Life After Surgery - Nutrition
The
success of any obesity operation requires you to take responsibility
for your eating and exercise patterns. Therefore you will need to
follow some guidelines:
- Eat three regular nutritious meals each day, with preferably no snacks in between
- Take your time and chew food really well. Stop when you are comfortable
- Eat only good foods that help meet all of your nutritional requirements
During the initial phase of “new” eating patterns, you may have occasional episodes of vomiting if you eat the wrong type of food or if you eat too quickly. With time, you will learn to identify those foods that cause you problems, however if you eat slowly, eat small amounts, chew really well and take your time; you can avoid some of these difficulties. Your eating pattern will steadily improve and 9-12 months after your operation, and you will be eating a wide range of high protein, moderate fat, low carbohydrate foods, in socially adequate amounts.
As your food intake will be restricted by your operation, it is
important to eat wisely and ensure adequate nutrition. Protein
supplementation is essential to your health after weight loss
surgery and promotes healing. When your intake advances to more
normal foods post-operatively, protein becomes very important and
patients should try to take in 60-80 grams per day minimum. This may
require continuing to take in supplemental protein, such as protein
powder and protein bars.
Due to the reduction in the quantity of food you can eat and associated malabsorption with some weight loss surgery procedures, it is very difficult to eat enough of the right foods in order to get the quantity of nutrients your body requires. This makes taking your vitamin and mineral supplements crucial for the rest of your life. These supplements can range from basic multivitamins for the non-absorptive procedures like the Lap-band, and includes iron, folic acid, calcium and B group vitamins for the procedures that involve some malabsorption such as the bypass and sleeve gastrectomy.
The importance of eating small quantities, eating slowly, chewing very well and listening to your body’s satiety signals will be outlined and reminded to you strongly throughout our process.
