Vertical banded gastric bypass weight-loss surgery (or VBG) is designed to help the patient lose weight by artificially decreasing the size of the stomach through the use of an elastic band to cut off access to the larger portion of the organ. Over time, this leads to nearly assured weight loss, as the patient will no longer be able to consume nearly as much food as he could prior to the operation. The best results are obtained by patients who follow a special diet.
Liquid Diet
Follow a liquid diet under your doctor's supervision for the initial phase following your VBG surgery, according to information from the Mayo Clinic. A liquid diet will give your body time to recover from the procedure itself, and provide you a chance to safely reassess your new stomach capacity with easily digested foods. While on a liquid diet, stick to foods like milk, juices (without added sugar), broth, sugar-free Jell-o and cream soups. Avoiding sugar is important during this (and every) phase of post-VBG dieting because your body will have difficulty processing sugars, which can lead to a condition known as "dumping," causing symptoms such as fatigue and dizziness.
Mashed Food Diet
Move to a mashed food diet after several days on the liquid diet plan. While you can consume more types of solid food here, you may only consume foods that have been blended, pureed or otherwise ground up into an easy-to-digest form. Good foods to eat during this phase include ground meats, blended fish, mashed beans, cooked fruits and vegetables, and soft egg whites. All of these foods should be blended with broth, gravy, water, low-fat milk or unsweetened juice before serving, which will ease the digestive process.
Soft Foods
Move to a soft food diet after several weeks on the mashed food diet. You will no longer have to blend your foods together with beverages before consuming them, which adds to your meal choices. While eating a soft food diet, you are free to consume any food that can be easily smashed with a fork, including canned fruits, tender meats, mashed or well-baked potatoes, dinner rolls and white bread. Following this phase, you may return to a solid food diet.
