Behavioral Changes

Behavioral Changes

  1. Eat Breakfast 60-90 minutes after getting out of bed.

  2. Eat 3 meals a day 4-6 hours apart. Allow no more than 20 minutes for each meal.

  3. Do not drink with meals and wait 60-90 minutes before drinking. You can eat twice as much if you drink with meals and defeat weight loss! You may drink right up until mealtime. In fact, we encourage you to "pre-fill" by drinking 8-12 ounces of water during the 15-20 minutes prior to meals. This decreases appetite and is also effective if you are tempted to snack between meals.

  4. Eat protein at every meal. Eat 45-80 grams of protein daily. At least one half of each meal should be high in protein (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, beans).

  5. No concentrated sweets.

  6. Avoid high calorie/carbohydrate liquids (real coke, milk shakes, juices) or semi soft foods (ice cream, cake, cookies, potatoes, pasta).

  7. Eliminate:
    • Snacks
    • Alcohol
    • Sweetened soft drinks (diet drinks are okay once you become used to your pouch)
    • Chewing gum
    • Excessive caffeine

  8. Chew, Chew and Chew some more.

  9. Avoid dry or tough foods, (If you like well done meat consider a change or a George Foreman Grill).

  10. Take small bites and don't rush your food. Wait between bites because it may take a minute or so before you feel "full."

  11. Foods such as Jell-O, yogurt, or soup should not be used as a meal except early on post-operatively and after fills since they don't stay in the stomach as long as solids which make you feel "full."

  12. Avoid Bread! Not because of calories, but because it can get "stuck". (Toast is okay and so are saltines). After you become adjusted to your pouch, your surgeon will explain how you can use bread to help you get full with less calories).

  13. Take a good multivitamin (One-a-Day, Centrum, etc.) daily.

  14. Exercise at least 3-4 times a week for 40 minutes to an hour at a time.

  15. Stop eating when you fill full.

  16. Do not drink juices, milk, protein shakes unless instructed by your surgeons. Patients often think that because these are "good for you" that they are okay. They are good in the sense that they are a good source of extra calories and will slow down your weight loss. You need to get your calories as solids. Your surgeon will discuss the ways you can use these and not sabotage your weight loss.