Eating Technique
Eating Techniques After bariatric surgery you must learn how to Eat smaller portions of food Eat slower Eating slowly is extremely important after bariatric surgery to prevent Nausea Vomiting Sticking These symptoms occur because your stomach is no longer able to handle the volume of food or the speed at which you use to eat before surgery.
Prepare Meals Before Eating These are steps to take to make sure your food is ready for you to eat: Use measuring cups, spoons, and/or a food scale to measure foods Put foods on a small plate, such as a salad or dessert plate Cut all foods into small, diced, pea-sized pieces Use small toddler utensils to make it easier to take small bites
Keep Foods Moist Be sure to use low calorie (30 calories or less) condiments / dressings / sauces to moisten your foods prior to eating. Place condiments in a small separate dish and lightly dip foods that are not moist. Dry foods can get stuck, leading to pain and regurgitation.
Sticking The term sticking refers to a blockage of food that prevents anymore food from going into the stomach Sticking is caused by eating to fast, not chewing food enough, or the food is to dry Do not make yourself force the food through the lapband as this will cause further swelling and irritation. Your body will produce a fluid to move the food upward or downward. Do not force yourself to vomit. If sticking occurs do not drink and stop eating immediately. Wait at least one hour before attempting clear fluids. The following day resume protein drinks and progress to soft foods after 24 hours.
Eat Slowly and Chew Foods Thoroughly Meals should last approximately 30 minutes. This can be achieved by following these steps: chew small bites thoroughly (15-20 chews per bite) swallow each bite before taking another put the fork or spoon down between bites use a timer or stopwatch to keep track of your eating pace
Stop Eating Before You Feel Full Allow 30 minutes to complete your meal. After this time stop eating as your brain will receive signals that you are satisfied. Once the stomach is nearly full, the brain receives a signal that enough food has been eaten. Take time to recognize the feeling of satiation (lack of hunger without feeling uncomfortably full). Eating too much food may cause nausea, vomiting, and/or pain, which could lead to damage to your stomach or esophagus.
Drink Plenty of Hydrating Fluids Aim to consume 64 or more ounces of fluids daily, unless otherwise directed by your provider. Ideal fluid choices include water, sugar-free flavored waters, and diet iced tea. If you do not drink enough water you may experience headaches, constipation, and lack of weight loss. Choose only very low or no calorie non-carbonated fluids. Drinking high calorie/sugary fluids can lead to weight gain and/or dumping. Carbonated fluids can cause pain and stretching in the stomach.
Sip Fluids Slowly Drinking too quickly can cause reflux, discomfort and possible stretching of your stomach and/or esophagus. Immediately after surgery you should drink at a rate of 1 ounce over 20 minutes. Once you start phase 1 and from that point forward the proper speed limit for drinking is 1 ounce over 5 minutes, as tolerated.
Avoid Drinking While Eating and for 1 Hour After Drinking when you eat can cause foods to flush too quickly through the stomach, causing you to eat larger portions and/or feel hungry sooner after meals. Drinking too soon after you eat can cause the stomach to overfill, resulting in pain, reflux and possible stretching of the stomach or esophagus. Lapband patients may drink right before meals
Avoid Stress or Distractions When Eating Your stomach is a muscle and will react to stressful situations, causing tightness and possible difficulty eating. Distractions may cause you to forget proper eating techniques, resulting in food intolerances. Meal times should be quiet, uninterrupted and stress-free. If this is not possible, adjust your meal times and/or use a protein shake instead as liquids are more easily tolerated. Eating when distracted or stressed often leaves people feeling frustrated after their surgery. For example, a man or woman who have a stressful job often say they only have a 10-15 minute break for their meals. It becomes their responsibility to find a quiet space with enough time to drink a protein shake or make arrangements with their employer. Or a man or woman who take care of children or elderly relatives often have a lack of time to prepare or eat their meals as they are taking care of others. If this is your situation, you need to make a time and place where you can eat uninterrupted.