Lap Band Diet

Here's a useful little video clip from a nutritionist and dietitian called Charlotte Lawson from Florida. Charlotte gives some very useful and insightful information about eating having a lap band fitted. Whilst it may at first appear that it is the cure all for many problems, Charlotte's comments may help to realise that it isn't all plain sailing and there will need to be some changes.

For instances you will need to increase the amount of water you drink each day quite considerably, but also you need to be prepared for the smaller portion sizes, in fact quite substantially smaller portion sizes that you will have been previously eating. As little as a couple of tablespoons of food at any one time.

When you consider that we all eat far more than this at any one time, then it can help you get in to context exactly how little little you may be able to eat.

Charlotte also adds a couple more really useful tips which I'll let you see for yourself when you watch the video clip.

Another very important point that she mentions is that your lap band diet may well be lacking in important nutrients simply because of the reduced quantity of foods you'll physically be able to eat. She re emphasizes the importance of eating quality, nutrient dense foods (foods that do you some good) instead of the foods that you necessarily crave or particularly enjoy. So heavily processed, ready to eat foods aren't as good as those which you prepare yourself.

Charlotte also explains the lap band diet in it's ealry stages which entail purely liquids such as fruit shakes, smoothies and yogurt drinks before moving on to soups and softer foods before finally attempting more solid or difficult to digest foods such as meats etc.

It has to be said that your post lap band diet is going to be difficult, however do bear in mind that at this stage you will already be seeing weight loss to some extent, so your motivation to adhere should be high. As you lose more weight and begin feeling better about yourself, you should continue to get more accustomed to your new way of eating and therefore way of life.

One other point that should be mentioned here is that because you may be lacking in certain minerals and vitamins due to the reduced volume of foods and therefore variety, it is likely that you may not get enough, so in an attempt to offset this it would be wise to take a daily supplement, a colloidal (suspended in a solution) option would be easier at this stage.

Lastly Charlotte mentions that these points are just guidelines for you. It may be that your particular situation requires a different approach to most other peoples, so ultimately it is your surgery team that will know the exact advice for you, so ask for their guidance and follow their recommendations to the letter.