The gastric bypass operation is a complicated surgical procedure. After the surgery, your diet will change to accommodate your new, smaller stomach. The soft food diet won't last forever -- it is a temporary stage that allows continued healing of the staples and incision line inside the stomach. Eventually, with your surgeons' approval, this soft food diet will progress to regular food, but portion sizes may forever be altered.
Dietary Alterations
Immediately following the gastric bypass operation, your doctor will put you on a full liquid diet. During a six- to nine-month period, your surgeon will progress your diet. Your diet will transition from liquids to pureed or soft foods to solid regular foods during this time. The soft food diet stage lasts for about six to eight weeks. During this time, you can eat foods that are mashable with a fork or in a thick paste form, depending on your doctor's orders. It is important to only add one soft food at a time to ensure that the new stomach can digest each food properly without side effects, such as diarrhea or nausea.
Nutrition Balance
After the gastric bypass your food pyramid will change -- proteins are now the most important type of nutrition. The soft food diet needs to incorporate pureed proteins that help the surgical wounds heal and prevent loss of lean muscle mass while healing. You should not eat foods with little nutritional value during this stage, such as foods high in fat and sugar. Although fiber is nutritious, the soft diet does not incorporate fiber, as this nutrient will fill up the smaller stomach quickly and leave little room for the rest of necessary nutrients. The new stomach can only hold about 2 tbsp. at a time. Break up your protein requirements into four or six small meals daily and avoid drinking filling fluids with meals.
Food Choices
With the help of a food processor or blender, you have many soft food choices. Poached or scrambled eggs, finely ground poultry, soft-broiled fish and cooked lentils provide good sources of protein. Do not cook soft foods in heavy gravy or butter, as this will add unnecessary fats that will fill the stomach and can add to gastric discomfort after eating. Cooked fruits and vegetables, such as applesauce or mashed potatoes, are soft food choices that will complement the proteins. If you can afford the extra expense, purchase commercial baby or toddler foods -- the consistency is perfect and there are plenty of fruit, meat, cereal and vegetable choices.
When to Stop
Over-eating is a dangerous concern after gastric bypass surgery. Eating too much can stretch the new stomach pouch and may cause side effects such as nausea or vomiting after meals. Although the food is very soft, still chew each bite carefully and eat slowly. By enjoying each meal at a leisurely pace, the brain has more time to register that the stomach is full and send signals to stop eating. Leave more room in your new stomach for food by not drinking anything for at least 30 minutes before a meal.
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