After your stomach has healed, you may eat most foods that don’t cause you discomfort. However, because you can only eat a little it is important to include foods rich in protein. In general, although a balanced diet is the best diet for most individuals, for patients who are trying to lose weight, avoiding carbohydrates is the most efficient method of weight loss and losing stored fat. In addition, liquids will travel through the band with little difficulty and will defeat the purpose of gastric banding.