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Nutrition

Bariatric surgery provides a valuable tool for your weight loss journey. It’s important to realize that following an effective diet and exercise program in addition to surgery is the key to achieving the best results. Our goal is to support the lifestyle changes you need to improve your health and achieve your weight loss goals long after your surgery.

Before surgery you will need to follow specific diet instructions to prepare for the procedure. Following surgery you will also be provided with an eating plan to support healthy healing and gradual weight loss with your lap-band. It is important, especially in the early weeks, to stick to this postoperative diet. You will learn to eat the necessary quantities of food to maintain your nutrition while also minimizing any undesired symptoms such as reflux and vomiting.

Incorporating a regular exercise routine will be just as important as following a well-balanced diet. This should be implemented before surgery to encourage commitment long term. Exercise starts early after the surgery as you will be advised to get out of bed and walk. Over the following weeks you will be able to increase aerobic exercises to increase lung capacity and cardiac output. Four weeks after surgery you may begin weight training that will help you build muscle strength and flexibility. It is important to note that exercise will depend on the condition of the patient and wound healing. It is important to set realistic goals throughout your post-opeartive process, therefore listen to your body when exercising and abstain from pushing yourself past your limits. Apart from weight loss, regular exercise has added health benefits: reduced risk of developing some cancers and heart diseases, and higher self-esteem and wellbeing.