Foods to Avoid After Gastric Bypass Surgery
Gastric bypass surgery was popularized more than 30 years ago. Today it is recognized as the most common, most successful weight loss procedure in the world. And the dramatic results experienced by gastric bypass patients make it easy to see why. Over the course of just 2 years, most patients lose between 70% and 80% of all excess weight. The surgery is so effective, in fact, that many people who undergo the procedure have reported continued results up to 20 years later.
Patients are advised to follow strict dietary guidelines, as this is the best way to promote and maintain weight loss in the days, weeks, and months following surgery. The dietary guidelines for patients change with time, particularly as they pertain to re-introducing more foods into your diet. This is generally referred to as a “staged” approach, and it progresses from liquids to pureed foods to soft foods to solid foods over time.
Foods to Avoid Long-Term
At about the 8-week mark after your gastric bypass surgery, your system will be ready for firmer food. However, there are some foods that will always be more difficult to process than others. We advise patients to avoid these as much as possible:
- Tough meats
- Bread
- Fried food
- Dried fruits
- Stringy or fibrous vegetables
- Popcorn
- Nuts / seeds
- Carbonated beverages
- Anything high in fat or sugar
As with any surgery, the way your body reacts may differ from the way another person’s reacts. As such, we recommend taking the process slowly. Don’t rush the reintroduction of food into your diet. Instead, try “new” foods one at a time. You’ll quickly learn what your stomach can and can’t handle. Foods you used to eat regularly may now cause nausea, stomach pain, or vomiting. On the other hand, foods you used to have no appetite for may be ones your body now craves and loves.
Pro Tip: Some foods will only cause discomfort temporarily. Certain foods may be hard to tolerate at first, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to reintroduce them into your diet later on. Don’t be discouraged! It’s a learning process that you’ll adapt to over time.
For more information about gastric bypass surgery, contact us at The N.E.W. Program for a consultation.