Once you have the balloon placed, how much are you supposed to eat? More importantly, what foods are you supposed to eat? Oh, and can you eat anything as long as you don’t eat past the point of getting full?
These are all common questions people have about this simple gastric balloon procedure. Do you have these questions and more? If so, that’s good news. It means you’re researching the balloon device, which is the first step to taking advantage of this amazing weight loss tool.
Here is all you need to know about the post-gastric balloon procedure lifestyle. Therefore, you can maximize your weight loss after the device has been placed.
Gastric Balloons To Reach Your Weight Loss Goals
Gastric Balloons have been around for over 30 years. The average weight loss sits slightly higher than other gastric balloons but this balloon is more used for people with higher BMI’s. The Spatz3 Gastric balloon sits for up to 12 months and the main difference is can be adjustable. More than 300,000 people have tried this procedure and the average weight loss was between 10-30kgs. Many people have lost upwards of 40 to 45kgs.
How to Begin the Gastric Balloon Lifestyle
Gastric balloon can provide a foundation for weight loss and renewed health. However, the actions you take and routines you follow after surgery will ultimately determine the success of your procedure. One of the most important considerations is your diet.
To get the most out of the gastric balloon, you must be committed to maintaining good eating habits and an active lifestyle. The balloon will be removed after six or twelve months. When it does come out, your stomach will once again be able to accommodate larger portions of food. Don’t fall into the trap of suddenly overeating just because you have the room.
The Gastric Balloon Diet
Although the content of your diet is important and will require significant adjustments, how you eat is just as important as what you eat. Most people are used to eating in a very specific way. Changing that routine even slightly can be the hardest part of losing weight. However, certain techniques can ease the transition, including:
- Keeping a diet journal: Writing down a record of what you plan to eat versus what you actually eat can help you keep track of your daily intake and potentially problematic foods. This habit can also help you prepare for discussions with your nutritionist or support group. It also holds you accountable when you stray from planned meals. It is much harder to dismiss a written record than a mental outline.
- Measuring portions: Measuring ingredients and portion sizes with a scale is important to prevent nutrient deficiencies, but also makes it more difficult to overindulge during meals.
- Using smaller serving dishes: A large plate can underline the difference between what you used to eat and what you eat now. Using smaller plates and bowls can help you adjust to smaller portions and feel more satisfied.
- Eating slowly: Chewing food slowly and thoroughly gives your stomach more time to register that it is full and breaks down meals thoroughly, minimizing the chance of discomfort and digestive issues.
- Schedule Regular Exercise: Exercising regularly is easy once you get started. It’s actually starting, that’s the most difficult part. To infuse regular activity into your gastric balloon lifestyle, try going for a brisk walk first thing in the morning. The key is to exercise before you do anything else.
- Weigh Yourself Regularly: Finally, weigh yourself often to make sure the weight you are losing is not creeping back. Keep the excess weight at bay by stepping on the scale every day or at least once weekly.
Bottom Line
If you have long struggled with your weight, the gastric balloon procedure could be the answer you seek to losing weight and keeping it off for good. Finding a place where you can understand your successes and setbacks can go a long way toward supporting long-term weight loss.