DISCLAIMER STATEMENT
The information in this document is for general purposes only, and should not be construed as definitive or binding medical advice. Because each person is medically different, individuals should see their personal physicians for specific information and/or treatment.
Clear Liquid Stage
Start with clear liquids.
Your body needs lots of liquids for a healthy recovery.
About the second or third day after surgery,
you'll be permitted to sip clear liquids
(liquids you can see through).
You will be sipping clear liquids for about four or five days.
You should sip a total of 64 ounces of clear liquids per day,
or about eight, eight-ounce glasses.
This is important as your body needs plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration, which will hinder your recovery.
Meeting your clear liquid requirements is easy.
Fluids at this stage of your recovery must be clear,
but there are many types of beverages you can have.
Everything on the clear liquids list counts toward
the 64 ounces of liquid, including the gelatin.
The thought of consuming 64 ounces of liquid a day
may sound like a lot of liquid,
but there are many helpful tips to help you drink
the liquids you need.
Also remember that your stomach is now smaller,
and still temporarily swollen from surgery,
so you will not be able to drink as much liquid at one time
as you did previously.
So, how do you maintain your liquid consumption?
The key is to keep sipping.
Continuous, small sips throughout the day and evening
will help you consume liquid you need
and allow your stomach to heal.
Here are some helpful tips:
Carry a large plastic container with ice water with you
everywhere you go.
Drink the things on the clear liquid list that you enjoy most.
Make a slush add ice to Crystal Ligh®t or juice and blend for an interesting texture.
Remember to sip slowly and frequently.
Also remember that carbonated drinks
and use of straws are not recommended for the first six months following surgery because they can lead to discomfort from gas.
When do I progress to full liquids?
You may add full liquids to your nutrition program
seven days after your surgery.
The full liquid stage lasts for two weeks.
This will be a good time to ask any questions you have about your nutrition program to your Dr.
Clear liquids you can use:
Beef broth
Chicken broth
Sugar-free gelatin
Sugar-free popsicles
Diluted (50% water) apple juice*
Diluted (50% water) grape juice*
Diluted (50% water) white grape juice*
Sugar-free Crystal Light®
Sugar-free Kool-Aid®
Sugar-free lemonade
Decaffeinated coffee\tea**
Water
*All juices should be 100 percent juice with no added sugar.
They should be diluted with 50 percent water.
** Patients can resume caffeine if they choose,
after three weeks of consuming 64 ounces of liquid every day.
Sample Menu for Clear Liquids
Menu #1
Breakfast:
1 cup diluted fruit juice
1/4 cup sugar-free gelatin
Snack: 1/2 cup diluted juice
1 sugar-free popsicle
Lunch:
1 cup diluted juice
1/4 cup sugar-free gelatin
Snack: 1 cup Crystal Light®
1 sugar-free popsicle
Dinner:
1 cup diluted juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
Snack:
1/2 cup sugar-free Kool-Aid®
1/4 cup sugar-free gelatin
This sample menu provides
2 grams of protein and 150 calories.
Sip water throughout the day.
Menu #2
Breakfast:
1 cup diluted fruit juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
Snack:
1 sugar-free popsicle
Lunch:
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup sugar-free gelatin
Snack:
1 cup diluted juice
Dinner:
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sugar-free gelatin
Snack:
1 popsicle
This sample menu provides 9 grams of protein and 202 calories.
Sip water throughout the day.
What is the protein content of various clear liquids?
Broth 1/2 cup 1.5
Sugar-free gelatin 1/2 cup 1.3
Juice 1/2 cup 0.0
Decaf coffee/decaf tea 1/2 cup 0.0
Sugar-free popsicle 1 0.0
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Full Liquids
(liquids you can't see through)
Your eating program will change and advance
as your caregivers allow you to gradually introduce new foods.
You will succeed in achieving your weight loss goals,
because you will no longer rely only on willpower
and counting calories.
About seven days after your surgery,
your nutritionist should allow you to begin drinking full liquids.
Full liquids are liquids you can't see through.
They also contain the protein and vitamins
your body needs now for healing.
Your food is still in a liquid form because your stomach
is swollen and perhaps tender.
Continue to drink liquids from the clear liquids list,
but now add the high-protein items from the full liquids list.
You will also begin to adjust your eating schedule
to your new, smaller stomach.
Once you begin eating full liquids,
you will begin a meal schedule that you will follow
for the rest of your life.
Your meals will be smaller to accommodate your new,
smaller stomach pouch and more frequent,
eating six small meals each day.
Why should you eat six small meals?
It keeps your blood sugar level within a desirable range.
This will keep your energy level high and will make you feel better.
It will prevent you from becoming
too hungry and making poor food choices.
Eating small amounts more frequently
will minimize reflux and nausea.
It may help to keep your metabolism in high gear,
helping you to shed those pounds.
Keep sipping!
You still need a minimum of 64 ounces of liquid a day.
You can have the new liquids mentioned earlier,
as well as those on your clear liquid list.
They all will help you meet your liquid goal.
Be sure to sip slowly and continue to
avoid concentrated sweets.
You may want to carry your 32oz jug with ice water
or beverages like Sugarfree Kool-Aid® or Crystal Light®.
It is a convenient way to make sure you always have liquid with you.
New full liquids you can add:
Skim milk
High protein skim milk
Sugarfree pudding
High protein, Sugarfree pudding
Sugarfree blended yogurt (no fruit pieces)
Sugarfree fudgesicles
100% juice (no added sugar) diluted 50% with water
Strained soups
(Avoid tomato soup because of the high sugar content.
Strain soup in a fine mesh strainer
or blend until completely smooth.)
Carnation Instant Breakfast - no sugar added
High protein Carnation Instant Breakfast®*
High protein, Sugarfree hot cocoa
High protein coffee
High protein Cream of Vegetable Soup
Alba®
Smoothies of any kind (skim milk+protein powder+fruit, blended)
Coolers of any kind (fruit juice+ice+fresh fruit, blended)
Sample Menu for Full Liquids
Menu #1
Breakfast:
1 cup high protein, Sugarfree Carnation Instant Breakfast®
(21 grams protein)
1 chewable, Sugarfree complete vitamin
Snack:
1/4 cup high protein, Sugarfree pudding (5 grams protein)
Lunch:
1/2 cup high protein cream soup (9.5 grams protein)
1/4 cup high protein, Sugarfree pudding (5 grams protein)
Snack:
1/2 cup high protein, Sugarfree Carnation Instant Breakfast®
(10.5 grams protein)
1 Sugarfree popsicle (0.0 grams protein)
1 chewable, Sugarfree complete vitamin
Dinner:
1/2 cup high protein cream soup (9.5 grams protein)
1/4 cup high protein, Sugarfree pudding (5 grams protein)
Snack:
1/2 cup high protein, Sugarfree hot cocoa (8 grams protein)
This sample menu provides 74 grams of protein and 905 calories.
Sip water throughout the day.
Menu #2
Breakfast:
1 cup high protein, Sugarfree yogurt (14.5 grams protein)
1 chewable, Sugarfree complete vitamin
Snack:
1 cup high protein hot cocoa (16.0 grams protein)
Lunch:
1/2 cup high protein, Sugarfree pudding (9.5 grams protein)
1 cup canned lowfat cream soup (8.0 grams protein)
Snack:
1 cup Crystal Light® Cooler (12 grams protein))
1 chewable, Sugarfree complete vitamin
Dinner:
1 cup Orange Protein (19 grams protein)
Snack 1 cup Crystal Light® Cooler (12 grams protein)
1 chewable, Sugarfree complete vitamin
This sample menu provides
82 grams of protein and 876 calories.
Sip water throughout the day.
* High protein means: You have added extra protein to it,
either by adding extra protein enriched powdered milk or protein powder of some type.
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Pureed Foods
(baby food consistency)
Your success has brought you to an important new step
in your nutrition program and your new life!
Now you will add more familiar foods to your program; however, they will still need to be in an easily digestible form that will allow your stomach to continue healing.
Our focus is on you and your healthy recovery.
It is important that you continue to follow your Doctor's instructions regarding when you can introduce new foods into your nutrition program. This will help speed your recovery, prevent gastric difficulties and prepare you for a return to solid, healthy normal foods.
About three weeks after surgery, your nutritionist will have you begin eating pureed (or blended) foods. You will eat food in this consistency for about two weeks. Pureed food is anything that is of smooth, baby-food consistency. There are three ways to get food with this consistency:
Use foods with naturally smooth consistency, such as applesauce or mashed potatoes.
Purchase baby food. If you choose to do this, remember to read the labels to avoid added sugars. Use only first or second stage foods and choose mostly meat products, as these are the best source of protein.
Blend your own foods. You can do this easily with a blender or food processor. Choose foods that are not high in fat or sugar. Add liquids such as broth, milk, or water, and blend until smooth. There should not be any pieces of food left in the mixture, just a smooth or semisolid liquid.
To prevent wasting food and to save time, many of our patients put blended food into ice cube trays, freeze, and then put cubes into plastic bags. When you are ready to eat, just microwave a few cubes and you have a meal.
Meet your protein needs during the pureed food phase by choosing foods that are high in protein. Eat foods that are high in protein first; then, if you have room, eat pureed fruits and vegetables. Careful meal planning will help ensure that you get enough protein.
Be sure to ask your nutritionist if you need more ideas or have questions about this step of your eating program.
Please remember:
Continue with chewable vitamins to meet daily vitamin and mineral requirements.
Continue to sip 64 ounces of fluid each day.
Continue to avoid concentrated sweets and high-fat foods.
Sip liquids slowly.
Tips for pureed meats and poultry
You can use any meat that you have baked, broiled or poached for your family. If you want a smoother consistency, mix it with a small serving of cooked cream of rice cereal and milk. You can make the pureeing process easier by adding a little broth or water. Meats cooked in a crock pot are particularly tender and easy to puree.
Sample Menu for Pureed Foods
(Remember to sip fluids before your meal or snack, not during)
Menu #1
Breakfast:
1/2 cup high protein cooked cereal
1/4 cup pureed ham
1 chewable, sugar-free complete vitamin
Snack :
1/2 cup pureed fruit
Lunch:
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup pureed fruit
Snack:
1 cup high protein Albav
Dinner:
1/2 cup mashed potatoes with lowfat gravy
1/4 cup pureed broth
1 chewable, sugar-free complete vitamin
Snack:
1 sugar-free fudgesicle
This sample menu provides 80 grams of protein and 885 calories.
Sip water throughout the day.
Menu #2
Breakfast:
1/2 cup high protein, sugar-Free Carnation Instant Breakfast®
1/4 cup scrambled egg substitute
1/4 cup high protein cooked cereal
1 chewable, sugar-free complete vitamin
Snack:
1/2 cup high protein pudding
1 cup canned lowfat cream soup (8.0 grams protein)
Lunch:
1/2 cup high protein cream soup
1/4 cup pureed fruit
1/4 cup pureed vegetable
Snack:
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 sugar-free popsicle
Dinner:
1/4 cup high protein mashed potatoes
1/2 cup high protein skim milk
1 chewable, sugar-free complete vitamin
Snack:
1/4 cup high protein, sugar-free pudding
1/2 cup high protein, sugar-free hot cocoa
This sample menu provides 76 grams of protein and 839 calories.
Sip water throughout the day.
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Soft Foods
Foods that have no hard pieces
Congratulations on the progress you've made!
This is your final eating step that lets your stomach fully heal and prepares it for a return to regular, healthy foods.
Soon you will start the eating program you will keep for life
and enjoy many of the foods with which you are familiar.
It's been about five weeks since your surgery, and your nutritionist should add soft foods to your eating program. Soft foods are those foods without hard pieces that would be difficult to digest, like nuts, seeds, chunks or other solid or large pieces. Your stomach pouch is not yet ready to digest these items.
Continue to eat six small meals. Restrict the size of meals to approximately 1/2 cup of soft foods, or for a liquid meal from one to 1-1/2 cups at a time. Do not force yourself to eat if you are not really hungry. A meal may be as simple as a glass of milk. Remember that six small meals help keep you from eating too much and help protect your small stomach pouch. It will also help keep your blood sugar level within a desirable range keeping your energy high and making you feel better.
Start your day with high protein, sugar-free items, (hot cocoa or Carnation Instant Breakfast®). It won't take much time, and it will help you meet your protein goal. Plus, you'll start your day with more energy.
Remember that you still need 64 ounces of fluid a day. While some fluid comes from your food, drink clear liquids and other approved beverages to make sure you receive all the fluids you need.
Soft Foods What can I eat?
Beverages
Breads
Cereals
Desserts
Fats
Fruits
Meats and Meat Substitutes
Potato or Substitute
Soups
Sweets
Vegetables
Miscellaneous
Beverages
Recommended:
1/2% milk, skim milk, buttermilk, decaf coffee, decaf tea, sugar-free hot cocoa, sugar-free Carnation Instant Breakfast®, Alba®
Avoid
Any containing carbonation or added sugar
Breads
Recommended:
Toasted breads, plain crackers
Avoid:
All others
Cereals
Recommended:
Cooked cereals without added fruits or nuts,
plain dry cereals softened in milk
Avoid:
Any with seeds, dried fruits, nuts or high in added sugars
or high in fat
Desserts:
Recommended:
Plain sugar-free puddings, sugar-free ice cream, sugar-free frozen pops, fruit-flavored yogurt
Avoid:
Any with coconut, seeds, nuts, whole or dried fruits,
added sugars or high in fat
Fats
Recommended:
Limited amounts of butter or fortified margarine, cream and cream substitutes, cooking fats and oils, lowfat gravies, lite whipped toppings, low-sugar fat-free salad dressings, "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter"® spray or soft spred, fat-free mayonnaise
Avoid:
All others
Fruits
Recommended:
Canned or cooked chopped fruits without seeds and skin and packed in their own juice, 100% fruit or vegetable juice
Avoid:
All others
Meat and Meat Substitutes
Recommended:
Ground meat and poultry (lowfat gravy or sauces may be added to moisten), soft flaked fish without bones, lowfat casseroles made of ground meat, shredded cheese, lowfat cottage cheese, soft scrambled eggs and egg substitute
Avoid:
Raw eggs or eggs cooked less than 7 minutes,
whole cuts of meat
Potato or Substitute
Recommended:
Mashed potatoes, lowfat creamed potatoes,
baked potatoes without the skin
Avoid:
All others
Soups
Recommended:
Broth, bouillon, consomme, blended strained soups
Avoid:
Any with large pieces of meat or vegetables
Sweets
Recommended:
100% fruit spreads, sugar substitutes, sugar-free syrup
Avoid:
All others
Vegetables
Recommended:
Well-cooked soft vegetables without skin or seeds, vegetable juices
Avoid:
All others
Miscellaneous
Recommended:
Seasonings (e.g., salt and pepper), ground spices,
smooth condiments
Avoid:
Nuts, coconuts, seeds, olives, pickles
Sample Menu for Soft Foods
(Remember to sip fluids right before your meal or snack, not during)
Menu #1
Breakfast:
1/2 cup scrambled egg substitute
1 slice toast with 100% fruit spread
1 chewable, sugar-free complete vitamin
Snack:
1/2 cup 100% fruit juice
Lunch:
1 cup high protein Alba®
1/4 cup J-ello®
Snack:
1 sugar-free popsicle
Dinner:
1/2 cup lean meat, ground
1/4 cup vegetables, cooked
1 chewable, sugar-free complete vitamin
Snack:
1/2 cup ready-to-eat cereal
1/4 cup skim milk
This sample menu provides 74 grams of protein and 835 calories.
Sip water throughout the day.
Menu #2
Breakfast:
1/3 cup ready-to-eat cereal
1/2 cup high protein skim milk
1 chewable, sugar-free complete vitamin
Snack:
1 oz. fat-free cheese with 2 saltines
Lunch:
2 oz. lowfat meat, ground
1/4 cup vegetables, cooked
1/4 cup canned fruit
Snack :
1/2 cup Crystal Light® Cooler
1/2 cup high protein pudding
Dinner:
1/4 cup cottage cheese
2 oz. lowfat meat, ground
1/4 cup vegetable, cooked
1 chewable, sugar-free complete vitamin
Snack:
1/4 cup sugar-free yogurt
1/2 cup high protein, sugar-free hot cocoa
This sample menu provides 72 grams of protein and 718 calories.
Sip water throughout the day.
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