Your bariatric program will provide you with specific information about what to eat after surgery, but here are some generally accepted guidelines to give you an idea of what to expect.

At this time, your bariatric surgeon will be monitoring your progress by seeing how well you tolerate low-sugar, non-carbonated liquids such as water, tea, broth, or Gatorade®.³ Sugar-free gelatin is another option.

Use a cup to drink. Avoid sipping from a bottle or straw—you could swallow too much air and get gas.

Artificial sweeteners such as Splenda®, Equal®, and Sweet’N Low® are calorie-free alternatives to sugar.³ Most bariatric surgery patients are able to tolerate artificial sweeteners in moderation. It’s important to keep in mind that these artificial sweeteners are used in many no- and low-calorie foods. An excessive amount of artificial sweeteners can lead to dumping syndrome in gastric bypass patients.

If you tolerate liquids well, your surgeon will likely recommend that you move on to a pureed diet and begin eating three meals per day. However, if you are not hungry, you do not have to eat.

Remember, your stomach will be very small, and so will your portions. You should only eat a few tablespoons at a time.

Many patients are able to consume about 16 to 24 ounces, roughly two to three glasses, of protein shake each day.

Bariatric programs generally recommend including quite a bit of protein in your diet, because your body will need it while you are healing. The recommended daily requirement for adults is 60 to 65 grams of protein.

Getting enough nutrients is often a challenge for bariatric surgery patients. You have the same nutritional requirements as people who have not had bariatric surgery, but a far smaller stomach and, for gastric bypass patients, a limited ability to absorb nutrients and calories.

Bariatric programs generally recommend taking chewable multivitamins and chewable calcium supplements every day.

If you tolerate the pureed diet well, your surgeon will likely recommend that you begin to incorporate solid foods.

You should slowly incorporate small amounts of new foods—a few tablespoons rather than a half-cup. Everyone encounters problems with some foods; it’s perfectly normal. If you do have a poor reaction to a certain food, you always can try it again in a week or so.

Hydration will continue to be important. Hydrate with more than 64 ounces of water, calorie-free or very-low-calorie drinks, and diet frozen juice bars. Beverages such as fruit juices contain calories, which will slow down your weight loss or cause you to lose less weight than you could.

You still need 60 to 65 grams of protein each day. This translates to about 4 ounces of lean meat, three times each day.

At this point, you can switch from chewable multivitamins to those in pill form.

When it comes to calcium, calcium citrate is the best-absorbed calcium. Some calcium supplements contain vitamin D and magnesium to aid in absorption.

Your surgeon may prescribe iron supplements as well.