5 Day Pouch Reset Diet: A Fantastic Tool After Bariatric Surgery

Are you gaining weight after your bariatric surgery? Or, is your weight stagnant? This is a common problem with many bariatric patients. It happens! Sometimes the proper nutrition plan is not followed, but other times, it just isn’t working. In fact, many people will hit this plateau and get discouraged without being able to bounce back from it. When this happens, many will seek out a pouch reset diet. Below, you will learn what a pouch reset is if it actually works, and how to do it.

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Pouch Reset: What is it?

If you have had gastric bypass surgery, you know that your stomach is cut away leaving you with just a pouch that your food goes into. The pouch is small which means you feel full much faster. As time goes on, however, this pouch can stretch and increase in size. When this happens, it may mean you have to eat more at a time to feel full. When you eat more at a time or more calories than you should, you will inevitably gain weight.

Usually, around the 6-month point following your surgery, the pouch has settled on a size. This is typically around 1.5 ounces for a bypass and 5-6 ounces for a sleeve. After this point, there is no permanent pouch stretching. So, the pouch reset diet does NOT change the size of your pouch.

A pouch reset is a short-term, high protein diet that is low volume. It works to recalibrate your hunger point. The goal is to recalibrate the feeling you get when you eat a certain amount of food. When you restrict the volume of food, as you do with the pouch reset diet, you can lower the point at which you feel full.

The proper pouch reset diet will provide you with low calories and low volume while providing your body with adequate amounts of protein to keep you feeling full and maintain your muscles.

How Does the 5-day Pouch Reset Work?

When you hit that plateau or begin gaining weight, you can use the 5-day reset diet to get you back on track. The 5-day pouch reset diet is basically a condensed version of your post-op diet. The difference between post-op and this diet is that it is done in only a 5-day period. Through this reset, bariatric patients are able to get back on track and begin losing weight again. After you complete the 5-day cycle, you can continue the diet or you can switch back to the diet that worked best for you.

The goal of this 5-day journey is to get you back to eating smaller amounts of food which will ultimately help you lose weight again. Here is how you should do your 5-day diet.

Clear Liquids on Day 1

Day one should consist of only clear liquids. If you are unsure of what that consists of, here are some options:

Water
Broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
Tea
Sugar-FREE drinks such as Crystal Light, Vitamin Zero Water, Gatorade Zero, Mio, or Propel.

Thick Liquids on Day 2

On day two, your diet should consist of thick liquids. Here are some options you can choose from for thick liquids:

Protein Shakes
Soup
Water and sugar-free beverages

Soft Solids on Day 3

After the first two days, you can begin to eat soft solid foods. Eat these foods in addition to your protein shakes and fluids. Foods that fall under this category include:

Cottage cheese
Yogurt
Beans
Eggs
Tofu
Jello

Firm Solids on Day 4

On day 4, you can add in some firm solid foods. You want to have 2 servings of protein and two servings of fat. Eat this in addition to your protein shakes and fluids. Here are some options:

Protein

Chicken
Fish
Tofu
Eggs

Fats

Avocado
Almonds
Peanut butter, butter, oil

Whole Solids on Day 5

By day 5, you can start eating whole solids. You want to continue your protein shakes and fluids. You should also eat 2 servings of protein, two servings of fat, and some other healthy options such as:

Beans
Berries
Quinoa
Sweet potato
Vegetables

Keep in mind that each serving should be four ounces or less. If you choose to eat eggs, you should only have two at a time. You will want to drink at least 64 fluid ounces of water or sugar-free drinks per day.

Who is the Pouch Reset Diet for?

If you are considering a pouch reset diet, you need to make sure this is the right step for you. The 5-day pouch reset diet may be for you if:

You have hit a plateau in your weight loss goals
You have begun to gain weight
Your portion sizes are exceeding 6 ounces at a time
You stopped tracking your intake
You want to take control of your weight loss diet

How to Prevent Pouch/Sleeve Stretching

Although it is rare for your pouch or sleeve to stretch, there are ways of preventing it from stretching. Following your post-op diet and staying in touch with your nutritionist or dietician is the most important. However, here are some tips to prevent your pouch or sleeve from stretching:

Do not overeat
Try to stay away from carbonated drinks
Always chew your food thoroughly
Follow your diet

After The 5 Day Pouch Reset Diet

After you have completed the 5 Day Pouch Reset Diet, it is important to continue eating a diet that promotes weight loss. If you need to, you can set up a meal plan to help keep you on track. Make sure to include a good source of protein and healthy fats at each meal. Try using protein powders to help supplement your diet. You can also include low-calorie foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

If you want to continue losing weight after your 5 day reset diet is over, you will need to decrease portion sizes again. This time, just be more conscious of it than before. Weigh yourself throughout the journey of getting back on track. If you are not losing weight, continue to decrease your food intake until you do.

The 5-day pouch reset diet is a great tool for bariatric patients to use when they start gaining weight or plateauing on their diets. It can also be used as a jumpstart back into dieting if you have eaten too many big meals in a day or two.

5 Day Pouch Reset Recipes

While following the 5-day reset diet above, you may want to add some flavor to your diet. Here are some great bariatric recipes that are high in protein, low in calories, and low in volume for you to try.

Jello with Fruit: This is a great option for Days 3-5. It is high protein and low calorie.
Poached Eggs: In this recipe, you will learn to make a perfect poached egg full of flavor and protein.
Roasted Pumpkin Soup: Have a little more than just plain old chicken noodle soup. This recipe makes you feel full and satisfied.
Crock Pot Vegetable Casserole: This is a great dish for day 5. It is both nutritious and delicious.

Even if you aren’t having weight gain or a plateau, pin this post so you can find it later!

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About Angela Milnes

Angela Milnes is a Qualified Early Years Teacher who has specialised in teaching. She has a wealth of experience teaching young children and adults. Angela has also taught cooking classes and loves to share both family recipes and easy instant pot recipes here on The Instant Pot Table. Follow her on Pinterest!

5 Day Pouch Reset Diet: A Fantastic Tool After Bariatric Surgery

Pouch Reset: What is it?