‘It’s all in your head’ says everyone around you. But, making up your mind to lose weight, eating right, feeling light isn’t a mean feat!

Don King, the owner of Fat City Brew & BBQ, California, weighed about 600 pounds at one point of time in his life! After making up his mind to eat healthy, trying several diets and weight loss programs, the result was still not encouraging. In 2017, as a last resort, he turned to bariatric surgery. In his words “My surgery helped me in a great way to start my weight-loss equation, but that was only a part of the goal. Post-surgery, I had to radically change my diet, avoid alcohol, and eat sensibly.”

Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment for morbid obesity and related metabolic complications. But bariatric surgery is more than surgical intervention; it is a promise you make to yourself to see a fitter-healthier you.

SIPS (Stomach Intestinal Pylorus Sparing) also known as Single Anastomosis Duodeno -ileal Bypass with Sleeve gastrectomy (SADI-S) surgical procedure can remarkably change your body, provided you take a systematic approach.

Pre-operative Diet

Your commitment to a change in lifestyle begins the day you plan for the surgery. Dieticians/nutritionists, along with bariatric surgeons, take an individualized approach at preparing the body for surgery.

Pre-op diet mostly focuses on shrinking the liver and reducing the fat in the abdomen so that the surgeon can easily and safely operate. There may be instances where the doctor postpones the surgery if the liver is too large or hasn’t shrunk to the expected level. Also, it is seen that pre-operative weight loss is associated with fewer complications post-surgery, better recovery rate and facilitates the pace of weight loss.

• As with other bariatric procedures, the pre-op diet for SIPS also recommends a diet that is high in protein. Lean protein like chicken, tofu, eggs etc. are preferred. Protein consumption should go up to 70 to 150 grams a day.
• Carbohydrate intake should be reduced by eliminating refined sugars and processed food.
• Choose foods that are low in calories and fat.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol. Discontinue the use of all nicotine & tobacco products.
• Vegetable broth with no solids and vegetable soups/ juices can be taken..
• Avoid sugar, carbonated & caffeinated beverages.
• Avoid fast food.
• Your doctor might prescribe vitamin supplements to support you through the surgery and post-op care.
• With a proper diet, it is essential to take care of your mental health. Any amount of stress and anxiety can come in the way of achieving the desired results.

Post-operative Diet

For long-term post-operative success, patients should commit themselves to comprehensive lifestyle changes.

This is the phase where your stomach needs time to recover. One should be treating the reconstructed organs like a baby with not-so-developed structures that need gentle care. Like how it starts for an infant with clear liquids to full liquids; then to pureed items, to easily chewable & digestible foods; and finally, to proper solid foods, SIPS/ SADI-S patients are advised to follow this path to allow the digestive system to heal and get back to normal.

Clear Liquids– for the 1st week and then Nourishing liquids for the 2nd week will include water, non-acidic fruit juices (to avoid acid reflux), protein fruit drinks, fat-free milk, fat-free broth, tea/coffee without caffeine, unsweetened juices, non-carbonated beverages, protein shakes, skimmed milk, low-fat cream soups etc.

Pureed foods for the 3rd & 4thweek will have items made into a smooth paste/ thick liquid. Again, the low-fat, high protein, low calorie, non-carbonated-drinks diet follows, but you can smoothly grind soft fruits, cooked vegetables, egg whites etc., along with water and other permitted liquids.

5th week heralds some amount of normalcy. Depending on how your body responds to the milder foods from previous weeks, your doctor will recommend a proper bariatric diet. Although high protein diet is still followed through this week, it is vital that you introduce one new food to your body to assess the way the body responds.

Week 6 onwards, you will gradually start returning to a healthy, balanced diet. It is essential that you drink right amount of water after surgery to avoid complications arising from dehydration. Junk food, foods with high calorific value & fat content, carbonated drinks are a big no-no.

Include a lot of fresh fruits & vegetables to the diet. It is crucial to keep the portions small and chew the food thoroughly. Eating large amounts of food, unsuitable foods, or eating too fast can rupture the sutures, lead to leakage of gastric & intestinal contents into the abdominal cavity.

After SIPS (SADI-S) surgery, you will be asked to attend regular follow-up appointments for the rest of your life. Make sure you stick to your doctor’s advice to reap the best results.