How Your Dietary Requirements Will Change After Bariatric Surgery

What is Bariatric Surgery

Weight loss surgeries and gastric bypass collectively known as Bariatric Surgery. These involve making some changes to the digestive system to help loss weight. When diet and exercise have not worked for you to loss weight or when there are some serious health issues due to weight then this Surgery known as Bariatric Surgery is done to help you.

Bariatric surgery is a great way of losing weight. It helps to limit the amount of food you can consume and can even lower your appetite. After undergoing bariatric surgery, you will have to make a few changes to your diet.

Before your surgery you need to make plans for a special diet to follow both pre and post bariatric surgery.

Post bariatric surgery diet plan consists of several stages and will be determined by your dietician or healthcare provider. 

All stages stress the importance of controlling your food portions. This habit will help you continue to loss weight and prepare you for how you will eat for the rest of your life.

Post bariatric surgery diet plan 

We have outlined these changes below.

You’ll Need to Take Liquids

After undergoing this surgery, your doctor will advise you to take fluids such as bariatric soups. This is meant to keep you hydrated and properly fed as you begin to heal. Initially, you will only be able to take clear liquids like broth,water, and sugar-free gelatin.

Between one and three days after the surgery, you will be able to adopt a full liquid diet, which involves the consumption of protein shakes and other milk products.

Additional types of liquid including

• Skim milk
• Thin soup and broth
• Unsweetened juice
• Decaffeinated coffee and tea

Transition to Puree Diets

After the full liquid diet, you will have to move to puree diets. These diets consist of soft foods that don’t necessarily need to be chewed. They’re similar to baby foods and are meant to help you transition slowly to solid foods. You still have to take protein shakes during this phase, but this will only help to supplement your intake from food.

You have to stick to this diet until six weeks after the surgery. At this point, you will start to slowly reintroduce solid foods to your diet. However at this stage it is important not to drink fluids with your meals.

Introducing Solid Foods

As you start to take solid foods, you will have to consume three meals in a day, and each meal should have 1 to 1.5 cups of food. It is important to consume foods that are easily digestible.

Also, remember to stop eating before you feel completely full. You should monitor how your body reacts to the foods as your stomach may fail to tolerate certain foods after the procedure. Over time, you will be able to go back to options like the Mediterranean diet or the carnivore diet. You can start building soft, easy to chew foods like

• Soft boiled eggs
• Ground meat
• Baked or steamed white fish
• Canned fruits such as peats 

Here are some foods that can cause problems after bariatric surgery: that you should avoid.

•  Carbonated drinks 
•  Raw vegetables 
•  Bread 
• Cooked vegetables like cabbage and celery 
• Fried foods • Red meat and other tough meats • Nuts and seeds • Spicy foods

Tips to Follow After Bariatric Surgery

 Since bariatric surgery reduces the size of your stomach, you should always limi tthe amount of food you consume.

•  It is better to consume several small meals throughout the day instead of going for one large meal. 
• You should also take a cup of liquid with every meal.
• Another thing to note is that you should always chew your foods thoroughly.
• Avoid high fat and high sugar foods.
• Practice portion control 
• Drink enough daily to avoid dehydration.

This is because the new opening leading from your stomach to the small intestines is very narrow and can be blocked by large pieces of food.

Frequently asked questions

1. What is a normal diet after bariatric surgery?

You should follow a diet low in calories, fats and sweets. Keep a watch on your daily intake of food portion, calorie and protein. Avoid food such as rice, raw vegetables, fresh fruits and meats that are not easily chewed such as pork and steak.

2. What are some foods not recommended to be eaten after gastric bypass surgery?

The following foods should be avoided after bariatric surgery

• Alcohol
• Dry fruits
• Bread, pasta and rice
• Fibrous fruits and vegetables
• Sugary and highly caffeinated drinks
• High fat food

3. Can I have ice cream after gastric bypass?

Calorie dense foods and beverages like ice cream, chocolate should be avoided.

4. What is the most important nutrient after bariatric surgery?

Protein is the most important nutrient of concern for a bariatric surgery patients.

Conclusion

In the first few days after bariatric surgery, you will have to take a liquid diet.  You can then progress to puree diets, and you stick to it for about six weeks after the surgery. From there, you can start to reintroduce solid foods. It is important to limit the amount of food you consume and stick to low calorie meals