You have finally made the decision to have gastric bypass surgery and now you have to learn about the gastric bypass diet. Most people realize that their lives will be drastically different in the future, but their thoughts are about how much weight they are going to lose, not what changes they will have to make to get there.
What you will eat will be a large part of the changes you will make. He will not have surgery and the next day he will eat a hamburger. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most bariatric surgery programs include dietary specification as part of their preoperative information. In fact, I was asked to take classes that taught the ins and outs of the bariatric diet. The other thing that is important is that these foods are purchased and are in your home before you return from the hospital.
Step 1 of the gastric bypass diet was not something I had to worry too much about. It was administered while in the hospital by the dietitian. He had to be able to eat a Step 2 meal before he could leave the hospital. Foods in Step 2 are bariatric protein shakes, pureed and strained foods, and baby foods. You can have any combination of these foods. The most important thing here is to try to consume 60 grams of protein per day.
You should drink 32 ounces of water or sugar-free drinks. You should also eliminate any carbonated drinks at this stage of your diet. Step 2 of the bariatric diet will last 2-4 weeks after surgery. Step 3 will be the step where you begin to reintroduce soft foods back into your diet. I started with cottage cheese and scrambled eggs. No matter what you start with, you want to make sure you chew it until it’s liquid. Over the next month, you will try different foods and learn which foods your body likes and which your body will not tolerate.
Step 4 will come about 2 months after your surgery. At this point, you can eat almost anything. The meats are going to be the most difficult. You will need to cut it into small pieces and/or add it to the broth. You should always limit your intake of fats and sugars. Sugar presents a big problem for most gastric bypass patients. If you have the gastric band, you probably won’t have as much of a problem as a roux eny patient.
The best way to eat is to reintroduce all foods in moderation. This way you will know how your digestive system will handle each new food. This will be an exciting time in your life as you begin a new lifestyle.