Gastric Bypass Diet Guidelines

Gastric bypass surgery involves the creation of a small stomach pouch, limiting the amount of food that can be eaten at any given time. Gastric bypass patients must follow strict dietary guidelines after surgery to ensure that the pouch heals properly and so that weight loss can begin. A combination of liquid diets and consumption of miniature-sized, well-balanced meals is typically a part of the post-gastric bypass diet plan.

Function

• Gastric bypass diet guidelines are designed to ensure the gastric bypass patient does not experience any nutritional deficiencies after surgery and can begin losing weight after the healing period is over.
  According to BariatricChoice.com, weight loss surgery is effective only 80 percent of the time because many people do not follow the diet prescribed by the dietician or bariatric surgeon.

Types

• Gastric bypass patients must follow several different diet plans through each phase of the healing and recovery process. Diet plans consist of the clear liquid diet, full liquid diet, pureed diet and a soft foods diet.

  The clear liquid diet consists of diluted fruit juices, protein fruit drinks, clear meat and vegetable broths, non-carbonated beverages and sugar-free gelatins. The full liquid diet consists of low-fat cream-based soups, skim milk, yogurt, protein shakes and smoothies, and diet puddings. The pureed diet consists of any foods that are combined with milk, low-calorie gravy or water in a food processor. A soft food diet consists of very tender meats, boiled or steamed vegetables, well-cooked noodles and pastas, and other fully cooked foods. Whole foods are introduced very slowly so that the stomach is strong enough to break down the foods after surgery.

Timeline

• For the first three months after gastric bypass surgery, the stomach pouch is undergoing a healing process. According to The Mayo Clinic, patients need to refrain from eating any type of food for one to two days after surgery. They can then go through a diet progression of liquid and soft foods so that their bodies can adapt to a new eating pattern.

  The clear liquid diet must be followed for the few days after surgery and should be followed by a full liquid diet approximately seven days after surgery. After that, pureed foods can be introduced for three to four weeks after surgery. As the stomach begins to heal and digestion becomes easier, soft foods can be eaten for about eight weeks. The patient can then move onto foods with a firmer texture.

Process

• Eating certain foods at the right time of day and eating the right combination of foods are important for all gastric bypass patients. According to GICare.com, gastric bypass patients must eat between three to six meals per day and make sure that they chew all their food thoroughly. Gastric bypass patients need to eat protein first because protein is one of the most important nutrients in the bariatric diet plan; if the patient gets too full to early, he may miss out on his daily protein needs.

  It's also important to stay well-hydrated throughout the day and choose beverages that are not carbonated because too much gas can cause stomach distension and make it difficult to consume necessary foods and liquids.

  The Mayo Clinic also points out that gastric bypass patients must take a vitamin or mineral supplement every day, as prescribed by the dietitian or bariatric surgeon.

Warnings

• If gastric bypass diet guidelines are not followed, the patient runs the risk of damaging the stomach pouch, gaining weight and experiencing severe discomfort. Brigham and Women's Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, indicates that every patient must follow up with his physician or registered dietitcian regularly to make sure he is following the correct dietary guidelines through each stage of healing and recovery after surgery.

  Brigham and Women's Hospital also points out that it is still possible to gain weight after gastric bypass surgery by eating or drinking high-calorie foods and drinks throughout the day.