If you are looking into having bariatric surgery and are curious about what your diet may look like, keep reading!
While each plan may differ according to the specific patient and bariatric procedure chosen, most patients can expect to have a liquid stage, pureed and/or soft food stage, and solid food stage. Varying amounts of time are spent in each stage depending on your care team’s preferences, but in general, patients typically spend the 1st month post-op with dietary texture changes. Beginning month 2 post-op, most patients are ready to advance to regular textured solid foods. You will slowly incorporate new foods into your diet as your stomach heals.
Some more difficult foods to tolerate in the early post-op phase include overcooked animal proteins, vegetables and fruit with a thicker skin, leafy greens, foods high in sugar, greasy foods, carbonated beverages, and sometimes caffeine. It is best to avoid these foods until instructed by your care team.
After your stomach heals in the months following surgery, your Registered Dietitian will assist you in creating a nutritious balanced plate that will keep you full and allow you to successfully meet your personal goals. Foods to incorporate when building your plate include a lean protein source, a fruit or vegetable, a complex carbohydrate, and a small portion of healthy fats. You will slowly add these components to your plate in the months following surgery. You will also learn what the ideal portion sizes are for each component on your plate according to what stage you are in after surgery.
To lose and maintain weight loss after bariatric surgery, it is important to regularly include high protein and produce-focused meals. We recommend that foods with little nutritional value be consumed on an infrequent basis. However, extreme restriction may lead to unwanted eating behaviors, so we encourage a healthy approach to eating that is balanced.
