Expert recommended diet tips to follow after a bariatric surgery

Here is what your stomach can actually take in post a weight loss surgery.

A bariatric surgery becomes the last resort for people who are extremely obese with a BMI 32.5 or above and when all other methods of weight loss have failed to yield results. However, while this surgery promises weight loss, the road to recovery after going under the knife is crucial. While there is a set of lifestyle modifications you need to follow post the surgery, the kind of diet you follow is of utmost importance. Most of the time, people fail to understand what food they should eat to get fit after the surgery. And yes, it takes time before one can get back to eating solid foods. So to help you get on track with right eating habits, Dr Jayashree Todkar, Consultant Bariatric & Laparoscopic Surgeon, Apollo Spectra, Pune, tells you how to get in shape with the right diet tips.

The first week after surgery: Get started on liquid diet

Immediately after the surgery your stomach might not be in the condition to digest solid or even semi-solid foods. So the best that is recommended for patients post surgery is to be on a clear liquid diet. However, this doesn t mean consuming calorie rich or processed fruit juices. The liquids you consume should be low in sugar. The better options are water, broth, soups, natural juices and tea. These liquids provide nutrition without harming the stomach and intestine. The heavier liquids such as milk, cream soup and coffee can be started on later, say from the second or third week. Once a patient starts digesting liquids, solid foods are then put on their plate.

Second and third week: Eat like a baby, nibble on mashed foods

It is like the weaning phase of your life is back. After the first week when liquids are well tolerated by your newly transformed stomach, nibbling on mashed and pureed foods is recommended. This provides you with the necessary nutrients and also prepares your stomach to take in solid foods later. Boiled beans, eggs, cottage cheese, fruits and a variety of vegetables (boiled and mashed) are safe to consume during this time. While minced and mashed meat can also be a part of your diet, red meat should be avoided at all cost. Keep away from alcohol and soft drinks during this period of recovery. However, drink enough water preferably, every half an hour after meals. You should also continue with your liquid diet from the previous week to meet your caloric intake. While selecting fruits, pick up the ones that have higher water content like different kinds of melons and citrus fruits which will help to replenish your body.

Fourth to the eighth week: Move over mashed foods to semi-solid and soft foods

After the first three weeks, you can start eating semi-solid foods that are easy to swallow and digest. Since by now as you are on your road to recovery, the body would need more nutrients from foods. This is the right time to provide your body with diced meat, fresh fruits and well-cooked vegetable. However, take care that the vegetables are cooked well so they are swallowed easily. Even after one to two months post the surgery, what you still need to change is your eating pattern rather than eating habits. Eat smaller portions of food and chew them slowly as this would aid the process of digestion and give you a sense of satiety and fullness after every meal. Avoid spices and calorie dense foods like red meats and nuts.

The third month onwards: Start eating regular foods

Regular food can be consumed in nine weeks following the surgery. While it is safe to eat normal dishes, it is important to ensure that the food is diced into smaller pieces. One may find it difficult to take in spicy food, so it is necessary to test different flavours to know what can be eaten comfortably and which items to leave out of the menu. Junk and restaurant food should be avoided at the moment.

Word of caution:

Post surgery, a diet chart is provided to make it easier for the patient to decipher the new diet they have to follow. Post bariatric surgery a person s food intake reduces but the real challenge is to stick to the new diet, which means eating lesser portions at regular intervals and avoiding junk food. While it may be difficult to ditch the old habits, it is in the patient s best interest to follow this diet to reap maximum benefits of the surgery.

Image source: Shutterstock

---