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The Post-Op Diet-
Following bariatric surgery, the typical recommended goal is to develop a balanced diet that optimizes nutrition, stressing Protein, Hydration, Vitamins/minerals and offsetting any possible nutritional deficiencies with vitamin supplements. The goal is to develop a long term eating pattern that provides balanced complete nutrition that provides less calories than are utilized until the patient has lost their excess fat tissue (or a ‘goal percentage’ of that tissue) and can sustain a constant and healthy weight. Such a Bariatric Diet plan is available from the Obesity Action Coalition at- http://www.obesityaction.org/resources/oacnews/oacnews2/nutr ition.php
Such a long-term "Dietary Lifestyle" however is often developed by first adhering to a diet that allows the surgical trauma and swelling to subside and heal properly without pressure or strain on the healing tissues.
This Diet is typically broken down into "Stages" or "Phases." Each bariatric surgeon has their individual recommendation as to what diet is best suited for their patients. Early Post-Op Dietary regimens can range from "Eat what you can tolerate," to elaborately scheduled and measured protocols that dictate times and specific foods that are to be consumed. In general, all of them stress- enough water/fluid to remain thoroughly hydrated, followed by protein and then vitamins. They also typically come with the caveat of- "Do Not Advance Your Diet Until Instructed to do so By YOUR Doctor."
These Post-Op Diets, aimed at gradually re-introducing food to the patient, do prevent in many cases vomiting, and stress on the newly Banded, Stapled or Sutured stomachs. They can break into various numbers of "Stages" or "Phases." Most commonly there are 3 to 5 stages.
Although some protocols combine Full and Clear Liquids into one phase, and pureed and mushy into a single stage, these are often the descriptions (in order of advancement)-
Clear Liquid Diet- Water, Unsweetened clear juice, Sugar free Jell-O, Sugar Free Popsicles, chicken, beef, or vegetable broth/bullion, and Decaf or herbal teas.
Full-Liquid Diet- All foods and drinks from previous stage plus- Skim-Milk, Sugar Free/Low Fat or plain yogurt, (without fruit) Strained Cream Soups, Protein Shakes, Thinned Cream of wheat or cream of rice cereals, No sugar-added applesauce, and Sugar-Free puddings.
Puree Diet- All foods and drinks from previous stages plus Low Sugar and low fat foods that have been processed/pureed to the consistency of baby-food or applesauce.
Soft Diet- (Mechanically Soft, or mushy) All foods and drinks from previous stages plus very tender meats such as canned tuna fish, low-fat peanut butter, soft cooked to the point of mushy vegetables, Soft fruit, (banana, melon, low sugar or no sugar added canned fruit) eggs, toast, low-fat crackers, Fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese and soft low-fat cheeses, Mashed Potatoes, (without skins) Tofu, etc…
Typically- No vegetable skins, Crisp vegetables, Corn, Rice or Soft Bread.
Full Diet- All foods and drinks from previous stages plus crisp vegetables, fruits, meats, etc… as tolerated. The emphasis continues to be on Protein, Low-Fat, Low-Sugar, Vitamin rich foods.
An example of a typical "3 Stage" Diet for Bariatric Patients is provided online by J. K. Champion, M.D., F.A.C.S. of Atlanta’s Videoscopic Institute of Atlanta, P.C., Bariatric Surgery.
(Dr. Champion is one of the three founding officers of the Surgical Review Corporation which was created to establish "Centers of Excellence" in Bariatric Surgery.)
http://www.drchampion.com/postop-diet.php
St. Vincent's Bariatric Surgery Center (also a Bariatric Surgery ‘Center of Excellence’) offers an extensive "5 Phase" Diet for Bariatric Patients (complete with shopping lists) at- http://www.stvincents.org/healthservices/bariatrics/dietstag e.cfm Eventually, sooner for some than others, a balanced, nutritional, healthy dietary intake is the goal. This is the same whether one has a procedure that is more mal-absorptive or only restrictive and not mal-absorptive at all. Healthy, Nourishing, Balanced Diet.
Capricious; Impulsive, Semi-Predictable 
