Stages of the Bariatric Surgery Diet
After you undergo bariatric weight loss surgery, the way you eat will change drastically. Because the size of the stomach is reduced so much, just a small amount of food will make you feel full. It is very important that you make the most out of every meal, making sure that everything you put in your body is helping to fulfill a nutritional requirement. To ensure a recovery without complications, it is essential to stick to the diet plan your doctor has devised for you. Your doctor's recommendation may differ slightly, but the following is a pretty common routine.
Stage 1--Day 1
During the first day following bariatric surgery, the stomach must be checked for any leaks. This is done via S-ray. If there are no leaks in the stomach, the patient should drink 1 oz. of room-temperature water per hour. The patient should drink slowly and without a straw, to avoid irritation.
Stage 2--Day 2
On the second day of the surgery, different kinds of liquids can be consumed. To ensure that the patient is getting enough fluids and proteins, she should drink 1/4 cup of a high-protein fluid once an hour and 1 oz. of sugar-free, caffeine-free, non-carbonated liquid every 15 minutes. (This does not apply when asleep.)
Stage 2--Home from Hospital
Until the three-week post-surgery evaluation, a liquid diet must be followed strictly. To get the 40 to 60g of protein per day, a low-sugar, high-protein shake or liquid meal replacement is recommended. These can be found in most grocery stores and nutrition stores. Select one that has less than 20g of sugar and at least 13g of protein in 8 oz. As on the second day after surgery, you are required to drink 2 oz. of a calorie-free, caffeine-free, non-carbonated liquid every 15 minutes. Your total amount of fluids per day should be at least 64 oz. Continue taking the recommended amount of vitamins and calcium in a chewable form.
Stage 3--Soft Foods
After the three-week evaluation, the doctor will discuss adding soft foods to your diet. These new foods should be added slowly and in small proportions, because the stomach is still healing. When eating, always eat the protein first, in case you become full and cannot finish the meal. Some examples of recommended foods during this stage are eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna, tender ground meat and poultry, lunch meat, oatmeal, soft cooked vegetables, potatoes and soups. These foods should all be bought in their low-fat, light and sugar-free versions. Avoid any food that is sticky, crunchy, fatty or tough.
Stage Four--Solids
Eventually, you will be able to tolerate a lot of the foods that you ate before the surgery. Solid foods, just like the soft foods, should be added gradually and one at a time. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sugars, as they are likely to make you sick. Because you will only be able to fit small amounts of food in your stomach, you will need to get the most nutritional value out of each meal. This means making healthy decisions about protein and nutrients.
