Texas Lap Band Surgeons Talk With You

Food Police… 

Contrary to many people’s belief, I AM NOT THE FOOD POLICE.  When you see me at the grocery store, out to eat, or in the cafeteria at Wadley, I am not going to put the plastic bag hand cuffs on you and lead you to the secret food police station and interrogate under hot lights.  Remember YOUR band is YOUR tool. 

With that said and in case you are not in “the box”:

Remember:

      3 meals per day

      Consume meals 5 hours apart and stop eating 4 hours before bed

      Chew well

      No liquids with your meal

      Consume only quality food with some nutritional value

            Drink your water

      Take your chewable multivitamin

      Exercise daily 
 

Your band is a tool and a gift to yourself. It is there to help you along your journey to a healthy you.  Just like the band is a tool, your lap band team is a tool. We are here for you – use us!! 

If you are struggling, some food recommendations to think about:

      Keep a food log – I know I have said this many times and you have heard it from other sources, but you will be surprise what you can learn from writing down what you eat. I recently had someone ask me to help her with her diet. I told her to write down what she eats for 3 days then I could have a better idea of where she needs help.  I saw her a couple of days later and she said she realized on her own what she was doing and was able to correct it without a visit to me.

      Use your hand as a guide – Your hand is your best guide as to what your lap band “should hold”. I know some people believe their band can hold more. This may be true but at what cost is your band holding more? Are you stretching your pouch which will prevent you from losing weight? Are you moving your band?  Your hand should be your guide. Half of your hand should come from protein and the other whole grain products, fruits, and vegetable.

      If you still are having problems, consider making a follow up appointment with a registered dietitian (like me!) to assess where you could make healthier choices. 

Use your band and your lap band team like a tool and you will see success!