After surviving on liquid and semi-liquid foods for several weeks, you will be ready to start gradually introducing solid foods back into your diet.

The following are some general guidelines to keep in mind as you begin this process:

• TAKE IT SLOWLY. Serve small portions, cut your food into small pieces and eat very slowly.
• ADD NEW FOODS ONE AT A TIME. If you have difficulty eating a meal it will be easier to pinpoint the food-type that may have been causing the problem.
• TRY EVERYTHING. Don’t be put off by what you may have heard other lapbanders say they can and cannot eat. We are all different and you need to find your own tolerances
• TRY FOODS MORE THAN ONCE. If you have trouble with something once, that doesn’t mean you should never try it again. You will probably find that foods you had trouble digesting one day are easier to get down on other days. Your tolerance to foods depends on a number of factors, such as your inflation level, what you have eaten previously, your level of exercise and your mood, and can vary incredibly

After the operation, but before the first inflation, many lapbanders have been surprised to find that they can:

• eat a wide variety of solid foods, including food types they didn’t expect to be able to tolerate, such as red meat, bread and fruit.
• Eat food in larger quantities than they expected they would be able to
• Feel hungry between meals

If you experience any of these symptoms, don’t panic!

It is perfectly normal to be able to eat a wide variety of foods in healthy amounts, and even to feel hungry, prior to your first inflation. This does NOT mean that you have already stretched the pouch, that the band has somehow slipped or that the operation has somehow failed.

You will probably find that, after 1-2 inflations you will be more limited in the amount and types of foods you can eat and your level of hunger is reduced.

• Try to have 3 mini-meals plus 2-5 small healthy snacks throughout the day to alleviate the possibility that you will experience hunger.
• Start maximising your nutritional intake by making healthy food choices right from the start. Focus on introducing meats and seafood, fruits and vegetables and milk products first. For healthy snacks try bananas, crackers & cheese, yoghurt and fruit juices.
• Meats and some types of seafood may be easier to tolerate when served with gravies and sauces.
• Vegetables are easier to tolerate when they have been completely cooked through rather than served crunchy or raw.

Although it is normal to experience a certain amount of regurgitation during this stage, you should be aware that excessive vomiting or regurgitation can be an indication that the band is too tight. If you are worried that you might be vomiting excessively contact your surgeon immediately.