Hi! Beauties! As you can tell by above picture I love butterflies. Then it being a pink butterfly just makes it even better for me…..love me anything in pink. I think they are a good representatives of each of us as we choose our own weight loss journeys, no matter the way you choose to start that journey. I feel we, much like butterflies, may start off as a caterpillar in our life and that may not always be so beautiful but by our growth in all areas of our lives we can allow ourselves to blossom into a beautiful butterfly, both inside and out. Today we will be discussing stages 2 and 3 of my gastric bypass journey.

Stage 2: Clear Liquid Diet 

• 1 day pre-operative
• 1 day post-operative
• Food services will send you a tray with all clear liquids. It is your responsibility to follow diet guidelines.
• Food Choices: Broth, diluted juices, caffeine-free tea or coffee, sugar-free, non-carbonated beverages (I have not had a carbonated drink in 2 years now), sugar-free popsicles, and sugar-free Jell-o

You will still be receiving IV fluids while on the clear liquid diet. The goal is to begin behaviors that you will have to maintain when you advance to full liquid.  A clear liquid diet are food items that are in liquid at body temperature that you can see through. All liquids will have to be consumed in  30 cc(1 oz or 2 Tbsp.) increments, every 10-15 minutes. You will be using a medicine cup to measure your foods(liquids). This is one of the hard parts, you need to be consuming these liquids every 10-15 minutes even though you may not want anything because you are droggy and may be in some pain, but if you don’t your kidneys might have a hard time to get back working correctly after anesthesia and surgery. Fluids will need to be sipped, not gulped. You can not use straws nor chew gum. During the first few days in the hospital, aim for 32 ounces per day, gradually you need to build up to 64 ounces once you get home.

Stage 3: Full Liquid Diet 

These stage will begin the day after your first day home from hospital and continue for 14 days. Here is some examples of what is included in a Full Liquid diet:

• Applesauce, sugar-free unsweetened
• Cottage Cheese/Ricotta Cheese 1 % or fat free
• Custard, sugar-free, made with skim milk
• Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice, Farina, Grits thinned
• Instant Potatoes (thinned)
• Cream Soups (no solids), Egg Drop Soup
• Milk: 1/2%, 1%, or Skim, Soy
• Double Milk: add 1/3 c dry milk powder to 1 cup milk
• Pudding, sugar-free, made with skim milk (I always used 1% milk and still do)
• Yogurt: drinkable, plain, vanilla, no added sugar (no more than 12 g Total Carbohydrate)

It is import to remember to drink your protein supplement 2-3 times throughout the day. Also you will need to take your chewable multivitamins , B Complex and your Calcium Citrate supplements.  Here are some tips to help you while in this stage:

• Stop eating when you start feeling full (1/4 cup semi-solid- 1/2 cup liquid/meal)
• To boost your protein intake you can always add unflavored protein powders (UNJURY OR Beneprotein are good products). I also used my flavored whey protein powders in my puddings.
• If you make homemade puddings, custards, hot cereals, cream soups, or thinned mashed potatoes, use Double Strength Milk (mentioned above)
• If you experience lactose intolerance, substitute dairy products with LactAid or Dairy Ease Milk. LactAid drops or chewable pills can be used when consuming dairy products. Alternatively use soy-based beverages and foods.

I am not going to sugar coat it, these first 3 stages to me were the roughest. But you will find or least I did,  that this time span will go faster than you think. I think because you are so focused on making sure you get your protein, vitamins and liquids in that you lose track of time.  There are a total of 6 stages of this journey. Stage six is the stage that will become your new lifestyle. I believe there will be 2 more articles of this series.

I so hope you are enjoying this series. Okay you know the drill….LOL! I hope you will subscribe to my blog if you haven’t already, it is free and you will be notified when any new articles are published on this blog. I  love to read any comments, suggestions or feedback. Also please feel free to leave any questions you may have for me. I read and respond to all my comments and questions. As always you can also connect with me through any of my social media icons, I am just a click away!

 

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