How eating changes after gastric bypass surgery

Gastric bypass surgery is a popular weight loss procedure that changes the way your body processes and absorbs food. Since the procedure shrinks your stomach, you’ll have to adjust how much you eat and the type of food you consume.

“The byproduct of gastric bypass surgery is that you’ll eat less food,” says Dr. Jeffrey Rosen, a bariatric surgeon at Advocate Health Care. “Changing your diet allows your body to adjust to the new size of your stomach without stretching the stomach pouch and causing pain or damage.”

What to eat after your procedure

Immediately following your gastric bypass procedure, you’ll be on a strictly liquid diet for the first one to two weeks before slowly progressing to solid foods. You’ll also want to focus on drinking at least 2 liters of water per day to avoid dehydration.

After slowly reintroducing solid foods, you’ll want to follow a high-protein, low-carb eating plan to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients. Some options include:

• Chopped, lean meat, such as beef, pork or skinless chicken
• Fish
• Whole eggs or egg whites
• Beans
• Dairy products, such as low-fat hard cheeses, cottage cheese, milk and yogurt
• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains

Gastric bypass diet best practices

Gastric bypass surgery requires a significant change in how you approach food. To support your body through this transition, there are some things to keep in mind to prevent weight gain and medical issues following your procedure:

• Focus on eating slowly and chewing your food completely to prevent the formation of a blockage between your new stomach pouch and intestine.
• Eat five or six small meals or snacks throughout the day, instead of eating three larger meals.
• Eat based on the clock, not hunger.
• Avoid certain dry and stringy foods, such as tough cuts of meat or reheated chicken.
• Avoid carbonated beverages.
• Don’t eat foods heavy in fats, sugars and carbohydrates.
• Regularly take a bariatric multivitamin to supplement your iron, vitamin B12, calcium and vitamin D intake based upon your surgical team’s recommendation.
• Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking.
• Do not eat and drink at the same time. Wait 20 to 30 minutes before switching to either eating or drinking.

“Gastric bypass surgery dramatically changes your life and diet,” says Dr. Rosen. “Working with your health care provider after your procedure to create a diet plan that ensures you’re getting adequate nutrition is the best way to prevent complications postsurgery.”

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