The gastric bypass procedure drastically reduces the size of your stomach; this helps you eat less by default and typically triggers dramatic weight loss in a relatively short period of time. This serious surgery significantly alters part of your digestive system and following a certain diet post-surgery carries importance beyond facilitating weight loss; it will also reduce the risk of complications that can ensue from eating the wrong types of foods. You must also permanently alter your eating habits long-term to keep the weight off.
Post-Surgery Restrictions
You must eat to accommodate the state of your stomach post-surgery. When you first get out of the surgery, you cannot just eat anything you want. For the first couple of days, you must stick to liquids to allow the staple lines to heal explains Mayoclinic.com. Drink only two to three ounces at a time.
After this, you can only eat foods ground up or pureed for about two to four weeks. Easily pureed foods include ground meats, beans and soft fruits and vegetables. You can also mix foods with liquids.
Once the doctor gives you the go ahead, you can add soft foods like scrambled eggs, canned fruits and vegetables, finely chopped meat and basically anything you can mash.
Transitioning Back to Normal Diet
Eventually, you will transition back to a normal diet. This typically occurs about eight weeks after the surgery. You cannot just jump right back in however, you need to initially avoid certain foods such as granola, stringy vegetables, nuts, seeds, bread and tough meats to name a few. You need to pay attention to what you eat and how it makes you feel; this can serve as a guidance system on adding things back into your diet.
Importance of Hydration
Keep well-hydrated to avoid dehydration; you run a higher risk due to side effects of the surgery such as diarrhea. Dr. Frank W. Jackson, writing for his gastroenterolgy's practice Gicare.com, explains that you must only drink about three to four ounces of fluid at a time; aim for 48 to 64 oz of fluid daily. Optimal choices include water and unsweetened fruit juices.
Do not drink during meals however. This can cause the food to move through the stomach too quickly, known as "dumping," resulting in uncomfortable symptoms. It can also create a feeling of fullness leading you to eat less and take in fewer nutrients than you already will due to reduced stomach size. Do not drink anything about 45 to 60 minutes before eating.
General Dietary Guidelines
To maintain weight loss and avoid complications resulting from your altered digestive system, Jackson makes several recommendations. Eat lots of lean protein like fish, chicken and turkey to facilitate healing and build muscle tissue in the long-term; this will cause your body to lose weight in the form of fat instead.
You must also reduce your intake of sugary foods. They promote weight gain and increase the likelihood of dumping. They also do not have rich stores of nutrients and you cannot afford to fill up on these foods in favor of more nutrient-dense healthier items.
Your new stomach might have trouble emptying after eating high-fat foods which causes symptoms like acid reflux. Watch your intake of fatty meats and full-fat dairy products.
Supplementation
Because you can only eat small amounts of food, nutritional deficiency after gastric bypass can manifest in a number of months. The most affected nutrients include vitamin B12, folate, calcium and iron. Your doctor will probably recommend a supplement; be sure to take it as directed.
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