My Gastric Bypass Journey- A personal weight loss story- Post op Meal Plan

Congratulations! You’ve had your surgery and are getting ready to go home. Here’s a brief overview of the diet progression for the next 6 weeks: -If you have difficulty advancing the diet, go back to the previous week’s diet consistency -Call your surgeon’s office if you experience difficulty swallowing, pain, fever, vomiting -Do not use a straw with liquids (you can add straws around 4 months) -Avoid sweetened, carbonated and caffeinated beverages -When you start to add solid food, chew slowly and thoroughly (remember that lesson we had early on as to conscious eating? Yeah here is where is comes in handy) -When you start to eat solid food at week 6, do not consume liquids with food–separate by 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to and after meals -Avoid fried food, sweets, candy, etc. -Consume protein at each meal -Take your chewable multivitamins and calcium supplements daily -Call your Dietitian the first week home from the hospital to set your 3-week follow-up .

Week 1 Post Op Bypass

Full Liquids Nonfat.  Remember to sip liquids throughout the day. It may take 1 hour to consume 8 oz. Do not use a straw.

Breakfast: Protein shake

Lunch: Protein shake

Supper: Protein shake

Approximate protein: 45-60 grams/day Additional Fluids: Water, Herbal Tea, Decaf coffee, 1 cup regular coffee, Crystal Light, Fruit 2O, Diet Jell-O, chicken broth, beef broth, sugar free popsicles (not more than 2)

Week 2 Post Op Bypass

Full Liquid-Puree Consistency **Sip on 2 Protein shakes throughout the day

Breakfast: ½ cup yogurt, ½ cup scrambled egg, ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup yogurt

Lunch: ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup yogurt, 1 cup pureed soup,

Supper: 1 cup pureed soup, ½ cup no added sugar pudding, ½ cup yogurt,½ cup scrambled egg

Note: Pureed soup- pureed bean soup or strained cream soup Scramble egg in milk- soft consistency Approximate protein: 60 grams/day (Includes 2 Protein shakes) Additional Liquids: Water, Herbal Tea, Decaf coffee, 1 cup regular coffee, Crystal Light. Fruit 2 O, Diet Jell-O, Sugar free popsicles, Chicken broth, Beef broth

Week 3 Post Op Bypass

Puree Consistency **2 Protein Shakes daily- Sip throughout the day**

Breakfast: ½ cup cream of wheat, ½ cup scrambled egg, ½ cup cream of rice with protein, ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup pureed fruit

Lunch: ¼ cup pureed meat, ¼ cup mashed potato, 1 cup pureed soup, ¼ cup cottage cheese, ¼ cup pureed fruit, ½ cup mashed tuna, ¼ cup No added sugar pudding, ½ cup yogurt

Supper: 1 cup pureed soup, ¼ cup pureed meat, ¼ cup pureed vegetables, ¼ cup scrambled egg, No added sugar pudding

Note: Make Cream of Wheat with milk- Suggest Cream of Wheat with added Protein, Greek Yogurt is higher in protein Do not use instant mashed potatoes Pureed soup- puree bean soup or strained cream soup Homemade pureed meat- blend with fat-free gravy, marinara sauce or broth Approximate protein: 60 grams/day (Includes 2 Protein shakes) Additional Liquids: Same as previous week

Week 4-5 Post Op Bypass

Soft, Ground, Moist Meal

Breakfast: ½ cup scrambled egg, 1 slice toast, ½ cup Dry Cereal 4 oz milk, ½ cup oatmeal,

Lunch: ½ cup tuna salad 1 slice toast, ½ cup bean soup 6 crackers, Banana, ½ cup ham salad 1 slice toast, ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup lite canned fruit, ½ cup chicken soup, ½ cup egg salad, No added sugar pudding

Supper: 3 oz fish ½ cup carrots, 3 oz ground beef ¼ cup mashed potato fat free gravy, garden burger ¼ cup zucchini, 3 oz ground chicken fat free gravy ¼ cup green beans, 3 oz salmon ¼ cup mashed potatoes, 2 egg omelet 1 slice toast, 3 oz ground turkey fat free gravy ¼ cup butternut squash.

Note: Use low fat mayonnaise for meat salads Cereals with added protein: Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal with protein, Special K with protein, Kashi Go Lean, Cream of wheat with protein Use fat free butter spray or No Added Sugar Jelly for toast Add protein drink if not getting 60 grams of protein Approximate protein: 60 grams/day Additional Liquids: same as previous week *Total amount of food should not exceed 1 cup at each meal

Week 6 Post Op Bypass and forever going forward!!

Solid Low-Fat – low carb

Breakfast: ½ cup scrambled egg 1 slice toast ½ cup Dry Cereal 4 oz milk ½ cup oatmeal ½ cup Dry Cereal 4 oz milk ½ cup scrambled egg 1 slice toast ½ cup Dry Cereal 4 oz milk poached egg 1 slice toast

Lunch: ½ cup tuna salad 1 slice toast Lettuce, 3 oz turkey 1 slice toast Tomato ½ cup ham salad 1 slice toast ,Lettuce ½ cup cottage cheese ½ cup lite canned fruit, 3 oz meatloaf ¼ c vegetables, ½ cup hummus 6 crispy crackers, 3 oz turkey 1 slice toast Lettuce

Supper: 3 oz chicken ¼ cup Beans 1/3 cup red sauce, 3 oz fish ¼ cup mashed potato ¼ cup Green Beans, 3 oz hamburger ¼ cup mashed potato ¼ cup broccoli, garden burger ¼ cup mixed vegetables, 3 oz turkey fat free gravy ¼ cup mashed potato ¼ cup carrots, 3 oz baked salmon ¼ cup peas, 3 oz loose hamburger in 1/3 cup red sauce ¼ cup whole wheat pasta

Note: Use low fat margarine, low fat mayonnaise, low fat salad dressing Total amount of food should not exceed 1 cup at each meal Salad at the end of the meal as tolerated Foods that may be difficult to digest: tough meat, fresh bread, stringy vegetables, membrane on orange and grapefruit, skin on fruits and vegetables Remember: Protein first Approximate Protein: 60 grams/day

Personally, I have not added pasta or rice and eggs are an issue for me still at 7 months but this menu plan is a goal not a given.