Many factors come into play when overall health and weight are concerned. Some factors, like your genetics, cannot be controlled. Your nutrition and exercise can be controlled and are key to a healthy life.
When you choose to undergo the adjustable gastric band procedure, you are taking a big step towards reaching your optimal weight and health. The band will be a helpful tool, but what , how and when you eat as well as how often you exercise will ultimately determine your success.
You will need to make changes in your eating habits to produce the desired weight loss and to prevent vomiting and chest pain. Developing appropriate eating habits will prevent band slippage and obstruction of the stoma. By following Fill Centers USA's proven post surgery program, you can increase your potential of having success with the gastric band.
In order to assist you on your road to success, one of the many resources offered to you as a Fill Centers USA member is the Fill Centers USA Lifestyle Guide. It contains 200 plus pages of information that teach you about the diet and lifestyle requirements, immediately after surgery and beyond. This Guide will answer many of your day-to-day questions that you will have becoming a tool to arm you in reach ing your health and weight loss goals. This Lifestyle Guide also includes menus, shopping lists, motivational tools and encouragement, nutrition facts and tips, physical fitness techniques (including 104 fitness tips) , eating-out suggestions, and mouth watering recipes to give you all the information you need for maximum success.
Eating and drinking after the operation
After your surgery, it is more important than ever to follow a healthy diet. This is why we encourage our members to refer often to the Fill Centers USA Lifestyle Guide for any nutritional and/or dietary guideline questions they may have. We also have many other support tools readily available that will help you with your weight loss goals. Additionally, your Fill Centers USA Aftercare Provider is available to answer any questions you might have.
What Should I Eat After Receiving My Lap Band? Why?
Immediately after the operation, your surgeon will provide you with the dietary guidelines for the remainder of your hospital stay. When you are released from the hospital, you can take in a little more fluid. However, you should take in only a small amount at a time. Your Aftercare Provider and your Lifestyle Guide will give you specific guidelines as to the amounts of food and recommended food to eat. For the first phase, you will be instructed on the types of clear liquids you should have. Fill Centers USA will then transition you into your next eating phase with suggested recipes, tips on cooking, eating out, etc. You will know exactly when you may progress to food of a thicker consistency .It is important, in these initial stages of eating, not to stretch the small pouch above the band or do anything that may induce vomiting. Vomiting can increase the chance of stomach tissue slipping through the band.
For the next phase, you will again be taught another transition. At each individual stage, you will need to be aware of the foods you should and should not eat, the consistency of the foods, foods you should avoid, etc. Following our proven program allows the new stomach structure to heal completely and in the right position. Once you have phased into solid food, the recommended dietary lifestyle consists of nutrient dense foods and supplementation. The quantity of your foods is effected, not the quality. The specialists at Fill Centers USA will advise you on how to get the most out of your food choices and the correct supplementation that you require as a banded patient .
For each of these stages of eating, you will have sample menus, recipes, shopping guides, eating out guides and much more. As a Fill Centers USA member, you will be guided through each week of your progression for the first 12 weeks post surgery. You will be instructed on the importance of solid foods, water, fats and supplementation in your new lifestyle. In addition, you will learn the what’s, when's and why’s in regard to your eating regime as you progress week by week into your new life.
*We strongly recommend supplementation
In addition to the visible changes you will see in your body, you will have other physical changes. It is important to keep your body well nourished and nutrient-dense to maintain optimum health. Now that you are eating smaller portions, it will be more difficult for you to get the nutrients you need through diet alone. To assure there are no deficits in your nutrition, Fill Centers USA highly recommends a daily balanced multi-vitamin and protein supplementation. You will be instructed on the importance of taking correct supplementation. These particular supplements, that were created with the bariatric patient in mind, will function to improve your health.
Protein is a vital part of your new diet. Protein is the nutrient that builds, repairs, and maintains your body. Because protein is hard to consume in adequate quantities when you have a band, we advise you to drink a protein supplement. You should be extremely careful in choosing the right one, or you could do your body more harm than good. Our nutritionist has researched this, with years of clinical trial results, and has strong opinions in what protein supplement our members should take.
Foods to Avoid
You should try to stay away from foods that are high in calories and provide little or no nutrients, especially liquids that pass through your band without restraint. Some of the foods that you should avoid are: milkshakes, ice cream, chocolate, sweet drinks (that are not calorie-free), and candy. The Lifestyle Guide contains a list of over 100 substitutions that can replace the “foods to avoid”.
There are some foods that you may need to avoid to reduce the possibility of having problems with your band or acid reflux. Are you aware of these foods? You will have a reference list in the Lifestyle Guide to help steer you away from these foods. You will also enjoy the directory of seasonal foods to eat as well as high cholesterol foods and bad fats to avoid.
Common Problems
You must remember that the reason you decided to have your stomach banded was to realize a new life, a new you. It is important to keep this in mind so that you are not tempted to cheat. If you munch on crackers, potato chips or sweets, you may even gain weight. Avoid snacking, and eat a balanced diet. The 101-substitution list in the Lifestyle Guide will direct you in discovering the foods that can replace certain cravings.
If you are not losing weight, there might be several causes. One is that you have reached a plateau, which means that even if you follow your meal plan, you do not lose weight or inches. Then it might be time for another adjustment. Another is that you are not following your meal plan. You should log all the foods that you eat in a day, and see if they match the recommended allowance or if you are eating forbidden foods. This will keep you aware of exactly what you are consuming in your diet. It will also assist you with your exercise plan by keeping you informed on the number of calories you should be burning per food consumed.
The adjustable gastric band is not a malabsorbtion procedure, which means that you still absorb all the nutrients present in the food that you eat. However, if you do not eat the right foods, you might undernourish yourself. You must eat a balanced diet, and be faithful with vitamins, minerals and protein supplements, as indicated. If you follow these guidelines, there should be no problems with nutrition. Let Fill Centers USA's bank of resources aid you in recognizing exactly what your balanced diet should consist of.
At first, it may be difficult to recognize when your stomach is full, but it is important that you learn to distinguish these signals. If you over-eat, you will feel nausea and may even vomit. Vomiting is not good for the band; it can cause slippage, which could require surgery to correct.
Vomiting is a common problem with adjustable gastric band patients. Patients not following an appropriate diet, not chewing properly, eating too fast or overeating, are all possible causes. Learning how to avoid these issues is vitally important in a banded person’s life. Fill Centers USA cankeep you informed in these crucial areas so you can achieve the most complete, safest results with your band.
You must learn to manage your drinking habits. When should you drink in relation to a meal? How much should you drink, and what should you drink? It is very important that you stay away from certain beverages that have been reported to enlarge your pouch, diminishing the success of your surgery. Fill Centers USA will give you tips and facts that will answer these and many other questions to help you meet the demands of your new venture.
Constipation is a common problem in banded patients. When you are first banded, you reduce the amount of food that you eat by such a large percent that you stop having bowel movements. Don't be anxious. This happens because there are no solids in your intestines to move. However, if the problem persists, your doctor, or Fill Centers USA Aftercare Provider, should be contacted for advice.
Back To Solids
After your first two phases of eating, your stomach should have lost all inflammation and become accustomed to your band. It is time to begin to eat solids again. This is a gradual process that you must not abuse. Your stomach has not had any solids for a period of time, so remember to be gentle and eat only good quality, easy to digest foods in small amounts. What foods? What small amounts? It is too important to become a guessing game or rely on the questionable information you will find on the Internet. These decisions will affect your future health and well-being.
*Not everyone responds identically to the effects of the band. You are unique and you need to treat yourself as such. Fill Centers USA qualified providers and our proven program stand ready to help you recognize your INDIVIDUAL needs and meet them.
Malnutrition
