How Your Diet Is Affected By Gastric Bypass Surgery
Your doctor might recommend a gastric bypass when you're considering weight loss surgery. There are different surgeries to consider, but a bypass might be the most effective option for weight loss even if it is a more invasive procedure. A bypass is usually an effective surgery because it reduces the amount of nutrients your body absorbs by reducing the amount of food you can eat. Here's a look at how gastric bypass surgery will affect your diet.
You Have A Period Of Rapid Weight Loss
You may find it difficult to consume very many calories after your surgery. This period could last for several months. During this time, you should experience rapid weight loss. Once your surgery has healed and your body has adjusted, your weight loss may slow down, and it could even stop if you develop poor eating habits.
During the initial phase of rapid weight loss, you may have a poor appetite and get full easily. You might have to force yourself to eat enough calories, but this stage eventually passes. It's good to use this opportunity to learn new eating habits you can use once your appetite returns.
You'll Be Instructed On What To Eat
Your doctor provides you with a list of foods to eat and foods to avoid. You need to avoid sweets and sugars because they provide empty calories and also because they might trigger nausea, vomiting, and dumping. Dumping is when certain foods, such as sweets, cause a reaction in your bowels that can trigger diarrhea and vomiting.
In addition to the types of foods you should eat, you'll also need to eat soft foods initially. You can gradually return to a more normal diet with solid foods, but you'll always need to be conscious about eating a healthy diet so you don't stop losing weight or put on more weight.
You May Need Vitamin Supplements
Gastric bypass surgery makes it hard for your body to absorb the nutrients you need, so your doctor may give you a list of vitamins to take every day. You might need to take these vitamins for the rest of your life even when you're eating a more normal diet and you've recovered from your surgery. Otherwise, you might develop fatigue, anemia, neurological disorders, or bone loss.
Your doctor may have you go through educational sessions before you have your gastric bypass surgery so you are aware of how your life and diet will change. It will be a big adjustment when you change bad dietary habits, but making the changes and following your doctor's instructions are important for getting the best weight loss results while maintaining good health after your surgery.
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