Adjustments or fills to the gastric band are painless and take just a few minutes to perform. Some people are actually able to make it to their goal weight with no adjustments but they far and few. Most patients require 3 to 5 adjustments before they are losing weight at an expected pace. So again don’t worry if you require 6 adjustments to get it right. Gastric banding is unique for this reason that we can adjust the band to our requirements against other surgeries wheres there is no option.

How are the adjustments performed?
The area on top of the port is cleaned with betadine and then lidocaine is injected into the skin using a small needle to numb the skin. After this a larger needle is then placed through the skin and into the port. Fluid is then injected into the port at amounts decided on by the surgeon.

How Do I Know If I Need An Adjustment?
You will know if your weight loss is not averaging 1-2 pounds a week. We all want immediate results now but gastric banding doesn’t work in this way. Graph out your weight loss so you can actually chart your weight on a weekly basis, but don’t weigh yourself more than once a week. Remember they are just numbers, guidelines of how you are doing but not definitive of success.

Rules for Adjustments
No matter how much fluid you have in your band there are only three kinds of fills, too little, too much and just right, the actual number of cc’s is totally irrelevant.

If you are following the rules stated below and still are feeling very hungry or not losing weight, perhaps it is time to consult your surgeon for an adjustment.

Are you drinking a minimum of 2 liters of water per day?
Actually the recommendation is to take your body weight, divide in half and that is how many ounces of water you need to drink per day to keep your cells flushed and everything in working order.  Please remember to stop drinking liquids 30 minutes prior to a meal and no drinking during the meal as you will wash food though the gastric band and end up eating more than you should.

Are you engaging in some type of exercise or physical activity on a daily basis?
Raking your yard, walking your dog, weeding the garden all count as do walking to shops nstead of driving.  Swimming is also a great form of physical activity for those with joint problems, and it is something one can do with children or families. Exercise after gastric surgery is important and is cumulative and it all adds up so every little bit counts!

Are you eating 60 grams of protein per day?
60 grams is not so much really, thats approx 3 ounces servings each meal what works out to be around 21 grams of chicken. Protein is an essential building block for tissues and cells and protein helps turn off hunger and carbohydrates seem to turn it on. Try fitday they will help you track your diet. You may want look at healthy eating after gastric banding surgery.

Now you have greater understanding on Adjusting your Gastric Banding.

Exercise after gastric banding surgery

Any calories that we absorb and are unable to burn will turn into fat, the principle of losing weight is that we need to burn my calories than we intake, we need to diet as well as look at exercise after Gastric Banding Surgery to increase the calories we burn.

We need not join a gym straight after we finish our gastric banding surgery, we only need to start exercising very gently as not to damage your joints and muscles. However, as your excess weight comes off, physical exercise will become easier and you will also have a lot more energy and natural desire to be more active. You ultimate goal should be to take 30 minutes’ exercise per day. Start with small steps and short term goals and build on it from there.

When considering your exercise after you completed your gastric banding, it will be important to choose activities you like and which you will enjoy doing (swimming, walking, cycling etc.). Start slowly and gradually increase the pace of the exercise and the duration you are doing it.

For those who have had gastric banding and are not used to taking much exercise, walking is the best exercise of all and you may find it useful to purchase a pedometer or stepometer, which measures the distance you walk each day. The aim is to walk at least 10,000 steps per day, Sounds alt right? but this is the average person will be approximate five miles distance. The reason for using the pedometer for exercise is it will feedback if your under your required distance throughout the day, so you be able to adjust as the day goes by.

Here’s a list of simple activities that you can take in your normal routine:

• When you only have a short distance to go, try walking or cycling rather than using the car.
• Get off the bus one stop before your destination and walk the rest.
• Do not use remote control for your TV, music system, etc. (take the batteries out if needs be!) — get up out of your chair to do it instead.
• Get yourself a dog or offer to take a neighbours dog for a walk each day
• Use the stairs rather than using the lift or escalator.
• Walk to the shop for you newspaper or milk rather than having it delivered.
• Don’t stockpile things at the bottom of the stairs to take up with you in the evening, gup and down the stairs in your home as often as possible during the day
• Get a Swiss ball (also called a ‘Fitball’) and sit on it when you use the telephone — keeping your balance will help to tone your bottom, tummy and thigh muscles!

Exercise whether its after gastric banding surgery or not is good for both body and soul. Your joints will become firmer and more flexible, your muscles become stronger, your lungs are better able to take in oxygen, your circulation is stimulated and your digestive system works better. Exercise will also stimulates a feeling of well-being, you will feel less tired and weak, less stressed, more alert and you will have a sense of being in control of things.

You will realise that exercise after Gastric Banding Surgery will change your life for ever

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