After 30 days of liquid and mixed food (see here) you will be able to resume « normal » food but with some reservations, the operation is not magic, it will force you to reduce the amount of food, but its quality depends on you.
Ideal is to approach a « vegetarian » diet while maximizing food both for pleasure, but also for the different nutrients they bring; regularity of meals is very important: 3 meals a day with a snack at 11 am and 5 pm, so as not to be hungry when approaching the next meal.
Avoid sugar as much as possible (to be replaced by synthetic sugars).
Avoid animal fats as much as possible: meats, butter, milk, cheese, yogurts (to be replaced by light products or vegetable oils for cooking) and limit to 1 milk product per day. Whole milk, creams, ice cream and especially cheese are extremely rich in unsaturated fats and calories.
It is known that the fatter fish contains less « bad fat » than the less fat meat; it should therefore be preferred, grilled with lemon or broth with condiments.
It is important to chew very well, to drink fluids (2 liters per day: water, tea, herbal teas) between meals, to stop eating immediately before being satiated, to vary your diet, avoid soft drinks and regular alcohol consumption.
For successful weight loss after Bariatric Surgery a change in your eating habits is absolutely necessary. You will not be able to lose as much weight as you like if you eat continuously or if you stretch your stomach by eating large amounts of food at one time.
Important:
- Eat very slowly
- Chew food well and cut your food in small pieces
- Don’t drink during meals; there is no place in your new stomach for liquids and food both.
- Drink liquids 30 minutes before or at least 45 minutes after meals
- Stop eating just before you are full.
- Select a balanced diet: No sugar, no animal fat, no butter, no sausage, no cheese, no red meat, no mayonnaise, no sauces, no alcohol or fizzy drinks.
- Fish or white meat must be steamed or grilled without any added fat.
- Almost all green vegetables steamed or boiled are authorized (spinach, endives, leek, celery, French beans…)
- Vegetables which contain much sugar or carbohydrates such as carrots, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, white or red beans, peas and potatoes will be introduced at a later stage, they aren’t recommended during the first stage of maximum weight loss. This is the same for pasta and rice.
BREAKFAST:
- 1 glass of fresh fruit juice
- 1 small slice of brown bread or a 1/2 cup of natural corn cereal without sugar
(These foods are needed for proper amounts of B-vitamins and facilitate body transit)
- tea or coffee without sugar
11 am and 4 pm:
- 1 fruit, (apple, kiwi or 1/4th of pineapple is the best) or 1 cup of yogurt 0% fat without sugar.
LUNCH:
- green salad with tomato, cucumber, radish, onion, French beans, asparagus… (to be varied every day)
- 1 small slice of ham without fat, or 1 small portion of Tuna in oil, or 1 hard boiled egg, or 1 small slice of chicken breast
- 1 very small slice of brown bread
- 1 fruit compote without sugar
DINNER:
- Vegetable soup (in winter) or a salad (in summer)
- Green vegetables, steamed or boiled, e.g.: spinach, endives, leek, French beans, celery, asparagus, aubergine, courgette……
- 1 small steamed or boiled potato
- Fish or chicken breast or turkey or veal or rabbit without any fat, steamed or grilled
- A fresh fruit salad without added sugar
Condiments:
Vegetable oil (olive oil, sunflower oil ….) is perfect in a small quantity (1 spoon per meal). Fresh herbs, spices or a ½ teaspoon of mustard will make your meals tasteful.
BEFORE GOING TO BED:
1 herbal tea before bed brings a good amount of liquid by promoting sleep, digestion and intestinal transit.
PRACTICE A SPORTS ACTIVITY:
Walking, cycling, swimming …
CONCLUSIONS
These are only recommendations to be applied as much as possible, but which can be « forgotten » for a birthday, a party or an exceptional event; in these conditions, it is necessary to recover afterwards.
Any sports activity is good (walking, cycling, swimming …) but in itself it « consumes » few calories.
Important: A patient who has had bariatric surgery should never vomit. If this happens, it is that she / he ate too much too quickly, or that there is a beginning of a complication, a consultation with the surgeon is needed then.