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. Eat only three
small meals a day.
Make sure that these
meals contain
adequate nutrients.
A healthy meal has
vegetables, fruit,
meat, bread and/or
dairy products.
10
important rules
Here are ten rules
of Lap Band Surgery Diet 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 only three
small meals a
day
-
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
Eat only
three small meals 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
Alcoholic drinks
should also be
consumed in
moderation
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