diet, the kind you have to follow after surgery

Been doing some research and I came across the site obesityhelp.com. It offers a lot of information about bariatric surgery. I have heard that for the first few weeks after surgery you have to force yourself to "eat" because you feel so lousy you don't want to eat, even though the eating consists of little bits of a liquid diet throughout the day. The joke was made that we certainly have enough shot glasses, which are 1oz, since we have a shot glass collection. I am getting more excited by the day, and I am the type of person who hates to wait. I know that these next six months will help me change my thinking and eating patterns in order to be successful after surgery. The following is an excerpt from the obesityhelp.com page that talks about the phases of diets after surgery:

Phase I: Clear Liquid Diet
1. After surgery, you will not eat any food or drink any liquids until approval by the surgeon.
2. Once approved, you will receive water, clear broth, unsweetened apple juice or decaffeinated* tea (no red fluids)**. You will only be able to drink 30mL (1 oz) every hour. If you tolerate 1 oz of liquid each hour, on day 2 you may advance to 60mL (2 oz) of liquid every hour.
3. Remember to drink liquids SLOWLY. Do not use a straw***.
4. There may be large quantities of liquids brought to you on your tray. You do not have to finish everything. When you feel full, stop!
5. It is not unusual to experience nausea and/or vomiting during the first few days following surgery. Make sure that you drink slowly. If nausea or vomiting persists, contact your nurse.
*Caffeine should be avoided after surgery because it is a diuretic. This will cause you to lose fluids and make it more difficult for you to keep yourself hydrated.
**If “red foods” are consumed after surgery and you vomit, it may be mistaken for blood. “Red foods” include foods on the clear liquid diet such as sugar-free gelatin, sugar-free popsicles or any “red” sugar-free beverages.
***If you drink from a straw after surgery you will cause air to enter into your new pouch. This will create a full feeling and you will have less room for liquids needed to keep hydrated as well as nutritious foods when you advance to those stages.
Phase II: Full Liquid Diet
1. On discharge from the hospital you will start the full liquid diet.
2. You will stay on the full liquid diet for 1-2 weeks unless directed otherwise by your surgeon and dietitian.
3. To prevent nausea and vomiting, drink liquids slowly. Sip ¼ cup (2 oz) of liquid over 30 minutes. You do not have to finish everything. When you feel full, stop!
4. Drink at least 6-8 cups of water or low-calorie drinks between high-protein beverages. Remember to avoid carbonation, caffeine and citrus.
5. Take your prescribed multi-vitamin/mineral supplements and calcium as instructed.
6. Make sure you keep track of the kind and amount of high-protein beverages you drink. Remember, you need a minimum of 60 grams of protein each day.
The following are examples of protein sources that should be included on the Full Liquid Diet:
1 cup Fat free or 1% milk = 8 g protein
1 cup Soy milk or lactose-free milk (Lactaid or Dairy Ease) = 8 g protein
No-sugar-added breakfast drink made with fat-free or 1% milk (Carnation Instant Breakfast) = 12 g protein
Strained cream soup made with milk (no tomato, mushroom or corn pieces) = 8 g protein
Commercial supplements as suggested by your surgeon or dietician

To help boost protein intake, add non-fat powdered milk to the above list of liquids.
(1 Tbsp = 3 grams of protein, 25 calories)
Phase III: Puree Diet
1. After 1-2 weeks on the Full Liquid diet, you will be able to SLOWLY add foods of a thicker consistency. All foods for the next 2 weeks will be blended to a baby-food consistency.
2. You can continue to include foods on the full liquid diet throughout this stage.
3. It is very important to chew foods thoroughly to avoid blockage or nausea. Try 1-2 Tbsp of food at a time to see if tolerated. Each meal should consist of only 2-4 Tbsp (1/8 – ¼ cup of food).
4. Remember to always include protein first at each meal. You need a minimum of 60 grams of protein each day.
5. Keep yourself hydrated! Drink 6-8 cups of water and low-calorie beverages between meals. Fat free or 1% milk can be included as part of your total fluid intake.
6. Continue to keep track of the kind and amount of protein you eat every day.

The following are examples of foods from each food group that should be included on the Puree (Blended) Diet. The meat and the milk group include food choices that are “complete” proteins. “Complete” proteins contain all the essential amino acids your body needs. Food choices from the starch, fruit, and vegetable groups are not “complete” proteins and should only be used with foods from the milk and meat group.

Phase IV: Soft Diet
1. After 2 weeks on the Puree Diet, you will no longer have to blend your foods. You can slowly add foods that are soft in consistency. Soft foods can be cut easily with a fork.
2. You will remain on the Soft Diet for 2 weeks. Remember to try one new food at a time.
3. For better portion control, use smaller plates and baby spoons and forks. Stop eating when you feel full.
4. Keep yourself hydrated! Drink 6-8 cups of water and low-calorie beverages between your meals. Don’t drink with your meals. Don’t drink 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after meals.
5. Continue to take your supplements as prescribed.
6. Continue to keep track of the kind and amount of protein you eat every day. Remember, your goal is a minimum of 60 grams of protein each day.

Phase V: Regular Diet
1. After 2 weeks on the Soft Diet, you may begin the Regular Diet if ready. You may be ready for this phase at 1 month after surgery or possibly not until 2 months after surgery. Everybody progresses differently.
2. This is the last stage of the diet progression. Continue to add new foods in slowly. Raw fruits and vegetables can be added in as tolerated. You may want to avoid the skin and membranes on fruit.
3. Follow a low-fat diet and avoid simple sugars for life. Your protein goal remains at a minimum of 60 grams each day. For successful weight loss, caloric intake may range between 800-1200 calories each day. Ask your registered dietitian how many calories are appropriate for you.
4. Continue to eat 5-6 small meals each day. As your pouch expands, 3 small meals and 1-2 high protein snacks may be more appropriate.
5. Continue to take your prescribed supplements for life.
6. Keep yourself hydrated! Always drink 6-8 cups of water and low-calorie beverages daily.
7. Continue to track your daily intake and activities. Include calories, protein, fluids, supplements and exercise.