What diet should you follow after a gastric sleeve?
The diet after gastric sleeve surgery is something you should pay close attention to if you have just had it done. gastric sleeve, Or if you are thinking about doing it.
Although you may not believe it, it can be crucial in preventing some of the main problems. risks of gastric sleeve and to ensure that this weight-loss operation gives you the results you expect.
In this post we will show you what the ideal diet for gastric sleeve patients is, both before and after the operation.
Diet before surgery
It is advisable to start dieting about 3 weeks before undergoing the gastric sleeve procedure, as the specialized portal points out. Baptiste Health.
3 weeks before the procedure
During that time, it is important that you focus on the following:
1. Increase your consumption of protein and healthy fats
Proteins will improve your health and strengthen your body before the procedure, as will healthy fats. You can get proteins in foods like chicken, eggs, and fish; while healthy fats can be obtained from nuts, flaxseed, and fish.
2. Reduce your calorie and carbohydrate intake
Reducing your calorie and carbohydrate intake will help you lose some weight before having the gastric sleeve procedure, which makes the operation easier for you. bariatric surgeon and makes it much safer.
In general, it is recommended to consume only 800 or 1200 calories per day before a gastric sleeve operation, although you should be aware of the specific instructions given by your bariatric surgeon, as these may vary depending on your health conditions.
3. Maintain hydration
Hydration is essential to ensure that your body is ready for bariatric surgery, so make sure you drink enough water.
One week before the operation
One week before you undergo the gastric sleeve procedure, it is quite likely that your bariatric surgeon will further modify your diet to prepare your body for the procedure.
If you take any medication on a regular basis, your surgeon may make adjustments to your medication to minimize risks during the operation.
So you may need to stop using medications such as anticoagulants, aspirin (and similar drugs), and arthritis medication.
Three days before the operation
Three days before the operation, it is most common for your surgeon to ask you to only drink liquids.
The recommended liquids are, primarily, water, juices and broths.
Diet after surgery
After the gastric sleeve operation, you will have to follow a strict diet, since your stomach is not yet ready to process food as usual.
Taking care of your diet is one of the keys to achieving it. gastric sleeve recovery It's about being successful, but also about ensuring that you achieve the results you're looking for.
Depending on the time that has passed since your gastric sleeve surgery, you will need to follow a particular diet:
One week later
In the first week of recovery, you can only consume liquids such as water, broths and other sugar-free beverages that are nutritious. You should completely avoid beverages containing caffeine (such as coffee and other energy drinks) and sugar-laden beverages such as soft drinks, processed juices, alcoholic beverages, etc.
Two weeks later
Two weeks after the operation, you can add slightly denser liquids to your diet, such as yogurt, protein shakes, compotes and sugar-free pudding, oats, etc.
One month later
After a month of recovery, you can add solid foods to your diet and it can be more or less the same as your standard diet before undergoing gastric sleeve surgery.
You can also resume consuming beverages and foods that contain caffeine, but start with small amounts.
That said, you should avoid foods like fried food, nuts, sweets, and junk food, such as bread and pasta.
Then, gradually, and with the approval of your bariatric surgeon, you will be able to resume consuming this type of food, but always with moderation and by respecting your diet, which will be essential for the surgery to yield results.
Two months later
After two months, you can already have a conventional diet, and the foods you were supposed to avoid will no longer be a problem. In any case, your bariatric surgeon or his team will have to design a personalized diet for you to help you lose weight and maintain your health.
What foods should you avoid?
There are certain foods that you should avoid if you have just had gastric sleeve surgery or are about to have one; let’s look at some of the main ones:
- Shitty food
- Sweet treats or snacks
- Red meats
- Very fatty foods
- Alcoholic beverages
- Sugary drinks
- Coffee and beverages and foods containing caffeine
- Fiambres
- Very seasoned, spicy or loaded with spices food
- Salted seeds
- Pasta
- Bread
- Milk and dairy products
Avoiding the consumption of these foods and beverages will not only facilitate the recovery from the operation and weight loss, but will also make the operation itself safer.
Although it is not recommended to consume this type of food, after you have been recovering for two months from your gastric sleeve surgery, it is likely that there will be no problems with consuming this type of food.
However, keep in mind that taking care of your diet will be essential to avoid the rebound effect and gaining weight after having a gastric sleeve operation.
General recommendations for your diet after a gastric sleeve operation
After a gastric sleeve operation, you will need to be much more careful with your eating habits. Here are some general recommendations that you should keep in mind:
1. Hydration is very important; you need to drink enough water throughout the day.Water is essential for the functioning of your body and is even more important in a balanced diet, especially if you are still recovering from a gastric sleeve operation.
2. Plan your meals in advanceTaking care of your diet can be a challenge when there are foods you need to avoid or if you are recovering from gastric sleeve surgery. Planning your meals allows you to choose the ideal food for each day in advance and will prevent you from ending up eating poorly due to a lack of organization.
3. Chew your food wellYour stomach will need a lot of time to adjust to the changes caused by the surgery. To reduce the impact of meals, facilitate digestion and prevent health complications, it is important that you take the time to chew your food well; this will reduce the effort your stomach has to make to digest it.
4. Avoid overeatingAfter a gastric sleeve operation, you will have to avoid binge eating at all costs; that is, eating out of habit or more than you should. Your stomach will have less capacity to handle a binge, so you could experience stomach discomfort or complications.
And if you do it often, you risk gaining back the weight you lost and ruining your results. benefits of gastric sleeve.
5. Limit yourself to three meals a dayThe more you take care of your diet, the more you ensure your weight loss. Three meals a day are more than enough, in most cases, to get the nutrients, calories, and proteins you need to stay healthy.
6. Eat in small portionsYour stomach won't have the same dimensions after a gastric sleeve operation. That's why it's best to eat small portions, both to maintain your diet and to avoid stomach discomfort.
7. Keep track of your mealsNowadays, there are many nutrition apps that allow you to track your meals to control your calorie intake and other nutrients. Keeping track of this is important to ensure that you are not eating more than you should.
8. Take multivitaminsSince the gastric sleeve will reduce your stomach’s capacity, you will fill up on less food and therefore receive fewer nutrients, which can lead to a vitamin deficiency. Multivitamins compensate for that deficiency and ensure that you have all the vitamins and minerals you need.
9. Strictly follow the diet that your bariatric surgeon instructs you to follow.Your bariatra and her team will not only monitor your results and follow your case, they will also design a diet appropriate to your health conditions and needs. Adhering to this diet is essential if you want to achieve good results with your gastric sleeve.
As you can see, following a diet after a gastric sleeve operation is one of the keys to ensuring that the results are long-lasting. Weight reduction operation It helps you lose all the excess weight and regain your health to 100%.
If you apply the tips we show you in this post and avoid the problematic foods, you will surely achieve great results with your diet.
Are you looking for bariatric surgery to permanently solve your weight problems? Schedule a free consultation and discover which weight loss operation is ideal for you.
Dr. Cristobal Garza
I am a bariatric surgeon certified by the Mexican College of Obesity Surgery. Over the last 10 years, I have helped more than 3,500 patients overcome their obesity and live a happier, healthier life.
