im wondering if we could maybe get a thread off and running that gives advice to aussies about appropriate diet. im sure you have all had the problem of trying to work out food and recipes from american sites where you have never heard of the food, would not know where to begin to look for it and struggle with many of the measurements as well.

also, we could share ideas about the good (and bad) food experiences that we have had with a view to making everyone's journey maybe just a little easier.

im in the very early days right now - having my first fill in a couple of days. (banded 8/12) im really quite confused as to what i should be doing. i thought i was supposed to be on a liquid diet from day one but to date have been able to eat what i like. i guess the real stuff strts with the fill.

i have been told to avoid white bread like the plague and that rice and red meat will likely cause problems. anyone else experienced this? i have to admit that i am quite phobic about throwing up so would rather be very clear about what i can and cant do safely.

because i am pretty well healed up prior to the fill, does that mean that i still have to go through the liquid diet first? or will i be able to start at mush food?

as you can see, im needing lots of help here and would appreciate any advice.... i know my doctor would answer my questions but to be honest i dont think he is great at explaining things. wonderful doctor im sure, but not so good at explaining himself well....

Kerry8888,

I was just banded on 12/28 and have asked tons of questions about food/eating/diet. I've found that just about everyone had a different post op diet. One person told me to "listen to your band," and he was right. I may be wrong, but none of us are doctors and it's best to try to talk to your doctor. Do they have a nutritionist on staff? Are there any support groups? I'm phobic about throwing up too--I've been so cautious about drinking Water this past several days (even though when you're unfilled it seems to go straight through). I am just afraid of something coming up (especially at work). Read through some of the food threads, I had posted one called "how much do you really eat" and there's some good answers there. Everyone is definitely helpful but try to get some kind of diet/recommendations from your physician. Afterall, he knows your medical history best!

Take care and good luck!

I've found that there's a big cultural difference around what we eat as our normal diet in Australia and what we view as balanced versus what is more normal in the US.

The main thing I've noticed is the Protein thing. The high protein low carb diet has been pretty much maligned and debunked in our culture - NOT that I'm saying that's correct or right or having a go at anybody here - and we're led much more towards a different balance of protein and carbs.

I think Australia has realised that the high carb/low fat diet that became de rigeur during the 80's is not working to make the population slimmer and healthier and there's more of a move towards a low GI diet containing more protein and a smaller quanity of wholegrains. Although the CSIRO Wellbeing Diet copped a hiding in The Age recently, the cynical journo making note of the fact that it's sponsored by the meat and Livestock industry. Interestingly in Dr. John Tickells new book he notes that the longest living populations in the world eat loads of Beans, legumes, fruit and veg, lots of fish and only about 200g of red meat a week.

On a practical note for bandsters I was told to only include nutritional drinks/protein shakes during the liquid phase and then abolish them forever, along with all other calorie laden liquids in favour of a solid diet. I was also told to eat 2 cups of vegetables a day, um, how I'm supposed to manage that much I have no idea.

I just think we're so blessed in this country to have the wonderful range of fresh produce that we do and its still very easy and cheap to eat a totally fresh diet without relying on packaged foods. I personally think the less human intervention in what I eat the better, and I like to stick with organic produce despite the cost, better for me, better for my kids. I get wonderful organic fruit and veg delivered in a box every Friday.

I agree to avoid white bread, white rice and white Pasta - I think there's something in the theory of fat storage and insulin imbalanced and I'm only just weaning off mushies but I like to start my day with a high fibre Cereal like All Bran, oatmeal or Weetbix with fruit, I have some sort of salad, usually with a legume like chickpeas and maybe some cottage cheese for lunch and dinner has basically been a protein and vegetables. I've had the odd thing like a few chewy toffees, Christmas pudding or the odd glass of wine and I try to include yogurt and fruit for Breakfast every couple of days and try to eat some fruit for an afternoon snack. I'm supplementing with a multi Vitamin and a bit of Iron.

I'm happy with this balance, my body runs well on it which is all that really matters, I think this whole protein balance thing depends really on what YOUR body runs best on. But I'd be very worried to be eating lots of protein foods and only a spoonful or so of vegetables with a meal, not getting my fruit in. Fast track to bowel cancer if you ask me. I think probably high protein works great to zap weight off but its my whole body I want to be healthy, I dont just want to be thin.

Anyway, its working for me. Everybody neesd to do what they feel best doing and what they've been instructed to do by their dieticians/surgeons.

thanks for that - appreciated.

as far as the white bread/rice/pasta and red meat thing is concerned, is it just a matter of a healthier choice? or is it that these things are more likely to diagree with ones banding? as mentioned before im a bit worried about throwing up. ive probably thrown up half a dozen times in my life....(and im old ). while sometimes it would seem preferable to feeling ill, the reality is that i would do pretty much anything to avoid it.

can you tell me whether i will need to start with liquids and progress through the mushy food stage given that i will have been banded a month by the time i get my first fill....am completely healed and pain and complication free. im just a little unsure on some of this stuff as all the literature i was given was based on being banded with a fill from the outset. this did not happen with me so im not sure where i stand now. any thoughts?

k

They're foods very likely to disagree with you and cause vomiting - particularly rice and bread but they're also low GI carbs (well Pasta isnt really) - which means they hit your bloodstream and cause a very fast sugar rise, necessitating excessive insulin being released to control it - I think the theory goes that eventually your cell membranes become insulin resistant to it and that insulin also facilitates the storage of fat.

Wholegrains and less processed carbs, as well as the carbs in vegetables and certain fruits are digested much more slowly and dont cause the sugar rush, therefore are less likely to predispose one to storing fat easily. The whole high Protein low carb thing goes along similar lines, the same theories are behind it but whether or not you believe you need to eliminate carbs completely is personal preference.

I think it was here that someone said if something sticks to the wall when you throw it, dont eat it, lol. White bread and gluggy rice would fit the bill perfectly. You can imagine how doughy they would be in your stomach, form a nice hard little ball to block you up.

I'm completely phobic about throwing up too - but have read so many times that spitting up a bit of food that's irritated you is more like a baby regurgitating milk - its not horrible nauseated full on sick vomiting.

I've only been banded just under a month - but I've had no trouble listening to my body. I feel full the same way I did before, way quicker, and once I'm no longer hungry but before I'm stuffed, I stop. Its really pretty simple like that. You're hungry - you eat. When you're not hungry, you stop. You dont have to keep going till you're sick.

And introduce foods s-l-o-w-l-y. Be very careful to chew well, eat slowly and stop to let it settle before you hoe into something new. Follow your surgeon's instructions. I started with 3 weeks on liquids, started out Clear Liquids, went onto thin smoothies and thinned out Soups and gradually made the liquids thicker as I got hungrier, but always blended. When I saw the dietician at 2.5 weeks she felt I was ready for mushies, again I started out slowly. I just ate a piece of salmon baked in the oven, some broccoli (very well steamed till soft) and some mashed potato for dinner - first meal that I've eaten off a plate in solid form since banding. But I've not wanted for much, there's loads and loads of great foods you can eat whilst on the mushy phase, its really only the liquids that's a bit hard. I got quite detailed info from my dietician about what to introduce when - next week will bring a bit of minced beef and chicken, and crackers such as Ryvita (which I'm really looking forward to), harder fruits. But try one at a time carefully. I've not even come close to vomiting and have had no discomfort at all so it can be done.

Oh - and think about what you normally put on your plate for a small meal and halve it, lol. You'll be amazed how full you get on a small amount of food.

You really will be fine, I had all the same misgivings and can honestly say I've never enjoyed eating healthy food so much as I am now, its been fantastic.