Weight loss surgery can be your best option for losing both pounds and fat. As helpful as this surgery is, it does require that you prepare for it accordingly. Here are some general tips that your doctor might recommend before your surgery.

Quit Smoking

All weight loss surgical patients are required to stop smoking and using tobacco products at least three months prior to their surgery dates. Smoking and using tobacco products increase the risk of complications both during and after surgery. If you want to undergo and recover from the operation as well as possible, you will be advised to stop all tobacco use before you can undergo the surgery.

If you need help with smoking cessation, you should ask your doctor for patches or other medications that can help you quit.

Confront Your Food Addiction

Before you undergo weight loss surgery, you also will need to confront any addictions you have to certain foods. You may need to mentally and psychologically scrutinize what it is that compels you to eat these foods. You also will need to realize that some of these foods will probably be off limits to you once you undergo the surgery.

When it comes to preparing for weight loss surgery, you also will need to realize that your food intake limits will be severely restricted. Your serving portions will be much smaller than you are accustomed to, and you will need to eat slowly in order to help your system digest thoroughly. You will not be able to overeat after the weight loss surgery. Your doctor may suggest nutritional counseling to help with this step.

Adjust Your Medications

You might be advised to adjust the use of certain medications before weight loss surgery. You and your doctor will discuss all of the medications that you are currently taking and for what reason. Your doctor will then advise you on what ones you need to stop taking to reduce complications in the surgery and what ones you can keep taking as normal.

You also may need to start taking a blood thinner prior to the surgery. The blood thinner will reduce the risk of you developing blood clots after the operation.