Preparing for the Bariatric Diet
The gastric bypass diet will be something you will be well acquainted with if you are having gastric bypass surgery. You will learn about the bariatric food plan as part of your pre-op preparation and purchase these foods and have them in your home prior to you surgery. This diet will be part of your life for two months following your weight loss surgery.
The first few weeks of this process will be the most challenging. You will be eating very little and you will be eating often, due to the size of your stomach. The bottom line is you will spend a good part of your day eating and will consume very few calories. Protein is very important. It is what is going to help you heal and give you energy. You should be eating about 60 grams each day.
Step 2 of the diet I found to be the most challenging just because I was not used to going days without any real food. To me liquid protein shakes, baby food and pureed food does not count as real food. This is an essential part of the program. It will take you a good part of your day to consume the 60 grams of protein and the 32 ounces of liquid that you are supposed to have eat each day.
At any point after the first 2 weeks you can begin to reintroduce real food back into your diet. Choose soft foods and chew them extremely well. This part of the diet will be a learning process. Take it easy until you know what your body can and cannot handle. Eating too quickly and too much can lead to vomiting or severe pain. Eat several small amounts each day.
Most all foods can be eaten in moderation. Foods high in fat and sugar will present the biggest problem for most patients. Losing weight, even after surgery is a process and you will be learning the whole way. You have to keep in mind that losing weight is not only about using gastric bypass foods, but about having a healthy mental attitude that will carry through to the maintenance part of your journey.
Are you considering weight loss surgery? Find out more about the gastric bypass diet and how the lap band diet is a necessary part of weight loss surgery.