1. - You shall eat all your protein first: Protein rich foods delay stomach emptying and will help keep you feeling full long after you're done with your meal. Post bariatric eating involves protein at every meal and snack. Be sure to eat your protein first and avoid filling up on other foods and leaving no room for your protein!
2.- You shall eat solid foods over soft, mushy, or liquid foods: Solid foods will fill up your pouch and stay in your pouch longer than soft, mushy, or liquid foods do. You'll require more food to feel full when the consistency of your meal is soft, mushy or liquid.
More food = more calories = slower weight loss!
Examples of "solid" foods: chicken, turkey, fish, beans, whole fruits and vegetables, salad, whole wheat bread, brown rice, etc.
Examples of soft, mushy, or liquid foods: soup, Frappuccino, milkshakes, ice cream, etc.
3. - Avoid eating and drinking at the same time: Solid food + liquid beverage = slushy, mushy consistency. Also creates a full sensation which is not good and doesn’t allow you to get all the nutrients.
4. - You shall avoid drinks/liquids with calories: After bariatric surgery, the liquids pass through the pouch fairly quickly without giving you a feeling of fullness or satisfaction. Drinks like regular soda pop, juice, milkshakes, coffee drinks, and sweetened beverages contain a lot of calories.
You can drink a lot of liquids without getting full and that means you can take in a lot of calories without ever feeling full if you're not careful to choose zero calorie beverages.
5. - You shall take small bites: Take bites only as big as a pea, pencil eraser, or a dime when eating after bariatric surgery. A small bite of food in your mouth guarantees only a small bite of food will find its way down to your stomach.
Having only a small amount of food trying to pass a gastric sleeve will lessen your chances of causing an obstruction.
6. - You shall chew thoroughly: Chewing thoroughly help you slow down, avoid overeating, and minimize the chance of obstruction caused by large food particles.
Bariatric surgery eating requires that you chew each bite 25-30 times or until the food in your mouth is unidentifiable.
7. - You shall eat slowly: This will prevent you from overeating which can cause you to vomit and/or cause your pouch to stretch. A stretched pouch means you'll need more food to feel full. Try putting your fork or spoon down between bites and allow 20-30 minutes to finish a meal.
8. - You shall stop eating once you are full: Persistent over eating after bariatric surgery can also cause your pouch to stretch which means you'll need larger portions of food to feel full.
9. - You shall stay Hydrated: Drink 6-8 cups of calorie free fluid every day.
- Water
- Sugar free, non-carbonated, caffeine free or decaffeinated beverages:
- Diet Snapple
- Sugar free Kool-Aid
- Decaf tea or coffee
- Herbal tea or coffee
- Artificially sweetened flavored wáter
- Crystal Light
10. - You shall take your daily vitamins: Good quality bariatric vitamins are essential so remember to take them daily.
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