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i am vegetarian too..haven't heard of this....

yes...texturized vegetable Protein (TVP), made from soy. The only thing I'm wondering about that is that you soak it/reconstitute it before using (like in chili) and I wonder if it could expand in our tiny tummies (sort of like pasta). I read on a thread here somewhere that someone was eating seitan Jerky. Sounds good. I found one online but it had mushrooms and I don't do mushrooms. I'm on thin purees so no vegetarian jerky for a while.

Garden burger makes a vegetarian hamburger that is to die for--the chiken dishes are okay but the hamburger is fabulous!---also eating alot of Greek yogurt and cottage cheese--90 calories for 13 gms of protein

please share with me your game plan in getting in protein. any recipes you care to share? two great finds ,friendship brand protein percent cot cheese...1/2cup 16 g p over the hill brand milk 11 g p per cup.

I started thin purees yesterday and feel much better! I've never felt actual hunger pangs, but starting the thin purees has helped that weak/low blood sugar/can't concentrate feeling (maybe a little bit of being on liquid only, maybe a little bit of ketosis). I had 1/3 cup of pureed oatmeal and no-added-sugar peaches cooked with soy milk and thinned out with almond milk and added 1 scoop of Protein powder this morning and I'm really full and satisfied. I love my VitaMix for this stage of the plan. My PA told me to think of thin purees as Soups and to decide what I wanted to combine. For lunch I think I will have thin pureed lentil Soup with vegetarian Morningstar patties and some low-fat soft cheese (maybe a little extra Protein Powder if needed). Maybe with a little thinned out Greek yogurt. The PA wants me to get all of my protein from food and to give up the Protein drinks completely. And to also eliminate protein powder in the solid foods. I'm not sure this is realistic as a vegetarian if I also need to keep carbs down. I asked her about keeping a Protein Drink as Breakfast only and she was insistent that I couldn't. I want to talk to the RD next week and get her take on it (PA isn't very informed about vegetarian diets). The PA also told me that I need to give up the 20 calories/pack diet hot chocolate that I've been drinking once or twice a day with protein powder (even if I made it with Water and no protein powder--they only allow drinks that are 10 calories or fewer for 8 ounces). She told me that one drink like that per day could result in 15 fewer pounds lost per year, but I figured it out and it's actually 2 lbs. Plus you could modulate something else to make up for it. Right now I am taking in all of my protein and fluids (60 grams or more and 72 ounces or more) and calories are very low. I want to be--and will be--compliant but feel a little overwhelmed right now. My RD is vegetarian and I think I will feel a lot better after I meet with her!

Yes....you want the vegetarian version I heat them and add a little salsa and non fat sour cream Hummus is good..... they're chick peas Good source of protein

I keep a couple of cans of Trader Joe's Organic Vegetarian Chilli in the cupboard. Nobody at my house really likes chilli so I get my fix this way. I will make my own when its really cold and I am really motivated.

i am vegetarian and make a nice chili with Boca burger,pepper,onion canned tomatoes,chipoltle,of maple syrup.....and i suggest soybeans because it's 30 p per cup

my name is Lea...i am a potter turned clothing boutique owner. i am 45 year old mom to Andy 23 and Christian 22, married to Robert who is originally from Scotland. i am excited to be sleeved finally...procrastinated it for a long ....time!..i live in upstate Ny.i am vegetarian for 27 years , a carb addict. pizza! pasta!

I make my own too. I get the fantastic food brand...vegetarian chili (I am not a vegetarian, but used to be)...and I follow the directions...but I soften bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and squash in a frying pan with some evol. I then put everything in my crock put and let it sit for a couple of hours...delicious.

Try this someone sent me this tread and see what happens!! Wish u well Quote Someone on an old,old post shared how she jumped off her plateaus and went from being a slow loser to a steady loser by adding Protein here and there to her meals. I'll see if I can find the original post and link it back here. Good luck finding what will work for you. Couldn't remember where I had posted remembering an old post--I've ended up reposting this several different places! Oh well. Here it is. Newsho posted this a long time ago, but maybe her approach will help you. I copied her post and am pasting it below. Good luck. LENGTH ALERT! (This has very detailed tips and tricks, so this is not a short post. Just a "heads up") People asked me a lot how I went from Slow Loser to getting to goal. I did better my second year of banding and when the weight came off - it really came off. This is something that worked for me, and I recommended to other Bandsters. Granted, these are tips that's not in any LapBand brochure or doctor's manual, and YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - but if you already think of yourself as a Slow Loser like I was, then maybe you will be open to trying something to shake things up a bit. When I needed a weight-loss push, I didn't cut down on calories much (if I'd recently had a fill adjustment, that's different) but in general: I *added* protein to every thing I ate. This helped me to lose steadily (although it sped up my weight loss, more importantly it kept it steady). And it worked! Some Bandsters in my same banding date were better at counting calories - I wasn't. Some were better at counting carbs, I wasn't, but I excelled at ADDING protein. And I did well and later, other fellow Bandsters were asking me for help and tips. How did I do it? I did not reduce calories or the amount I consumed (without a fill it wasn't much need to try that) and yet, I still lost. (I added a little bit of Beans, or a sprinkle of cheese (my favorite), or eggs - whatever I could. I didn't reduce what I ate, but I "upped my protein" - and it worked. With the band, if you eat more protein, you generally will find yourself eating less overall - it doesn't feel that way but you do. Every single time I added more protein to my regular Band-friendly meals, I lost more weight, even though I wasn't eating less calories sometimes. Sounds crazy - but in my particular case, if I didn't keep my protein levels up, my body held on to calories a lot more. Who needs their bodies "hoarding" calories? If adding a bit of food meant I would lose more, it was worth a try. It worked. And I paid attention to the TYPE of protein I ate. (Even before banding, I didn't eat beef or pork at all. And the band was developed in other countries where the pork and beef consumption is a lot lower than it is here in the 'States. I'm not a vegetarian, I just eat seafood and poultry only. My doc said this helped my weight loss a lot because the protein I ate was leaner, not fattier protein like pork/ham/bacon or beef/hamburger/fatty red meat. So I didn't have to regulate my portions as much as some Bandsters did. My can of tuna did more for me than a hamburger ever would have.) Also, I'm a single/childless Bandster who lives alone, so I eat out for almost every meal. If I could make it to goal - while eating out - ANYBODY can. How did I do it? Here were some tips. At Breakfast, with my morning egg(s), I added a bit of cheese on top. Or I would have cottage cheese added. For protein and hunger reasons, cottage cheese did better than yogurt for me - unless I just had a fill or was very very filled or adjusted. The most filled I am, the less I eat in the mornings. So especially if you are not at your sweet spot, try Proteins that "stick" with you more to keep hunger away. Yogurt alone was not good enough of a breakfast for me, with the band it just went through, and wasn't really filling. Now if I charged up my yogurt with lots of nuts, seeds, and wheat germ - then BAM! I'm not much of a cold Cereal eater (I prefer hot cereals) but if I had one I made sure it was a protein-packed one (I LOVE Grape Nuts cereal best. Go Lean is awesome, and several of the Oatmeals & Cream of Wheat cereals have good protein content. I also added a few nuts to those, too. If I had a yogurt smoothie drink as a snack, I had them had a half scoop of Protein powder (a full scoop can make it too thick sometimes) or some soy or nuts. Lunchtime was easy to get more protein in. I'd eat a scoop of tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch - and have them add some shredded cheese, some seeds and/or some nuts. I also love Soup. Usually a cup is a nice start to my lunch if I'm having a scoop of salad or tuna. If it's my whole lunch I get a bowl of soup and eat what I can from it. My band will tell me when to stop. Almost any kind of any soup is great with a sprinkle of cheese or nuts added. Beans, too! With my dinner I always like a cup of soup to begin. Gets me going, jump starts & 'primes' my band and it's a great protein opportunity. Then if I could, I concentrated on seafood. ANY type of fish worked great with my band - From catfish to salmon to snapper to Tilapia. Or even shrimp or my all time favorite, calamari. I enjoy oysters in season and clams all year. The weeks that I ate more seafood, I lost more weight - across the board. Usually grilled is a good choice to be honest I even ate it fried (sorry, weight loss experts) and I still did well. And with my seafood, if I could I added beans to almost everything. With my steamed veggies, I added nuts and a sprinkle of cheese sometimes. I know it's not very It really does work! See when I restrict my calories or even when I try to cut down on fat - I usually just end up cutting down on protein. And no matter how "well" or how much less I eat, if I cut my protein my body won't 'burn' up the fat. It holds on to it. I know that protein is the fuel that helps the LapBand machine work and not trying to diet or 'cut down' was a blessing to me. I've had other Bandsters try this, and yes they are skeptical at first but when they start seeing inches lost (muscle really does weigh more than fat, so your clothes tell you before the scale ever will) then they get on the bandwagon. So don't just 'cut down' - ADD some food on your plate. That's right. ADD MORE nuts, boiled/diced egg, beans, cheese, seeds and other yummy forms of protein. Your body and your LapBand will thank you for it. Also adding protein allowed me to eat fewer carbs and save them for what was really a nice treat - a nice martini or occasional glass of wine, with dinner. Yes, I'm a drinking Bandster. All the successful European Bandsters I knew drank a glass or two now and then and they were my role models. I can't drink a lot AT ALL - a little goes a long way, but it was nice to get to goal weight without ever missing a Friday Happy Hour. I got the band to enhance my life, not take away some of the things that make it enjoyable. I eat out at restaurants, I go have drinks with friends - and I feel and look great. BRAVO! Good Luck to you. (And since so many people asked me the same question in private posts - that's why I am posting it on the Slow Losers board too...) Keep up the good fight. I did it - and you can too.

Was in the same boat but someone gave me this thread and I am following it my weight moving but slow but it's going down try this: wish u well Quote Someone on an old,old post shared how she jumped off her plateaus and went from being a slow loser to a steady loser by adding Protein here and there to her meals. I'll see if I can find the original post and link it back here. Good luck finding what will work for you. Couldn't remember where I had posted remembering an old post--I've ended up reposting this several different places! Oh well. Here it is. Newsho posted this a long time ago, but maybe her approach will help you. I copied her post and am pasting it below. Good luck. LENGTH ALERT! (This has very detailed tips and tricks, so this is not a short post. Just a "heads up") People asked me a lot how I went from Slow Loser to getting to goal. I did better my second year of banding and when the weight came off - it really came off. This is something that worked for me, and I recommended to other Bandsters. Granted, these are tips that's not in any LapBand brochure or doctor's manual, and YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - but if you already think of yourself as a Slow Loser like I was, then maybe you will be open to trying something to shake things up a bit. When I needed a weight-loss push, I didn't cut down on calories much (if I'd recently had a fill adjustment, that's different) but in general: I *added* protein to every thing I ate. This helped me to lose steadily (although it sped up my weight loss, more importantly it kept it steady). And it worked! Some Bandsters in my same banding date were better at counting calories - I wasn't. Some were better at counting carbs, I wasn't, but I excelled at ADDING protein. And I did well and later, other fellow Bandsters were asking me for help and tips. How did I do it? I did not reduce calories or the amount I consumed (without a fill it wasn't much need to try that) and yet, I still lost. (I added a little bit of Beans, or a sprinkle of cheese (my favorite), or eggs - whatever I could. I didn't reduce what I ate, but I "upped my protein" - and it worked. With the band, if you eat more protein, you generally will find yourself eating less overall - it doesn't feel that way but you do. Every single time I added more protein to my regular Band-friendly meals, I lost more weight, even though I wasn't eating less calories sometimes. Sounds crazy - but in my particular case, if I didn't keep my protein levels up, my body held on to calories a lot more. Who needs their bodies "hoarding" calories? If adding a bit of food meant I would lose more, it was worth a try. It worked. And I paid attention to the TYPE of protein I ate. (Even before banding, I didn't eat beef or pork at all. And the band was developed in other countries where the pork and beef consumption is a lot lower than it is here in the 'States. I'm not a vegetarian, I just eat seafood and poultry only. My doc said this helped my weight loss a lot because the protein I ate was leaner, not fattier protein like pork/ham/bacon or beef/hamburger/fatty red meat. So I didn't have to regulate my portions as much as some Bandsters did. My can of tuna did more for me than a hamburger ever would have.) Also, I'm a single/childless Bandster who lives alone, so I eat out for almost every meal. If I could make it to goal - while eating out - ANYBODY can. How did I do it? Here were some tips. At breakfast, with my morning egg(s), I added a bit of cheese on top. Or I would have cottage cheese added. For protein and hunger reasons, cottage cheese did better than yogurt for me - unless I just had a fill or was very very filled or adjusted. The most filled I am, the less I eat in the mornings. So especially if you are not at your sweet spot, try Proteins that "stick" with you more to keep hunger away. Yogurt alone was not good enough of a breakfast for me, with the band it just went through, and wasn't really filling. Now if I charged up my yogurt with lots of nuts, seeds, and wheat germ - then BAM! I'm not much of a cold cereal eater (I prefer hot cereals) but if I had one I made sure it was a protein-packed one (I LOVE Grape Nuts cereal best. Go Lean is awesome, and several of the Oatmeals & Cream of Wheat cereals have good protein content. I also added a few nuts to those, too. If I had a yogurt smoothie drink as a snack, I had them had a half scoop of Protein powder (a full scoop can make it too thick sometimes) or some soy or nuts. Lunchtime was easy to get more protein in. I'd eat a scoop of tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch - and have them add some shredded cheese, some seeds and/or some nuts. I also love soup. Usually a cup is a nice start to my lunch if I'm having a scoop of salad or tuna. If it's my whole lunch I get a bowl of soup and eat what I can from it. My band will tell me when to stop. Almost any kind of any soup is great with a sprinkle of cheese or nuts added. Beans, too! With my dinner I always like a cup of soup to begin. Gets me going, jump starts & 'primes' my band and it's a great protein opportunity. Then if I could, I concentrated on seafood. ANY type of fish worked great with my band - From catfish to salmon to snapper to Tilapia. Or even shrimp or my all time favorite, calamari. I enjoy oysters in season and clams all year. The weeks that I ate more seafood, I lost more weight - across the board. Usually grilled is a good choice to be honest I even ate it fried (sorry, weight loss experts) and I still did well. And with my seafood, if I could I added beans to almost everything. With my steamed veggies, I added nuts and a sprinkle of cheese sometimes. I know it's not very It really does work! See when I restrict my calories or even when I try to cut down on fat - I usually just end up cutting down on protein. And no matter how "well" or how much less I eat, if I cut my protein my body won't 'burn' up the fat. It holds on to it. I know that protein is the fuel that helps the LapBand machine work and not trying to diet or 'cut down' was a blessing to me. I've had other Bandsters try this, and yes they are skeptical at first but when they start seeing inches lost (muscle really does weigh more than fat, so your clothes tell you before the scale ever will) then they get on the bandwagon. So don't just 'cut down' - ADD some food on your plate. That's right. ADD MORE nuts, boiled/diced egg, beans, cheese, seeds and other yummy forms of protein. Your body and your LapBand will thank you for it. Also adding protein allowed me to eat fewer carbs and save them for what was really a nice treat - a nice martini or occasional glass of wine, with dinner. Yes, I'm a drinking Bandster. All the successful European Bandsters I knew drank a glass or two now and then and they were my role models. I can't drink a lot AT ALL - a little goes a long way, but it was nice to get to goal weight without ever missing a Friday Happy Hour. I got the band to enhance my life, not take away some of the things that make it enjoyable. I eat out at restaurants, I go have drinks with friends - and I feel and look great. BRAVO! Good Luck to you. (And since so many people asked me the same question in private posts - that's why I am posting it on the Slow Losers board too...) Keep up the good fight. I did it - and you can too.

Thanks so much for the great advice, everyone! I am seeing the dietitian and PA today so I will ask about the liquids. Our guidelines don't limit the rate at which you consume liquids, but I try to use common sense and listen to my body. I can drink Water a lot more quickly than a Protein drink, for example (and right now, I thin my Protein drinks with almond mild bc I think it's easier on my sleeve). I am a vegetarian so won't be eating meat--but hopefully I'll feel that type of restriction with vegetarian protein sources that others feel with meat. I think it will make a difference even when I get to regular purees. My thin puree of oatmeal and peaches was about the same consistency as a Protein shake. But it did seem to fill me up a little more, maybe because it's just something different. I probably thinned it a little more than I needed to (we have to go to applesauce consistency) but I just wanted to be cautious the first time out. I pureed it in the Vitamix so it was more like cream of wheat. Thanks again--hearing everyone else's experiences really helps!! This forum is a great support and source of helpful information. I appreciate everyone taking the time to share.

I only have a couple more Lovenox shots to go (2-week post-op regimen) and I'm so happy. I find for me they sting a little but I just don't like doing it, and to top it off, the drug is made from porcine intestines and I'm a vegetarian. I tried to see if there was an alternate and there wasn't anything FDA-approved that could be substituted. I needed to follow doctor's orders and I didn't want a blood clot. Difficult decision after being a vegetarian most of my adult life. The nurse who showed me how to do the shots said to do them in your "love handles." Below the belly button and in fatty tissue in that lower abdominal area (I think it would hurt directly in the stomach). She had me squeeze a pinch of fat gently and put the shot in there. Make sure that you aren't doing the safety part of the needle until you pull the needle out (where the needle retracts again before disposal). My husband retracted the needle once while it was still in my belly and that was the only time I would say it really "hurt." Hang in there...this too shall pass! And it's a lot better than getting a blood clot! Take care.

There are a lot of threads on here for pureed foods. Today is my last day on purees. I ate pureed beef stew, vegetarian chili, regular chili, chicken salad, cheese and broccoli soup, yogurt...and that was the extent of it. I never got more creative than that because I had soooo much leftovers from the stew and chili I made.

Thank you for the advice, Starfish and Pottergirl! I am very lucky that my nutritionist is a vegetarian and understands a lot about it plus has creative ideas. Once I start on solid foods, I'll post ideas here that she gives me or ones that I come up with. Right now I am drinking a lot of hot chocolate made with diet Swiss Miss and 1.5 to 2 scoops of whey Protein powder (20+ grams/protein and 100 calories). Plus I make it with soy milk for a bit more protein. So excited to move to thin purees tomorrow! My doctor recommends that you go off of Protein shakes once you move to full solids (6 weeks post-op for me), but as a vegetarian, I have a feeling I'll be taking at least 1 to 2 shakes a day indefinitely.

Hi...vegetarian also. i was no where near getting in my protein and fluids the first week..i i was very swollen. i did two weeks of fluids which included yogurt soups...did lentil soup and Greek yogurt. third week was pureed...i had friendship cottage cheese...it packs 14 g p a half cup. i do a medifast shake every morning. i add a of over the moon milk which has more than most brands..11 g p which gives me 25 g p shake. soybeans have 30 g p in a cup....i add then to veggie chili...i also eat tofurky delislices.....13g p an oz!

Hi TES, Thanks for your post. I am on day 8 post op and am also a vegetarian. I have taken off 2 weeks from work and I see why it's needed. Like you say, I don't have total mental focus just yet. I am still struggling with abdominal pain and am taking Lortab liquid just at night, otherwise getting out of bed and movin is very painful. After leaving the hospital we are on Stage 2 of the diet, which is purée and soft foods. I admit getting Protein has been hard. I like all your veggie suggestions though. I usually have a shake (which counts as 2 meals) and then 2oz Soup with a laughing cow wedge, maybe 2 tbs Greek yogurt, and maybe 2 tbs soft Indian kitcheri (like Dahl n rice). Legumes and Beans also count as protein but if your still being careful to only consume liquid maybe you can purée them. Protein is a challenge, but I am doing my best. I haven't heard about its being related to rapid hair loss if you don't have enough the first two weeks. The other thing I am gonna try soon is getting egg whites and making a soft scramble. Sent from my iPhone using VST

So sorry to hear, Delta Girl. I hope that it grows back soon. Your weight loss is awesome! I am taking Biotin and want to start a Biotin shampoo/conditioner, too, but so far the ones I have found contain animal products and I'm a vegetarian. I think Aveda has a new type out that is supposed to help with thinning hair, etc.

I just made vegetarian chili. I use the fantastic food mix...but I first take chopped up onions, peppers, squash, and zucchini...throw em in a frying pan with some e.v.o.l. to brown and soften. then I put it in my crock pot for a couple of hours. Sometimes I will add some greek yogurt to it for a creamier taste. I have found myself adding greek yogurt to pretty much everything.

Any ideas for vegetarian (true vegetarian, no fish) puree foods? I have a few saved from eggface's site--looking for some others. Thanks!

This is my first post but I have been reading the forum for a few weeks and it has been very helpful! Many thanks to everyone who has shared their stories and advice. I had VSG on Feb. 5th. I didn't have to do a formal liquid pre-op diet but was on a calorie-controlled diet for 6 months beforehand. I lost about 16 pounds during that time (partly from Fluid loss from a steroid regimen right before I started). While in the hospital, I gained 18 lbs (!!) in fluid. That came off within a few days post op and I've lost another 10 pounds since then. So my 12-day post op loss is 10 pounds, which seems a little slower than others I have seen (even though I shouldn't compare, it's difficult not to), especially because I have a higher BMI. But honestly, I'm very happy with that rate given how long it took to lose pre-surgery. I also am hypothyroid, which can affect the rate of weight loss. My surgeon requires 2 weeks post op of full liquids (Protein shakes, broth and liquids only--no refried Beans or yogurt like some other full liquid diets), then four days of "thin puree" (thinned out/blenderized oatmeal with peaches--consistency of applesauce, for example), and then purees. So I will be on purees in a week and am looking forward to that. The full liquid stage hasn't been bad though. I've been getting in most of my protein with Protein powder mixed into diet hot chocolate bc it is a bit easier to drink warmer temp beverages. I've been doing Water, diluted G2, hot tea, diluted crystal lite, an occasional SF popsicle, and veggie broth for liquids. I haven't had any issues with severe nausea or vomiting. Once I got through the very uncomfortable second day after surgery (my surgeon doesn't allow any liquid until after the leak test, so you feel pretty awful and dehydrated that day--I understand why he does it though), my pain/discomfort has been pretty manageable. I started taking pain meds at night only after about day 4, and then I was completely off of them within 6 or 7 days. I had incisional pain around days four to six, but it quickly passed. Haven't been bending over a lot, but I noticed today that's a little easier. I started working (I have a desk job) within about five days of my surgery. I found that I was fine to sit at my computer and type, but I just didn't have the mental focus for complex mental tasks. Although I haven't had physical hunger, I had that weak/difficult to concentrate/easily frustrated feeling you get when you skip meals or have low blood sugar. I seem to have overcome that as of yesterday and feel as if I can handle close to my normal workload. I'm assuming this is normal? Maybe this is why surgeons usually recommend you wait at least 2 to 3 weeks to go back to work even for sedentary jobs (plus getting used to the supplement/fluid routine--etc.). I have a few questions and would appreciate any insights that anyone has: * I have been a vegetarian most of my adult life (20+ years) and plan to continue with that now. Are there any resources for ideas for pureed food, mushies, or any other stages? I have been thinking about pureeing bean or lentil Soups and adding some unflavored protein powder, pureeing homemade or Morninstar veggie chili, maybe the insides of a tofu pot pie? I have eggface's ricotta bake on my list too. I relied a lot on Morningstar "patties" (vegetarian Breakfast sausage-like patties) for low-carb protein pre-op, and I had just discovered the veggie hot dogs too. I don't want to eat a ton of processed foods but these two seem to do well with my body. Do I have to wait until I'm on a full diet (6 weeks) to eat these? * At what stage can you usually start eating string cheese and Laughing Cow type soft cheese? (I will double-check with my nutritionist but curious about others). * Will check with PA/exercise physiologist, but when did others go back to swimming or water aerobics? What about the exercise bike? (I use the regular, not the recumbent). * If you had an abdominal binder, how long did you wear it? I am still wearing mine. Not sure if I still need it, but I think it's giving me a psychological sense of security. * My surgeon says that the amount of protein that you take in during the first 2 weeks affects whether you will have a lot of hair loss a few months later. Has anyone else heard this before? I've been doing pretty well, getting 40 to 60 g of protein a day plus about 64 oz of fluid. One day when I was catching up on rest I didn't get in enough fluid, and I paid for it that day and night with severe foot cramps. Learned my lesson quickly. Apologies that this intro post ended up being so long, and thank you if you have read this far! Many thanks, -TES

So Venla had a checked up yesterday!! I am always worried about her being too heavy. I don't want her to walk down this road. I am working to be active and teach her good nutrition. I want to change my family tree!! Great news!! She is in 95th percentile for height and head circumference. 75th percentile for weight!! So, she is growing and healthy!! She likes the dog food lately!! Haha. I have to remind her she is a vegetarian!!! I hope to get back to my vegetarianism as well!!

We are all stomach deprived. I can imagine how a vegetarian feels when sitting around eating a meal with carnivores. euuuuu!!! I know that I am one of those people who could consume massive amounts of food and I am so thankful that I am now unable to do that to myself. That being said, I can't hold the non-stomach deprived population to my new standards of eating because they aren't blessed with my body modification. It's like being a member of a secret society

I have no issues with the protein shakes but I'm a vegetarian who drinks and eats soy products already. It is probably the whey or the soy you are smelling that is bothering you. My pre-op diet for two week pre surgery is 4 protein shakes a day, 4oz protein, 2 nonstarchy vegetables, 2 fruits and 2 tbsp fat ( butter,salad dressing, light mayo...). So far I haven't been able to eat all that in one day. I was very surprised to find out today that my surgeon doesn't require anything different the day before surgery. I was expecting clear liquids or a clean out of some kind. But nope he lets you eat the pre diet right up to surgery...Cool Beans! I'm happy about that. It is so odd how they are all so different.