Seeking for medical intervention and opting for bariatric surgery to be able to get rid of obesity are major lifechanging decisions for any person. One must anticipate major lifestyle changes and be ready to undergo a 360 degrees transformation in all aspects of life after undergoing weight loss surgery. The major concern for all patients undergoing bariatric treatments is regarding the nutrition plan that needs to be followed after the surgery. It is imperative to be conscious of your dietary habits and be mindful of consuming nutritious food after the surgery.
Here is a set of nutrition tips and a proper diet plan of what and how should be consumed after undergoing bariatric surgery.
Phase 1: 1-15 days after the surgery
For the first phase that follows after the surgery, the patients are strictly put on fluid and liquid diet. They are suggested to consume clear fluids followed by other regular fluids. In this tenure, the patient can consume soups, fresh fruit juices, coconut water protein shakes, and beverages like tea & coffee. However, the patient refrains from consuming sweetened beverages, fluids with preservatives or heavy milkshakes.
Phase 2: 15-30 days after surgery
In this phase, the patient can transit to semi-solid & pureed food and can consume a variety of food like cereals, oats, ragi, smashed boiled veggies and upma. Due care must be taken that the food provided to the patient is light and not very spicy. Also, the patient is not allowed to consume certain things like potatoes, sweet potatoes, sabudana, rice or sago bananas during this phase.
Phase 3: 30+ days after surgery
Now that the patient has started adapting to eating semi-solid food, he can transit a notch higher and slowly start consuming soft to regular textured food. He can start eating soft chapatis, boiled veggies, and other regular homecooked food. It would be preferred if the food were boiled and steamed rather than fried or roasted. Again, proper care needs to be taken that the food is light, easy to digest and not very spicy. Needless to mention that varied and junk food like pizzas, pasta, burgers, fries and other dehydrated & preserved food is strictly forbidden.
Following this nutrition plan meticulously is undoubtedly going to make your life much easier after surgery. In addition to this, taking note of a few basic tips and instructions that would be helpful in all stages, would prove helpful.
1) Drink adequate amount of water at all times. Hitting a number beyond 8-10 glasses every day is a shot to aim for!
2) Always classify your meals based on the texture and intake as per the digestive capacity of the body.
3) Have nutritious meals; it is essential to incorporate sources of proteins, vitamins & minerals in your diet.
4) Have small meals and eat at regular intervals. Prolonged starvation is not encouraged at any stage.
5) Chew the food properly. It would facilitate easy digestion.
6) Lastly, but most importantly, keep visiting your dietician and nutritionist regularly for monitoring your dietary habits and suggesting necessary changes, as and when required.