After lap band surgery, adjusting to new eating behaviors and observing restrictions on some food types will help keep you from feeling nauseous or becoming physically ill. By following the right diet post operatively you will feel healthier and experience faster weight loss.

The first thing to remember is that your stomach will only be able to hold about six ounces of food at a time and your sensation of being full may be very different than it is now. This means portion sizes will be much smaller than what you normally eat.

Your ability to estimate portion sizes will improve with practice but, to begin with, your will find kitchen measuring utensils useful.

Maintaining protein intake after surgery can be a challenge. In some cases your surgeon may recommend a protein supplement to help you meet daily protein requirements.

Once you are consuming adequate protein, the focus is on vegetables and fruits that contain calcium, iron and vitamins A, B, C, D and E (as long as they don’t cause you physical or digestive discomfort). In most cases it helps to remove the skins and seeds from all vegetables before you eat them, as they’re harder to digest. Avoiding foods that are very high in fiber, as well as tough meats like beef and pork and hamburger, aids in transitioning to your new diet.