Your Diet After Gastric Banding
Going through gastric band surgery will require you to make lifestyle changes to accommodate your smaller stomach. For starters, it’s important for you to follow the pre- and post-surgery diets that will be recommended by our facility. Patients who undergo gastric banding will have to make the right food choices to ensure the success of their weight loss program. The following outlines the diet that you should adhere to if you want to maximize the effects of this procedure.
Post-surgery
0 to 2 weeks after surgery: Liquid diet
Within the two weeks following your operation, you should only take in fluids for optimum healing, so you can maximize the benefits yielded from this procedure. Since you will be on a purely liquid diet, you have to take note of these guidelines. They are devised so you will still have a balanced supply of protein, energy, and other nutrients that will facilitate good and faster recovery so you can get started on your weight loss program right away.
- During the first two weeks after surgery, you should not eat solid food of any form. Fluids refer to liquids that you can drink through a straw.
- You need to take multivitamins and calcium supplements that are either in chewable or liquid form. Some recommended brands include Centrum Chewable, Multibionta, and Sanatogen Gold. Other brands will also suffice so long as they come with minerals and vitamins. Ask the local pharmacist about medications that you can take in liquid form.
- Fluid intake: aim for 2.5 to 3.5 liters every day. This amount has to be evenly spread throughout the day. Each person has different fluid requirements and the best way to determine if you’re properly hydrated is through your urine. If it is pale in color, it means you’re drinking enough. In contrast, a darker shade will require you to take more liquids.
- Drink at least 200 ml of fluids with every intake.
- You cannot drink carbonated drinks because you cannot expel gas and air. This can cause trapped air and bloating as well as the distension of your stomach wall, thereby causing your gastric band to slip.
- You cannot chew gum.
- Feeling hungry during this period is normal. This is usually caused by stretch receptors in your stomach that have been triggered by surgery. The sensation will pass eventually so you just need to stay motivated.
Recommended fluids:
- One pint (600 ml) of semi-skimmed milk daily. You want to get the fortified variety so you get your recommended daily allowance of nutrients and minerals.
- Soups and milkshakes that are fortified with nutrients. Try to drink at least three servings daily.
- Low-calorie diluted fruit juice (1 part juice to 1 part water)
- Herbal tea and coffee
- Water
2 to 4 weeks after surgery: Soft diet
After two weeks, you can now start taking in soft food. Your meals should have the consistency of cottage pie, scrambled egg, or well-cooked cauliflower. You want food that you can easily mash using a fork. Avoid crunchy food and salads for now.
Suggestions for breakfast:
- Scrambled or poached eggs, omelette, and polenta
- Porridge mixed with semi-skimmed milk
- Thick fruit smoothie – aim for variety: banana, strawberries, or mangoes that are blended into skimmed milk or low-fat yoghurt
Lunch and dinner:
- Fish pie with pureed vegetables
- Minced meat with blended casserole
- Vegetable soups
- Soft pasta plus tomato sauce
- Cottage cheese (low fat)
- Soft boiled egg with mashed avocado
- Mashed potatoes and poached salmon
- Pureed vegetables
- Lentils
Desserts:
- Stewed or pureed fruit and custard
- Mashed banana
- Yoghurt
- Mousse
- Sugar-free jelly and sorbets
You need to continue with the increased fluid intake but make sure to drink before every meal and not with it. You want to wait at least an hour before you eat.
4 weeks onwards
After four weeks, you can start going back to a semblance of normalcy in your food intake – that is, in terms of the texture of your food. By this time, you probably have consulted with a dietitian to help you plan your meals and monitor your progress.
Breakfast
- Small banana with low-fat yoghurt
- Whole grain toast and sugar-free jam or fruit puree
- All bran flakes and cereal bars
- Fruit salad
Lunch, dinner, and snack
- Cottage cheese
- Pasta, rice, and noodle
- Salmon with cucumber
- Tuna and baked beans or onion
- Egg salad
- Potato salad with low-fat dressing
- Roast sweet potato
Additional guidelines
- Take note that your portions are going to be smaller compared with your food intake before surgery. You want to use either a tea plate or a child’s plate. You will probably feel hungry gradually and this will mean that you’re ready to eat.
- Before meals, you want to drink a lot of fluids and wait at least an hour after meals before you drink again.
- Chew your food properly and eat slowly. Try to chew at least 20 times every mouthful.
- Don’t forget to take your vitamin and mineral supplements.
- Refrain from eating bread, chicken, or any other form of meat as well as rice until you’ve seen your dietitian after eating your first meal. These types of food tend to cause slippage.
- Stay away from carbonated drinks and gum.
It would also be a good idea to record your food intake, exercise, and other details in a food diary so you can monitor your progress.