Lap Band Diet and Nutrition

When you are able to eat solid foods without problems, you will need to pay close attention to you diet. Liquids will pass through the reduced stomach pouch quickly and will not not make you feel full. You should avoid high-calorie drinks from this point on. Drink water, broth, tea and coffee (without sugar).

Too much or big chunks of food can block the stomach pouch outlet. You can avoid this problem by chewing food well and eating small bits at a time. Make sure that your meals contain adequate nutrients. A healthy meal has vegetables, fruit, meat, bread and/or dairy products.

10 important rules

Here are ten rules for eating, drinking and exercise that will help you get the best results you can with the LAP-BAND System. How willing you are to follow a new way of eating is key to making the operation a success.

Eat slowly and chew thoroughly (15-20 times a bite)
Stop eating as soon as you feel full
Do not drink while you are eating
Do not eat between meals
Eat only good quality food
Avoid fibrous food
Drink enough fluids during the day
Drink only low-calorie fluids
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day

The LAP BAND System creates a small stomach pouch that can hold only about half a cup of food. If you try to eat more than this at one time you may become nauseated or vomit. If you routinely eat too much, the small pouch may stretch. That will cancel the effect of the operation. Frequent vomiting can also cause certain complications, such as stomach slippage. You need to learn how much your stomach pouch can hold comfortably and then not exceed this amount.

Eat slowly and chew thoroughly

Food can pass through the new stoma only of it has been into very small pieces. Always remember to take more time for your meals and chew your food very well.

Stop eating as soon as you feel full

Once your stomach is full, your body receives a signal that you have eaten enough. It takes time, though, for you to become aware of this signal. If you rush through your meal, you may eat more than you need. This can lead to nausea and vomiting. Take time to eat you meal. Try to recognize the feeling the fullness - then stop eating at once.

Do not drink while you are eating

This operation can work only if you eat solid food. If you drink at mealtimes, the food you have eaten becomes liquid and the effectiveness of the LAP-BAND System is greatly reduced. You should not drink anything for one to two hours after a meal. This allows you to keep the feeling of fullness as long as possible.

Do not eat between meals

After a meal, do not eat anything else until the next meal. Eating snacks between meals is one of the major reasons for weight-loss failure. It is very important to break this habit. Patients with proper "fill" levels do not feel hungry in between meals. If you are, this may be a sign that your band is too loose and you should tell your clinician.

Eat only good quality food

With the LAP-BAND System in place, you should be able to able to eat only a small amount so the the food you eat should be as healthy as possible. Do not fill your small stomach pouch with junk food that lacks vitamins and other important nutrients. Your meals should be high in protein and vitamins. Fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and cereals are good foods to choose. Foods high in fat and sugar are not. You may eat apples and oranges, but try to avoid orange juice and and apple juice. Ask your doctor or dietician before you take any vitamin supplements.

Avoid fibrous food

Food such as asparagus that contains many fibers can block the stoma. That's because you can't chew this food well enough to break it up into small pieces and your saliva can't break it down. Fibrous food should be avoided. If you would like to eat asparagus or other fibrous foods once in a while, then you must be sure to cook them well, cut them into very small pieces and them chew them thoroughly.

Drink enough fluids during the day

If you lose weight, your fat content will drop. This results in waste products. You will need to drink large amounts of liquid every day in order to urinate more and excrete these waste products from your body. Individual needs will vary, but you should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.
Drink only low-calorie liquids. Drinks, including those containing calories, simply run through the narrow outlet created by the band. If you drink liquids high in calories, you will lose little weight, even if you otherwise follow your diet.

Exercise at least 30 minutes a day

This rule is just as important as the other nine rules. Since physical exercise consumes energy and burns calories, it is very important to successful weight loss. Exercise can help improve your general health. Your size may make it hard for you to exercise as much as you should. But get started, even if it is a little at first. The more weight you lose, the easier it should get. Start with simple exercises such as walking and swimming. Gradually expand you program to include more vigorous forms of exercise such as cycling, jogging and aerobics.
Increase your activity level in the course of daily living. For example, stand rather than sit, walk rather than stand, be outside rather than inside, walk rather than drive, climb the stairs rather than use the elevator, etc. Remember you should always check with your doctor about the amount and type of exercise that is best for you.

Food Choices

Use this section to help you plan what you eat. you may choose what you would like from each of these food groups on a daily basis:

Fruits and vegetable

1 to 2 servings of fresh fruit daily
2 to 3 servings of fresh vegetable daily

Bread and Cereals

1 small portion of corn flakes for breakfast
1 to 2 slices of whole wheat or rye bread each day

Meat, Fish, Poultry, Eggs

1 oz. to 2 oz. of meat, fish or poultry or one egg each day (remove all visible fat from the meat. remove the ski from poultry. Grilling, steaming, microwaving or boiling are best ways to prepare them with low fat).

Dairy Products

Milk and yogurt are calories in liquid form. In theory, then, they should be avoided. But these types of food have calcium. That makes them an important part of a healthy daily diet. Choose a maximum of 2 cups of skimmed milk or low-fat yogurt and 1 oz. of cheese a day.

Fats

Restrict the use of fat to 3 to 4 teaspoons of margarine, butter or oil per day. You can have low-fat salad dressing and mayonnaise in moderation.

Drink as many calorie-free liquids per day as you wish. Suitable drinks are:

Tea or black coffee with low-calorie sweetener
Water
Non-carbonated beverages containing few or no calories
Clear soup

Note: Some doctors have reported that carbonated beverages may contribute to enlargement of the small pouch and should be avoided.

Foods to Avoid

Some foods have a concentrated supply of calories with little nutritional value and should be avoided as much as possible. They include:

Sugar and foods containing large quantities of sugar, such as:
High-calorie soft drinks
Syrups
Cakes
Biscuits
Sweets
Jam
Marmalade
Honey
High-fat foods including:
Chocolate
Pies
Chips pastries