Lap band surgery helps you control how much you eat, but you still have to make the choice of what to eat. Choosing the right foods will make all the difference in how you feel and how much weight you lose. Highly nutritious, low-calories foods are encouraged, while high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods are discouraged.
Immediate Restrictions
In the first one to two weeks following lap band surgery, only liquids can be tolerated. Drinking lots of water, broth, skim milk and fruit juice to keep your body hydrated. Three to four weeks post-op you are allowed to start having foods that are slightly thicker, the consistency of baby food. Eat protein-rich foods, like pureed skinless fish and chicken, vitamin-rich mashed vegetables, and yogurt. At five weeks post-op you may be able to tolerate tender cooked foods like ground turkey or fish. You must make it a habit to chew your food thoroughly.
Long-Term Restrictions
Around weeks six post-op, you can start introducing solid foods back into your diet. You must pay close attention because your new stomach opening is the size of a dime. If you swallow chunks of food that are too big, you can block the stomach pouch outlet. Avoid this by taking small bites and chewing each bite slowly and completely. Avoid drinking fluids while eating. Since liquids pass through your new pouch quickly, drinking while eating will cause food to flush through the pouch too fast. This will leave you feeling hungrier and less satisfied. Eat three nutritious meals a day. "Your stomach can only hold about ¼ cup of food, or 2 ounces, at a time," according to the University of California Center for the Treatment of Obesity.
Optimal Weight Loss
To optimize weight loss, certain foods should be avoided. Anything that is high in sugar, fat and calories will decrease your chances of successful weight loss. Soda, syrup, honey, jelly, jam, cake, cookies, candy and ice-cream all should be eliminated. Skip the chocolate, chips, pies, pastries, bacon, sausage, fried foods, cream soups and sauces. Alcohol, milkshakes, fruit juices, whole milk, pasta, rice, white bread and butter are all high-calorie items that should be nixed.
Problematic Foods
Drinking carbonated beverages after lap band surgery can cause the pouch to inflate and cause discomfort. Fibrous foods such as asparagus, celery, corn, dried fruit, oranges, pineapples and sweet potatoes can get stuck in the new stomach opening. Other problematic foods include nuts and seeds, popcorn, the skin of fruits and vegetables, and tougher cuts of meat like beef and pork.
Alcohol
Alcohol is strongly discouraged "because it is high in calories, breaks down vitamins and has no nutritional value," according to the Center for the Treatment of Obesity. Beer, champagne and mixed drinks using carbonated beverages will cause gastric distress and will significantly slow your weight loss. Your tolerance to alcohol will also be much lower after lap band surgery because your stomach is smaller and emptier.
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