After our surgery you will be on liquids only for a few weeks – it could be up to 4 weeks depending on your bariatric provider.
You may find it a struggle to manage enough nutrition in the early stages however it is important to stay hydrated and take in enough protein to help everything to heal properly after your operation.
A rough guide to fluid requirements would be around 2 litres daily but the best way to see if you are taking enough is to go by your urine colour – it should be pale and straw coloured. If it is darker than this then you need to drink more – don’t forget to avoid alcohol and fizzy drinks
Examples of protein containing liquids are:
- Meal replacements
- Protein shakes
- Milk – add milk powder for extra protein
- Blended soups with peas, beans lentils
- Ordinary soups with added milk powder
- Drinking / pouring yoghurt
A minimum of 60g protein a day would be an average guide. Yu can use free Apps such as MyFitnessPal to track this initially
As a guide to a portion size aim for around 6 protein containing drinks daily and around 200 mls as a serving size. However, it may be best to sip almost continuously throughout the day to meet these guidelines – remember to take small sips and have at least a 20 second rest between mouthfuls. It is not advisable to use a straw
It is normal not to feel hungry or like you can manage much at all – take is slow
