Everything You Need To Know About Gastric Sleeve Diet
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More and more people are considering gastric sleeves and other weight loss surgery options as treatments for dangerous levels of obesity. While most of us hope we are able to control our weight through diet and exercise alone, the unfortunate reality is that some people find their weight problems don't respond to simple calorie counting – for a variety of reasons, they may find themselves excessively obese and none of the normal weight loss fads seem to have an effect.
That makes gastric sleeve surgery, a simple weight loss surgery procedure, an attractive option. A gastric sleeve can restrict how much food you are able to eat and thus how many calories you absorb, fundamentally changing how your body works. But what can you eat once you have a gastric sleeve? Here's everything you need to know about a proper gastric sleeve diet.
What is a Gastric Sleeve?
The gastric sleeve procedure is a surgery to change the size and shape of the stomach, altering how the body absorbs food. Normally the stomach can be seen as essentially a “bag”: it can hold a large amount of food which remains there for some time as nutrition is absorbed. However, by removing a portion of the stomach it can be reduced to about a fourth of its normal size, and reshaped like a “sleeve” that passes food through quickly. This is the gastric sleeve procedure.
This procedure doesn't just reduce how much food you can eat; it changes the stomach's activity at a basic level. One of the major benefits of a gastric sleeve procedure is that the part of the stomach that remains is largely unable to produce ghrelin, a hormone that induces hunger and tells the body to crave calories. With less ghrelin, eating patterns are easier to change and satiety is easier to accomplish.
Additionally, the body absorbs fewer calories from food because it spends less time in the stomach.
The Gastric Sleeve Diet
A gastric sleeve is not reversible, and it alters how and what you can eat. Following the prescribed diet is vital to both post-surgery recovery and long term health and safety.
You will need to work with your doctor or a dietitian to create a personal diet that addresses all of your unique health needs, but as a general rule you can expect your diet to progress in four parts:
Right after surgery.
In the days after surgery, you will need to consume only clear liquids, totaling less than 1,000 calories per day. You will also need to consume a large amount of water to stay hydrated.
First two weeks.
For about two weeks after surgery, you can consume a wider variety of liquids but no solid food, and must stay within 500-1,000 calories a day. Hydration remains important, as is receiving enough protein – often from protein powders dissolved in water.
First two months.
During the rest of the two months following surgery you will be able to eat some soft and moist foods, as long as you are able to effectively puree them with your teeth. Seeds, crunchy foods and raw fruit or vegetables absolutely cannot be consumed. Calories must be under 1,400 a day and protein should be about 30% of your diet.
Once the above stages are complete, you can return to a more normal diet but should never go over 1,600 calories per day, and never more than 300-400 per meal. You still need to split your calories about 30% protein, 30% fat and the rest can be carbs. Fiber and a proper balance of vitamins will also be important.
This is just an example of a gastric sleeve diet, but most will be similar. At all times it's vital to follow your doctor's directions. It's important to remember that undergoing gastric sleeve surgery is a lifelong commitment to carefully control your diet.
Andrew's Aunt just went through a gastric sleeve procedure. Throughout her recovery he took note of a few things and decided to share them with others.
Category: Cosmetic Surgery, Surgery
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