If you carry excessive body weight and haven't been able to manage it through diet and exercise, you may be a candidate for weight loss surgery. The form known as gastric bypass surgery works by reducing the size of your stomach and allowing food to move past parts of your digestive tract without being absorbed. Eating properly following your procedure can enhance healing, prevent side effects and complications and get you on track for healthy weight loss.
Liquids and Semisolid Foods
For 1 to 2 days following gastric bypass surgery, your diet will be limited to room temperature liquids and semisolid foods, which allows the staple line in your stomach to begin healing. Suitable options include water, broth, unsweetened juices, milk, sugar-free gelatin and caffeine-free herbal tea. Slowly sip small amounts of liquids at a time for best results.
Pureed Foods
Your next phase allows pureed foods and lasts for 2 to 4 weeks. To puree foods, place small pieces of solid food, such as beef or chicken, into your blender or food processor with a liquid, such as broth, milk, water or juice, then puree the mixture to a smooth, baby-food-like consistency. Foods that do not puree well include stringy vegetables, such as celery and onions, nuts, seeds and foods with tough skin such as corn and dried beans. Better options include canned beans, ground meat, yogurt, egg whites and soft fruits and vegetables, such as unsweetened, canned peaches and boiled, skinless potatoes. You may also consume protein shakes and smoothies.
Soft, Solid Foods
Once your doctor approves, you can add soft, solid foods to your diet. If you can mash a food with a fork, it's soft enough to consume during this phase. Suitable examples include canned fruit, soft fresh fruit, cooked vegetables and finely diced meats. Breakfast may include a ripe banana and yogurt, for example. Lunch may include cooked, diced chicken breast and a skinless baked potato.
Solid Foods
After limiting your diet to soft foods for about two months, you can begin to incorporate solid foods. MayoClinic.com recommends gradually introducing solid foods to determine what foods your body tolerates. Foods you may have difficulty digesting include dried fruits, nuts, seeds, popcorn, carbonated beverages, grainy breads, granola, stringy vegetables and tough or gristly meats. Easier-to-digest foods hot cereal, flour tortillas, skinless chicken breasts, tomato and cream of potato soups, bran muffins, leafy green salads and steamed vegetables. For healthy fats, choose olive oil, canola oil, avocados, salmon and nut butters, such as peanut and almond. Because your stomach will be smaller, avoid overeating and aim for small, frequent meals.
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