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Gastric Sleeve Diet

May 23, 2011 | By Marcy Brinkley
Gastric Sleeve Diet
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Bariatric or weight loss surgery procedures help morbidly obese patients lose weight. Some procedures reduce the size of the stomach, others block some calories from being absorbed and others cause restriction and malabsorption. The gastric sleeve or sleeve gastrectomy, a restrictive procedure, helps patients lose 33 to 83 percent of their excess weight by permanently reducing the stomach to a banana-sized pouch, according to Kathryn M. Lito, R.D., in an article published in the September 2008 issue of "Today's Dietitian."

Gastric Sleeve Procedure

Originally performed as a part of the more complex biliopancreatic diversion, or BPD, procedure, the gastric sleeve or sleeve gastrectomy has also been used as a standalone procedure. High-risk patients that might not tolerate other types of weight-loss procedure may be candidates for a gastric sleeve. If they do not lose sufficient amounts of weight, can later have a second stage of the BPD, if necessary.

Diet Progression

For the first 12 weeks after surgery, you will progress from a clear liquid diet to full liquids, then to pureed foods and then soft foods. During the fourth month after surgery, you will gradually add small amounts of regular foods. This diet progression allows your body to heal and adjust to its altered digestive system by gradually increasing the residue and texture of the food you eat.

Long-Term Diet Principles

A purely restrictive procedure, the gastric sleeve reduces the size of the stomach by 80 percent, limiting the amount of food you can eat. Unlike gastric bypass patients, however, you will not experience dumping syndrome, a condition that causes diarrhea, gas and abdominal pain after eating foods high in sugar or fat. Gastric sleeve patients should limit their choices to high-protein, low sugar, low fat foods to facilitate weight loss.

Protein

After gastric sleeve surgery, your body's need for protein increases from an average of 50 g per day to 80 g per day. If you do not eat enough protein, you risk losing hair and lean muscle mass. Until you can eat enough food -- lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs and nonfat dairy products -- you may drink protein shakes between meals to meet your protein needs.

Other Food Groups

If you have room after eating your protein, you may eat small amounts of fresh or cooked fruits and vegetables to add fiber to your diet. Delay adding bread, rice and pasta until after the first six months, to prevent problems with digestion. Other foods to delay or avoid include fruit with a peel, fibrous vegetables and nuts. Eliminate carbonated drinks, sweets, fatty foods and alcohol to prevent regaining the weight.

References

Article reviewed by Elizabeth Ahders Last updated on: May 23, 2011

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