After weight loss surgery, you will be following a strict diet. It is critical that you follow the guidelines from your surgeon to be successful after the procedure. You will first start by only drinking liquids, but then you will gradually start adding in puree foods before going straight to solids. It can sometimes be challenging to find the right puree foods for your diet, so here are a few tips.
- Avoid baby food. A lot of people think this is a good idea, but it is actually something you should avoid. There is way too much sugar in baby food and as you know, sugar is our biggest enemy after surgery. Try making your own baby food at home using fresh vegetables and fruit.
- Try new flavors. It can get really old eating the same thing every day. When pureeing your food, get creative with flavors and try something new every day. This will keep things interesting for you and you won’t feel like you are going crazy without something tasty to eat.
- Get a good blender. You will be pureeing every single day, so make sure you invest in a good blender. It can be helpful to have a blender throughout your entire journey, even after you are done with the puree stage.
- Give meat a chance. Many people think the idea of blending meat sounds disgusting. However, it is so important that you hit your protein goals every day. Choose canned chicken or tuna and mash it up really well. You can even add spices to make it more appealing.
- Talk to others in the community for recipes. People in the bariatric community are extremely creative with their meals. There are support groups online that focus on sharing recipes in the bariatric community. It is so helpful to have ideas from other people, especially if you are struggling with finding what is safe to eat during this stage.
The puree stage is not something you should be afraid of. It will feel so good to finally chew something when you get to this stage. Just remember, you must make safe and healthy choices. Following the puree diet is critical for your safety after the procedure while your stomach is still healing. Take it slow and you will be on the right track towards success.