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POST-OP BARIATRIC SURGERY DIET

General Recommendations

  • Immediately after your weight loss surgery, it is very important to follow the eating and drinking instructions to allow your body to heal completely at the surgical site from the procedure you underwent.
  • In the first weeks after surgery, it’s important not to overeat or swallow large bites of food that have not been chewed extremely well.
  • NEVER eat anything solid until you are instructed by your weight loss surgeon to do so.
  • No carbonated beverages or alcohol for 6 weeks.
  • You should not be sipping anything though a straw. No chewing gum.
  • Eat slowly and chew thoroughly—at least 25 times!
  • Avoid items with large amounts of sugars, especially those in liquid form. They are filled with non-nutrient calories and slow down weight loss.
  • Remember the stomach can only hold 3-4 oz after surgery. You will probably feel satisfied after 2-3 tablespoons of food. Do Not Overeat! Over time, your stomach will stretch. It takes 6-9 months (possibly longer) for your new stomach size to stabilize and allow you to determine your normal meal amount.
  • Stop eating when you feel comfortably satisfied. If ignored, vomiting will follow.
  • Drink at least 6 to 8 cups (8 oz) of fluid per day to prevent dehydration.
  • Stop drinking liquids 15 minutes before meals and resume 30-45 minutes after
    meals.
  • Introduce new foods one at a time in order to rule out any intolerance. If a food is not tolerated, reintroduce it in 1 week.
  • If you cannot tolerate dairy, substitute Lactaid for milk.

Phase I – CLEAR LIQUIDS

A clear liquid diet allows healing time and to make sure that your body can tolerate anything by mouth.

  • Sip no more than 2-3 oz. maximum at a time. (Stop when full if less than 2-3 oz).
  • Drink 1-2 oz. protein supplement at a time.
  • NO milk, NO dairy.

Then gradually increase your intake of liquids to 6 to 8 ounces every hour. Drink very slowly. You can have small sips of your liquids throughout the day.

  • Clear liquid protein drink
  • Clear Broth/Bouillon: Chicken, beef, vegetable. (Non-fat)
  • Jell-O, Popsicles, flavored water
  • Gatorade/Vitamin water, Crystal light, Kool-Aid, decaf tea (no herbal tea)
  • No coffee, caffeine, or carbonated drinks

WOMEN: 40-60 grams
MEN: 60-80 grams

Breakfast

  • 1 lemon jelly cup
  • Apple juice—add 10% natural water

Morning Snack

  • Water-based popcicle (flavor of your choice)

Meal

  • Protein supplement in liquid presentation
  • 1 Gatorade cup

Afternoon snack

  • One cup of chamomile tea with sugar substitute

Dinner

  • 1 jelly cup (flavor of your choice)
  • 2 bottles of Gerber grape juice Gerber

Recommendations

  • Eat very slowly. Don’t eat solid foods. No sodas.
  • If you make your own juices at home, they must be strained to remove all bits of fruit and mixed with water.

Phase II – FULL (THICK) LIQUIDS

  • This phase incorporates liquids of higher nutritional value that can be milk based.
  • At least 40-60 grams protein daily. Can divide 1 drink and have ½ for lunch and the other ½ for supper.
  • Always stop drinking before becoming overly full. (Drink slowly to be aware of this on time).
  • Remember to avoid sugar and high-fat drinks and foods
  • Sip on water and other non-carbonated drinks (Crystal light, Gatorade) throughout the day.
  • Protein drink = 40 grams protein daily.
  • Skim milk, soymilk, other low fat milks
  • Low fat cream soups – can add 1 scoop protein powder (no potato, no corn soup).
  • Soups (chose higher protein soups like bean soup, can take chunky soups and blend before eating)
  • Fat-free (artificially sweetened “lite”) yogurt
  • All phase 1 liquids.
  • Breakfast: 2-3oz. lite yogurt
  • Mid-morning: 3 oz. Jell-O
  • Lunch: ½ serving of protein drink = 20 grams protein
  • Supper: 2-3 oz. low fat cream of chicken soup or other cream soups
  • Before Bed: Remaining ½ serving of protein drink = 20 grams of protein

PHASE III – BLENDED/PUREED DIET

You will now progress to a blended/pureed diet. Chew all your food to applesauce consistency. If you don’t follow these precautions, you may experience vomiting, stomach irritation, and swelling. You could also have obstruction of the small gastric pouch. If solid foods cause nausea and vomiting, go back to the liquid diet you had earlier.

  • Thicker Soups: Split pea, lentil, vegetable, 98% fat-free cream soups.
  • Fruits: Very ripe bananas, applesauce (no sugar added), cooked fruit.
  • Vegetables: Cooked well so that they are very soft – peas, beans, beets, carrots, squash. Avoid potatoes as they are high in carbohydrates.
  • Soy Protein: blended or pureed or Tofu which can be blended into shakes or soups to add protein.
  • Poultry or Fish: Blended to the consistency of pate or chopped liver
  • Eggs, Whole or Whites: soft boiled, poached, or scrambled very easy
  • Egg Substitutes: Eggbeaters, Better than Eggs, etc.
  • Cottage Cheese: 1% or fat free

Phase IV – NORMAL FOODS​

You may transition to normal foods slowly. Make healthy/smart choices. You want the protein/ carbohydrate ratio to be smart (eat 4 times more protein than carbohydrates).

  • Chew all your food very well, until it is a pureed consistency in your mouth
  • When you start to feel full, STOP EATING. Do not over fill your new smaller stomach.
  • Remember you cannot eat and drink at the same time
  • You can start with soft food, and then do the transition to normal.
  • Protein Foods: Baked fish, canned tuna, salmon, crabmeat (well picked); soft, moist, baked, boiled or canned chicken or turkey, sliced chicken/turkey deli meat; tofu or other soy based meat analogs, cooked beans, low fat cheese, eggs.
  • Vegetables: Vegetables must be soft, well steamed, or boiled. (Carrots, beets, mushrooms, spinach, squash, green beans, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, onions)
  • Fruits: Fruits must be soft. Like apples, peaches, pears, bananas, and cantaloupe.
  • Starches: AVOID all starches including: rice, potatoes, bread, corn, crackers
  • Fats: Limit the amounts of the following: margarine, olive oil, or cooking spray (Pam); low fat mayo or salad dressing. Avoid GREASY, FRIED FOODS

IMPORTANT NOTES

  1. The primary source of nutrition needs to be protein. 55% of all calories consumed should be lean, protein-based (eggs, cheese, yogurt, beans, fish, meat, protein supplement powder, etc.). Carbohydrates (whole grain cereals, whole grain pasta, brown rice, etc.) should make up only 30%. Fats (olive or canola oils, flaxseed oil) should only be 10-15% of the calories that you eat. Plus protein makes us feel more satisfied for a longer period.
  2. Drink an adequate amount of liquid daily, preferably water. Patients should consume between 64 and 80 ounces (8 to 10, 8-ounce glasses) of non-caloric liquid per day. This should be done slowly and throughout the day.
  3. Always drink liquids separately from the solid foods you eat. Avoid liquids for a period of 15-30 minutes before eating and 30-60 minutes after eating solid foods.
  4. Eat only 3 times per day plus 2 snacks once you begin solid foods, Phase IV (this should correspond to mealtimes). Be sure to chew your food thoroughly, 25-30 times, before swallowing, and only take a very small bite of food at a time (less than 1 teaspoon) as you gradually return to eating solid foods. Between meals, snacking or “grazing” small amounts of food throughout the day will sabotage your weight loss and result in the inability to lose an adequate amount of weight.
  5. Avoid foods which contain sugar. These foods will slow your weight loss. They contain empty calories. Sugar causes “dumping” in patients who have had the gastric bypass procedure. Dumping is when sugars go directly from your stomach to our small intestine, causing heart palpitations (racing heart beats), nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Foods to avoid include: candy, cookies, ice cream, sugary soda pop, juices, gelatins, puddings, and most desserts
  6. Eat slowly. Chewing is key. Chew your food 25 times before swallowing. Make sure you are taking at least 20 minutes to eat. It takes that long for your stomach to tell your brain you’re full. If you eat too fast you may overeat, overfill, and end up vomiting.
  7. Stop eating/drinking before you begin to feel full. Do not “stuff” yourself, as this may cause your stomach pouch to stretch – or worse, burst – causing long term problems and complications. Here is a chart of suggested foods to keep in mind when making a meal/diet plan that fits for your new post-op bariatric surgery lifestyle.
    This does not constitute a weight loss plan or program but can be a good guideline for preparing meals.

*If you don’t find a clear protein for the first week, it is ok if you wait until the 5th day to start taking a powder one.

Get More Detailed Suggestions in the PDF Below
Download PDF File with Complete Diet

Open and download PDF file with complete Post-Op Bariatric Surgery Information.

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YOUR TRIP TO MEXICO

We suggest you to take along some gas X strips, some packs of gauze, and a roll of medical tape. Pack lightly and take a comfortable pair of walking shoes. Remember to keep your fingernails trimmed or the doctors might have to trim one of the index finger nails short to accommodate checking your oxygen levels during surgery. (And at least that fingernail has to be without nail polish.)

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Join our private Facebook support group and receive nutrition information and support from other patients.

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