What diet should I be on before a tummy tuck?

Thank you for your question.  I know the temptation to lose weight in order to maximize your tummy tuck results is a strong one, but dieting this severely before surgery may predispose you to wound-healing risks.  For my patients, I ask them to reach their ideal goal weight before considering any aesthetic surgery.  This weight should be one that they are comfortable at, and can maintain, as this will insure the best long-term outcomes.  When weight loss is done quickly before surgery, your body may be nutritionally deficient in protein and key vitamins and minerals essential for healing.  This may increase your risks and ultimately harm your results.  I would recommend you pursue a healthy diet and exercise regimen up until surgery, and not concern yourself with an exact weight you need to lose.  Hope this helps.

Unfortunately, I think you are going about this the wrong way.  For weight loss to be healthy for your body, in the absence of gastric weight loss surgery, you should not be trying to lose more than about 10 lbs per month.  Also, in order to maintain your best results after surgery, you need to be able to maintain the weight loss after surgery, and often times the type of "crash dieting" techniques you are asking about simply result in the complete weight gain shortly after the diet is stopped.  I always encourage my patients not to crash diet to get to a goal weight but rather to get to a weight that is healthy and easily maintained after surgery so that you will have the best long-term results.  As far as compression garments, your plastic surgeon will have his/her favorite.  Best of luck with your surgery!