Meal Plan After Bariatric Surgery

All Bariatric surgery shrinks the stomach down to a much smaller size than a typical stomach. The purpose of the surgery is to limit the amount of food a person can eat at one time. Eating more than this new stomach can hold leads to discomfort, pain and even vomiting.

The risk of overeating and the lack of familiarity with this newly transformed organ often leads to severe food restriction and a fear of eating. A significant number of people lose a lot of weight in the months after surgery because they are afraid or unable to eat enough.

Clearly, as explained in the last post, undereating is not a sustainable way to live. One possible result is surgical anorexia, and another option is a new form of disordered eating aimed at overcoming the limitations of having such a small stomach.

The most successful people after surgery learn a new, sustainable and reasonable way to eat. This new plan takes into account their caloric and nutritional needs, the capacity of their stomach and the rhythm of their daily life.

Sadly few nutritionists appear to focus on helping the many people who now have Bariatric surgery. The worst culprits are the ones who work in the Bariatric centers. Their sole goal appears to be short-term weight loss, the overall sign of success for these centers. Long-term health and quality of life rarely factor into their suggestions.

The new meal plans need to incorporate a few simple ideas.

First, meals need to be small, rarely more than a cup of food. This basic fact acknowledges the limitations of the new, small stomach.

Second, a cup of food is not enough to sustain someone more than a few hours. Thus, the typical plan of three meals and two snacks is rarely effective after surgery. Instead, a new meal plan needs to include eating a small to medium size amount of food more often through the day, usually every two hours or so. Instead of meals and snacks, this plan has mostly snacks.

Third, the food needs to be varied throughout the day. Since it is harder to eat enough due to the small stomach, the new plan needs to consider the nutritional value of the food to ensure one gets enough nutrients through the day. Typically, a varied diet will always include enough nutrition. Since a small stomach only allows limited food per day, it is important to be sure to eat enough nutritious food.

Essentially, people who have had Bariatric surgery have to manage a damaged stomach the rest of their lives. Just as anyone who has had an injury, these people can accommodate their diet to take into account the injury and ensure adequate nutrition.