One of the most popular types of bariatric surgery is the lap band. If you are considering it for yourself, then you may be wondering whether you should eat special things. Lap band surgery, as other types of bariatric surgery, is designed to help you lose weight. Losing weight is impossible without some significant lifestyle changes, and that includes eating healthy, balanced, nutritious meals.
What Do You Eat after a Lap Band?
Once you have had the adjustable band, you must be careful to eat the right amount of things so that you don’t stretch your stomach. When you recover from your surgery, you will be allowed to suck on an ice cube or have some water. The day after, you may be given some beverages with calories. While this is restrictive, it is to make sure you don’t vomit, as your stomach tissue may slip if you do.
For two weeks, you can have thin liquids such as clear soups and broths. You can’t add any pasta, veggies, or meat. You can, however, have some fruit juices, low fat milk, and other drinks without sugar.
Next, you can move on to pureed food. If all goes well, then you can start this about four weeks after your surgery. This includes puddings and yoghurt (low fat), mashed peas and potatoes, skinless chicken and fish, and so on.
Around one or two weeks later, you can move on to soft foods. This includes ground turkey and fish. You must train yourself to chew properly, or you will irritate your stomach, swell, and maybe even vomit. Vomiting in the first few weeks after your surgery can be very dangerous.
If at any point you feel uncomfortable, you need to take a step back on what you are eating and return to softer foods. You have to make a slow transition.
Eventually, you can go back to solids. However, you must be very careful here. Liquids pass very quickly and that means you won’t feel full. If you have liquids with your solid food, the food will pass quickly as well. This means that it is more difficult to lose weight. Hence, don’t drink while eating, wait until at least 30 minutes after food.
You do have to make sure that you eat at least three times each day. Try to stick to about two ounces each time. Do not eat asparagus, dried fruits, rhubarb, pineapple, popcorn, corn, walnuts, grapes, almonds, peanuts, carbonated drinks, and anything high in calories.
Conclusion
These are some of the most important things to keep in mind in terms of your post-lap band surgery diet. Your surgeon should have referred you to a nutritionist and they will provide you with a diet, including recipes, meal plans, and lists of foods you can and cannot eat, so that you can combine things and have different meals. It will take some getting used to this new way of eating, but this is what will ultimately help you lose weight.
