The gastric bypass diet is specific for bariatric patients and is similar to the gastric sleeve or duodenal switch diet post-operatively. The surgery process is long, so post-operatively, patients want to adhere to the dietary guidelines set forth by their bariatric care team to ensure optimal weight loss success. The gastric bypass diet and the gastric sleeve diet are relatively similar in concept, so you can use this as a guide for both procedures.
In the immediate week after a gastric bypass surgery, we recommend patients drink lots of liquids, including water, Crystal Light, unsweetened tea, Powerade zero, and other low/no sugar drinks. Within the first week after surgery, we will begin adding protein shakes to your diet. Protein shakes will allow you to start putting some protein in your diet to help with the healing process while limiting calories and carbs.
Patients will begin transitioning to a liquid diet with more substance by the first week after gastric bypass surgery. This diet will include soups with a puree consistency, oatmeal, grits, apple sauce, and protein shakes. Within the first few weeks after bariatric surgery, we want patients to get as much protein as possible to help with the healing process.
The most critical component of the first few weeks of the gastric bypass diet remains hydration. You will feel so much better after surgery if you are properly hydrated.
You will come in for a follow-up visit with your bariatric care team four weeks post-op. At this time, your bariatric dietitian will provide guidance on advancing your diet to include soft foods. The soft foods diet will consist of soft, flaky fish and some tender cuts of meat. We recommend eating foods cooked in a slow cooker or a dutch oven rather than food that has been fried or grilled.
When you attend your follow-up appointment at the three-month mark, you will transition into a "normal" diet. Most patients will now be able to eat the same things that others in their families eat, just healthier and smaller portions. This new way of eating is a long-term commitment, and patients are eating real, whole foods that will hopefully teach others in their lives how to eat healthily.
Long-term, the gastric bypass diet is centered around whole foods focusing on protein and vegetables. We recommend bariatric patients avoid bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and other processed or starchy carbs. Instead, try to increase nutrients to get full of whole foods, not carbs and liquid calories. We suggest you continue to stay hydrated with zero-calorie liquids, such as the ones listed above.
After gastric bypass surgery, we recommend patients eat around 800 to 1,200 calories daily. Of course, there is flexibility depending on your activity level. The protein goal we would recommend is 60 to 80 grams of protein a day. Usually, one of those protein sources will come from a protein shake (between 20 and 30 grams of protein a day).
We highly suggest taking vitamin D and calcium supplements three times a day when looking into bariatric vitamins. We also recommend taking bariatric multivitamins. The Ness Vitamins bariatric multivitamin offers complete nutrition in one pill.
After bariatric surgery, portion control is really important to help manage your weight. You should focus on eating lots of protein, some veggies, and little carbs. Most health sites will tell you to follow the 50/25/25 rule, meaning divide your portions by having 50% of your meal be vegetables, 25% be protein, and 25% be starchy vegetables or carbohydrates. However, on the gastric bypass diet, we recommend following a 60/40 rule, meaning cover your plate with about 60% protein and 40% green vegetables.
