A relatively common question asked post operatively regards the pace at which the post operative diet should be advanced. In our practice, patients are given a simple list describing 3 broad categories.  They are outlined in the work book.
Each patient should advance his or her diet over a 1-4 weeks in the post operative timeframe. The most important point to remember is that each one of us responds differently to the food at a certain point following surgery. The safest method to advance the diet would be to pay attention to what your body is telling you. If a patient is tolerating Bariatric 1 and Bariatric 2 diet, then they should be able to advance to a soft diet in one or two weeks. Alternatively, if the patient is having difficulty getting their required water on a daily basis, then advancing to a soft diet may be an incorrect move at that point.The basic order of food is water, protein, and everything else.