Dietary Stages Following Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) is a surgical procedure that removed approximately
80% of your stomach to help you lose weight. The sleeve will help you tell when you are
full, and you may not feel hungry between meals.
Following a healthful bariatric diet is essential for weight-loss success. The stages
below are suggestions for a bariatric diet following your surgery. Please consult with
your registered dietitian (RD) for further guidance and support.
Stage 1: Clear liquid diet
Duration: 24 to 48 hours
You may drink dairy-, caffeine-, and sugar-free noncarbonated beverages such as
water, decaf coffee, and decaf tea as well as low-sodium broths, sugar-free gelatin, and
sugar-free popsicles.
Stage 2: Full liquid diet
Duration: 10 to 14 days
In addition to the items from stage 1, you may drink lactose-free nonfat milk and sugar-
free protein shakes. To stay healthy as you rapidly lose weight, ensure that you
consume at least 60 g of protein per day by drinking protein shakes three times per day.
Drink clear liquids 30 minutes after drinking your shake to avoid overfilling your sleeve.
Stage 3: Puréed diet
Duration: 10 to 14 days
Now you will begin consuming solid foods that have been puréed to a smooth
consistency. You should avoid consuming overly spicy foods at this point, and you
should use healthful cooking techniques such as grilling, baking, poaching, or stewing.
Eat single foods and avoid combinations to ensure tolerance. If you get sick from a
particular food, it will be easier to identify the culprit. For example, ensure you can
tolerate eggs as a single food and cheese as a single food before making a cheese
omelet. If you can tolerate single food components, then you can combine these
components.
Eat protein first when consuming a meal. Good sources of protein are dairy such as
cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and soft cheeses as well as seafood, shellfish, poultry,
legumes, and lean pork and beef.
Purée foods in broth to a smooth texture and consume these meals until you feel the
sense of fullness. Eat slowly and take 30 minutes to eat a meal, or stop eating if you
feel full before the 30 minutes have elapsed. The key is to listen to your body and stop
when you feel full, but do not take longer than 30 minutes to eat a meal.
