When considering weight loss surgery, one thing that many people question is the gastric bypass diet.
Will I be able to eat the foods I like? And in many cases, the answer is yes – and no.
One of the reasons people choose this option is that in some ways, the surgery itself can force you to stay on the gastric bypass diet. If you eat too much, you’ll get sick.
If you eat things that are high in fat or sugar, you can experience “dumping syndrome,” a miserable mix of nausea, sweating, pulse pounding and possibly even headache or cramps.
But not everyone dumps. And not everyone who dumps in the early days after surgery continues to do so in the years that follow. Plus, it is possible to stretch your pouch, or learn other tricks that will allow you to eat more than you should.
So, just like every other weight loss method, the gastric bypass diet eventually does come down to a bit of willpower.
The difference here is that the surgery gives you a wonderful tool, and if you learn to use it correctly, you will be successful.
A lot of work must go into changing your habits during the early post-op days when you have less choice in the matter, so that by the time your body adjusts itself you can stick to the choices you know are right.
In other words, eventually you may be physically able to eat just about anything. But that doesn’t mean you won’t suffer the consequences of weight regain if you do.
So what is the gastric bypass diet? What are the foods you will be eating if you choose to have gastric bypass surgery?
In the first few weeks after surgery, you’ll progress slowly from clear liquids to pureed foods to soft things like eggs, cottage cheese and broiled fish. It’s important that you get enough protein. Many surgeons set that requirement at 60 grams a day. In the beginning especially, many patients can only get that amount through supplements like protein shakes. So you drink a lot of these.
As your gastric bypass diet progresses, you’re expected to get more and more of your protein from real food. Which means every snack and meal should be based upon a protein source, and that protein should be eaten first.
Lean sources are best as high fat items not only slow weight loss, they can cause you to dump. Seafood items like fish, shrimp, scallops, etc. are often high in protein and very low in fat.
Other good options are low-fat cheeses, eggs, chicken, lean cuts of beef or pork.
Many nutritionists will say that no food is completely off limits. But if you have room after your protein, you’ll want to limit carbs as much as possible. Foods like breads and rice are not tolerated well in the early stages anyway.
The gastric bypass diet often winds up looking a lot like the Atkins diet for this reason.
- You’ll want to sneak fiber into your gastric bypass diet wherever possible.
- Beans (pinto, black beans, garbanzos’, etc.) are fantastic sources of the fiber that will keep you “regular” and of additional protein as well.
- You must drink at least 64 oz of water or other liquids every day. Which basically means that you’re constantly sipping something in between meals.
Within a year to 18 months after surgery, the gastric bypass diet should look a lot like that of a normal, healthy person.
Lean sources of protein, fiber and healthy vegetables.
If you stick to those foods most of the time, the occasional unhealthy item won’t derail your weight loss.
It becomes the diet you can truly live with for the rest of your long, healthy life!
