By: Jim Reilly 

Not scientifically reviewed by Dr. Eeks

Getting weight loss surgery like bariatric or gastric bypass is a lifesaver for many people. They are able to live a normal life and avoid a lot of diseases associated with obesity that they were at high risk of getting. It doesn’t mean that you are able to enjoy all the foods that you used to eat or that no changes to your lifestyle are required, however.

In fact, there are going to be some massive changes to both your diet and lifestyle. The first few months will be especially challenging as you can’t eat much solid food and will be taking unflavored meal replacement powder to make sure that you get the nutrients that you need.

In this article, we will go over several of the things you can’t eat or drink after you’ve had bariatric surgery.

1 – Dry foods

Dry foods are going to be very hard to swallow. As a result, many people often will drink more while they eat dry foods, and this causes food to wash through the stomach faster which absorbs fewer nutrients.

Dry foods can be things like oats and granola, overcooked lean meat, and even cereals even though they are eaten with milk.

It’s best to eat softer foods that are easier to swallow and have some moisture that will allow them to pass down your throat easier.

2 – Starchy foods

Bread, rice, and pasta are all foods that need to be avoided long after your surgery. Not only are they difficult to swallow, but they can even end up creating a paste that blocks the stoma, the hole to your new stomach.

At some point in the future you will be able to start eating them again but in very small quantities. You will also need to chew them very well and swallow them in small pieces to avoid them becoming a paste.

3 – Alcohol and caffeine

Unfortunately, if you were a big coffee drinker or enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner, those days are at an end. You will need to remove these things from your diet as they not only provide empty calories, but they can cause you many problems that make their consumption not worth it.

Coffee has a lot of acids that will upset your stomach and cause irritation. It can even cause dehydration which is a very real problem for people that have had weight loss surgery.

Alcohol will be much harder to process and is absorbed much more quickly than before the surgery. You will get drunk off of less alcohol and much faster than you imagine.

4 – High fat foods

Not only will foods high in fat hinder your results from the surgery, but they will make you feel nauseous and can cause vomiting. Resist the urge to eat fatty meats and switch to leaner versions.

Even cheese can cause a lot of problems so look for some low-fat versions of your favorite cheese instead.