Here they are, Betty’s world famous ‘Stay in the box’ rules with a few extra editorial notes in parentheses by Dr. Ron Hekier.
COMMIT TO THE RULES IN THE BOX
Lap Band
10 IMPORTANT RULES
1. Eat only 3 small meals a day, breakfast within 1 hr of getting up and your last meal 3 hrs before you go to bed. (Skipping breakfast is a bad idea; your body needs to have sufficient protein. If you are tight in the mornings, try a shake, or yogurt.)
2. Eat slow & chew thoroughly, 15 – 20 times a bite.
3. Stop eating as soon as you feel full do not challenge the lapband, see how little you can eat and be satisfied. (It’s even better if you eat until you’re not hungry, don’t eat until you get a full feeling. That might be too much.)
4. DO NOT drink while eating. (30 min before and 1 hr after) No carbonated drinks. Avoid gulping, sip.
5. Do not eat between meals. (Only rarely should you have healthy snacks if you are getting hungry between meals. Or try a healthy liquid shake of some sort.)
6. Make good choices. Eat only good quality food. Solid food is more important than liquid food. The lap band will have no effectt if you only consume liquids as it will pass right through. (Protein is especially important. If you don’t consume enough protein, your body will actually store calories as fat. You need to eat to lose weight!)
7. Drink at least 6 – 8 glasses of water a day.
8. Drink low calorie or zero calorie liquids.
9. Exercise daily You eat daily so you need to exercise daily.
10. Avoid doughy or sticky foods like white bread, pop corn, coconut, dried fruits as they can obstruct your band.
Which secret works best for you? Click on the comment link below to share your experiences.
19. February 2007 at 8:26 pm
Thank you so much for the 10 rules. I was struggling but now after going to support group tonight, I am full force ahead!!
20. February 2007 at 12:16 pm
I think the ‘aftercare’ (what you do after surgery) is as important as the surgery itself. Just this morning in clinic I saw two patients who had gastric bypass long ago. They lost a fair amount of weight, but gained most of it back. They have had no ‘aftercare’ whatsoever; no formal support groups, no follow up with their surgeons, nothing to help them on their path to success.
I’m glad you enjoyed the support group. If you have any pearls to share with others let us know, and we can post a brand new topic on the blog woth your input!
21. February 2007 at 5:09 am
The support this team of doctors, nurses and office staff provide their patients is phenominal. Although any weight loss attempt can and usually will have its “trying times”, this team will help you work through the problem areas. Attend support groups, stay “in the box”, obey your doctors instructions and there will be no room for failure with lap-band. Thanks Dr. Heiker, Dr. Keilin and the whole Precision Surgery team! Your team makes our journey into a healthier lifestyle an easy transition.
21. February 2007 at 7:50 pm
I am 4 hours away from my surgeon in St. Louis. He is excellent, but it is not possible for me to go to the support groups he offers. I feel as if I have hit a weight loss plateau, and I was hoping someone could steer me toward online support groups to help get me over the hump.
21. February 2007 at 8:42 pm
Jennifer,
One of my favorite sites is http://www.lapbandtalk.com
They have not yet been spoiled by commercialization like other sites.
You can share your success story with others, or find Lap Band support when you hit a plateau.
Good luck on your weight loss with the Lap Band!
13. May 2008 at 12:50 pm
I have a daughter who had lap bad last May. She has always had bad eating habits but now she has come up with a new one. After eating her meals and full, she will go the kitchen, get a cup, chew whats left of her food and spit it out in the cup.She does it so no one will see her but the other evening we went to dinner with a friend who is a psychologist. Good friend and he loves my daughter. After dinner and at home he told me what she was doing was not only only gross but not good for her to get into these habbits. What do i say to her that wont start a fight or hurt her feelings. D.
4. June 2008 at 5:00 am
thanks betty and Dr. H. I would add drink something hot in the
morning.
7. June 2008 at 6:44 am
Great! Thanks for the blog. This band is hard to understand. Mine gets tighter too !
22. September 2008 at 8:32 am
I had lap band in May. I have 4 fills. I find myself reverting back to my old eating habits. I’ve lost 35 lbs but have stayed the same now for a few weeks. I still have 65 lbs to lose. Help!
Connie
22. September 2008 at 9:11 am
Make sure you come to support group to learn what strategies work for others.
4. October 2008 at 6:15 pm
what happens whden you over eat many meals? does really stretch more than the 4 ounces and stay thay way?
22. October 2008 at 9:10 pm
Good post.