Gastric Sleeve Diet
A gastric sleeve is an irreversible surgical solution to controlling your diet.
It will reduce the capacity of your stomach so that you feel fuller faster and for longer. You will naturally eat less and therefore lose weight.
As you are eating less, it is vitally important to eat nutritionally valuable foods to ensure that you stay healthy i.e. a high protein diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
The gastric sleeve diet is similar to the gastric bypass diet and is in 4 distinct stages:
- Pre-operative low calorie diet
- Post-operative 0-4 week liquid diet
- Post-operative 4-8 week soft diet
- Post-operative 8+ week normal diet
The Hospital Group's Patient Information Booklet will give you comprehensive dietary advice and meal suggestions for each stage of the diet. You will receive this booklet free of charge at your consultation.
Pre-Operative Diet
Following a low fat healthy eating plan before your procedure is essential to reduce the size of your liver in order to help the Surgeon perform the surgery more safely and efficiently. It also enables you to kick start your weight loss and good nutrition will help your recovery post-operatively.
You will have to follow a strict pre-operative diet for approximately 7 days before your surgery. Your Surgeon will specify your pre-operative diet and the duration for which you must follow it. We generally recommend a 1,000-1,200Kcal/day diet and the most common one is a “milk and yoghurt” diet, which is based on milk and fluids only to effectively reduce the size of the liver and ensure good protein consumption.
Sample Pre-Operative Diet
- 7am All milk coffee (250ml)
- 9am Glass of milk (250ml)
- 12noon Diet yoghurt and cup of tea with milk
- 3pm Diet yoghurt
- 5pm Oxo drink
- 7pm All milk coffee (250ml)
- 9pm Vanilla flavoured milk (250ml)
Post-Operative 0-4 Week Diet
You will only be allowed fluids for the first 4 weeks following your operation. This will ensure optimum healing from the surgical procedure.
As you will be only consuming fluids it is essential you follow all the guidelines. They are designed to provide you with a balanced intake of energy, protein and other nutrients, to ensure you have a good recovery, kick start your weight loss & boost general well-being.
Sample 0-4 Week Diet
- Breakfast - Slimfast, Ultra Life or Clinikcal shake to provide 200-250 kcals
- Snack 1 - Smoothie
- Lunch - nutritional hearty soup pureed into liquid
- Snack 2 - Cup a Soup
- Evening meal - pureed nutritional hearty soup with added milk
- 7pm - milky coffee
- 9pm - vanilla milk
4-8 weeks Post Surgery - Soft Food
You will now be ready to start a soft diet. Aim for the consistency of cottage pie/ well cooked cauliflower cheese/scrambled egg - foods easily broken with a fork - avoid all crunchy foods/potato skins and salads at this stage.
Sample 4-8 week diet
- Breakfast - Weetabix with semi-skimmed milk
- Snack 1 - yoghurt
- Lunch - soft pasta with tomato sauce
- Snack 2 - thick fruit smoothie
- Evening meal - lean minced meat and blended casserole, mashed banana and low fat custard
- 7pm - milky coffee
Always ensure a good protein portion at each meal - as a guide this should be the size of the palm of your hand.
Serve your meals on a tea plate to manage the portion size and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. However, do not drink with your meal and allow at least 1 hour after a meal.
8 weeks and onwards
Once you have reached this stage you will be able to resume ‘normal eating’ i.e. all textures of food. You will have been seen by the dietitian or will have been sent an appointment to be seen in the near future. You will then be followed up by the dietitian on a regular basis who will monitor your progress, help, support and guide you towards eating a healthier diet for life.
At this stage you will be used to consuming smaller amounts than you did prior to the procedure, but can move onto a normal post-operative diet.
You will be given a series of guidelines, including:
- Aim for small portions. Your stomach pouch has a smaller capacity which should not be stretched. Try using a child’s plate or a tea plate to control portion size
- If you feel hungry and your appetite is increasing this may indicate that you may be ready for a band fill
- Drink plenty before a meal and leave at least one hour before your next drink
- Eat very slowly & chew you food well - aim to chew 20 times per mouthful!
- Continue to avoid fizzy drinks
- Imagine a plate divided into 3 - one third should be protein, one third carbohydrate and the last third of the plate vegetables
- Continue to take your multivitamin/mineral + calcium supplement - this is for life
- You may find certain foods difficult to tolerate e.g. nuts, pips, seeds, acidic foods such as citrus fruits etc - be careful & avoid if you find these cause a problem
- Use skimmed milk as it contains fewer calories
- Do not lie down immediately after a meal
- Reduce the amount of cheese you consume – try cream cheese, cottage cheese or cheese spread and always choose low fat
- If you suffer from wind you may want to avoid onions, cauliflower and broccoli
- You may find certain foods difficult to tolerate e.g. nuts, pips, seeds, acidic foods such as citrus fruits etc - be careful & avoid IF you find these cause a problem
- Continue to avoid bread, rice, meat and chicken (minced meat is allowed) for the first 3 months post op – until you are comfortable with your new way of eating
- Take all fat/skin off meat before cooking
- Avoid too much sauce/gravy - opt for hard/dry & ‘crunchy’ foods
- Limit the amount of treats – chocolates, crisps, biscuits, cakes, desserts etc. These will not only slip down easily, but will also add empty calories
- If you are cooking with oil, choose olive or rapeseed oil and use sparingly as they still contain as many calories as other types of oil – try a spray oil instead.
Food Diary
Our dietitians ask all patients to keep a food diary to record their food and liquid intake, exercise and any comments. This is reviewed on a regular basis to help you get the greatest benefit from your treatment. Any bariatric procedure is a tool, or a starting point for your weight loss journey - you do the work in terms of managing your diet, but the bariatric procedure will help enormously.
Vitamins and Supplements
With a restricted diet, you may be advised to take vitamins and supplements such as iron, vitamin B-12 and calcium. This will be discussed at your consultation and your dietitian will also be able to advise.
