Life After Lap Band Surgery
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...or start gaining weight.
There probably will come a time in your life after lap band surgery in which you stop losing weight (before you want to), or worse...
...start putting on weight.
Are you at that point now?
I hope not. But if so, and you've strayed from the diet after lap band, you've come to the right place.
If you feel out of control with your eating, and/or have stopped losing or started gaining weight since your gastric banding procedure, then immediate action is necessary.
Don't wait one minute or one day longer to address the problem.
If you're not losing weight or have started gaining weight, there may be one of two reasons:
- Your stomach band is too tight.
- Operator error.
Life After Lap Band Surgery: Is your band properly adjusted?
If your gastric band is too tight, then you'll only be able to eat soft foods and/or liquids. These pass the band very easily and don't fill you up.
That means you'll need more food on your lap band post op diet (which means more calories) to feel satisfied.
Translation: slowed weight loss or even weight gain!
Life after lap band surgery should involve regular follow up with your bariatric surgery center in order to manage your lap band fills so that your stomach band is never too tight or never too loose.
Life After Lap Band Surgery: Are you guilty of "operator error?"
Lap band post op "operator error" is usually the more likely cause of slowed weight loss or weight gain after weight loss surgery.
YOU are the operator of your stomach band.
Your gastric band is a tool. How you choose to use it is up to you.
You may have been highly motivated and willing to eat anything necessary in the beginning but found in your life after lap band surgery it got easier to "cheat" a little here and there.
You may have slipped into eating out more frequently than you did on the initial diet after lap band surgery. Or, you may have stopped stocking your house with the proper foods.
In my experience as a bariatric dietitian, I see my clients stop losing or start gaining after bariatric banding simply because they get away from following the basic guidelines of the gastric lap band surgery diet.
Use my simple strategies and my sample menu below to easily replace any bad habits that have crept back up on you, and you'll be on track within the week.
Let's get started!
It's time to get back to the basics...
...starting RIGHT NOW.
It's as easy as 1-2-3...
- Establish a regular pattern of eating at planned intervals.
- Get back to gastric band diet basics.
- Keep a lap band food journal.
Establish a regular pattern of eating
If you've started gaining or stopped losing weight since your stomach band was placed, chances are you've fallen into chaotic, random eating.
That's eating whatever you want, whenever you want.
Sure, you may only be able to eat small portions, but eating small portions, too frequently, adds up to too many calories!
That's why you should establish a planned pattern of eating. This will provide you little "stepping stones" to get through the day.
Ideally, eat within 1 hour of waking and plan to eat little meals every 3-4 hours thereafter.
A sample schedule might look like this:
7am: Breakfast
10am: Snack
1pm: Lunch
4pm: Snack
7pm: Dinner
Planning your meal times will also help you get a clear picture of how many meals/snacks to pack if you carry food with you. If you know you're going to leave the house to run errands after breakfast and not return until dinner time, you'd know to pack 3 mini meals according to the schedule above.
Life After Lap Band Surgery: Get back to the gastric band diet basics
If it's been months or even years since your bariatric banding, you may have forgotten about the basics:
- Protein first
- Avoid drinking and eating at the same time
- Eat slowly and chew thoroughly
- Exercise
It's easy to get away from doing any one of these, but if you forget them all...
...HELLLLOOOOOO extra weight!
Refresh yourself on WHAT to eat on the lap band post op diet.
Refresh yourself on HOW to eat for life after lap band surgery.
Keep a food journal
The best weight loss tool is not a treadmill! It's a pen.
According to research, if you write down everything you eat each day, you'll lose twice as much as if you didn't.
It just makes sense, because diet journaling makes you accountable for every lick, nibble and sip you take. It's highly likely mindless eating has played a role in the slowed weight loss or weight re-gain you've experienced in life after lap band surgery.
Check out The Gastric Band Companion. It's a lap band journal designed specifically for gastric band diet.
It was designed and written by none other than yours truly :)
Life After Lap Band Surgery: Jump Start Your Weight Loss Again
Limit your options by following a set menu for a short time. This will help you re-focus on proper portions and balanced meals. You'll be back on track in no time at all!
7am Breakfast
Protein Shake: 4-8 oz water + 1 scoop chocolate protein powder + 1/2 frozen banana + 1/2 Tbsp. p.b. + ice as desired
10am Snack
2 oz. sliced low sodium turkey lunch meat spread with 2 Tbsp. hummus. Roll and eat. Serve with 1 small apple.
1pm Lunch
1/2 - 1 cup salad topped with 2 oz. tuna salad (2 oz. tuna mixed with 1/2 Tbsp. mayo). Drizzle with 1/2 tsp. sesame oil and balsamic vinegar.
4pm Snack
2 hard boiled eggs. Remove yolks and stuff each half with 1 Tbsp. lowfat black bean dip.
7pm Dinner
2oz chicken
1/2 cup steamed broccoli
1 teaspoon butter for broccoli
Get back on track. You can do it!
More of My Professional Advice You May Find Useful
Everything You Need To Know About Gastric Band Diet
Go to Lap Band Surgery Site Home Page
