Your Pre- and Post-Op Diet
What to expect when it comes to your diet before and after gastric sleeve surgery.
Everything You Need to Know About Your Pre-Op & Post-Op Gastric Sleeve Diet
Help ensure your long-term success with these dietary guidelines.
Your diet will play a very important role in the weeks leading up to your gastric sleeve surgery, and in the months and years that follow. We’ve put together this comprehensive advice for your pre- and post-op diet to help ensure your long-term weight loss success.
Two Weeks Before Surgery
Your pre-op gastric sleeve diet — and why it matters.
Leading up to surgery, you’ll meet with a dietitian. They’ll help to guide you through your eating journey, which actually starts two weeks before your surgery date.
In some cases, our patients have acquired something called fatty liver disease, where fat cells have accumulated around and inside your liver. A large liver during gastric sleeve surgery would increase your risk of complications.
If you have fatty liver disease, the gastric sleeve diet recommended by your dietitian will cause your liver to shrink in size, and allow for safer surgery.
Your dietitian may also put you on an OptiFast liquid diet to help your body prepare for surgery.
Stage 1: Clear Liquid
Days 1 – 2 Post-Op
Your post-pp gastric sleeve diet — and how to manage it.
For the first day after surgery, you’ll only be allowed to eat ice chips or even very small sips of water.
For the next day or two, you’ll be on a clear liquid diet, which may include apple juice, broth, popsicles, and Gatorade (sugar-free).
You must record what and when you drink – all the while remembering to take small sips (don’t gulp, and don’t use straws).
Keep sipping throughout the day to stay hydrated – your body is used to getting a lot of fluids from food which it will no longer be getting.
Goal:
- 1oz every hour for the first 4 hours.
- 2oz every hour for the next 4 hours.
- 3oz every hour for the next 4 hours.
- 4oz every hour for the next 4 hours.
Stage 2: Full Liquid
Days 3 – 13 Post-Op
Introducing new liquids to your diet.
After a couple of days post-gastric sleeve diet, you’ll be able to introduce liquids such as vegetable juice and milk.
This diet consists of low-fat blended and full liquids, and the portions are very small to help prevent vomiting.
These small high-protein meals will help your new stomach heal, and you are to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks.
Goal:
Total fluids:
- 6-8 cups /day; more if tolerated.
- Drink 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup fluids every hour.
Protein:
- 40 – 50+ grams/day; more if tolerated.
Number of meals:
- 4 – 6 meals (most meals average 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup).
Stage 3: Pureed Food
Weeks 2 – 3 Post-Op
Introducing blended foods into your diet.
This diet is blended foods with one new solid food added daily. The portions are very small to help prevent vomiting. You will also need to avoid spicy foods, raw fruits, raw vegetables, rice, and crackers.
The moister the food is, the better it will blend. An example would be: yogurt pureed with frozen strawberries, or low-fat cream of chicken soup blended with canned, drained chicken breast.
You still need to drink plenty of water in between the six mini-meals per day.
Goal:
Total fluids:
- 6-8 cups /day; more if tolerated.
- Drink 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup fluids every hour.
Protein:
- 40 – 50+ grams/day; more if tolerated.
Number of meals:
- 3 small meals
- 3 small snacks every 2 hours.
Stage 4: Soft Food
Weeks 4 – 6 Post-Op
Introducing soft solid foods.
After a few weeks of soft, pureed foods it’s time for a change. With your nutritionist’s approval, you can typically add soft, solid foods to your diet.
These would typically include soft fruits, finely diced moist meats, and cooked vegetables.
Goal:
Total fluids:
- 7-8 cups /day; more if tolerated.
- Drink 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup fluids every hour.
Protein:
- 50 – 60+ grams/day; more if tolerated.
Number of meals:
- 3 small meals.
- 3 small snacks every 2 hours.
Stage 5: Regular Diet
Weeks 7 – 8 Onwards
Establish your new regular diet.
After about two months, your surgeon will probably approve you to eat solid foods. While this is very exciting, you are urged to start slowly.
You may find that spicy and/or crunchy foods can be difficult to tolerate. To best incorporate these new foods back into your diet, eat one new food at a time, giving yourself plenty of time to digest.
You’ll be surprised at how full you will feel; this is also a great opportunity to start new eating habits. And don’t forget to enjoy every bite of your food.
Goal:
Total fluids:
- 8+ cups /day; more if tolerated.
- Drink 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup fluids every hour.
Protein:
- 60 – 80+ grams/day; more if tolerated.
Number of meals:
- 3 small meals
- 3 small snacks every 2 hours.
Incorporating Proteins
An important step in your healing.
Protein is necessary for proper healing of your incision and your new stomach. It is also important for keeping muscle mass during weight loss.
Not enough protein in your diet results in poor healing, hair loss, and an overall decrease in energy.
Keep in mind that, because you will be eating smaller amounts with your new stomach, it is important to choose foods that are high in protein, such as meat and dairy foods. Try to include at least one serving from one of these groups at each meal and snack.
Goal:
- 50 grams a day after surgery.
- Then aim for a daily goal protein intake of 60-90 grams per day.
- When possible, swap out high fat protein for healthier lean protein.
Water & Fluids
Stay hydrated at every step of your weight loss journey.
It is very important to stay hydrated before and after surgery, with water being the preferred choice of fluid.
Water is found in every cell of your body and functions in many important ways:
- Helps break down stored fat.
- Promotes kidney function and helps rid the body of waste.
- Is the best treatment for fluid retention.
- Maintains proper muscle tone and helps prevent sagging skin.
- Helps relieve constipation.
Remember when drinking water:
- Sip water and other fluids often between meals for the first few weeks.
- Wait 30 minutes before and after a meal to drink.
- Keep a record of your fluid intake. Daily target fluid intake 8 cups fluids (all fluids i.e., water, milk, juice, soup).
- Carbonated drinks, coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages are not permitted after surgery.
- Choose decaf coffee and herbal tea.
Micronutrient Supplements
Your long-term strategy for maintaining optimal health.
Micronutrients are also an important part of your weight loss journey, and are recommended in daily amounts to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and your target weight loss goals.
- Take 1-2 Chewable tabs or liquid Multivitamin supplement daily for a lifetime.
- Serving size will depend on individual products.
- MVI must provide at least 200% RDA for iron (36mg), folic acid (800mcg) and thiamine (3mg), and 2 mg of copper Separate and take with meal, protein drink, or milk to improve tolerance.
- Do not take any with calcium to improve iron absorption; separate calcium and iron by 2-4 hours
- Do not take any supplements in gummy form; gummies do not have all the vitamins and minerals you need, are not well absorbed, and can get stuck.
Your Gastric Sleeve Diet Portion Plate
A useful tool to help you with portion control.
The sections on the gastric sleeve portion plate reflect post-surgery diet recommendations to help patients maintain a healthy diet. These plates are usually small, around 7 -9 inches in diameter, which gives patients the illusion of a “full” plate despite smaller portions.
Protein – 3 oz.
Choose Lean Protein:
- Lean cuts of red meat.
- Skinless chicken breast.
- Tofu.
- Lentil and legumes.
- Low-fat dairy.
Eat Protein First:
- This helps your body get enough protein even if you’re too full to finish the entire meal.
- Your body needs 60 to 80 grams of protein each day.
- Because of the small amount of food you’re eating, it’s important to make sure half (50%) of the food you eat is protein.
Vegetables – 1/3 Cup.
Choose Non-Starchy Vegetables:
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Arugula
- Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Leafy Greens
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Peppers
- Spinach
- Sprouts
- String beans
- Tomato
- Zucchini
Healthy Carbs – 1/4 Cup Choose Complex Carbs:
- Vegetables
- Quinoa
- Barley
- Legumes
- Oats
- Potatoes
- Whole Grains
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