Diet and the Intragastric Balloon
Many people assume that once they’ve decided to undertake serious weight-loss measures, such as the insertion of an intragastric balloon, thinking about diet and nutrition and exercise will all be a thing of the past. I’ll have the procedure, they reason, and then I’m all set for life.
Sadly, it isn’t so. There is no magic bullet that will enable you to lose all the weight you want – and keep it off -with no effort on your part.
Before you have your intragastric balloon inserted, you need to understand how it works. You will have the intragastric balloon – a soft, silicone sac – inserted as part of an outpatient visit, and the actual insertion will take only 20 to 30 minutes. The intragastric balloon is then injected with saline, so that it takes up space in your stomach, enabling you to feel full faster so you don’t eat as much as you used to. It’s not a permanent situation: the intragastric balloon is removed in six months.
The point of the intragastric balloon is to assist you in developing healthy eating habits, so while you may not be on a diet per se (we all know how poorly those work!), you will have to be very conscious of your diet.
At first you will only be consuming liquids, after which you will follow a meal plan provided by a dietitian to help you develop your post-intragastric balloon-insertion eating plan. You’ll have help every step of the way from people who will assist you in gradually getting used to the lifestyle changes that will ensure your success with the intragastric balloon – and beyond.
The intragastric balloon is a safe, non-invasive procedure that will help you reach your weight-loss goals and maintain your ideal weight—as long as you do your part!
