Here are the lists that my nutritionist gave to me for the different stages of eating after having surgery. The moderator may want to make this thread a sticky for those who don't get defined lists, as I've noticed a lot of questions about this topic in the past.

*STAGE 1 - liquids

START: When you return home from your surgery

DURATION: For 2 weeks post surgery, or until your next dietitian appointment.

DIET: Clear and full liquids

GOAL: Aim for at least 64 ounces of Fluid for the day by continuous sipping.

LIQUIDS RECOMMENDED:

Water

100% fruit juice (No sugar added)

Bouillon

Strained Soups or broths

Skim or 1% milk

Soy milk

Milk shakes - thinned

Gatorade or equivalent sports drink

Yogurt smoothie drinks - not including homemade

Crystal Light

sugar free beverages

Herbal or decaffeinated tea or coffee

Popsicles (Pedialyte)

LIQUIDS TO AVOID:

Citrus juices (orange, grapefruit, pineapple)

Acidic liquids (tomato juice, tomato Soup, buttermilk)

Caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea)

Carbonated beverages (any soda pop, seltzer, or tonic water)

Homemade fruit or yogurt smoothies

Anything that seems liquid but is not (Jello, yogurt, pudding, ice cream) *Do pour test*

*STAGE 2 - MUSHIES

START: 2 weeks post surgery

DURATION: Up to 2 weeks post liquid stage

DIET: Soft food

GOAL: Aim for a meal capacity of about 1 cup (8 ounces) for 3 meals per day. Aim for fluid intake of 48-64 ounces per day.

FOODS RECOMMENDED:

Milk (skim or 1% only)

Cottage cheese

eggs (poached, scrambled or soft boiled)

Blended cream soups

Yogurt

Low Fat Cheese - unmelted

Peanut Butter

Tofu (silken only)

Pudding

Applesauce or other fruit sauces

Canned fruits

Mashed potatoes

Cream of Wheat or oatmeal (diluted with milk)

*STAGE 3 - SEMI SOLIDS

START: 4 weeks post surgery

DURATION: 2 weeks post mushies stage

DIET: Semi-solid food

GOAL: Aim for a meal capacity of about 1 cup (8 ounces) for 3 meals per day. Aim for fluid intake of 48-64 ounces per day.

FOOD RECOMMENDED:

Deli cuts of meat

Canned flake meats such as tuna or chicken

Ground meats like ground beef or ground turkey

Beans

Tofu

Baked fish or crab meat

Pasta, rice, and corn

Fresh fruit - eliminate skins

Cooked vegetables - avoid celery, asparagus or broccoli stalks

Low Fat melted cheese

FOODS TO AVOID FOR MUSHIES & SEMI SOLID STAGES:

Caloric beverages - sweetened tea, soda, lemonade, juices

Ice cream, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, & smoothies

Regular Jello

Dry solids like breads, cereals, crackers, high Fiber foods

*STAGE 4 - SOLIDS

RECOMMENDED FOODS & SERVING SIZES:

Protein GROUP:

1 ounce lean meat, poultry or fish

1/4 cup yogurt

1/4 cup pudding

1/4 cup cottage cheese

1 egg, 2 egg whites

1/4 cup egg substitute

1 tbsp. peanut butter

1 ounce tofu

1 ounce cheese

1/4 cup canned flake meat

1 slice deli meat

2 tbsp. grated cheese

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup beans

1/4 cup hommus

GRAIN GROUP:

1/2 slice toast

1/4 bagel or english muffin

1/2 cup Cereal (cooked or dry)

1/2 cup broth-type soup

1 oblong graham cracker

1/4 cup rice, pasta, or potato

1/2 small baked potato

1/4 cup corn

4 crackers

FRUIT GROUP:

1/4 cup canned fruit (in its own juices)

1/4 cup grapes

1/2 piece fresh fruit

1 tsp. jelly or jam

1/4 cup dry fruit

VEGETABLE GROUP:

1/2 cup cooked vegetables

1 cup raw vegetables

1/2 cup tomato juice

1/4 cup tomato sauce or salsa

OTHERS GROUP:

1 tsp. oil, butter, or margarine

1 tsp. mayonnaise

1 tbsp. Miracle Whip

1 tbsp. sour cream or cream cheese

1 tbsp. salad dressing

2 tbsp. guacamole

4-6 almonds, cashews, or pecans

1 ounce cheese

2 tsp. peanut butter

1 tbsp. tahini

1/4 cup Cool-Whip

1 tsp. sugar, honey, or syrup

COMBINATION FOODS:

1 or 1 1/2 cup per meal

1/2 cup per snack

CORE PLAN:

BREAKFAST:

1-2 Proteins

1 fruit

2 grains

1 other

LUNCH:

2-3 proteins

1 vegetable

2 grains

1 other

SNACK:

1 fruit

1 protein

DINNER:

2-3 proteins

1-2 vegetables

2 grains

1 other

SNACK:

1 vegetable

1 grain

I hope that this helps those who are researching getting the band, with knowing what your eating habbits will be like after surgery. I also hope that this will help those who are never given a clear eating plan after surgery too.

Please know that this is just the plan that was given to me, and I do not expect all bandsters to follow this plan. It is simply a guidline for those who need one/are not given one.

Please remember to follow exactly what your surgeon/nutritionist says, even if it is different than this list.

THANK YOU...finally I have found some sensible eating lists! Apart from the one my dietician gave me 12 mths ago which is far too much good and isn't very logical in practice I have been 'experimenting' all the way. I like the combo list...it is nice and simple.

cheers

Well Girls I did not have my fill in Nov the Doc stated that he did not feel the port. I was very let down and was afraid I would have to go back to TJ. My sister lives in Vicksburg and she found a Doctor in Jackson that would do her fills so I went there. Dec 19th I had the fill done (1cc) but still am eating like a horse. I will go for second fill on the 16th I am hoping for more control. Please pray for me. My sister is at (3cc) and she lost 25 lbs. since Dec 5 th. I hope I will be there soon.

Thank you for this thread!! I was going to post a question on post-op food choices before I found this.

The nutritionist in the hospital told me that I should eat 3 Protein shakes a day and supplement with 2 ounces 3 times a day of thick liquids (i.e. yogurt, smooth Soups, cream of wheat, etc.) for the next five weeks. My family has been teasing me that I eat what a six-month old baby eats.

I have to admit that I have been hungry. I catch myself dreaming of eating pizza and roast chicken. I even started watching the food channel and ordering cookbooks and food magazines. Finally I decided to add a few calories to my day by eating 4 ounce portions of the thick liquids and I feel much better.

This is a rough stage but I have lost about 8 pounds since my surgery last week!

Bless you ! I've been looking for THIS VERY LIST!! I sure do appreciate your posting it - now I have a guideline - thank you - thank you - thank you!!!

Gaynel

Are you saying to put all this food into a blender?

thank you for the FYI piece!. I'm having my sx on 2/27.. this will certainly help me

..Tia

thank you for the FYI piece!. I'm having my sx on 2/27.. this will certainly help me

..Tia

Hi, I'm looking for a support group in or around Mckinney Texas.I was banded December 9,2005

there is a lot of differences of opinion, as you all know.

I personally disagree with several things on that list , for instance-

buillion is way too high in salt for a post op diet aht may not have enougth liquids anyway

Anything that melts into a liquid IS a liquid - why any restriction on ice cream, puddlings, jello, ETC - no sense at all to this.

Lots more.

I don't think you can come up with a list for people - we each must follow our own doc's recommendation. A board like this cannot substitute for a dcotor's post-op orders.

If your surgeon does not have clear, written post op orders, he needs to make some. Dr Kuri , for instance, gives a very complete list of diet orders, as well as wound-care orders, and much more. Renee.

Heyas Rene, this list was shared for people who come home with no instructions. You'd be surprised how many folks show up with no idea about what they should be eating. Scarey but true. My doctor gave me very clear guidelines as well and I follow those. Like you, I strongly advise everyone to follow doctor's orders above anything they read here, unless you suspect negligence of course.

The puddings, icecream, sweetened tea, lemonade, etc, is off the list because they are loaded with sugar and fat so they are counter productive to your weight loss. Fat free and sugar free substitutes are fine. After the liquid phase of the diet, most liquid calories are taboo for obvious reasons. Far too many calories can just slip by the band, bypassing its inteded design to restrict quantity. I hope this helps. :hat:

You know it was just the other day when I was thinking will if I start hungery over something sweet I'll just grab a pudding.....So I see that that is not what I'm going to be eatinglol. So what about that carb free ice cream can we eat that? What do you eat when you want something sweet to eat like a candybar??????

Heyas Rene, this list was shared for people who come home with no instructions. You'd be surprised how many folks show up with no idea about what they should be eating. Scarey but true. My doctor gave me very clear guidelines as well and I follow those. Like you, I strongly advise everyone to follow doctor's orders above anything they read here, unless you suspect negligence of course.

The puddings, icecream, sweetened tea, lemonade, etc, is off the list because they are loaded with sugar and fat so they are counter productive to your weight loss. Fat free and sugar free substitutes are fine. After the liquid phase of the diet, most liquid calories are taboo for obvious reasons. Far too many calories can just slip by the band, bypassing its inteded design to restrict quantity. I hope this helps. :hat:

I guess I haven't gotten to this stage in my exploration. I am waiting for insurance letter. I didn't realize that there was 1-2 weeks pre op liquid diet. Now it makes sense when I see those weights and the day of surgery there is a significant weight loss from the time of appointment. This board is great. I'm scared, but excited.

You know it was just the other day when I was thinking will if I start hungery over something sweet I'll just grab a pudding.....So I see that that is not what I'm going to be eatinglol. So what about that carb free ice cream can we eat that? What do you eat when you want something sweet to eat like a candybar??????

Hmm.. the carb free icecream. I would suggest looking carefully at the fat and calories in that. Icecream is one of the danger foods for a bandster because it can get through that band so easily. If you think you can have just a bit, and you count the calories in your daily intake, I guess you could. But for me, I'd rather "spend" my calories on food that's going to stick with me and not leave me hungry or craving more.

I'm not a big sweet eater, so this isn't much of a problem for me. I know many here buy fat free, sugar free jellos, puddings and ice creams. I read an idea the other day.. dip fresh fruit in fat free sugar free Hershey's chocolate syrup. There are 100 calorie packs of Snacks you can buy, but for me, this would be a killer to my weightloss. Why? Because I wouldn't eat just one pack! LOL There are several foods which I have just resolved to keep out of my life, even if I can find the FF/SF versions because I know they trigger more cravings which I just don't want to face.

If you check out the food forum, I'm sure you'll find many good suggestions.

good list!

One pack is plenty, even without a band. Whatever they are made with gives me severe stomach issues if a try to eat more than 1 bag. This is especially true with Pringles, wheat thins, and the Ritz snack.