Duration: 5 days

Days: 1 to 5 (after surgery)

Goal: Stay hydrated by drinking 48 to 64 ounces of liquids per day.

Description: This is the beginning stage of your healing process and the first steps towards a new and healthier you. Because your surgery is so recent, you are only allowed to drink clear liquids from the Approved Liquids list below. There will be no meals because your body requires several days before it can perform any type of proper digestion and absorption of food. Your hunger hormones (ghrelin) are almost non-existent after surgery, which may lead you to have a low appetite. However, it is extremely important to consume liquids throughout the day to stay hydrated.

There is no set meal plan or schedule for this stage. You should drink constantly throughout the day and whenever you feel thirsty so you can reach you liquid intake goal.

The first 3 stages of the post-op diet are the most difficult and there is no room for error or cheating. The more you follow these guidelines, the less risk of experiencing any discomfort, pain, or other types of complications.

Approved liquids:

• Plain water.
• Clear broths such as vegetable, chicken or beef. Make sure these are low-sodium because excess sodium can lead to inflammation or swelling. We recommend buying them in the liquid form and not as stock (cubes). This is because the stock may sometimes not dissolve completely and could leave some residue in the liquid. Almost every supermarket carries there own in-house brand so you can buy that one as long as it is low sodium. Other recommended brands are:
  • Pacific Foods Organic Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth (best option)
  • Swanson Unsalted Chicken Broth
• Low sugar electrolyte drinks. Recommended brands:
  • Gatorade G2. Recommended flavors: Fruit punch, Grape, Berries. We recommend staying away from lime, lemon, orange or any citric flavor as they are a bit more acidic and can cause discomfort.
  • Propel. Recommended flavors: Grape, Berries. You can also buy Propel as a powder and mix in a bottle of water until fully dissolved.
• 100% Fruit juices. These should be without any added sugar or pulp. Recommended flavors:
  • Apple. Recommended brands: Apple & Eve, Kirkland Apple Juice, Mott's 100% Original Apple Juice, Langers 100% Apple Juice.
  • Peach or Grape. Welch's 100% White Grape and Peach Juice.
  • Maximum allowed of juice per day is 16 ounces.
  • Juice should always be diluted with water. Dilute juice with equal amounts of water.
  • Avoid juices with pulp.
  • Note: Juice plays an important role in your recovery during the first stages but should be discontinued later on due to its high calorie content.
• Coconut water.
  • Recommended brands: Naked Juice 100% Organic Pure Coconut Water, Vita Coco Original.
  • Note: If you buy other brands just make sure they don’t have added sugars.
  • Maximum allowed per day is 8 ounces per day due to it’s sugar content
  • Note: Coconut water plays an important role in your recovery during the first stages but should be discontinued later on due to its high calorie content.
• Herbal tea (caffeine free and unsweetened). Recommended brands:
  • TICK TOCK TEAS Original Rooibos Organic Tea, Redbush Tea
  • Yogi Bedtime Herbal Tea Caffeine Free Soothing Caramel
• Sugar-free Jell-O.
  • Recommended flavors: Strawberry, grape, mixed berries, or mango. Avoid lime, lemon, pineapple, or other highly acidic flavors.
  • Note: Jell-O provides little to no nutrition but can help because it is the closest sensation to eating you can get during this stage. Eat slowly and in extremely small bites.
• Sugar-free popsicles.
  • Recommended flavors: Strawberry, grape, or mixed berries. Avoid lime, lemon, pineapple, or other highly acidic flavors.
• Ice chips.
  • Crushed or very small ice cubes. Do not swallow; let them melt in your mouth. If cold liquids cause discomfort then avoid ice chips.

Tips and Guidelines:

• Do not drink gulps of liquids or you may experience severe discomfort. Instead, take small sips of liquids whenever you feel thirsty or at least every 15-20 minutes.
• Do not drink carbonated drinks like soda or soda water. The carbonation creates gas and can cause severe discomfort.
• Do not consume protein drinks at this stage. You will begin taking them in Stage 2.
• Do not drink through a straw as it may fill up your stomach with air and produce discomfort.
• It is important to monitor your glucose (sugar) levels (especially if you are diabetic). You may at some time feel dizziness if your glucose levels fall below your recommended level. If this happens, you may consume 4 oz of diluted fruit juice and consult with your doctor if this happens often. Juice intake should not be abused and must be diluted with water always.
• All fruit juice must be diluted with water.
• All liquids should be caffeine free and not contain any other kind of stimulant (such as in energy drinks).
• Drinking a bit of lukewarm tea in the morning helps to relax your stomach muscles.
• Do not drink coffee, even if it is decaf. Coffee is diuretic and will work against your goal of staying hydrated.
• All liquids should contain no added sugars. Juices contain natural sugar from the fruits and vegetables but it is important to make sure they have no added sugars. You can find out if they have any by reading the nutrition labels and staying away from those that list the following ingredients:
  • Cane crystals, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, crystal dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fructose sweetener, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, liquids fructose, malt syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sugar, white sugar
• Maintain a diet journal and begin reporting what you drink throughout the day. This way, you can keep track of what you are drinking and determine if you are meeting your fluid needs.

Exercise: We recommend all patients avoid exercise during this stage. It important to take it slow and keep in mind that you will already be losing a lot of weight through diet alone. It is important, however, to walk constantly during the day. Do not stay in bed all day or you may risk forming blood clots. Get up and walk around your house or block every 20-30 minutes to keep the blood flowing and your metabolism active.

Vitamins and Supplements: Do not consume any during this stage (no protein shakes either). You will begin taking them in Stage 2.

Recommended liquid intake per day:

• Water - 12 to 16 ounces
• Clear broths - 8 ounces
• Low sugar electrolyte drinks - 8 ounces
• 100% Fruit juice - 8 to 16 ounces
• Coconut water - 4 to 8 ounces
• Herbal tea, unsweetened - 4 ounces
• Sugar free Jell-O or Popsicles - 4 ounces

Important Notes:

There is no set meal plan or schedule for this stage. This is just a recommended scenario for the amounts of each liquid. The actual one will depend more on how you feel once you have the surgery performed.

You should drink constantly throughout the day and whenever you feel thirsty. The goal is to consume 48 to 64 ounces of liquids per day. The liquids you decide to drink to fill this requirement will be up to you.

The only liquid we suggest following the recommended intake for is juice. This is because the sugar from the juice will help you maintain a certain level of energy during this stage that will help prevent slight headaches or excessive fatigue. We recommend that you do not go over the recommended limit to prevent extreme sugar intakes.

A word from our lead nutritionist: This stage of the post-op diet is by far the hardest. So keep in mind that once you go through it, things will only get easier. It is important, however, to be patient and stay focused on your long-term goals. The struggle for this stage does not compare to a lifetime of health and happiness. So stay strong!