Bariatric surgery can completely transform the patients suffering from severe obesity. If you’re looking to go for bariatric surgery or have already scheduled your surgery date, it is time to begin planning for your revival. The significant changes you’ll need to make are to your diet after bariatric surgery.
What to eat after bariatric surgery?
We have listed certain stages of post bariatric surgery diets that you will have to follow cautiously.
- Clear liquid diet stage
Beginning the day following your surgery, you will start a bariatric clear liquid diet for approximately 4-5 days. Throughout this stage, you must attempt your best to work up to 3 ounces of clear fluids per day every 30 minutes. This can be complicated right after your surgery, but it would proceed to get easier and sense more relaxing. Drink slowly and do not drink liquids with a straw or chew gum, as these can cause gas and bloating. Some liquids to drink through out this period include vegetable broth, diluted apple juice, sugar-free citrus gelatin, and lemon water.
Moreover, you must be adding diluted protein shakes to your clear liquid diet. Try a blend of half water and half protein.
- Full liquid diet stage
You could move ahead to the second stage of your diet after 4 to 5 days and after you have been able to bear 48 ounces of clear liquids per day. The second stage will engage foods that are soft or have constancy akin to yogurt and will continue for around 7 to10 days. You must try eating every 3-4 hours; ensure that you do not miss out on any meals. Each of these meals must be around ½ cup or two ounces in amount. You must still be drinking at least 48-64 ounces of liquids through out this period too. Mashed banana, cottage cheese, unsweetened applesauce, pea soup, Greek or non-dairy yoghurt, black beans, lentils, and oatmeal are a few examples of foods you can eat in this stage.
- Puree food stage
After a successful full liquid diet, you can add solid foods with a pureed touch which lets you gradually reconstruct your tolerance of solid foods. You will have a soft diet between weeks 3 and 4following your bariatric surgery. This diet stage includes foods like low-fat cheeses, egg whites, salmon, chickpeas, soft fruits, and veggies.
Apart from the post-op diet, you must ask your doctor about the bariatric liquid diet pre op.
