You won't be allowed to eat for one to three days after the surgery so that your stomach can heal. Then, you'll follow a specific progression of your diet for about 12 weeks. The progression begins with liquids only, proceeds to pureed and soft foods, and finally to regular foods.

With your stomach pouch reduced to the size of a walnut, you'll need to eat very small meals during the day. In the first six months after surgery, eating too much or too fast may cause vomiting or an intense pain under your breastbone. The amount you can eat gradually increases, but you won't be able to return to your old eating habits.

You may experience one or more of the following changes as your body reacts to the rapid weight loss in the first three to six months: