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Obesity Surgery Tips for Dallas and Surrounding Communities

Dr. Frank Veninga and his professional staff believe that providing education is a vital part of helping patients maintain weight loss after obesity surgery. Our patients from Dallas and surrounding communities report that the information we provide about bariatric surgery, the ® System, and the REALIZE™ Band helps them greatly in understanding what to expect from their procedure and what their responsibilities are before and after their obesity surgery. While we strive to inform our patients by providing answers to frequently asked questions and as much patient information as possible, our patients also offer very helpful information. In the Our Patients' Tips section below, we have posted a number of great suggestions made by our patients. If you are a North Texas Bariatric patient and have undergone obesity surgery at the Baylor Medical Center or Dallas Surgery Center, we invite you to contribute to this section of our website. To submit a tip, contact North Texas Bariatric or fill out a suggestions/tips form at our monthly support meeting.

• Our Patients' Tips
• Eat Slowly
• Portion Control
• Beverages
• Foods
• Weight Gain
• The 10 Golden Rules for Success after Obesity Surgery

Our Patients' Tips

The following helpful tips were all provided by our patients who have undergone obesity surgery. Patients from Dallas, Plano, Lewiston, Carrollton, and other Texas communities have offered these tips to help others successfully achieve their weight-loss goals. If you have a tip that you think would help others, please let us know!

We also encourage you to attend our support group meetings, First Saturday Walks, and other events. They are a great way to keep your weight loss efforts on track and to meet others who have undergone bariatric surgery. For more information, check our Calendar of Events — we keep it regularly updated with fun and interesting happenings.

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Eat Slowly

• Chew your food thoroughly.
• When you think you have chewed enough, chew some more.
• Use smaller eating utensils, such as a pickle fork or children's utensils.
• Eat with the opposite hand — your left hand if you are right-handed, or your right hand if you are left-handed.
• Start conversations and become the conversationalist in your family at mealtimes.
• Read something interesting or do a crossword puzzle between bites.
• Creatively arrange the food on your plate.

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Portion Control

• Don't forget that your meals should not exceed one cup total.
• Use a one-ounce shot glass or a measuring cup to measure your food portions.
• Use a small plate to make portions look larger.

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Beverages

• Sip your beverages; don't drink quickly or gulp liquids.
• Stick to zero-calorie liquids. Skim milk and fruit juice are ok when they are counted as part of your meal.
• Beverages should be enjoyed between meals; don't drink with your meal.
• Stay away from carbonated beverages.

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Foods

• Eat your protein source first at each meal.
• You can digest ripe bananas easily.
• Your stomach can tolerate bread much better when it is toasted.
• Make your own freezer pops with Crystal Light® or sugar-free Kool-AID®: Freeze the drinks in ice cube trays or freezer-pop molds (available in most variety stores) with a spoon or wooden stick positioned as a handle. These freezer pops are delicious and refreshing!

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Weight Gain

• If you gain a few pounds, you can easily lose them by returning to the post- obesity-surgery stage-one liquid diet for however long you choose.

In addition to excellent tips for succeeding in your LAP-BAND® or REALIZE™ Band System weight loss program, our patients have provided us with testimonials so that you can read the stories of real people who have undergone obesity surgery. If you are ready to join our patients who have successfully lost significant weight and are now enjoying active, productive lives, contact North Texas Bariatric today. We look forward to posting your tips or testimonial on our website!

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The 10 Golden Rules for Success after Obesity Surgery

In addition to offering tips from our patients to help you successfully maintain weight loss after your obesity surgery at the Baylor Medical Center or Dallas Surgery Center, we provide the "10 Golden Rules" for eating, drinking, and exercise after the LAP-BAND® or REALIZE™ Band Adjustable Gastric Band procedure. These rules are designed help you achieve the best possible results from your surgery. Keep in mind that the ultimate success of your obesity surgery is based on Dr. Veninga's skill in placing the gastric band and your willingness to make significant changes to your eating habits.

Rule 1: Eat only three small meals each day.

Obesity surgery with the LAP-BAND® and REALIZE™ Band System creates a small region at the top of your stomach. If you eat beyond the capacity of the region and it becomes a true "pouch," you can become nauseous. If you repeatedly eat too much, you can stretch the pouch and cancel out the effects of the obesity surgery. The best policy is to learn how change your behavior to live with your band appropriately.

Rule 2: Chew completely and slowly.

Obesity surgery with the LAP-BAND® and REALIZE™ Band Adjustable Gastric Band restricts the size of food that is able to pass through the stoma (outlet) of your new stomach. For this reason, you must chew thoroughly to ensure that the food is "chopped" into very small pieces. Chewing slowly helps you make sure that your food will be the ideal size for digestion, and it will help you reach satiety (fullness) during your meal.

Rule 3: When you feel full, stop eating.

Your stomach sends a neural signal to your brain when it senses that enough food has been eaten. This signal can take time to reach the brain, however, and this can lead you to eat more than is good for you. The result can be nausea and vomiting. Chew your food slowly and take time eating your meal. When you feel the first signs of fullness, stop eating immediately.

Rule 4: Don't drink with your meals.

Obesity surgery with the LAP-BAND® and REALIZE™ Band Adjustable Gastric Band only produces results with solid food. If you drink beverages while you eat, the effect of the band is greatly reduced. The best policy is not to drink anything for one to two hours after eating. This will also help you maintain a feeling of fullness.

Rule 5: Don't eat between meals.

One of the main reasons that obesity surgery fails is because patients snack between meals. It is critical to your long-term success that you do not eat anything between meals. Once you have finished a meal, stay away from the kitchen or any area where you might be tempted to reach for a snack.

Rule 6: Only eat fresh food.

You can only eat a little after you undergo obesity surgery with the LAP-BAND® or REALIZE™ Band System. For this reason, you must eat foods that are healthy and nutritional. Fresh vegetables and fruit, as well as meat and cereals, are recommended because they are high in protein and vitamins. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sugar. Apples and oranges are good, but stay away from orange juice and apple juice in cartons or bottles. We will provide you a list of approved foods and recommendations for vitamins and protein supplements.

Rule 7: Avoid foods rich in fiber.

Foods with a high fiber content can block the stoma (outlet) of your new stomach. Chewing and your saliva cannot break down fiber-rich foods sufficiently. If you just have to have a high-fiber food such as asparagus once in a while, be sure to cut the food into small pieces and chew thoroughly.

Rule 8: Drink plenty of liquids during the day.

As you lose weight, your body must excrete through urination the waste products that result from the breakdown of your body's fat. For this reason, you must drink large quantities of liquids every day. However, keep in mind that you should only drink low- or zero-calorie liquids, and you should not drink with meals.

Rule 9: Drink only zero-calorie or low-calorie liquids.

The LAP-BAND® and REALIZE™ Band Adjustable Gastric Band restricts the passage of food through the stoma. However, liquids can pass through easily. If you consume high-calorie drinks, you'll undermine the purpose of your obesity surgery, and you won't lose much, if any, weight. Stick with low- or zero-calorie beverages for optimal results. Water, mineral water, and tea or coffee without milk or sugar are good. Many of our patients also like zero-calorie, non-carbonated soft drinks such as Crystal Light® and sugar-free Kool-AID®.

Rule 10: Exercise 30 minutes or more every day.

For your obesity surgery to be successful, it is very important that you maintain a daily exercise schedule. Physical exercise will consume energy and calories, and it will improve your physical and psychological health. At first, your weight may be an impediment to getting sufficient exercise. As you lose weight, however, you will find that exercising becomes easier and progressively more enjoyable. You can start with simple exercises such as walking and swimming. As your fitness level increases, you can add more strenuous forms of exercise such as cycling, jogging, and aerobics.

For your convenience, we've also made the 10 Golden Rules available in Microsoft Word and PDF formats. If you don't have a PDF reader, the Adobe Reader is available as a free download .

10 Important Rules for LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band Patients.pdf
10 Important Rules for LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band Patients.doc

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Learn More about Obesity Surgery

Dr. Frank Veninga performs obesity surgery at the Dallas Surgery Center and Baylor Medical Center so that patients can overcome obesity and lead healthy, active lives. Our goal at North Texas Bariatric is to provide you with all the information you need to be successful in your weight loss program. If you have questions about any aspect about bariatric surgery, please contact North Texas Bariatric to speak with a professional staff member or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Veninga.

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