Dietary Guidelines

The rational for these guidelines is to provide a progression of food appropriate for the various stages of recovery after Gastric Bypass Surgery.

It is important to provide for adequate intake of fluids. 

This is a 4-stage diet to follow as soon as you are release from the hospital.  This will ensure that you are able to continue healing inside and get a good “jump start” to your weight loss!!!  

REMEMBER:   NO SUGAR!!  READ ALL LABELS!!  

STAGE 1:  CLEAR LIQUID DIET (only while in the hospital, unless the doctor states otherwise)

FOODS ALLOWED:  NO STRAWS!  Sip liquids slowly! 

Coffee, tea, fruit juices, fruit ice, fruit flavored drinks, sugar free popsicles, soup broth, non-carbonated beverages, or carbonated after it has gone flat. (Air-bubbles cause pain in gastric pouch!) You may add dietary sweetener such as Equal® or Splenda®. 

1. Sip liquids slowly with small frequent sips-stop if you feel full.  No Straws! 

2. Work to a daily goal of 64oz (8 - 8 ounce glasses).

3. If you experience pain, nausea or vomiting, stop drinking for 1 hour, then try again by taking 1 tsp. every 15 minutes for 1 hour, then start drinking again with slow frequent sips.

STAGE 2:   FULL LIQUID  Follow at home for the first 2 weeks, or until the Doctor tells you that it is okay to progress to the next step.  START TAKING YOUR VITAMINS IMMEDIATELY. Preferably Centrum® chewables or any bariatric chewable vitamin.   

FOODS ALLOWED:  All foods from stage 1 plus

Milk, all sugar-free drinks, tomato juice, V-8 juice, smooth cooked cereals (cream of wheat, oatmeal), smooth cream soups (not too hot!), grits (runny), yogurt, sugar-free pudding, sugar-free custard, sugar-free ice cream, cottage cheese, sugar-free applesauce. 

1. Eat small amounts frequently during the day.

2. Do not force foods, eat slowly, stop when you feel full.  If you are eating to the point that you have pain, you are eating too much!

3. If there is a history of lactose intolerance, you may consider using Lactaid drops to help digest the milk products and or choose a low-lactose milk which is available in most stores.

4. Begin taking a daily multi-vitamin with iron pill, (you may need to crush it), liquid, children's chewable, or spray vitamins are also available in most stores. Your vitamins will be a life-long habit!  Do not stop taking them because you feel like you are able to eat enough food, you will have a need for vitamins because you will no longer be able to absorb nutrients the same way you did before surgery.  Without your daily vitamins, you will develop nutritional deficiencies and experience severe side effects that may not be able to be detected by your physician.

5. Walk daily at least 15 minutes. In-home walking does not count!!!       

STAGE 3:   PUREED DIET  Start the beginning of the 3^rd week you are home

FOODS ALLOWED: All foods from Stages 1 & 2

All foods should be finely chopped or blenderized to the consistency of applesauce. You may add breads, cereals and crackers.  You may try pureed meats or canned tuna, ham, or chicken. All vegetables (blenderized) are allowed on this stage. Try wheat peanut butter crackers for a healthy snack. Use applesauce to crush medicines in.

• Beverages - Coffee, tea, diet soft drinks. Crystal Light, Nutra-Sweet Kool-aid, water
• Breads / Cereals - cooked cereals such as Cream of Wheat, Oatmeal or grits, toast or crackers softened in milk, cornflakes, Cheerios, Kix, or Rice Krispies softened in milk
• Meat / Protein - poached or soft cooked eggs, pureed or blenderized meat (you may want to add creamed soup), small curd cottage cheese
• Vegetables - mashed potatoes, pureed or blenderized vegetables, tomato juice, V-8 juice

• Fruits - applesauce, puree or blenderized vegetables and fruit juices                    

• Milk / Dairy - low fat milk, light, smooth fruit yogurt, custard and light ice cream
• Other - sugar free pudding, cream soups, sugar free gelatin

1. Introduce foods One At A Time. This way, if you have problems, you are quickly able to determine which foods are not agreeing with you.

3. If a food bothers you, try it again a few weeks later.  Sometimes, lingering medicines from surgery give foods a sour taste.

4. If you notice extreme tiredness, cold sweats, diarrhea, quick onset of a headache, this may be "dumping syndrome" and the food you have eaten may have had high added sugar or high natural sugar.

5. Remember!  Sugar free and No Added Sugar are NOT the same thing!  You must read all labels carefully!

6. Eat frequently, preferably 6 to 8 times during the day.

7. Eat small amounts - about 2 to 3 ounces, or, no more than 1/3 cup at a time.

8. Sip liquids between meals, avoid liquids with meals.

9. Use a variety of foods selected from the 'new'  "Food Guide Pyramid".

STAGE 4:   SOLID DIET Start the beginning of the 4^th week you are home

FOODS ALLOWED:  

You are now able to enjoy a nice, small proportion meal. As time goes on, you will be able to eat just a little more.  Be cautious, don’t overdue it!  Make good choices; attend support meetings to learn new dietary information and how to deal with these changes.

1. Eat three small meals a day.

2. Eat slowly and CHEW FOODS WELL - never swallow chunks of rigid foods such as raw carrots, nuts, etc. 

3. Stop eating when you feel full.

4. Stop drinking liquids 20 minutes before meals and wait 1.5 to 2 hours after meals to begin drinking liquids. Your stomach pouch is too small to hold both food and liquids. Sip liquids between meals.

5. Eat a variety of foods from the 'new'  "Food Guide Pyramid".

6. Bake, broil, or steam your food. Avoid fried foods.

7. Avoid concentrated sweets such as sugar, jelly, soft drinks, pie, cake, cookies, ice cream, milkshakes, candy, etc.

8. Avoid high fat foods such as chips, salad dressings, nuts, breaded and fried foods.

9. Avoid beer wine and mixed drinks. If you do drink alcohol, be aware that it will have a more pronounced effect on you.

10. Try tender meat first such as moist, broiled or baked fish, tuna fish, Swanson's canned chicken in broth, boiled chicken, and moist meatloaf. Avoid eating steak, roast beef, pork chops, and stew meat until later when you chew it into a mushy consistency.

11. Exercise regularly and eat low calorie foods and drink low calorie liquids to make your weight loss greater. Make sure you take a daily vitamin.

12. If food gets stuck at your opening, stop eating and drinking, sit upright, try to relax. Usually, with time, the stuck food will pass. If it does not within 1 to 2 hours, try Armor food tenderizer (one teaspoon mixed in water) and sip it gently. If the problem continues, call your doctor.

14. You can gain weight if you are not eating the proper foods.  Pace yourself. If you are ahead of schedule - good job, but don’t fall back into old habits.  

15. Remember, walk walk walk!  At least 20-25 minutes, 5 times a week to prevent blood clots, clear your lungs and motivate your weight loss.

16. ABSOLUTELY NO LIFTING OVER 15 POUNDS FOR 8-10 WEEKS!  It is common to have hernia complications after surgeries from lifting and straining.

17. Eat from all 5 food groups.  Broil, bake, or steam your foods, try to stay away from fried foods.

***IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY, CALL 911 OR GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM*** Waiting too long can worsen symptoms.