For many weight loss surgery candidates, one of the biggest fears is how to eat properly after surgery. The new restrictions on the stomach limit food intake and leave patients feeling satisfied on only a few ounces of food.
Recovering from bariatric surgery means that eating habits must change. And that can be a daunting thought after years of establishing a certain diet. If your fear is that you won’t be able to change your diet, schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Frenzel and allow him to go over the exact process of eating post-surgery.
For gastric bypass surgery patients, a new diet is put in place to help your stomach heal from surgery without being stretched by unhealthy or large proportions of food. The gastric bypass diet is designed so that you get used to eating smaller portions for the safety and comfort of your new stomach pouch.
Benefits of the diet set in place after bariatric surgery include weight loss and avoided side effects from the surgery. The purpose of the bariatric diet is to create a timeline for easing your body back into eating solid foods. There is no specific timeline, as it depends on how fast your body heals and adjusts to these new changes.
When healing from bariatric weight loss surgery, one of the main goals you should strive for is to understand your body. Many candidates for surgery struggle with listening to and obeying their bodies. While something might taste delicious, it is important to listen and obey your body when it tells you it is full. This might seem simple for some, but for others, this is a huge issue. Food is a physical need, but it can also be used to meet emotional needs. When this is the case, the struggle between feeling full and feeling satisfied are in full effect.
Begin to train yourself to listen to your body and stop eating when you know you are full. After gastric bypass surgery, drinking enough fluids is also crucial. Your body is more likely to get dehydrated post-op. Immediately after surgery, clear liquids are the only fluids allowed. When your body proves that it can handle this, other liquids are integrated into your diet.
After a few days on liquids, pureed foods are introduced. During this phase, only foods with a smooth paste or thick liquid consistency are allowed. No solid pieces of food are allowed in the mixture. Then, you will progress to soft foods such as soft fresh fruit, cooked vegetables, and ground meats. Finally, solid foods are introduced about eight weeks after surgery.
Staying in contact with Dr. Frenzel and the team at Advanced Bariatric Surgery will make your transitions easier. With a great support system, you will earn to eat differently. And the results you’ll see in the mirror make it all worth it! Enjoy the new you!
