Gastric sleeve procedure is a weight loss surgery gaining in popularity all over the world. It’s quick, safe, and it provides amazing results. Even though it’s proven to be highly effective, getting expected results depends on you and your diet, too. Not only does diet assist in the process of weight loss, but it may also prevent complications and negative side effects. Although you should pay a visit to your dietitian and follow their advice on this matter, this article provides you with some basic guidelines to help you understand gastric sleeve pre and post-op diet.
Gastric sleeve procedure: pre-op diet
Diet is undoubtedly an important part of preparing for a gastric sleeve procedure. You should start changing your eating regimen way before the big day and make sure you stick to it. By following the pre-op diet from early on, you’ll reap the number of benefits including reduced risk for complications, smoother transition to a healthier post-op lifestyle, and allow the surgeon to operate much easily.
Pre-op diet guidelines
It’s recommended to start with the pre-op diet approximately three weeks before the procedure. Here are some eating guidelines your surgeon may impose.
3 weeks before the gastric sleeve procedure
During the three-week period before the procedure (or even longer) you should be following a long-term diet. It should be mostly based on fresh and whole foods while consuming processed foods should be limited. Also, they may ask you to take a meal replacement drink instead of a real meal.
- Consume much of a protein: tofu, eggs, tempeh, lean meats
- Cut down on carbohydrates: instead of processed carbs such as rice, bread, cereals or pasta, opt for whole grains, but only in moderate amounts
- Forget about sugar: candies, desserts, sweetened beverages
- Take a lot of fluids: water, low-calorie drink
- Reduce caffeine
Which means that your dieting program two to three weeks before the procedure should look like this:
- Breakfast: low carb and low sugar protein shake
- Lunch: Protein and veggies
- Snacks: one or two per day including veggies, berries, nuts, salad with oil and vinegar
2 days before the gastric sleeve procedure
2 days before the procedure, you’ll be recommended to follow a clear liquid diet. You’ll be also asked to stop consuming caffeine and carbonated beverages. Anyhow, you should definitely listen to your surgeon or dietitian.
Gastric sleeve procedure: post-op diet
Now that you have finally got your gastric sleeve procedure done, it’s time to begin a new and healthy lifestyle. According to the specialists performing gastric sleeve in Newcastle, you’ll be consuming much less food than usual. What is more, your body won’t produce as much Grehlin hormone as usual – the hormone responsible for the feeling of hunger, which will prevent you from overeating.
However, your journey isn’t over yet. You still have to follow a post-op diet regimen. In case you don’t, it can lead to many negative effects – nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, constipation, or gastric leak.
1st week: Clear Liquids Diet
Although your surgeon may shorten the period of clear liquid diet, it usually lasts for one full week.
Ingredients that can be found in drinks:
- Water
- Decaf tea or coffee
- Clear broth – beef, chicken or veggies
- Sugar-free drinks without carbonation
- Sugar-free drink mixes
- Sugar-free Jell-O
- Sugar-free popsicles
- Thin juices without pulp and sugar
What shouldn’t be consumed:
- Caffeine
- Sweetened beverages
- Carbonated beverages
2nd week: Protein and Thicker Liquids
In the second week, your surgeon may ask you to incorporate protein and thicker drinks into your post-op diet in case everything goes as planned.
Apart from clear liquids, you may include some of these products:
- Cream Soups
- Cream of wheat
- Protein shakes
- Applesauce
- Greek yogurt
- Sugar-free pudding
- Sugar-free, fat-free ice cream
- Thicker juices – orange juice without pulp and sugar, V-8
3rd week: Soft and Pureed Food
Your body has to adjust to the new foods, so it’s important to take it slow. Just remember to resist fats and added sugar. Pureed food can be made by yourself. Simply blend any item from the list below with water, broth, skim milk or sugar-free juice.
- Eggs, fish, beans, soft fruit, ground meats, cooked veggies.
You may also include hummus, cottage cheese, soft veggies and scrambled eggs in your post-op diet.
4th week: Solid Foods
You’ve finally gotten to the part when you can eat solid foods. Due to the sensitivity of your stomach, it’s important not to eat fast without chewing the food thoroughly. For better recovery, you should make sure that proteins would be the first food you intake.
In the week 4, your post-op diet can also include: fish, fruits, veggies, potatoes, lean meats – start with ground meats, caffeine – but in limited amounts.
However, you should still stay away from
- Fried foods
- Fibrous foods – celery, asparagus, broccoli
- Nuts and seeds
- Candies and desserts
- Whole dairy products
- Soda and sweetened beverages
- High carbs – bread, cereals, pasta
Long-term Diet
Transition to gastric sleeve diet takes time, so stay patient and determined to achieve your goals. If you want to maintain weight and improve your health, you should stick to your new eating program after it gets stable.
- Consume whole foods
- Eat limited amounts of processed foods
- Eat meals including lean protein, veggies, and some amount of whole grains
- Make a plan for your meals
- Eat as slow as you can and stop when you feel satisfied
- Avoid sugary drinks and foods
- Fill your kitchen with healthy food
- Drink a lot of water (but not while you’re eating so as not to stretch your pouch)
- Make time for exercising
As mentioned above, the gastric sleeve procedure is quick, safe, and effective surgery. However, going under the knife isn’t the entire solution to weight loss. You have to follow the gastric sleeve diet and other healthy lifestyle habits in order to maintain your weight and health.