The decision to undergo a gastric surgery is not an easy one to make. You must have both the physical and psychological readiness to commit to what such surgical procedures require.
The most important criterion is your commitment to a lifestyle change that includes eating the proper foods in the proper portions. And this commitment has to start before the procedure and continue after to keep the lost weight off for a life-time.
What to eat before the surgery?
A pre-surgery diet will help you lose some weight before the gastric surgery. Such weight loss will help reduce the amount of fat in and around your liver and abdomen, making the surgery much safer for you.
This pre-surgery phase also helps with behaviour modification in terms of eating habits, which has an astounding impact on success. Being trained for a new way of eating during this phase will help you control your eating impulses in the future.
You’ll need to go on an all-liquid diet that’s high in protein and low in carbs two or three days before surgery.
What to eat after the surgery?
Following a gastric surgery, you will have a reconstructed stomach with limited capacity. A post-surgery diet consisting of the following steps will help your stomach heal by eating the right things at the proper amounts.
- Step-1: Eat Liquid
The initial diet phase, which lasts one to two weeks, consists of the same liquid diet as before surgery where you are only allowed to consume a few ounces of clear liquids like water or caffeine free herbal tea fat-free broth at a time for the first several days. This aids in the healing of your stomach without causing it to be stretched out by meals.
- Step-2: Eat Puree
After 1-7 days, you can resume consuming liquefied sources of protein like protein shakes, egg whites, non-fat cheese or milk, etc.
- Step-3: Eat soft
This is the phase you can introduce soft foods like fish, lean chicken, potatoes, bananas, etc. into your diet.
- Step-4: Eat solid
The final phase is where you can bring solid food into your daily routine that includes protein, vegetables, a limited amount of grain.
Keys to Success
- After the gastric surgery, it is crucial to avoid food that is hard to digest like processed foods and sugar-added products.
- Slowly chew each bite and stop eating when you no longer feel hungry.
- Take supplementary vitamins and minerals to boost your metabolism.
- Do not use alcohol.
- To avoid dumping syndrome, try to take at least 30 minutes to eat every single meal.
- Control your portions, try to keep them small.
- Introduce low-impact exercises to daily life. Try to walk instead of taking the bus or take the stairs rather than the lift.
Remember, each patient is unique so do not hesitate to consult with your doctor for dietary guidelines tailored to your specific needs. Gastric surgery can help you get back on track with your health and fitness!
Feel free to call us to get more information about gastric surgery and make an appointment at CatchLife.
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