Full Liquid Diet
The 2nd week after your Orbera gastric balloon placement/retrieval you should only consume clear and full liquids. Liquids should be a liquid consistency and free from any chunks, lumps, or seeds. During this stage of your post operative diet, be sure to consume liquids in small amounts and to stop when you begin feeling full. Be sure to consume lots of clear liquids between to make sure you are staying properly hydrated.

Recommended Foods

• Crystal Light
• Sugar-free Popsicles
• Sugar-free jello (stay away from anything with the red color)
• Protein Shakes (Example – Premier Protein)
• Unsweetened Almond, Coconut, or Cashew milk (less than 3gms of sugar per serving)
• Vegetable juice – Make sure liquid without chunks of anything in it.
• Soups (blend before eating and remove any chunks of solid food)
• Sugar-free beverages (Example: Sugar Free Gatorade with or without Protein, Crystal Light, NO FRUIT JUICE)
• Broth (Example: Ginger Miso Broth from TJ’s, InstaBroth from Amazon)
• Water

Pureed Foods
During the third week after your Orbera gastric balloon placement/retrieval your system should be ready to digest pureed foods with a little more substance. This is an important step in your dietary plan as you move from a liquid diet to foods with more consistency. Continue to consume plenty of clear liquids in between meals to ensure you are staying hydrated. Try to wait about 30 min in between. Make sure to eat slowly and chew food thoroughly — at least 25 times, if possible. Any sugar-free food that you can puree, including lean protein sources and non-fibrous vegetables, are acceptable. It’s important to start increasing your protein intake. If you don’t like the taste of pureed lean protein sources, continue to drink no-sugar protein shakes or eat eggs daily. Continue to avoid chunked and solid foods, as well as caffeine, during this time. You should also stick to bland food with mild or no seasoning. Spices may contribute to heartburn.

Recommended Foods

• Pureed vegetables
• Cottage cheese
• Low-sugar yogurt (Less than 3 grams of sugar per serving)
• Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth and pureed soups
• Toddler pouches or baby foods (less than 3 grams of sugar per serving)
• silken tofu
• soft scrambled or soft-boiled eggs
• cottage cheese (less than 3 grams of sugar per serving)
• hummus
• Pureed avocado
• Greek yogurt (less than 3 grams of sugar per serving)

Soft Foods
You may be able to begin introducing soft, solid foods back into your diet after your Orbera gastric balloon placement/retrieval. We recommend focusing on foods that are low-carb, low-calorie, and low sugar (less than 3 grams per serving) as you begin to work your way back into consuming solid foods. It is important to stay well-hydrated during each phase of your post placement/ retrieval diet, please be sure to consume plenty of clear liquids in between meals. AVOID hard-to-digest foods such as steak, fibrous vegetables, nuts, pasta, white potatoes, and other high-carb options.

Recommended Foods

• Canned tuna, chicken, or salmon
• Tofu
• Eggs
• Oatmeal
• Mashed sweet potatoes
• Well-cooked white fish
• Well-cooked vegetables

Solid Foods
As you work your way back into consuming solid foods, each food should be added into your diet one at a time. If at any point you feel any discomfort or sensation of fullness, slow down or stop eating. Raw and acidic foods will be more difficult for you to digest and should wait until month 3, so we recommend starting with cooked solid foods and slowly progressing. Try to keep protein to 60-90 grams each day, 600 calories on days you don’t work out and 800 calories on days that you sweat for at least 30min). Keep sugars to 3 grams or less per serving and keep carbs down. Try to log your food in MyFitness Pal so that you can bring to your follow-up appointments to discuss with your surgeon.

Recommended Foods

• Lean meats
• Cooked vegetables
• Eggs
• Beans
• Greek yogurt

Contact our office in Miami today for further information about our Orbera gastric balloon Program™ dietary plan. We look forward to helping you achieve your weight loss goals!

• Use a blender to puree foods.
• Learn to recognize the difference between hunger (physical) and appetite (mental/emotional).
• Don’t overeat — your stomach will stretch in time and stabilize in size.
• Chew slowly, and eat slowly.
• Avoid non-nutrient calories.
• Avoid sugars (3 grams per serving or less)
• Avoid trans fats and fried, processed, and fast foods.
• Avoid dehydration by sipping water or low-calorie versions of Gatorade and limiting your caffein intake
• Don’t eat and drink at the same time. Wait at least 30 min in between.
• Talk to your doctor about bariatric vitamins and supplements to decide what you should take, and when.
• Build movement into your life. Start with walking, and explore other exercises that you enjoy, such as swimming, dancing, and yoga.
• Avoid alcohol. Orbera gastric balloon may increase, and quicken, alcohol’s effects.
• Avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen. These types of over-the-counter pain medications may reduce your stomach’s natural, protective coating. Speak to your surgeon before adding any medications 1-2 weeks prior to your procedure and for the first month after your placement.