The 5 Stages of Eating after Bariatric Surgery

Written by Jane Long

Before anyone undergoes weight loss surgery, a battery of tests will be performed. If you are a likely candidate, you will also be subjected to psychological testing. The reason is simple. After the surgery, life as you have known it, up to now will change drastically. Even though you have been told countless times what to expect, it will be a shock to your system both physically and emotionally. Instead of life being centered on food, eating will become a necessity for survival. The amounts you will consume throughout the day will be miniscule in comparison to former portions. Plus, you will have to progress through the 5 stages of eating after bariatric surgery.

Any surgery related to nutrition and digestion usually means great care in resuming eating. You cannot assault your digestive tract and expect to eat even a small bite of steak the next day. In the case of weight loss surgery, the doctor has basically rewired your digestive tract. You will not even be able to absorb nutrition in the same way. In essence, you will have to learn how to eat all over again; and there will be some foods that are taboo.
For example, if you failed to take nutritional supplements before the surgery, it will be vital to your health after the bariatric procedure. In addition, you will have to carefully follow the direction of your surgeon, when it comes to eating.

You will have to progress through the five different stages:

1.    Clear Liquids
2.    Liquids and Thin Purees
3.    Purees
4.    Soft Foods
5.    Solid Food

No matter how tempting it is to jump to even one small bite of solid food, do not do it! You can do your body irreparable damage. During this slow process, you will definitely have to give food a backseat to life, even if it was a central component before the operation.

Clear Liquids

Every patient is different. It will be up to your doctor how long each stage of eating lasts. But, every bariatric patient, who has already undergone weight loss surgery, will begin consuming nutrients through clear liquids only. Because of the surgery to reduce your capacity to eat, you will only be able to drink 2-3 ounces at a time. In other terms, it is only about 1/4 cup, which is not very much at all.

Because the body needs approximately 64 ounces of liquid per day to stay properly hydrated, this will be a challenge, especially at first. Plus, you cannot drink anything with caffeine, like that once-favorite soda. You can drink chicken or beef broth, sugar free popsicles or gelatins, sugar free juices and Kool-aid. No wonder you will need nutritional supplements and lose the most weight at the beginning. You body will not be able to even tolerate sugars in the liquid.

Liquids and Thin Purees

As your body heals and the doctor determines you are ready for the next stage of nutrition, you will move on to liquids and thin purees. Broths, skim or soy milk, protein shakes, and sugar free puddings are among the foods that will be added to your diet.

Stage 2 generally lasts at least two weeks, and the majority of your intake will still be the clear liquids. You will only be consuming between 300-600 calories per day. Plus, you will still have a taboo list of liquids to avoid at all costs.

Purees

Once you have advanced to purees, you will probably feel like celebrating. You can now eat things like scrambled eggs, lite yogurt, stage 1 baby foods, pureed chicken or fish. In short, if the food item is on your list of acceptable dishes, and a toothless baby can eat it, you will probably be okay.

But, your portion size will still be shockingly small compared to what most people consider an average portion. The first month you will only be able to consume 2-3 tablespoons at one time. By 3 months, you will feel like 1/4 cup is a feast. After 6 months, your portions will probably be 1/2 cup. But, even after 2 years, a normal portion will be 1-1 1/4 cups, and that will be all. You will never be able to eat as you once did. You will eat more often, but you will always have to tightly control your portions.

Soft Foods

At this stage, your diet will take on more variety. You can eat small portions of soft foods like ground tuna, chicken, or white fish. You can even have cooked vegetables in limited amounts. But, your doctor will caution you that your body may not tolerate foods you once loved. One day, veggies may be great; the next it might bother you. You will have to try new food additions one at a time, and only a spoonful at first.

Solid Food

Congratulations! You have reached the final stage-solid foods. But, you are still going to have to alter how you eat your meals. Chew thoroughly; take 15-20 minutes for each meal; and save liquids for between meals. Your portions will still be small, but by now it should feel normal to eat less and more often.

In short, learning to eat all over again, after weight loss surgery, will be a challenge. But, you can find recipes and innovative ideas to help avoid the monotony, and give your diet a little variety. However, your entire attitude toward meals and nutrition will change along with your eating habits. As you go through the 5 stages of eating after bariatric surgery, you should start feeling healthier and happier. As the pounds drop away, food will not be a central part of life, and you can really begin to live.