How to water load & maintenance diet
The info I'm posting below is from a hand out sheet that Dr Aranow gives to his patients at 6months + out. Some of your doctors are different and may prescribe a different method than Dr Aranow. Some of you have asked questions on wha****er loading is and I thought I'd post it below along with his ideas on a good maintenance diet.
paula
MAINTENANCE DIET
As I'm sure you have noticed, your pouch and appetite have grown. This is a natural and normal process of pouch stretching that occurs over a two-year period following your surgery. While Lap Band and Gastric Bypass pouches dilate at different rates, the ways in which you can maximize your sense of fullness to compensate for this stretch are the same. Once you have reached the 6-month postoperative period, you need to start practicing the techniques listed below. Start gradually if you are still in the period of rapid weight loss. If you are still struggling to reach your protein goals, then simply review these techniques so that you may understand what is in your future.
There are 6 techniques you must practice in order to maximize your sense of fullness, limit your appetite, reduce the need for between meal snacks, and improve your weight loss success and maintenance.
1. FLUID LOAD: Drink fast and hard fifteen minutes before your meal using a calorie free beverage. DO NOT SIP! Drink and gulp as much as you can as fast as you can. Your goal here is to temporarily stretch your pouch and put it into spasm. Drinking in this fashion will give you a full/uncomfortable sensation. When you eat 15 minutes later, you will find you fill up more quickly and possibly your appetite for this meal will also be diminished. This is the single most powerful tool for reducing portion sizes. USE THIS MANEUVER TO AVOID BETWEEN MEAL SNACKS!!!! Make sure you always have a water bottle on hand so you can drink when the need arises.
2. DO NOT HAVE ANY LIQUIDS WITH YOUR MEALS OR FOR 2 HOURS THEREAFTER: This allows your undigested food to slowly empty from your pouch. If you find your thirst at meals and after to be uncomfortable, make sure you have fluid loaded adequately. If you have, then the next step is to try and go "cold turkey" for 2 weeks without drinking at mealtimes. This will allow your brain's "thirst center" to reset. After the 2-week period has elapsed, you will find your thirst after meals to be diminished. Drink as much calorie free liquid as you can after the two hours and up to fifteen minutes until your next meal. Water loading for the last 15 minutes.
3. FORK AND KNIFE FOODS ONLY: Your procedure only limits the passage of solids. Therefore liquid calories are not delayed and will not make you feel adequately full. This mean NO SOUP< YOGURT< PUDDING< AND ESPECIALLY NO PROTEIN SHAKES!!! Eat every meal seated at the table with a fork and knife.
4. THREE 15 MINUTE MEALS A DAY: Your goal is 3 meals a day. You should spend no longer than 15 minutes eating. Use as small a plate as possible (tea saucer). It seems like a ridiculously small meal but given your very slow metabolism, it is all you need.
5. BALANCE YOUR DIET: You do not need to be on a high protein diet. In face, over years, high protein intake will lead to less success than a balanced diet. All you need is approximately 50 gms of protein a day - a deck-of-card-sized piece of meat is about 3 oz. The remainder of your diet should include fiber, fats and complex carbs. Make sure to have some starch in your diet. A common problem seen 1-3 years after surgery is "hypoglycemia" -feeling of tremulousness and nausea and hunger occurring between meals. This ia a sign that you have inadequate carbohydrate reserves in your system. By keeping at least 30% of your diet as complex carbs (like grains, potato, etc.) you will prevent this sensation and the need for between meal snacks. The end result is you'll eat less.
6. DON'T DIET: Don't think that going on a strict "diet" will speed your weight loss. Short term periods on Atkins, Stage III shakes, or other severely restricted diets will only cause yo-yoing. Practice a balanced diet. If you want further weight loss then work on the techniques discussed here. If you need further help then please see Dr Aranow or the program dietician!!!
***************************************
Hope this helps and clears up any questions that some of you may have. The water loading really does work. Using the large (I think they are 16 oz) beer cups (that they usually give when at a fair or keg party! These work best because it's a lot of water to gulp at once and you can refill it and take more in.
Paula
Yup that is same paper I got from Dr Aranow when I was over 6 months post op and still using water load . Hope to meet you at L M support group meeting this Wednesday! I will find you ! WINK!
Hugs
Kathy K 
Hey Paula,
Your awesome thanks for posting this again. I have mine here at home and am following it to the "T". Thanks for emailing it to me.
Thanks so much sweetie for being so caring and compasionate when needed. Your an awesome person.
I hope to have the opportunity to meet you one day to thank you in person for always being so supportive, caring and a great person to talk to.
Thanks again sweetie.
Hugs
KimC
Thanks so much! I have never seen this. I am from Mass and my surgeon here has never said anything of the such! It sounds great though. But Im sorry to be a pain, but I need to know something... How bad does this hurt? I know when I gulp something by accident I feel like I am going to vomit and it hurts so bad...
Thank you guys for all the great insight... The Mass board kinda stinks. lol
Wow - this is amazing - I wonder how many other doctors give this method to their patients? Do you know if this is something that your doctor discovered to aid in success or is it a somewhat common practice? It mentioned the lap band so I'm assuming that both types of WLS get the same instruction? It makes a lot of sense. How much water do you usually take in with one loading session??
Thanks for providing this information Paula!!
Warm Regards,
Tammy 
Most Active
Recent Topics
