After having a gastric bypass, you will go through a four-stage diet plan that slowly introduces solid foods back into your diet while allowing the staple line in your stomach to heal properly. The diet progresses through a liquid diet, pureed foods, soft foods and finally solid foods. The stage 4 solid food diet is the diet plan you will follow as long as you are still trying to lose weight. Following this stage of the plan requires a lifestyle change instead of just trying to follow a short-term diet program.
Plan Your Day
Plan out the time when you will eat each meal. After having gastric bypass surgery, you will be unable to drink liquids an hour before or an hour after you eat, notes Medline Plus. By scheduling your meals, you can ensure that you don't drink anything during that period while still making sure that you get plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
Eat Slowly
When you are eating your food, you will only be able to eat about 1/2 cup of food per meal. Eating more than this can cause you to become nauseated and possibly vomit. To minimize the risk of this happening, eat each meal slowly. Take small bites and be sure to chew your food thoroughly before swallowing.
Focus on Healthy Foods
Lean protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains are the main components of your diet following gastric bypass. Because of the small amount of food you will be able to eat, you should focus on eating nutritious foods instead of sugary, high-calorie, fat-laden foods. Eat your protein first at each meal, as you need approximately 60 grams of protein daily, notes the University of Virginia Health System.
Get Moving
Exercising is an important part of your healthy lifestyle following gastric bypass. At first, you may not be able to exercise much, but any physical activity is better than none. Walk up and down the hall if that is all you can handle. As you lose weight and gain stamina, the amount of time and the types of exercises you do will increase.
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