Mastering Portion Sizes After Bariatric Surgery: Your Key to Long-Term Success
Mastering Portion Sizes After Bariatric Surgery: Your Key to Long-Term Success
Are you navigating life post-gastric sleeve surgery and wondering about portion sizes? Understanding how much to eat after gastric sleeve surgery is crucial for maintaining weight loss and overall health.
In today’s blog, we’ll cover portion size after gastric sleeve or bypass surgery, how to measure food, what to expect for meal sizes throughout recovery, tips for portion control, and more!
Let’s dive into portion control strategies tailored to different stages of your post-op journey.
Interested in specific meal ideas? Check out our recent blog: 19 Bariatric-Friendly Pantry and Freezer Meal Recipes.
Portion Size After Gastric Sleeve or Bypass Surgery
So, let's talk bariatric surgery—it's a game-changer for individuals dealing with the chronic disease of obesity. These surgeries, whether gastric sleeve or gastric bypass (among others), work wonders by reshaping your digestive system and impacting metabolic hormones related to hunger and fullness.
While often called “weight loss surgery”, it’s not just about shedding pounds; surgery can also bring relief from other health issues linked to the disease of obesity.
One big perk? Portion control gets a major boost. With a smaller stomach, you naturally feel fuller faster, which means saying "see ya" to feeling like your stomach is a bottomless pit.
But here's the kicker: after surgery, portion sizes still matter. Being mindful about what and how much you eat is key for keeping the weight off and feeling your best in the long run.
What is the portion size after gastric sleeve surgery?
The amount you can eat can and will depend on factors such as:
How far you are post-op
The type of food you’re consuming
The combinations of food you’re eating at one time
When you last ate
How fast or slow you’re eating
Your overall appetite level
Let’s dive into these factors in more detail so you understand exactly how much you should eat after gastric sleeve surgery.
Photo by Tina Witherspoon
How to measure food after bariatric surgery
When discussing portion sizes after weight loss surgery, there are two ways to measure them:
Volume: This is a measure of how much space food takes up. We often use measuring cups or spoons to measure a specific volume of food, such as when measuring grains, frozen berries, nut butter, etc. We use words such as cups, teaspoons, tablespoons, or fluid ounces to discuss volume.
Weight: To measure weight, we will use a food scale to determine the portion size. A kitchen scale can be helpful when measuring proteins such as meat, seafood, or cheese. We use words such as ounces or grams to discuss weight.
Keep in mind that volume and weight are not equal forms of measurement. Some foods are denser than others.
For example, 3 ounces of chicken is a different volume than 3 ounces of spinach. And 1 cup of chicken is a different weight than 1 cup of spinach. You might be able to eat 1 cup of soup but you might not be able to eat 1 cup of taco meat, just like you might be able to drink a 12-ounce protein shake but you won’t be able to eat 12-ounce of solid protein at one time.
If you’re wondering which way to measure your food, I recommend choosing what makes the most sense to you. Volume, weight, or a combination of both (ex. weight for proteins and volume for veggies or starches) may be used to discuss portion sizes or stomach capacity after surgery.
Gastric Sleeve Meal Size: What to Expect Immediately After Surgery
Right after surgery, your new pouch will be swollen and inflamed from the surgical experience which will increase the restriction you’ll experience.
At this point, you’ll only drink liquids to allow your stomach to heal and to support your hydration needs.
Once you’re approved to transition to puree or soft foods, you’ll be focusing on very small amounts at a time. This could be 1 tablespoon - ¼ cup at a time, depending on the food and your tolerance.
As you transition to solid textures, and your swelling and inflammation subside, you’ll likely tolerate more food during mealtimes. This could be 1/4 - 1/2 cup of food, depending on the type of food and your stomach capacity.
Portion Size the First Few Months After Gastric Sleeve
As you transition to solid textures, and your swelling and inflammation subside, you’ll likely tolerate more food during meals.
How much? Lieklty ¼-½ cup (2-4 oz) of food, depending on the type of food and your stomach capacity.
These portions can still feel surprisingly small for many patients. You might feel shocked that you feel full with only a few bites.
At this point, it’s important to prioritize protein at each mini-meal to ensure you’re supporting your daily needs. It’s good to practice building meals and snacks with a foundation of protein.
Portion Size 6 Months After Gastric Sleeve
As you get closer to the six-month mark, you might be able to tolerate more food at a time.
What does that look like? It might be ½ cup or 4-6 oz of food. You’ll still want to prioritize protein, but you’ll have more room to include veggies, fruits, and high-fiber starches (beans, sweet potato, etc.)
You might still use protein shakes or powders to help meet your daily protein goal.
Between months six and twelve, your portion sizes may continue to increase, allowing you to eat 1 cup per meal or 6-10 oz.
It’s important to continue focusing on protein, veggies, and high-fiber carbs to meet your nutritional needs.
Portion Size 1 Year After Gastric Sleeve
At the 1 year mark, portion size after gastric sleeve will increase a little again.
You may find that you settle around 8-12 oz of food (1-1.5 cups) per mini-meal.
You might notice that you can eat more or less than the amounts I’ve listed above, and that’s okay - it’s different for everyone!
If you have questions about portion size after gastric sleeve, what you’re eating, or how much you can tolerate, check in with your surgical team or dietitian!
Have I Stretched Out My Stomach?
Do you find yourself eating more now than in the beginning?
How much you can eat will depend on the type of food and density.
Liquid and soft textures are more tolerable. Sometimes, certain foods may cause you to think you’ve “stretched” out your pouch. However, it probably has more to do with the easy-to-digest, simple carbohydrate foods that go down easily.
No matter your stomach capacity, it’s important to practice portion control. Add a protein-rich food to simple carbohydrates to help you feel more satisfied.
For example, if you eat chips and salsa, pair them with taco meal, beans, and guacamole to support your restriction.
Tips for portion control success after bariatric surgery:
1. Measure Portions: Start by measuring your protein. Often, this will be at least 15 grams per meal or snack (75g/day). Next, add fiber-filled veggies. If you’ve been cleared for fiber-filled starches, you can add those as well.
2. Helpful Tools: When learning more about portion sizes, it can be helpful to use measuring cups, food scales, or visual cues to help you guage the amounts required to support your nutritional targets.
3. Meal Planning: Meal planning and prep helps with practice portion control because you can measure everything out and have it prepared ahead of time.
4. Fullness Cues: Practice eating slowly and listening for signs of fullness including a burp, sigh, hiccup, runny nose, sneezing, or pressure in your chest. As you practice, you’ll get more familiar with the amount you can tolerate.
How Much Should I Eat After Bariatric Surgery?
While it’s likely best to speak to a dietitian or your medical providers about your specific needs as an individual, these are some general examples of portion sizes for patients 6+ months after surgery:
Protein: 2-4 ounces per mini-meal (or the equivalent of 15-30 grams of protein)
Veggies: 1/4-1/2 of a small plate (this might look like 1/4+ cup)
Starches: 1/4 or less of a small plate (this might look like a few tablespoons to 1/3 cup of food)
Fats: these might be found naturally in the foods you’re eating (ex. egg yolks), the oils you cook with (ex. olive oil), or they might be added for flavor to your meal (ex. guacamole or peanut butter).
These examples aren’t meant to be medical advice. Discuss your individual goals and needs with your dietitian or surgical team.
The Takeaway: Mastering Portion Size After Gastric Sleeve
In a nutshell, your portion sizes will change over time and depend on multiple factors!
It’s okay if your portion sizes are smaller or larger than someone else who’s had surgery! Make sure to focus on the quality of your plate and not the quantity of someone else’s!
Here are three things to focus on for weight loss and maintenanec after gastric sleeve:
Continue to practice portion control and listen to your body cues
Build balanced meals
Reach out for support if you need guidance to help reach your goals!
Are you feeling lost or confused after surgery, struggling with stalls or plateaus, or looking to reverse regain? I help women eat confidently, ditch the all-or-nothing thinking, and lose more weight after bariatric surgery.
