Gastric banding is growing in popularity as an answer to the fight against obesity for people of all ages. Significant dietary adjustments are recommended after each stage of gastric banding. Lap-Band.com advises that following the advice of your surgeon after your surgery is essential to your success.
Considerations
Surgical placement of a gastric band creates a small pouch above the stomach. The small pouch prevents gastric band patients from overeating. In order for a gastric band patient to experience restriction, an adjustment must be made to the band by injecting a small amount of saline solution into the band's port to make it tighten around the opening to the stomach. This restriction makes food remain in the pouch, causing you to feel full for a longer period of time, according to Lapband.com.
Liquid to Solid
Immediately after surgery you will be advised to follow a liquid diet consisting of clear fluids. Popsicles, fruit juices and broth are considered clear fluids. Within a few days of your gastric banding procedure you will be allowed to add fuller fluids such as protein shakes and yogurt to your daily diet. It may take up to two weeks to move to pureed foods depending on what your stomach tolerates. Typically within one month after surgery you will be moving beyond pureed foods to soft foods. By the 6th week you should be able to safely begin adding solid foods back into your diet. (See References 4)
Fluids
According to Lap-Band.com, you should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water daily, in small amounts, all day long. To enjoy the benefit of feeling full as long as possible it is suggested that fluids be free of calories and that you do not drink right before, during or right after meals. (See Resources 2)
Portion Size
The small size of the pouch limits the amount of food that you can eat at one sitting. It is important to listen to signals from your body indicating that you are full so that you will stop eating before you make yourself sick. Eating between meals is strongly discouraged for gastric banding patients. (See References 1)
Balanced Eating
More than portion size is paramount to your success as a gastric band patient. Food choice is of pinnacle importance. Lap-Band.com dietary guidelines include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein and dairy to create a balanced diet. The guidelines also point toward limiting fats in the diet.
New Lifestyle
Small changes in habits are essential to gastric banding success. Eating slowly, taking small bites, and chewing thoroughly will be required to allow the food to pass through the small opening of the new pouch. To prevent blockage of the small opening, fibrous foods that cannot be broken down well with chewing should be avoided. To go along with your new eating plan should be a new exercise regimen to maximize your gastric banding success.
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