Diets for Lap-Bands

A lap-band is an adjustable gastric banding system recommended for patients who are more than 100 pounds overweight and who cannot lose weight through traditional methods. During the procedure, a surgeon places a band around the upper part of the stomach. According to the Mayo Clinic, the band restricts the amount of food the patient is able to eat. The patient must be continually committed to losing weight through special diets before and after the lap-band procedure.

Pre-op Diet

• Before a lap-band procedure, the doctor usually requires patients to start a special diet. The lap-band pre-op diet ranges from 800 to 1200 calories and includes 70 to 120 g of protein per day. This diet is usually tailored to the individual patient.

Post-op Diet

• Doctors at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center say a patient who has the lap-band procedure must remain on a clear liquid diet for up to two weeks after surgery. A clear diet includes clear broth, skim milk, fruit juice, and sugarless popsicles.

  Three or four weeks after surgery the patient adds pureed foods into his diet. These foods include pureed fish or chicken with the skin removed, mashed potatoes, peas, and yogurt.

  Five weeks after surgery the patient adds soft cooked foods into her diet. These foods may include fork-tender fish and ground turkey.

Long-term Diet

• Life for patients after the lap-band procedure must include a long-term diet plan. The lap-band diet includes 1 to 2 oz. of low-fat proteins per day. Good examples of low-fat proteins include certain meats, fish, eggs, and skinless chicken.

  The long-term lap-band diet also includes one to two servings of fresh fruit per day and two or three servings of fresh vegetables per day. The diet also includes one small portion of low-sugar cereal and a half slice of whole wheat or rye toast.

  Patients on the long-term lap-band diet can also drink no more than two cups of milk and 1 oz. of cheese per day. Drinks should be calorie-free, non-carbonated beverages consumed outside of meal times. Only three or four teaspoons of butter or oil are allowed per day to fulfill the body's fat need.

Foods to Avoid

• Lap-band patients should avoid some foods in their long-term diet plan. These include dried fruits, asparagus, pineapple, rhubarb, corn, grapes, nuts and seeds, syrups, high-calorie foods like cake, chips, and any other foods which cause problems. Problem foods block the opening created by the lap-band. Common problem foods include dry meat, shrimp, untoasted bread, greasy food, and rice. These foods can be introduced into the long-term lap-band diet slowly to see if they cause problems for the individual patient.