The people who undergo gastric bypass surgery normally do so because they are sick and tired of being sick and tired, they want to live a healthier, more active lifestyle and in order to do that they need to lose significant amounts of weight. While some people may view weight loss surgery as an easy way out, the reality is that if this type of surgery is going to work you are going to have to be fully committed to making permanent lifestyle changes post gastric bypass.
This procedure will greatly reduce the size of your stomach which will make it virtually impossible for you to overeat, that in turn will lead to significant weight loss. Another thing that will lead to is a dramatic change in your lifestyle, especially your eating habits. It\’s not just about how much you eat but also how often and what you eat. All of this will play a part in the success of your surgery.
Here are some specifics that can help ease you through this transition period:
1. You will be eating a lot of Jell-o and nutrition shakes after your surgery, about 30 days after your surgery to be exact. You won\’t be allowed to have any type of solid food for a solid month after your surgery. Your body has changed dramatically and you will need to allow your body enough time to properly heal before you can eat any solid food.
Don\’t worry, during this period it\’s common to start wondering if you\’ve made a huge mistake, this is a dramatic change for most people and it can be very unsettling, just hang in there and soon you\’ll begin to see changes and you\’ll realize that you made the right choice in having the surgery.
2. Your doctor will want you to take vitamins to supplement any nutrients you may not be receiving from your food intake, it\’s very important that you don\’t forget to take them. Your body must get enough fuel so that it can run properly and make it possible for you to heal.
3. After the first 30 days of a liquid only diet you will be able to start eating soft foods such as pureed vegetables. The changes you\’ve undergone may affect the types of food you can tolerate. For example, some people find that they never want to, or can\’t, eat a certain type of food again, like meat. With others they don\’t notice any real differences in the types of foods that they can eat, they just have to eat less.
4. Once you\’ve gotten past the first several months you will be able to start eating more \’regularly\’ again. That doesn\’t mean you can go back to the old eating habits you had before the surgery, it just means that you will be able to eat more than liquid or soft foods. You will still want to stay away from too many carbs, fat, sugar, etc. It will be important for your body to continue to eat only whole, unprocessed food whenever possible.
These are just some of the lifestyle changes that you can expect post gastric bypass. The transition may be a little tough, most changes are at first, but in the long run the process will work if you\’re willing to do your part and you follow the advice of your doctor.