Weight Loss Surgery Diet

Stage 2 - Full Liquid Diet

Posted: 10/4/23Updated: 2/8/24By Jason Richardson, MD

After completing the clear liquid diet, patients often move onto the full liquid diet stage, which lasts for 2 weeks. In this stage, individuals consume more nutrient-rich liquids compared to the clear liquid stage. All the liquids still must be able to be poured through a mesh strainer. Examples include milky protein shakes and creamy soups. These foods provide additional calories, proteins, vitamins, and minerals helpful for the body's recovery process. After surgery, patients should only consider moving to a subsequent diet stage if they are tolerating their current diet stage without any problems.

Options to Consider:

Anything from diet Stage 1

Milk - Fat-free cow's milk or non-dairy milks, like almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, and oat milk

Protein shakes - Powdered or premixed. Made with milk protein, plant protein, or other animal proteins

Most soups after they have been poured through a mesh strainer to remove the solids (like strained chicken noodle, lentil, or tomato)

Vegetable juices without added sugars (like carrots, spinach, cucumber, or tomato)

Smoothies - You can blend vegetables and milk together if you have a sufficiently powerful blender

Notable Things to Avoid:

Caffeine containing liquids (like coffee or green tea) - May contribute to reflux and heartburn

Gelatin - Because it is not a liquid

Especially spicy foods (hot peppers, etc.)

(For surgery that involves stapling) Papayas or pineapples - Might injure some healing tissues

You should make sure that any diet or recipe is approved for you by your own qualified healthcare provider. Do not consume more than ½ cup of food during any single meal. Stop eating and drinking before that amount if you start feeling full or uncomfortable.