For overweight problems, bariatric surgery is just the first step towards achieving your goal, and post-surgery nutrition is as important to success as the procedure itself. Let’s talk in more detail about nutrition after bariatric surgery. This is an important point because we know that if you do not change your previous eating habits, some time after the operation, the weight will return.
We are talking about a new level of life, about healthy and proper nutrition. Please note, this is not a diet – it is a lifestyle. At first, there will be rules that are necessary to recover from surgery. Next – the principles of nutrition for life. Only in this case, you will gain a beautiful, desirable figure, and most importantly, good health.
Principles of Nutrition After Bariatric Surgery
After bariatric surgery, you will have an individual nutritional plan that will be developed by a nutritionist, taking into account the type of bariatric surgery and the characteristics of your body. We will only provide general guidelines for nutrition after bariatric surgery.
Here are general recommendations:
- The first days after the operation – “liquid diet”. These are water, fruit drinks, compotes, and broth. Later, as your stomach gets used to receiving food, mashed potatoes will gradually appear. Meals will be fractional, 30-50 ml (this is about 2-3 tablespoons) every 1-1.5 hours. You need to eat and drink very slowly, if you feel full, stop. During this time, you need to get used to the state of the food – pureed, because this is what the food should be before it gets into the stomach. Learn to eat slowly and chew everything thoroughly. This diet will last for the first two weeks after surgery.
- In the third week after the operation, soft food is gradually introduced (it can be compared to sour cream). At this stage, a person has to eat 5-6 times a day (every two hours). It is necessary to eat very slowly, pause after each spoon (about 2 minutes). If you eat meat, then it must be chopped and chewed thoroughly. It is recommended to drink 20 minutes before meals and 30-40 minutes after. The volume must be no more than 120 ml. The foods allowed during this period include eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, cereals, lean meat and fish, and low-fat cheese. During this period, you need to get used to the foods you eat, as in the future they will make up the bulk of your diet. It is this kind of nutrition (consumption of lean meat and fish, dairy products, cereals) that will help you gain a beautiful figure and excellent health.
- From the second month, you gradually introduce into the diet the usual, not pureed food. An important rule to remember forever is the following: food must be thoroughly chewed. Otherwise, poorly chewed food can cause stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. During this period, the portion size is determined independently. The main thing is not to overeat and stop as soon as satiety is felt. A sufficient amount of protein must be present in the diet (at least 90 g) since this is the main structural element of the cells and tissues of the body.
Foods that are not allowed in the diet include:
- sweet food and drinks (including carbonated ones);
- fatty and oil-fried foods;
- too spicy food.
- Here are the other rules:
- do not skip main meals (it is better to eat 4-5 times a day in small portions);
- eat with a teaspoon, slowly;
- food should be chewed thoroughly (especially tough meat, and it is better to cut off the peel from apples). Do at least 20-30 chewing movements before swallowing food;
- monitor the quality of food, try to eat more natural food;
- if the product causes discomfort (this can happen with the use of fibrous foods such as celery), give it up;
- observe the drinking regime: drink at least 30 ml of water per kg of body weight per day;
- do not drink after you eat.
Get Bariatric Meal Plans With the Help of Bariatric Meal Delivery Services
Nowadays, great bariatric diet plans can be easily found with the help of bariatric meals services. It is not difficult anymore for people who have experienced surgery to find proper bariatric meal plans. So, here are the top bariatric delivery services worth your attention.
Baribox
This bariatric meal delivery service is focused on meals for pre and post-op weight loss surgery patients. The menu is diverse, so all clients will be satisfied. Moreover, it is possible to add allergens (if any). Here are some other benefits:
- There are different options for pre-operational and post-operational meals.
- Each sample bariatric meal plan is developed by professionals, taking into account all the nuances.
- The cost is about 9 dollars per meal.
Tiny Tummyz
Tiny Tummyz is the “child” of two people who experienced surgery. Their goal was to provide other patients with proper meal delivery services. Here are the benefits of Tiny Tummyz:
- Proper portions for those who are going to have or have just experienced surgery.
- 21 or 35 meal packages for the fluid, puree, and soft food stages.
- It is possible to keep meals in the freezer for half a year. It takes minutes to get the food ready for eating.
BariLife
Bari Life aims to provide the highest quality bariatric vitamins to make life after surgery more manageable. Clinically proven, patients taking Bari Life supplements are significantly less likely to develop deficiencies and more likely to succeed in their new life after bariatric surgery.
Here are the top benefits:
- An impressive selection of meals.
- There is a reward program and an auto-ship option for discounts and free shipping.
- Bariatric-friendly macronutrients.
- Prices are different; they are guaranteed to fit any budget.
Bariatric Meal Prep
This weight loss meal delivery offers full guides for people who are going through the process of weight loss. All the information you need will be provided. Here are the advantages of Bariatric Meal Prep:
- This option is a plant-based one.
- This bariatric meal prep service offers three diets (as you already know, you will have to follow three diets after surgery).
- All bariatric plans are created by a professional dietician.
- The prices are different, so dishes will suit any person.
People who experienced bariatric surgery have an impressive selection of meal delivery services and dishes nowadays, which is definitely great.
