NUTRITION GUIDELINES FOR LAP-BAND ® PATIENTS

Diet at Home

First week after surgery. You will be on a clear liquid diet. Clear liquids include clear broth or soup (with no vegetables or meat and not creamy, jell-o, fruit juice (no nectars). water, tea, coffee.

Second week after surgery. You will continue on liquids but adding liquids that have a thicker consistency such as: milk (preferably skim), low-fat yogurt, cream of wheat, oatmeal, creamy soups, and fruit smoothies. (Nothing that you will have to chew).

Third week after surgery. In addition to the pureed foods such as blended meat, meat paste, liverwurst, yogurt (not raspberry or other types containing seeds), you may begin to add cottage cheese, sliced cheese, cheese dishes, scrambled and hard boiled eggs, and fish. You may also slowly add soft canned fruits and vegetables. Baked potatoes (without the skin), rice, macaroni, noodles, ready-to-eat corn or rice cereals.

Fourth to sixth week after surgery. You may begin to add meats that are ground after cooking, such as pork, veal, chicken, turkey, and beef. After your checkup you can begin to experiment more with food. Sliced meats as well as raw fruits and vegetables may be tried. Remember to chew them very well. If you feel hungry between meals you may sip on low-calorie drinks.

It is very important that you eat food high in protein at each of your three meals and drink 1-2 cups of milk between meals. Protein is needed for wound healing and to renew body cells. The recommended daily dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is:

• 56 Gms/day for men
• 46 Gms/day for women

You wont be able to eat the amount listed above, but you should try to eat 25-30 Gms of protein each day.

Certain foods may be difficult to tolerate. Since toleration for these foods varies from individual to individual, use your own discretion as to whether to include them in your diet. Through trial and error you may find that you are able to tolerate some of these food items, but there may be others which your digestive system cannot handle as well.

• Tough meats, especially hamburger (the gristle in hamburger is difficult   to digest)
• Membranes of oranges or grapefruit
• Cores. seeds, or skins of fruits or vegetables
• Fibrous vegetables such as corn, celery, or sweet potatoes
• Bread
• Chili or other highly spiced foods
• Fried foods
• Milk (Milk is an important part of your diet that supplies much needed protein and calcium. If you are unable to tolerate it as a beverage, it should be incorporated into the diet through foods such as soup, pudding, or cheese.)

Certain foods MUST be avoided.

These foods have a concentrated supply of calories with little nutritional value. These empty-calorie foods should be left out of your healthy diet. Sugar and foodstuffs containing large quantities of sugar such as high calorie soft drinks, syrups, cakes, biscuits, sweets, jam, marmalade, honey. High fat foods including chocolate, chips, pies, pastries. Alcoholic drinks should also be avoided as much as possible. These are drinks such as beer, wine, liquors, port, sherry, cocktails, champagne.

Remember!

It is important to: Eat slowly Chew food well. Don't drink during meals. Drink liquids 30 minutes before or at least 60 minutes after meals. Stop eating when you are full. Eat three meals; avoid snacking. Sip low-calorie beverages between meals. Select a balanced diet. Exercise regularly. For successful weight loss after Adjustable Gastric Banding surgery, a change in your eating habits is necessary. The operation alone is not a cure--it is not magical. You will not be able to lose as much weight as you like if you eat continuously, or if you stretch your stomach by eating large amounts of food at one time. You will achieve your desired weight loss only if you are willing to control what you eat, and the way in which you eat it.