Diet and Exercises after Gastric Bypass

Gastric-bypass surgery results in weight loss by restricting food intake and decreasing the rate of food absorption in the body, according to the National Institutes of Health. Gastric bypass decreases the size of your stomach to a small pouch rerouted directly into the small intestine, bypassing most of the stomach and upper intestine. This surgery is for the severely obese and those unable to lose weight through diet and exercise alone. However, gastric bypass is only a tool, and those undergoing the surgery must follow a strict diet and exercise regime to succeed ultimately in their weight-loss efforts.

The Gastric-Bypass Diet

• After gastric-bypass surgery, you'll need to follow a specially designed diet for several reasons: to allow the stomach stapling to heal, to become used to eating much smaller amounts of food, to assist in weight loss and to avoid other side effects and complications, which can include nutritional deficiencies, stretching of the stomach, nausea and vomiting. Most often, you'll begin with liquid foods and graduate to pureed foods, followed by soft, semisolid foods and, finally, solid foods.

  Your liquid diet will last for a few days and will include broth, juice, milk, clear water, non-carbonated diet drinks and some soups. During this and all phases of the gastric-bypass diet, you should eat slowly to avoid stretching your stomach and prevent vomiting.

  A pureed diet will follow for approximately two to four weeks and will include foods that can be made easily into a paste or liquid, without any food chunks. Your pureed diet should be well-rounded and include protein, fruits, vegetables and grains. Examples of foods are low-fat meat, applesauce, bananas, hot cereals such as oatmeal or grits, and some snacks, like sugar-free pudding. Blend foods with a liquid, such as milk, broth or fat-free gravy, until smooth.

  The third phase of the gastric bypass diet is soft, semisolid foods that are easily mashed with a fork. This can include moist protein such as tuna fish, cottage cheese and soft tofu, unsweetened canned fruits and vegetables, and cereal soaked in milk. You'll need to chew these foods well and eat slowly. As with all other phases of the gastric bypass diet, you are restricted to a few ounces of food at each meal.

  After eight weeks of eating soft, semisolid foods, you can "graduate" to solid foods, but you'll still need to be careful about eating slowly and chewing your food to mush. Avoid tough or chewy meats and foods like popcorn, nuts and seeds that aren't gentle on your much smaller stomach.

General Diet Guidelines

• Since you're at a risk for malnutrition, your doctor will most likely recommend daily vitamin and mineral supplements. You won't be able to drink liquids during meals. Generally, you'll want to focus on high-protein foods and limit foods high in fat and sugar. Planning your daily meals and snacks will help ensure you get the proper nutrition and will assist in healthy weight loss.

Exercise after Gastric Bypass

• Lead researcher Dr. Dale Bond of Brown Alpert Medical School and Miriam Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, and his colleagues found that gastric-bypass patients who exercise regularly after their surgery lose more weight than those who don't, according to a study published in 2008 in the research journal, Obesity. Most patients in the study used walking as their primary exercise, which Bond noted is the "safest and most practical" way to start exercising following gastric bypass.

  Allina Hospitals & Clinics suggest that gastric bypass-patients start exercising slowly, beginning with five minutes a day and working up to 45 minutes. They, too, say walking is the best exercise after surgery, but other safe exercises include aerobics, swimming and dancing. Incorporate exercise into your day in 15-minute increments by walking during your lunch break and using stairs instead of the elevator. Finding an exercise partner or joining a gym are other options for exercise after gastric bypass. Gastric-bypass patients can also incorporate strength training to build muscle, once their doctor removes their lifting restrictions.

  In addition to aiding weight loss, exercise after gastric bypass will strengthen your heart and bones, increase your metabolism and help relieve stress.