Traveling With My LAP-BAND

Some Tips For Continued Success Memorial Day has passed. We are in the month of June and summer is upon us. Many of us do a lot of traveling during the summer months. Others travel all year long for business as well as pleasure. That is my situation and has been since the beginning of my weight loss surgery journal. I have stepped on airplanes 8 times and driven long distances several times already this year.

I came upon this article that I had written in 2011 that was published by Obesity Help in their magazine and realized everything I had written still holds true. Best part- it holds true no matter which surgery you have had.

So, whether you have a Lap Band, a VSG, an RNY or a DS have read and let me know if you have any additional thoughts to add for future iterations of this article.

At one time or another we are going to have to travel, either for business or pleasure. Traveling with a Lap-Band is just like living every day with a Lap-Band - in order to be successful it takes planning. For optimum success with continued weight loss, the key element is to plan for our meals away from home. Since vacation seems to be even more difficult than business travel that is what is emphasized in this article, but the tips are definitely useful for traveling in general Here are a few tips that may help you with your plan:

• Never leave home without a couple of bottles of water and some form of protein (either powder or pre- made protein drinks)

• If traveling by plane consider having several servings of powdered protein with you, as well as some nuts (in a measured container) and some fruit. You can buy bottled water at the airport (even if it costs a fortune) since on the plane you are likely only to receive a small cup of water from the flight attendant. You can also pack some lunch meat and measured portions of cheese if you are going to need a meal during travel. NEVER count on being able to pick something up on the way to......

• Pack protein bars, high protein cereal, nuts, and more powdered protein in your suitcase to be checked so that you have adequate supply when you reach your destination. You may find yourself bringing most of this back home, but you will have had NO EXCUSE for making bad choices.

• At your destination never skip breakfast! Try to keep it to high protein, high fiber and within your normal range of calories. (For example an egg white omelet with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, and salsa and/or 1T of sharp cheese on the side). This can give you the fuel to start the day’s activities, whatever they may be.

• Carry bottled water, protein powder and a protein bar that will not melt as you set out for the day. If the lunch choices are ones that are either difficult for you to eat, or more calories than you want to consume, you have your back up meal with you.

• Dinner can be very difficult away from home. All of those choices, all of those fancy drinks with umbrellas in them, all of those wonderful dessert options. What will you do? Order an entrée that is high protein and something you love (fish, crab, shrimp, lobster, scallops are all protein and low calorie as long as you are careful of sauces- a petite filet, or a hamburger without the bun work as well). Try to have a high fiber vegetable, and allow someone else to order dessert so that you get to have one or two bites. If you order your own dessert take one or two bites and then either salt it or cover it with another plate so you are clearly done. Yes, it is wasting money, but it is maintaining your health and that is the important factor. Besides, your Lap-Band should be working by this time and, if you listen to your body, you are probably ordering dessert only because it tastes good, not because you are hungry.

• Now come the drinks. Throughout the day, but never with meals, you are probably drinking water or unsweetened iced tea with lots of lemon or lime, but come dinner time you may want to have a cocktail. Once again this is where planning comes in. Here are some numbers for all of us to ponder when making our choices: a four ounce glass of wine has 100-125 calories, one ounce of vodka, bourbon, scotch or rum has about sixty calories, so that two ounces with sparkling water is about 120 calories; a mojito has about 200 calories (a six to eight ounce glass); and a frozen daiquiri or a margarita can have well over 500 calories for the ten to twelve ounce glass that they are usually served in. When on vacation, I give myself permission to have a drink before dinner, and perhaps one with dinner so my choice is typically something under 100 calories per glass. When you know the facts you can make your decisions with your eyes wide open.

• Exercise is probably even more important while you are away from home since it is easy to consume a few more calories than usual. Business trips require rising very early to get in my hour of exercise. My vacations include more exercise than the one hour minimum I get daily at home. I may continue to swim every day, and add bicycling to the mix (it is a great way to see the countryside), or snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, and my all time favorite, shopping. The added exercise certainly can help burn any extra calories you take in. The exercise does not need to be formal- in a gym or for a prescribed period of time. Just get out, look around and enjoy!

These are just a few tips for taking vacation or traveling without sabotaging your journey to maintain long term success with your Lap-Band. If you do “fall off the wagon? a bit, just remember that every day is a new one and start over with a plan.