Gastric sleeve surgery, also called sleeve gastrectomy, was previously the first part of a two-part weight loss surgical procedure. Now also a stand-alone procedure, gastric sleeve surgery requires the removal of between 60 and 80 percent of the stomach, according to Weight Loss Surgery. Unlike gastric bypass, your small intestine remains intact after sleeve gastrectomy, reducing the risk of malabsorption, which causes chronic nutritional deficiencies. Sleeve gastrectomy still requires dietary adjustments to meet nutrition needs, however, because the surgery severely limits food intake.
Caloric Needs
Loss of between 50 and 80 percent of excess body weight occurs within the first six months to one year after you have this surgery, reports the Consumer Guide to Bariatric Surgery. Weight loss occurs because calorie intake decreases owing to reduced stomach size and your resulting inability to hold more than a small amount of food without vomiting. For the first few weeks after the procedure, your caloric intake is typically 55 to 700. Caloric intake increases to between 600 and 800 calories per day for the first one to two years post-surgery---a near-starvation level that can cause nutritional deficiencies. Once you reach your goal weight, caloric intake increases to 1,000 to 1,200 calories per day.
Diet Advancement
Immediately after surgery, your diet will consist first of clear liquids, then pureed foods no thicker than applesauce. Your stomach can hold no more than 4 to 6 ounces of food, or around 2 to 3 tablespoons. During the first week after surgery, your doctor may limit you to 1 ounce of pureed food every 20 minutes. Vomiting is a sign that you've eaten too much at one time. After three weeks, or whenever your physician tells you that you can increase food intake, you can start eating soft solid foods. Take liquid between meals, not during them. A month after surgery, you may advance to solid foods with an emphasis on lean protein, fruits and vegetable and whole grains. Your doctor may limit your intake of sweets.
Supplements
You will need to take dietary supplements for the rest of your life to help ensure that you get the nutrition your body needs. These supplements help your body heal after surgery and also prevent long-term deficiencies. A chewable multivitamin, chewable calcium and vitamin D, if your levels fall below normal, complete the daily supplement list for most people, but you should follow your surgeon's guidelines. Some people also require additional iron supplements. Taking the medication ursodiol for the first six months after surgery may help prevent gallbladder disease, which commonly occurs after rapid weight loss. Protein shakes can provide 50 to 70 grams of protein daily, which helps repair tissue.
Allowed Foods
Your diet choices increase over time after sleeve gastrectomy. Poultry, the most easily digested meat, should supply most of your protein for the first few months. You can add veal after four months and beef and pork after six months, the Cornell Weight loss Surgery Program recommends. Avoid concentrated sweets, which supply empty calories and little nutrition.
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