Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often should I eat throughout the day?
A: Once you advance to the soft stage of your diet, we recommend eating three balanced meals per day and drinking your protein supplement and non-caloric beverages between meals. Do not snack initially, as your protein supplement will count as your snack. Once you are consuming enough protein at meals, you can stop the protein supplement and eat three meals per day with one small snack between each meal.

Q: How much protein do I need after surgery?
A: After surgery, we recommend at least 60-75g protein per day. Eat lean protein sources first with each meal to help ensure adequate protein intake. Initially, it is nearly impossible to eat enough protein; therefore, we recommend you consume a protein drink to help meet your needs. Make sure your protein drink contains less than 5g sugar per serving to help prevent dumping.

Q: How much sugar can I have?
A: Omit simple sugars from your diet, as they are high in empty calories and can cause dumping symptoms in gastric bypass patients. Simple sugars are "sweets," such as: cookies, cake, candy, ice cream, honey, doughnuts, etc. For all other foods, look at the first three ingredients of the product. If the first three ingredients contain a sugar ingredient, we recommend you stay away from the product. The first three ingredients are the largest ingredients in the product if it's a sugar ingredient, more than likely its high in empty calories and gastric bypass patients could dump from that product.

Q: How long should I wait to drink before and after meals?
A: Do not drink 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after meal time for most optimal results. Drinking before a meal can fill your pouch up and prevent you from eating enough at meal time. Drinking during and immediately after meals can flush the food out of your pouch, leaving you feeling hungry.

Q: Can I eat fibrous foods?
A: Yes, you can eat fibrous foods six weeks after your surgery. Eating fibrous foods immediately after surgery can cause discomfort and irritate the pouch. Foods to avoid for the first six weeks after surgery are: raw fruits, raw vegetables, popcorn, bran, and dried beans.

Q: Will my pouch stretch after surgery?
A: Yes, with time you will be able to eat more food, as your body is adjusting to the surgery. Continue to follow program guidelines to help maintain your weight loss and meet your goals. Make sure you are eating lean protein sources and limiting simple sugars and fried foods, as they are high in empty calories.