Dietitians recommend that, for a fortnight after gastric band surgery, only liquids should be consumed. Advice should be given to you as to what liquids are most suitable.

For the next two weeks, soft food – such as mashed potato, mince, well-cooked vegetables and yoghurt – are advisable. After that, you can return to ‘normal eating’.

And therein lies the problem. It’s very easy to slip back into bad habits – after all, what is ‘normal eating’?

Golden rules for gastric bands

Well here are a few golden rules for a balanced diet – for gastric band surgery patients and others – to improve your health and lifestyle:

• Only eat three small meals a day, with two fruit snacks in between
• Take small bites, eat slowly and chew thoroughly
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat the best quality food you can
• Stop eating when you get full!

In fact, gastric bands (and gastric balloons) do not just control the amount you eat, but also promote better eating habits too. The result is fast, effective and controllable weight-loss in the short term, which stays off in the long term.

Gastric band prices and further information are available online at Why Go Abroad.

According to a new report, obesity currently costs the Scottish NHS £457mn a year – but that figure could hit £3bn by 2030, when 40% of the population would be classed as obese, if the problem is left unchecked.

The news is recognition of the life-changing impact that gastric band surgery can have and major health benefits of the 45-minute procedure.

Obesity surgery experts at Why Go Abroad have carried out hundreds of the procedures and seen first-hand the affects they can have.

“We have had patients lose up to 15 stone with a gastric band, and the great thing is that they can be adjusted to suit each person,” said a spokesman.

“They can help prevent a range of conditions and gastric bands can dramatically improve your quality of life. The more people that are able to have them the better for the overall health of the UK.”

Gastric band prices

Gastric band procedures are available from Why Go Abroad from just £5,450 and GMC-certified surgeons will advise you every step of the way – from a free initial consultation, throughout the procedure and during your aftercare.

Dietary advice, examples of before and after pictures from gastric band procedures and a range of other information is available at Why Go Abroad.

In a recent study, volunteers who consumed fewer calories not only lost weight, but also ‘significantly enhanced’ their immunity.

And, as gastric bands work directly to reduce a patient’s calorie intake, the news is expected to drive up the (already growing!) market for obesity surgery in the UK.

How does a gastric band work?

A gastric band consists of a loop that is placed around the stomach, restricting its size. As a result of this reduced stomach capacity, you feel full after eating less food and therefore your calorie intake drops.

The beauty of a gastric band – also known as a Lapband – is that the loop can be adjusted so that the patient can eat more or less food comfortably, allowing calorie intake and weight loss to be easily controlled.

Once good eating habits have been learned and the patient has lost the required amount of weight, the band can then be removed or simply kept at minimum restriction.

A gastric balloon also restricts the stomach capacity, but the surgeon does so by inserting a balloon into the stomach, then inflating it to the required size. The balloon is kept inside the stomach for six months and is then removed, by which time the patient should have adopted a more controlled way of eating.

Obesity surgery experts Why Go Abroad have all the answers you need so visit their website to request a brochure, book a free consultation or find out gastric band prices.

The Active Fat campaign encourages people to monitor their waistline and take steps to keep themselves healthy such as eating sensibly and taking exercise.

And obesity surgery expert Why Go Abroad is keen to highlight how weight-loss surgery can also play its part in staying healthy.

A spokesman for Why Go Abroad said: “Exercise and eating healthily is the first step for anyone looking to lose weight – in fact, they should always remain essential parts of people’s routine.

“However, this approach alone won’t help everyone and it’s important to be aware of other measures to lose potentially harmful fat.

“These include a gastric balloon or gastric band, both of which are proven to help everyday people slim down to a healthier weight. You may not have considered it, but weight-loss surgery can play a major role in restoring your shape and wellbeing.”

Why are gastric balloons so effective?

The Active Fat campaign has shown that fat cells don’t just sit around doing nothing, they actively stimulate disease and harmful conditions – putting people at risk of cancer, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

A gastric balloon (a solution for people with a body mass index of around 25 to 30) helps you feel full, eat less and therefore lose weight. This weight loss reduces the number of harmful fat cells and cuts the risk of disease.

A gastric band works in a similar way but is aimed at people with a higher BMI.

For more information or for obesity surgery prices visit Why Go Abroad.

And while those after a bikini body tend to tone up with cosmetic surgery – such as a tummy tuck or liposuction – for those whose goal is to lose a little more extra weight, obesity surgery can be the best answer.

Exercise and a healthy diet won’t work for everyone and obesity surgery offers a safe and easily manageable way to bring your weight down.

A spokesman for Why Go Abroad said: “We have had patients who have lost 15 stone with a gastric band and that sort of result is truly life-changing.

“As a weight-loss surgery expert chats to you before the procedure then monitors you afterwards, it is a really manageable and reassuring process. After you have lost that sort of weight, you can really start to think about working towards your perfect summer body!”

Gastric band

Why Go Abroad’s most popular obesity surgery procedure is the gastric band, which is available from £5,450.

The procedure is straightforward – a surgeon simply attaching an adjustable band to your stomach to restrict your food intake – and the result is usually significant weight loss. As the band is adjustable, your surgeon can amend the speed of weight loss to suit.

Other obesity surgery available includes gastric balloons, which are even more affordable at just £3,950.

Visit Why Go Abroad for more information.

If the much-fancied Argentines live up to their billing as one of the hot favourites, Maradona would be able to hold the prestigious trophy above his head knowing that he is the only man to do so having have had a gastric band fitted!

Maradona is one of the most high profile gastric band success stories, with his transformation from an obese 20-stone (at just 5ft 5in tall) to a slimline chat show host and now international football manager. Check out these before and after pictures to see for yourself.

Gastric bands from Why Go Abroad

Weight-loss surgery experts at Why Go Abroad said: “It often takes a high-profile celebrity to put a cosmetic or obesity surgery procedure in the public eye.

“However, the reality is that our surgeons have helped hundreds of ordinary people to lose weight and improve their health. Our case studies show exactly how successful weight-loss surgery can be and you certainly don’t need to be a former football star to afford a gastric band.”

Gastric band prices start at £5,450 and further information on the procedure – as well as gastric balloons and other obesity surgery, can be found at Why Go Abroad.

A: Gastric bands have helped alleviate them all in previous weight-loss surgery patients.

Gastric bands are well known as one of the most successful obesity surgery procedures available, but it isn’t just around the waistline that they can have an impact.

The health benefits of a gastric band can include everything from cutting the risk of heart conditions or diabetes, to helping stave off cancer or a stroke.

In one extraordinary case, gastric band surgery has also helped a young women retain her eyesight. The band helped Martine Pell drop an impressive 10 stones, which in turn released pressure on her optic nerves, restoring her vision.

Gastric bands from Why Go Abroad

Weight-loss surgery experts at Why Go Abroad said: “Many people incorrectly think that gastric band or gastric balloon surgery is simply an easy option to drop a few pounds. However, on many occasions the operation is prompted purely by health reasons.

“Gastric bands can help improve the health of your heart, minimise the risk of high blood pressure and improve your general wellbeing, such as helping you sleep and improving your fitness, so it can be an important medical treatment.

“We have also seen cases of ‘gastric band babies’, where the procedure helps cure infertility in a woman.

“Because a Lapband is adjustable, it is easy to ensure the treatment suits the individual patient and this level of personal care is what makes bands so successful for so many people.”

Gastric band prices and further information on the procedure – as well as gastric balloons and other obesity surgery – is available from Why Go Abroad.

Specialists at Why Go Abroad are helping remove this uncertainty thanks to their at-a-glance guide to cosmetic surgery.

First of all, relax, there are more than 100,000 cosmetic surgery procedures carried out in the UK every year. In fact, some estimates suggest the figure is nearer 200,000 – that’s around 550 plastic surgery ops a day – so, provided you consult an expert provider like Why Go Abroad, you’re in good hands.

What cosmetic surgery is available?

Why Go Abroad offers the following:

• Cosmetic surgery – the most popular procedures are boob jobs, liposuction and tummy tucks. Cosmetic surgery can be broken down into breast surgery, body surgery and facial surgery
• Obesity surgery, or weight-loss surgery, such as gastric bands and gastric balloons
• Hair restoration surgery, predominantly hair transplants.

How safe is cosmetic surgery?

Cosmetic surgery is very safe but, as with all medical procedures, there is inevitably an element of risk. To minimise any risk, however, Why Go Abroad only employs experienced, GMC-registered surgeons.

In addition, patients see a patient care co-ordinator as well as their surgeon prior to the treatment, so they can discuss the procedure in detail and see before and after pictures of the surgeon’s work.

Once the operation is complete, Why Go Abroad also offers expert aftercare as part of its service, to ensure that recovery is as smooth as painless as possible.

What about the prices?

Cosmetic surgery prices vary, for example liposuction is available from just £2,450, while a boob job starts at £3,595.

Why not call the experts and see how we can help?

A new report by The NHS Information Centre showed that the National Health Service alone carried out 4,220 bariatric procedures on obese people in 2008 and 2009, compared with just 1,950 in 2006 and 2007.

And it’s no surprise that obesity surgery experts at Why Go Abroad have seen a similar trend, with enquiries for gastric bands and gastric balloons both leaping up over the same period.

The reasons are simple – and not just because the UK’s waistline is getting larger.

Firstly, there have there been countless celebrity examples of obesity surgery hitting the headlines, which has helped raised awareness of the procedure.

Secondly Why Go Abroad has amazing before and after images to show prospective patients just how effective the procedures can be.

Finally, gastric balloons are cheaper than ever, available from just £3,950, while gastric bands – the most popular weight loss procedures in the UK – are also affordable at just £5,450.

Beauty of a gastric band or balloon

The Lapband and gastric balloon both have their advantages for being very effective weight-loss solutions.

The lapband is an adjustable tool that can be tightened or loosened for more or less restriction to aid weight loss. And the gastric balloon is a non-surgical method that is just a six-month programme to help adapt your body to a healthier way of living.

Throughout each process, Why Go Abroad offers expert consultation, advice and aftercare to ensure that the experience is relaxed and comfortable.

Not only that, but because patients are closely monitored following the weight loss surgery, good lifestyle habits that are established can continue long after the gastric band or balloon has been removed.

For more information on obesity surgery visit Why Go Abroad.

Many people still think of them as slimming treatments, to help celebs shed a few pounds and look better for the camera.

However, the truth is very different, as an obesity surgery specialist for Why Go Abroad explains.

“Yes gastric bands and gastric balloons are very successful at helping people lose weight, but they can also be vital for a patients’ health,” said a spokesman.

“The latest research has revealed that people who are obese in their 20s are at increased risk of a heart attack or stroke in their 40s. A gastric band or gastric balloon tackles obesity and so reduces the risk of these life-threatening conditions.”

Is a gastric band right for you?

While cosmetic surgery clients tend to come to Why Go Abroad with a clear idea of what procedure they’d like, say a boob job or liposuction, it is very different with obesity surgery.

That’s why Why Go Abroad has expert consultants on hand to advise patients on the correct procedure for them, whether it’s a gastric balloon (for those who are overweight) or mildly obese to a gastric band (for those who are obese).

Check out your body mass index to see which procedure may be best for you and visit Why Go Abroad for obesity surgery prices and further information.