After your sleeve gastrectomy, you will begin to reintroduce food slowly and in a stepwise manner. Recommendations for eating after sleeve gastrectomy, in general, do vary according to surgeons’ specific practices and your progress. The following information is specific to eating after sleeve gastrectomy as part of the UGiRS bariatric surgery program.
A new approach to eating
- Remember your ‘new stomach’ can only hold 100-200ml after surgery. You will probably feel satisfied after 2-3 tablespoons of food in the early stages. This is quite normal, and you should not be concerned about how little you are eating.
- Eat slowly and mindfully to gauge how you feel and stop eating before you are full. One more mouthful may cause discomfort and possibly vomiting. It is particularly important after surgery that you listen and respond to your body in this way.
- Chew foods very well until they are completely broken down or mushy. This will help the food to move down more easily without becoming stuck.
- Eat 3 meals per day and avoid snacking or grazing.
- Avoid high sugar drinks (e.g., Juice, soft drinks, flavoured milk, alcohol). They are filled with non-nutrient calories and slow down weight loss.
- Slowly drink 5-6 cups of fluid per day. Also, make sure you have fluids approximately 20 minutes before and after your meals, not with your meals.
- At each meal you should prioritise protein first (e.g., Lean meat/chicken/eggs), then low-starch or green leafy vegetables, followed by a very small amount of whole grains (e.g., cereal, rice, pasta) or starchy vegetables (e.g., potato, sweet potato).
- Introduce new foods one at a time. If you have difficulty eating something, it was either too dry, not chewed well enough, or you ate it too soon. You may try again a week later.
- Quality over quantity. There is a limited amount of food and fluid that your stomach can now hold. It is important to eat and drink good quality, fresh, whole foods and limit highly processed packaged foods.
Preparation is key!
Remember, eating after surgery is a very important part of your recovery. Eating and drinking need to be a priority and require planning, organisation, time, and patience. Our dietitian Lisa will support you through this process in your review consultations after surgery.
Ultimately, the key principles outlined above are designed to ensure that following surgery:
- food and fluids pass through your surgery site easily without causing discomfort or becoming stuck,
- you feel well after eating and avoid feeling sick or vomiting,
- you allow your body time to adjust to the changes in your stomach’s size, shape, and function.