|  | Diet Nutrition | Weight Loss

What Can You Eat After a Gastric Bypass?

In the United States alone, millions of people are considered overweight. The problem is so prevalent that, according to statistics from 2007, only one state in America had an obesity percentage lower than 20 percent. Many individuals who suffer from obesity turn to extreme weight loss measures in order to slim down and improve their health, especially when the obesity is not related to a lack of good diet or proper exercise. One measure people use to treat their obesity is gastric bypass, but this surgery requires major dietary adjustments.

  1. Phase I

    • After having gastric bypass surgery, an individual typically is on pain medications, with their stomach size being reduced to the equivalent of a walnut. The body cannot handle solid foods under such circumstances, so to decrease the risk of nausea and vomiting, only liquid foods are allowed for the first one to three days. Foods such as clear broth or cooked cereal are typical.

    Phase II

    • Once an individual is tolerating liquid food well, she is moved on to pureed foods for about a half a month to a month. Foods like smoothies are fine, provided they have no solid pieces.

    Phase III

    • At around a month after surgery, soft foods are introduced back into the diet. This is when most people start to feel more comfortable, because they can eat many foods they enjoy but simply must prepare them in certain ways. Raw vegetables, for instance, can't be eaten, but vegetables that have been cooked are permissible. Other good food choices include fresh, soft fruit and diced meats. Soft foods are eaten for about two months.

    Phase IV

    • After an individual shows a good tolerance for soft foods, she may return to eating solid foods again. From this point, the individual should be eating a normal diet, which should be well-balanced.

    Recommendations

    • Those who have had gastric bypass need to eat very frequently because their stomach size is reduced. Instead of eating three larger meals, it is recommended that a gastric bypass patient eat five to six smaller meals. Water or juice should be taken outside of meals rather than with the meal, because the stomach may not have room for both the food and liquid. The diet should be high in protein, and supplements often need to be taken.

    Foods/Drinks to Avoid

    • There are some foods and liquids that gastric bypass patients should avoid. These include foods that are high in sugar and fat. Liquids that have caffeine or carbonation also are to be avoided. All foods and liquids need to be introduced in small quantities to see how they are tolerated.

Weight Loss - Related Articles