journal will help you keep track of everything to make sure you are not eating too much or too little of something. You can also find some great journals out there that help you with tracking exercise and even your own thoughts about your journey. The good thing is, you do not even have to use pen and paper anymore. There are so many wonderful apps out there!
3. Water bottle. If you are like me, having cute things can sometimes motivate me. I love having cute water bottles with me because it encourages me to drink more water. I really like the ones that tell you how much you should be drinking by a certain time. You must stay on top of your hydration to be healthy after surgery, so make sure you are taking the time to do this every single day.
4. Food Scale. I was not a big fan of these all the time, but I do think it is handy to have after weight loss surgery. When you start eating solids again, you will have to pay attention to how many ounces you are eating at a time. This can be challenging sometimes to just eye. Having a good food scale to help you measure the amount you are eating will make sure you are not eating too much, which can cause your stomach to stretch. 
5. Measuring Tape and Scale. You will need to track your progress. So, make sure you have a good scale to track your weight loss and also invest in measuring tape because watching your inches drop is just as important as watching the pounds drop. These tools will be wonderful for you to have in your toolkit on your journey. 

There are so many items out there that might help you, but these are the essential ones that I truly believe you cannot ignore. Make sure that you have these items if you are just now starting your journey. You do not need to overwhelm yourself and feel like you need to spend hundreds of dollars on products. Focus on a few items like these and just keep adding things as you get further out. Everyone has different things they need to be successful, so it is ok if your list is a little different. Just make sure you set yourself up for success and get prepared prior to surgery and that way you can focus on the right things.