Having nothing to eat for two weeks doesn’t really sound like a great plan to many people but after bariatric surgery that is exactly what you have to do with a bariatirc liquid diet to give your stomach time to heal before you start eating real food again.
Thriving On The Bariatric Liquid Diet After Gastric Sleeve Surgery
The trick getting through the two weeks of liquid diet without major food cravings or climbing the walls for certain foods is all about variety and diet planning. You are going to be on a liquid diet for the first two weeks after surgery so its important to get some of the major priorities in place:
- You need to get 64 oz of fluids in per day to keep you hydrated.
- You need to get roughly 60-80 grams of protein per day which in during this period will need to be in liquid form.
After surgery your stomach will be really swollen and about 70% smaller than it was prior to the procedure. They way you drink liquids will now change especially if you were the type of person who tended to drink liquid fast in bigger gulps and swallows. Your stomach no longer has the room to hold a large volume of liquid and drinking too fast or too much can cause you to get sick. Drinking too fast with big gulps can cause your stomach to spasm and possibly vomit. It can also lead to spontaneous diarrhea and have you hustling to the bathroom. The best way to get your 64 oz. of fluid a day is to sip liquids all day long, not waiting to get real thirsty. Having your favorite water bottle along with you all throughout the day will help remind you to take a small sips and drinks. Also you might want to set a timer on your phone every half an hour to remind you to take a few sips and get into the habit of drinking that often.
Getting 64 oz. in a day can be difficult because you just won’t feel like drinking so it's even more important to get a variety of drinks that not only will hydrate you but also will provide the needed levels of protein to keep your muscles strong and keep you energized.
One of the best ways to achieve both liquid and protein goals on the bariatric liquid diet is to look for protein water at your local grocery or health food store. Most protein waters are great for full liquids diets because they provide on average 10-15 grams of protein per bottle and they are generally low in sugars and carbohydrates allowing your body to continue to shed pounds and not spike your blood sugar. The protein waters also tend to be less thick than protein shakes keeping a person from feeling bloated after drinking a few ounces. Protein waters also have a wider variety of flavors making it easier to stay on your liquid diet and not get bored by drinking the same thing for every meal for two weeks straight.
Apart from protein water, there are lots of other options for a liquid diet than beverages. To keep things from being to mundane and keep you from wanting to eat pureed foods too soon it’s good to look at all available options. Clear soups and bouillons make great options for a hot “food” options just as popsicles and Italian ices provide a great “dessert” type option to mix things up. Diet Jellos and gelatins are another option as is low fat or 1% white milk. Light yogurts or Greek yogurts that are no sugar added are also options to keep your menu fresh and interesting. All these options are available in addition to the various protein shakes and drinks that are plentiful in the pharmacy and health mart aisles.
By staying hydrated and keeping you beverage and liquid menu full of protein and with a variety of options, you full liquid diet will go by quickly and successfully.
