It is critical that you follow these instructions. The success or failure of the operation and the avoidance of early and late complications depend in part on your ability to comply with these instructions:
Week 1: Clear liquids only such as broth, coffee, tea, juice, water, Gatorade, Jell-O, etc. Eat nothing that requires chewing. Avoid milk products for now.
Week 2: If allowed by your surgeon, you may progress to soft foods such as cream of wheat, pudding, mashed potatoes, etc. Avoid carbonated beverages for now. Remember that your stomach pouch can only hold one ounce at this time. Liquids will pass rather quickly through, but solids will stay within the pouch for a longer period. Therefore, at first you may need to separate your solid food from your liquids. The key is to be patient. Your stomach is still going through a healing process and will stretch out with time. Your stomach may seem larger as it can empty quicker with time. This makes larger volumes of food possible.
Week 3: Most patients will be allowed to progress to a fairly normal diet at this time. Steak, rice and breads may still be a problem unless chewed very well and only in small amounts. Vegetables, fruits, etc. are all fine. Tuna, chicken, fish, crab, shrimp, beans and nuts are all good sources of protein. Limit fats and simple sugars, i.e. non-diet sodas and ice cream.
Week 4 AND BEYOND: The key to good nutrition is variety. This operation has been designed with few dietary restrictions except for volume. There are many micronutrients and minerals that we have not identified yet but may be of great importance. We purposely have not given you a specific diet regimen with this in mind. We want you to experiment with different foods. It is still early in the course of your evolution and what is not tolerable today may be quite enjoyable six months from now. Let common sense be your ultimate guide.