WORK WITH US
Start your journey to a healthier, more vibrant you!
Our specialised services are designed to provide comprehensive nutritional support across various stages of your health journey.
From preparing for bariatric surgery and navigating post-surgery challenges, to guiding you in achieving weight stability and managing dietary needs in aged care, our expert team of registered dietitians is here to support you every step of the way.
Discover how our personalised approach can make a lasting difference in your life.
PREPARING FOR SURGERY
Prepare for your journey with confidence
Our expert dietitian’s will ensure you’re fully informed and supported, guiding you through the necessary dietary changes and nutritional challenges.
We’ll create a personalised pre-hab nutrition plan that not only prepares you for surgery but also optimises your nutrition. This plan focuses on establishing healthy dietary routines, improving nutrient levels in your body, and familiarising you with the nutritional foods you’ll use after surgery.
Additionally, we review your regular vitamin and mineral blood results and tailor vitamin supplements to meet your specific needs.
To see one of our Dietitians, you can either be referred from GP, Surgeon or other medical professional, or you can self-refer by calling our clinic. If you are planning to have your weight loss surgery outside of New Zealand we can provide you with pre-surgical nutritional care as well as after your surgery.
Requirements for Pre-Bariatric support:
Completed 7 day food log (download here).
- Provide Health information (forms to complete supplied on appointment confirmation)
Recovering from surgery
Navigate the critical post-surgery period with our specialised nutritional support.
We guide you through essential dietary plans to maintain optimal health while your body recovers from weight-loss (bariatric) surgery and adapts to a reduced stomach size. Our focus is on helping you meet nutritional requirements to maintain lean body mass and health throughout the rapid weight loss phase to achieve long term results.
We will review your vitamin and mineral blood results and tailor vitamin supplements to meet your specific needs, adapt your meal plans to accommodate for any dietary intolerances, give you specific step-by-step guidance for reintroducing foods after surgery and work closely with you to help you achieve your surgery goals.
We can provide you with nutrition care wherever you are in NZ if you meet the following:
Requirements for Post-Bariatric support:
If you had your surgery with Mark Smith at Aspiring Bariatrics & Endoscopy, your post-op nutrition care is included in your surgery care plan. This includes regular nutrition consultations, either in person or via Zoom, over the 2 years following surgery. We work closely with Mark Smith and his team to ensure the best care for your weight loss journey.
If you have had surgery overseas – copies of blood tests are helpful to maximise your session with your Dietitian. With your consent, we will liaise with your GP to arrange regular blood monitoring of your nutrient levels.
If you have had surgery under another surgeon in NZ, ideally you provide us with their details so we can collaborate care.
Send us a message via our contact form to get started.
LONGER-TERM NUTRITION and WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Long-term success after bariatric surgery requires continuous care.
Our dietitian’s provide ongoing support and adjustments to your nutritional plan, helping you maintain your health goals and manage your weight effectively.
It is part of weight management journey to have hiccups with your motivation, nutrition and health. There are many factors that influence our food and health choices that are complex, we expect that there are periods in your life after weight loss surgery where you may struggle with eating well. We are here to support and help you through these times.
With this in mind, after completing your 2 year nutrition care plan, our clinic recommends an annual one-hour consultation to stay on top of your health. providing the support and information you need to achieve weight stability.
In these consultations we will review blood nutrient levels, body weight, appetite & satiation levels, discuss aspects of weight & nutrition that you are having difficulty with and design a plan that works best to reach your health goals so you can feel the benefits of weight loss surgery lifelong.
Send us a message via our contact form to get started.
PREGNANCY AFTER WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY
Pregnancy after bariatric surgery has unique nutritional requirements no matter how long ago you had your surgery.
Your multivitamin regime will need to be adapted to accomodate the nutritional demands of pregnancy. Our Dietitians can support you from preparing for conception, during pregnancy through to post partum nutrition support and guidance.
We recommend a one-hour consultation for conception planning and a 30 minute review consultation in trimester 2 and 3. Or, if you are already pregnant and at the beginning of your pregnancy, then a one-hour consultation in trimester 2 and a 30-minute review in the third trimesters.
Connecting with our team after the baby is born is also crucial to establish eating patterns to fuel the demands of Trimester 4 and beyond.
Our dietitian’s are passionate about maternal health and will provide you with the right nutrition information to maintain your health and energy throughout pregnancy, ensuring optimal growth and development for your baby. With your consent, we will connect with your GP, Lead Maternity Carer and Bariatric surgeon to arrange extra blood monitoring of your nutrient levels and to co-ordinate nutrition care.
View Requirements:
- Provide Pregnancy information (Due date, lead maternity carer, Current multivitamin regime)
- Provide Health information (forms to complete supplied on appointment confirmation)
- Completed 7 day food log (download here).
- If you do not have recent bariatric blood tests, please give these to your medical practice to refer you for testing:
- Full Blood Count
- LFTs
- Renal Function
- HbA1c
- CRP
- Iron studies
- Vitamin D
- PTH
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin A
- Copper
- Selenium Zinc
- B12 & Folate
Send us a message via our contact form to get started.
Vitamins & minerals
Monitoring and taking vitamins and minerals before and after bariatric surgery is crucial for your health.
After surgery, your body changes how it digests food, which can lead to reduced absorption of nutrients.
It’s an essential part of weight loss surgery to check for any deficiencies before the surgery, as many people might already have low levels of important vitamins and minerals.
After the surgery, regular check-ups and bariatric specific supplements help prevent issues like anemia, weak bones, and other health problems.
Staying engaged with a dietitian is key to getting the best nutritional care and guidance for supplementation. A dietitian can help you understand your specific needs, recommend the right supplements, and adjust your diet and supplements as you recover. This ongoing support not only aids in your recovery but also helps you maintain a healthy weight and overall well-being in the long run.
By following these guidelines and working closely with a dietitian, you can set yourself up for success on your weight loss journey. With your consent, our Dietitians can liaise with your GP to check your blood nutrient levels and tailor a food & supplement intake to your specific requirements.
View Requirements:
- Completed 7 day food log (download here).
- If you do not have recent bariatric blood tests, please give these to your medical practice to refer you for testing:
- Full Blood Count
- LFTs
- Renal Function
- HbA1c
- CRP
- Iron studies
- Vitamin D
- PTH
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin A
- Copper
- Selenium Zinc
- B12 & Folate
- Provide Health information (forms to complete supplied on appointment confirmation)
Send us a message via our contact form to get started.
EXERCISING AFTER BARIATRIC SURGERY
Its important to get back into, or start exercising after weight loss surgery to maintain lean body mass and metabolic rate.
Exercising can influence appetite and fatigue levels and your dietary intake may need to be modified to manage this.
Whether you are returning to exercise after surgery, starting from scratch or training for sports events we offer exercise and sports nutrition plans so you can fuel up for exercise, recover well and achieve both your nutrition and exercise goals.
Our Dietitian’s provide nutrition solutions to keep your energy levels high, fulfil requirements of training sessions and assist with working exercise into your lifestyle without having to enter a gym (if that’s not your thing).
View Requirements:
- Completed 7 day food and exercise log (download here).
- If you do not have recent bariatric blood tests, please give these to your medical practice to refer you for testing:
- Full Blood Count
- LFTs
- Renal Function
- HbA1c
- CRP
- Iron studies
- Vitamin D
- PTH
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin A
- Copper
- Selenium Zinc
- B12 & Folate
- Provide Health information (forms to complete supplied on appointment confirmation)
aged-care nutrition
Enhance the wellbeing of elders with our dedicated nutritional services for aged care facilities.
We provide comprehensive support to foodservice and clinical staff, including menu reviews to ensure compliance with national standards.
Our Dietitians use a ‘food first’ approach liaising with Foodservice, clinical and care staff to provide nutrition care for wound healing, malnutrition, medical nutritional management, managing chronic constipation or diarrhoea and enteral feeding support. Our Dietitians work closely with foodservice and clinical staff to ensure the nutritional requirements of all residents are met including nutritionally balanced texture-modified diets and special diets.
The Aged care facilities under the care of Renovate Nutrition have monthly visits to review all residents referred through to us and regular foodservice contact.
When a resident requires Dietetic review, they are referred to our Dieitian for care, we collaborate care and liaise with the residents GP, their family, foodservice and clinical staff to provide the best nutrition care possible.
We also offer tailored nutrition education sessions designed specifically for care workers, food service, and clinical staff, ensuring that dietary needs are met with dignity and expertise.
Contact us if your Aged Care Facility requires
- Ongoing nutrition support for residents
- Menu Review to meet audit standards
- Foodservice support
- Nutrition education session to clinical, care or foodservice staff
FAQS
Got questions?
We’ve got answers!
How long is my first consultation with my Dietitian and what can I expect?
If you are seeing your Dietitian for the first time as part of surgery preparation, your first meeting with your Dietitian is 90 minutes. This is an opportunity to explore previous and current dietary practices that affect your daily functioning such as energy levels, body weight, sleep.
During this session your Dietitian will help you with making dietary and lifestyle changes to best prepare your body for bariatric surgery and you will be provided with information on the post operative nutrition changes and expectations. Following your consultation your Dietitian will write to your surgeon with the consultation details and care plan provided.
If you have already had surgery, nutrition consultations are 45 minutes.
Are Dietitian consultations provided under insurance?
We recommend you make contact with your Insurance provider to find out if some or all of your dietetic consultation fees may be covered, we will provide a GST receipt for your Insurance provider.
Your pre-surgery nutrition consultation(s) require payment at your Dietitian consultation, our clinic accepts eftpos, cash or internet payment.
If you have had bariatric surgery under Mark Smith at Aspiring Bariatrics and Endoscopy, your nutrition after-care consultations over the 2 years following your weight loss surgery are part of your surgery cost through Aspiring Bariatrics and Endoscopy.
If you require more frequent Dietitian support following your surgery, or you wish to book in and your surgery was overseas or under another Surgeon – payment is required at the time of your appointment. We recommend you check with your insurance provider if this is covered.
How often do I see my Dietitian before surgery?
How many consultations you require before surgery is dependent on your specific nutrition requirements and nutrition goals discussed in your initial consultation. As a minimum, you will need to see your Dietitian for the initial 90 minute appointment and one 30 minute pre-hab appointment closer to your surgery date.
Do I have the same dietitian each nutrition appointment?
Our team has 3 experienced bariatric Dietitians. Face to face consultations are preferred as the consult is more organic, yet we understand the demands of daily life so our clinic offers Zoom sessions with your preferred Dietitian.
If you are booking a face to face appointment, Kim runs our Dunedin clinics, Laura our Central Otago clinics and Renee & Kim are the Dietitians for the Invercargill clinics. We try our best to rebook you with your preferred Dietitian so you have continuity across your journey, however if you wish to change to another Dietitian within our practice, we are happy to book you into their zoom or in-person clinic.
Privacy - I am worried about someone finding out about my decision to have bariatric surgery.
Our team follow the Dietitians Board Code of Ethics and Conduct and the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 to ensure your information is kept private and confidential
- Dietitians & staff respect the confidentiality and privacy of consumers
- All patient/client information is held securely and in confidence.
- Information provided by a consumer is used for the purpose it was provided for, unless the use is authorised by the consumer or as required by law.
- All consumer information is confidential after the relationship has ended.
- All client records are accurately maintained, comprehensive and current.
- No identifiable personal or health information about a consumer is disclosed without their consent, unless disclosure is required or permitted by law.
- We take all reasonable steps to respect and protect the dignity and privacy of consumers at all times.
How long is the nutrition support plan at Renovate Nutrition provided for if I am having weight loss surgery through Aspiring Bariatrics and Endoscopy?
Your after-care nutrition package includes a phone-call check in from your Dietitian 2 weeks after surgery and a full nutrition review at 1 month following your surgery to progress you onto your next meal plan.
Following this, your after-care nutrition appointments will be booked in with your Dietitian every 3 months in the first year and every 6 months in the second year.
If you have had surgery through another Surgeon in New Zealand or Overseas, we can design a support plan that best supports your aftercare.
You are able to book additional consultations if you feel you would benefit from more frequent consultations as per the fee schedule. Our team will be in touch when you are due for these appointments, but you are also welcome to reach out at any stage.
Are the clinic rooms easily accessed? Is there parking?
Our administrator will provide you with the address and the best way to access the consult rooms at our locations. Each clinic location has an easily accessible toilet. Our Dunedin clinic, Mercy Hospital, has onsite parking. For Queenstown, Cromwell and Invercargill clinics there is on-street parking close-by.
I’m overwhelmed by the options of protein and multivitamin supplements, how do I know what to get for my after-surgery eating plan?
The multivitamin and protein supplement options can be overwhelming to choose between. Your Dietitian will cover the best options for you- everyone has different taste preferences and nutritional requirements after surgery, our team will guide you to the ones that are best for your unique needs.
We encourage you to ask your Dietitian about products you are interested in incorporating into your nutrition plan these at your consultations.
I didn’t have weight loss surgery under Mark Smith at ABLE, can I still see the Renovate Nutrition Dietitians?
Yes of course! Our team provides nutrition care and guidance for all stages of weight loss surgery.
Learn more here
How do I know if I’m a good candidate for bariatric surgery?
Can I book a consultation with a Dietitian if I am not having bariatric surgery?
Unfortunately, not at this stage. Our Dietitians are at maximum clinic capacity and are only able to deliver nutrition clinics for those planning on having weight loss surgery or requiring nutrition after-care for weight loss surgery.
