Healthy eating

Your eating habits will need to change forever, and there are specific guidelines you will need to follow. These requirements vary according to the surgery you undergo. We have developed a few healthy eating tips to help you on your way to a new healthy lifestyle.

Healthy eating tips

• Eat slowly. Set aside 20 to 30 minutes for each meal. Do not eat for longer than 30 minutes.
• Chew your food well. You should chew each bite 30 to 40 times, until it is the consistency of applesauce.
• Eat at the dining room or kitchen table. If you are watching TV or are otherwise distracted, you may not chew your food well enough or realize when you’re full.
• Don’t drink beverages with your meals. Drink beverages between meals only – 30 minutes before or after meals.
• Sip fluids regularly between meals. You need to drink at least six to eight cups of water or other calorie-free beverages between meals each day. Your pouch will not stop you from over-consuming fluids, so drinking high-calorie beverages will slow or prevent weight loss.
• Eat only three small meals a day, at the same time every day. Don’t skip meals, and no snacking between meals.
• Limit portion sizes. Using smaller dishes may help you keep portions small.
• Avoid high-fat foods and sweets. After surgery, these foods can cause weight gain, dumping syndrome or severe diarrhea. 
• Limit alcohol. Your body absorbs it more quickly after surgery, and it is a source of empty calories. You should avoid alcohol for a full year following surgery.
• Be careful when eating out. Wait for a couple of months before eating out.
• Learn to identify when you are full. Stop eating as soon as you feel satisfied.
• Eat enough protein, such as low-fat meats and dairy products.
• Take small bites. You may want to use smaller utensils at first.
• You may not be able to eat bread, beef and pork, because these foods cannot be broken down small enough to pass through the small hole in the stomach pouch.

See "Shopping list for people following gastric bypass surgery" (PDF)

Dietary consultations can be arranged by the Park Nicollet Bariatric Surgery Center team.

Return to after surgery.