Lap Band Diets for Serious Patients

New Jersey Lap Band Patient Stephen Barone, 49, a bank compliance officer, says that he had to train himself how to eat again after his Lap Band procedure in January, 2008.

But by July, 2009, he lost 115 pounds!

Like many others, Stephen eats high protein first, along with low fat and carbohydrate foods.

Lap Band blogger Diz Sierra, shares some thoughts about her Lap-Band surgery and giving up eating her favorite foods.

But just exactly what do Lap Band doctors tell patients about eating? Weight loss surgery patients usually encounter something like this:

On the first and second day after the surgery:

• A little water
• Ice cubes to suck
• A beverage with calories on day two

That helps prevent vomiting which might dislodge the Lap Band from its position atop the stomach.

For two weeks after surgery:

• Thin liquids
• Jello
• Clear broths or soups
• No added vegetables, spaghetti, beef, milk or fruit juice

For three to four weeks after surgery:

• Pureed food like skinless fish or chicken
• Mashed potatoes
• Peas
• Low fat, low sugar yogurt
• Pudding, also low fat and sugar

During the next five weeks:

• Soft foods like ground turkey and fish
• Concentrating on chewing foods extremely well
• If soft foods cause problems, go back to liquid foods
• Then, start at pureed items again

The final phase of retraining eating habits after gastric banding is slowly switching over to solid foods.

Great care is required because the Lap Band restricts solid foods but allows liquids to pass easily into the stomach.

The last step usually requires concentration on the following:

• Overeating can back up at the Lap Band
• Drinking beverages after eating
• Eating three, nutrition-packed, two ounce meals daily

Everybody has to give up some favorite foods after obesity surgery, but the ones that are often especially troublesome in Lap Band patients are:

• Dried fruits
• Asparagus
• Breads
• Corn and popcorn
• Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers
• Walnuts and peanuts
• High calorie drinks like soda pop

Six weeks after surgery, four to six cups of liquids are usually consumed between meals.