Introduction. Nutritional guidelines for patients with ostomies are restrictive, and there is no evidence to support these recommendations. Few studies have examined the effects of diet on the ostomy. Aim. To describe the eating behavior and the impact on the lifestyle of patients with ileostomies treated at a tertiary public hospital. Materials and methods. Descriptive, cross-sectional study. A semi-structured questionnaire was conducted in patients with ileostomies for a period greater than three months, hospitalized or outpatients, between October 2020 and May 2021. Sampling was consecutive, for convenience. Data were analyzed using the PASW Statistics 18 software and vccSTAT_3. Results. Forty-two patients were interviewed, 61,9% female, and a median age of 47 years (IQR 33-65). 92,8% received nutritional counseling prior to hospital discharge, and 76,2% had nutritional follow-up limited to the immediate postoperative period. 45.2% fasted for social activities. The foods associated with diarrhea were mate, sugary or carbonated drinks, and candies. Those that provided greater consistency: rice, polenta, noodles, and pasta. 33.3% considered night rest time insufficient. 80.9% described their diet as appetizing. The main reasons for dietary restrictions were a professional indication, diarrhea, and habit. Conclusions. There is a clear change in eating behavior and lifestyle in these patients, with fasting, food restriction, and altered night rest being prevalent.