OVERVIEW OF DIET AND LIFESTYLE
Will you have to change your diet after Bariatric Surgery?
Most bariatric surgery procedures require significant changes to diet both before and after the procedure.
Pre-bariatric surgery diet
Eating right before surgery will lower your risk of complications and lead to more long-term weight loss.
Requirements for each procedure are different, but most pre-bariatric surgery diets include:
• Healthy food choices
• Lots of protein
• Low-carbohydrates
• Plenty of fluids
• Certain bariatric vitamins
Post-bariatric surgery diet
After surgery, you will slowly transition from a clear liquid diet to solid foods. Each surgeon is different in their approach, but the typical transition schedule lasts from 4 to 6 weeks.
Once you’ve fully transitioned, a new long-term bariatric diet will include:
• Healthy “whole” foods (avoid anything that’s processed)
• High protein
• Minimal sugar and “simple” carbohydrates
• Plenty of non-sugary fluids
• Minimal snacking
• Smaller portion sizes
• Slower and more thorough chewing
• No drinks with meals
• A strict regimen of bariatric vitamins and supplements
• Minimal alcohol
Again, diet restrictions and implications if you “cheat” are different for each procedure. For example:
• Gastric balloon patients only need to avoid “sticky” foods that can cling to the implanted balloons.
• LAP-BAND patients often experience difficulty swallowing if they try to eat too fast, and they can’t eat or drink anything within 30 minutes of meals.
• Gastric sleeve patients risk stretching out their smaller stomachs if they overeat, resulting in weight regain. They may also have difficulty swallowing if they eat too fast.
• Gastric bypass patients often cannot tolerate ANY sugar without experiencing unpleasant digestive issues (“dumping syndrome”).
• Duodenal switch patients have much stricter vitamin regimen to prevent malnutrition, in addition to the same issues as gastric sleeve patients.
What are the downsides of Bariatric Surgery?
While most patients call bariatric surgery the best decision of their life, it comes at the cost of:
• Big lifestyle changes
• A recovery period after surgery (see Bariatric Surgery – Essential Questions & Answers)
• Risk of complications (see Bariatric Surgery – Essential Questions & Answers)
• Possible side effects (see Bariatric Surgery – Essential Questions & Answers)
Big lifestyle changes
You will lose a lot of weight very quickly after bariatric surgery.
Your family, friends, and coworkers will start making comments about your weight, and you will likely receive more romantic attention.
The obesity discrimination you experience will go away. Strangers will treat you with more kindness and respect, often leading bariatric patients to feel like they’ve stepped into an “alternate universe.”
But all of these positive effects come with some significant lifestyle trade-offs.
First, the diet changes listed above will have a big impact on your day-to-day life:
• You may not be able to eat the same things as those around you, which may be awkward.
• Your portion sizes will be much smaller, so you’ll have to eat much more slowly than you’re used to in order to “keep pace” with others around the table.
• You will become religious about your vitamin, protein, and fluid intake.
• Alcohol should be avoided (or kept to a minimum).
Simply put, you will have a different relationship with food than you have ever had in your life.
You will also need to start a regular exercise program 2 to 3 days per week for 30 minutes each day. Many patients come to love the way they feel after exercising, but it will be a transition.
Finally, many patients report feelings of jealousy and resentment from friends and family members who still struggle with their weight.
Jan 26, 2021
HUNG M. DO, MD, Ph.D