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part 2... there's also been studies done that link dairy products to breast & prostate cancer.. they said this on the news a few weeks ago- i don't recall if it was local or something like good morning america, but it was broadcast on television... there's also a book called the china study that did a study on various regions of china & showed the most common cancers and diseases among chinese people & what they ate (it goes more in depth than that, but it's hard to condense a huge book down into a few sentences without some sort of discrepancies, so please excuse me)... it was written by one of the top doctors in the united states.. here's his bio... "For more than 40 years, T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. has been at the forefront of nutrition research. His legacy, the China Study, is the most comprehensive study of health and nutrition ever conducted. Dr. Campbell is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University and Project Director of the China-Oxford-Cornell Diet and Health Project. The study was the culmination of a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Campbell received his master's degree and Ph.D. from Cornell, and served as a Research Associate at MIT. He spent 10 years on the faculty of Virginia Tech's Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition before returning to the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell in 1975 where he presently holds his Endowed Chair (now Emeritus). His principal scientific interests, which began with his graduate training in the late 1950s, has been on the effects of nutritional status on long term health, particularly on the cause of cancer. He has conducted original research both in laboratory experiments and in large-scale human studies; has received more than 70 grant-years of peer-reviewed research funding, mostly from the National Institute of Health, and has served on several grant review panels of multiple funding agencies, lectured extensively, and has authored more than 300 research papers. He is the recipient of several awards, both in research and citizenship, and has conducted original research investigation both in experimental animal and human studies, and has actively participated in the development of national and international nutrition policy. source: http://www.thechinas...om/authors.html he knows what he's talking about, i'd say!.. and he grew up on a dairy farm in the 50's, thinking that cow milk was the perfect food, because that's how they were raised & what was a popular belief at the time.. but he soon found out that, that was not the case & that people that eat animals & animal products develop cancers and other problems... and that by eliminating the animal products consumed they could stop or reverse diseases caused by the animal products.. there's also a documentary, called "forks over knives" where Dr Campbell and another doctor- Dr Esselstyn tell their story & how the china study came to be & what they found & etc.. here's the description from youtube: "Documentary filmmaker Lee Fulkerson explores the possibility that so-called "diseases of affluence," such as heart disease, can be reversed by simply adjusting our diets to include less processed and animal-based foods. Back in the 1960s, Cornell University nutritional scientist Dr. T. Colin Campbell was working to find a way to feed the citizens of impoverished Third World nations when a trip to the Philippines forever changed the way he thought about food consumption. There, he discovered that the rates of liver cancer among affluent children who subsisted on diets rich in animal-based foods were notably higher than in children consuming plant-based diets. Meanwhile, surgeon Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, head of the Breast Cancer Task Force at Cleveland Clinic, was also discovering that many of the diseases he was seeing in patients were practically nonexistent in areas of the world where people were primarily consuming plant foods. Several subsequent investigations by the researchers (who would not meet each other until the 1980s), including a groundbreaking study in China by Dr. Campbell, led them to the revelation that a whole-food, plant-based diet could prevent, and even reverse, such degenerative conditions as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. In this film, Fulkerson examines Dr. Campbell's and Dr. Esselstyn's theories by following the two doctors' individual, yet very similar, story arcs, from their farm-based upbringings to their astounding discoveries. The film also records the experiences of a group of patients suffering from chronic maladies as they participate in an experiment in which their diets are substantially altered and wholesome, plant-based food is, essentially, used as medicine." you can watch it on Netflix here: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Forks_Over_Knives/70185045?locale=en-US or if you don't have Netflix, you can watch it for free on Hulu: there's also a book by a scientist who cured herself of terminal breast cancer just by eliminating meat & dairy & all other animal products from her diet.. she had cancer 5 times at varying stages & went the traditional, medical route.. she did the chemo & radiation & even had one of her breasts removed.. the 5th time was the one that she was terminal with & she was like "modern medicine can't help me" & figured out how to beat it & she did. she duplicated the results in other people, too. http://www.dailymail...red-cancer.html << there's an article about her, and her book is called "your life in your hands" by Jane A Plant & is available for purchase on Amazon (and yes, i have read it & i own it). then you have people like max gerson who did a study in the 1920's on people with various kinds of TB... he studied 450 patients & 447 were completely cured... his daughter, charlotte gerson also had TB & she cured it by following her dad's diet & is still alive, in her late 80's now... the gerson institute cures people with terminal, inoperable diseases all the time.. you can watch a couple documentaries about them here: The Beautiful Truth: http://www.youtube.c...e?v=wvzDHGLEUyw The Gerson Miracle: http://www.youtube.c...e?v=sbIixJI_oa4 then there's ann wigmore, and the hippocrates health institute.. they do the same thing... very large percentage of cured patients that were diagnosed with terminal illnesses. she wrote many books that are available & there's videos of her & stuff on youtube & stuff. there's a lot of raw vegans that have cured various diseases, like IBS, Crohn's disease, cancer (all kinds- pancreatic, liver, kidney, brain, breast, prostate, etc).. as well as recovered from things like PCOS (which is an infertility issue in women), as well as recovering from paralysis from strokes/heart attacks, like this guy here.. Dave the Raw food truck driver: it's also great for weight loss... this guy lost 200lb in 1 year by eliminating meat & dairy & processed food from his diet & eating raw food, lots of fruit, juicing and doing a doctor supervised Water fast for 21 days.. this guy lost 230 lb, beat cancer, cured his diabetes & healed himself from a paralyzing stroke... as well as other issues.. he was on 25 pills a day & doesn't take any now. (i mentioned him above, this is another interview) this guy went from 455 lb to a bodybuilder.. restored his body, got rid of his medications, overcame diabetes, etc.. this guy went from 400 lb to 185 & has even been featured on the tv show "the doctors" there's also a documentary called "fat, sick & nearly dead" which is about an australian guy who had all sorts of issues & was on all sorts of pills and things.. he decided he would come to the US for 60 days, drive across the country & do a "juice fast"... and it documents his journey & has some really cool surprising things happen.. like meeting a truck driver who weighed over 400 pounds & helping him lose weight & stuff.. the guy ended up losing almost 100lb in 2 months. and no gallbladder issues for either of them! you can watch the documentary on hulu or netflix.. netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Fat_Sick_Nearly_Dead/70173634?trkid=2361637 hulu: they even have a website where they go over everything in the documentary & have recipes & etc.. http://www.jointhereboot.com/ so yes, it is possible for vegans and vegetarians to succeed with a sleeve. the only thing a sleeve does is restrict how much you can eat, it doesn't have limits on what you have to eat or where you get your Protein & Vitamins & minerals.. there are alternatives for everything that you have on your regular meat & cheese diet, just from a different, more easily absorbed, easily digestable source. and like everyone else here says.. the sleeve is just a tool to get you where you want to go. you still have to diet and exercise.. and one of the reasons that i want the sleeve is because of the freedom of diet that i can have. also, no, i don't expect you to watch all the stuff i posted... i know that no one would. i just posted it to be thorough and in hopes that someone would find something they were interested in watching & watch at least one of the videos... and in case you or anyone else ever got curious and wanted a place to start researching vegan/raw foods.

sure there is. i know it's wrong & "bad" of me to say, but i will say it anyway.. your nutritionist is severely uninformed. just because someone has a little piece of paper that says that they know all the stuff that was written in a little book for them to know, doesn't mean they know everything there is to know in that entire field.. like matt damon said in good will hunting, "See, the sad thing about a guy like you is in 50 years you're gonna start doing some thinking on your own and you're gonna come up with the fact that there are two certaintees in life. One, don't do that. And Two, you dropped a hundred and fifty grand on a f***n education you coulda got for a $1.50 in late charges at the public library."... xD vegans can easily get 60g or more of Protein a day.. as well as all the other Vitamins and minerals needed.. in fact, in the book "becoming vegan" that's exactly what they recommend you do & they show you how to get it using vegan sources of protein. studies have also shown that plant protein is absorbed by the body more easily than animal protein & that cultures that eat less protein and Calcium actually have thicker bone density, because their bodies don't have to deplete their own calcium stores to process & break down the protein and calcium from animal products... there's a variety of sources of protein.. and vegan sources of b12 & Omega 3 fatty acids & etc. everything required to be healthy & stay on a low carb, low glycemic index diet. "Vegans who eat a variety of plants, including soy products, are sure to get plenty of protein, but what about vegan raw foodists? There is more and more information being revealed that there is an adequate, if not abundant, supply of protein even in a diet this devoid of animal Proteins. It is further suggested through this research that the body prefers that the protein actually come in incomplete form (as individual amino acids) so that it can do it's job of combining them in the best possible way for it's various purposes. When the body receives complete or complex proteins it has to rip the amino acids apart and reassemble them accordingly. Amino acids from plant sources allow the body to skip that process and go right to the end game. Everything has protein in it, so the effect of eating a variety of foods is the accumulation of all the essential amino acids. Nuts and seeds have a lot of protein compared to fruits and vegetables but a lot of raw food diet advocates tout green leafy vegetables as a good source of protein. By using a variety of greens (in great abundance I might add, up to one pound per day!) the body receives all the essential amino acids that it needs while also getting many other minerals, plenty of chlorophyll and lots of Fiber." source: http://vegetarian.ab...and-Protein.htm what they don't mention there is that you can juice your leafy green vegetables & other fruit & vegetables & get the same amino acids in liquid form, so you don't have to eat pounds of fruit & vegetables. making it into a liquid also saves your body from having to break down the fiber & stuff & it can absorb it that much quicker & easier. think about it for a second.. one thing that we're all raised (or i would think we were anyway) is knowing something about shaolin monks and/or kung fu & how "cool" it is... shaolin monks are generally thought of as being fierce, strong, agile, and "bad ass"... but they eat an all plant based diet... they're lean, muscular & extremely tough... here's a video of a shaolin monk knocking out a US Navy Seal... he's shorter & lighter & has a shorter reach & was thus at a "disadvantage"... most people that think living a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle after the sleeve can't be done just haven't put in the time to research & they're used to what the TV tells them & what is taught in schools.. most people are on what they call a SAD.. "standard american diet"... most people are happy with being complacent and (i'm sorry to say) ignorant of what's going on around them & are fine with doing whatever a doctor or somebody tells them to, without asking any questions or doing any research on their own, just because said person has a little piece of paper that says that they know what a book told them.. i think we find too much comfort in that.. i understand about doctors, because they spend years researching the human body, but they do it from a chemical/synthetic perspective.. they haven't explored everything & a lot are blocked off to the idea of more natural methods.. which i think is funny, because it's how the human race has survived since the beginning & there wasn't diseases like cancer around until recently.. when we started thinking we were so smart & messing with food's DNA & spraying insecticide, pesticide & etc all over our food. HMM... ironic, isn't it?... there are people on this forum that are vegetarians/vegans, as well as other people that have had other types of surgeries, too. a lot of nutritionists also have vegan & vegetarian options in their repertoire. yours was probably just spouting things that they personally believe, not what is factual.. a lot of bodybuilders will also tell you that you can't build muscles or get "big" if you're a vegan & that it's impossible & etc... that is not the case.. here's just couple (of many) proofs of that: ^^ the guy above is named marcus patrick- you can look him up on youtube. he's a raw vegan & has been a vegan for 10+ years. vegans have protein powders, like sun warrior, vega, garden of life, etc.. for vitamins & minerals, there's stuff out there like green vibrance.. for b12, there's spirulina.. for Iron & stuff, there's kelps and seaweeds.. for omega 3's there's flax and other plant based ones.. like vega's saviseed, which has 17x more omega 3 per oz than wild sockeye salmon... for protein, there's also nut milks, like almond, cashew, and even hemp & soy milks. there's tofu, edemame, quorn (which is made from a fungus & is low carb/high protein), seitan, shirataki noodles (which are made out of some kinda yam), etc.. every living thing has some protein in it, too. leafy green vegetables, like kale, spinach, swiss chard, collard greens, beet tops, turnip greens, dandelion greens, etc all have high mineral, Vitamin & antioxidant properties, as well as protein... they all contain fiber as well, which helps keep you from being constipated. here's part of an episode of tyra, where she did an update for "diet wars"... and this is the result of the weight loss as mentored by Alissa Cohen (a famous raw food chef)..

Others may have heard something different, but my nutritionist said there is no way for vegans/vegetarians to do this. For you, I hope it is not true.

Yup, my shiraraki noodles are the brand "naked noodles" ordered from organicsaustraliaonline.com.au and I loved them! They didn't go goey like some noodles do oh and yes the packaging had a funny smell but honestly quick rinse and no smell! Really really yummy and filling they take on the taste of anything! They really are great with any bolognase or cream sauce, stirfry sauce etc! Copied from the website: Where do we start? Naked Noodles offer a range of health benefits including: • Zero fat • Zero sugar • Zero gluten • Zero soy • Very low calories • Very low carbohydrates • High in soluble fibre • No preservatives • All natural • Low GI • Fast and easy to prepare • Versatile • Helps with weight loss • Makes you feel fuller for longer The primary ingredient of Naked Noodles (Glucomannan - natural soluble fibre) has been found to possess many health benefits. Naked Noodles are suitable for vegetarians, vegans and people with diabetes, as well as people with wheat intolerance or allergies to gluten or soy. As well as helping with weight loss, Naked Noodles also have many other health benefits. Used throughout Asia as a popular diet food, Naked Noodles are eaten as a replacement for rice and Pasta and can be incorporated into almost any dish in order to bulk and satisfy as would pasta, bread, rice or potato. People everywhere have been searching for an alternative to high carb products which can be challenging especially for individuals seeking a low fat, gluten and sugar free alternative. ----- Oh, and mine say made from Konjak: Konjac, also known as konjak, konjaku, konnyaku potato, devil's tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam, is a plant of the genus Amorphophallus. Excellent find to help you over this head hunger (if that's what it is ) keeping you full without the cals

Greetings to all, I was just wondering if there where any raw foodist/vegans/vegetarians out there to share some nutritional wisdom with me? I'm really concern with maintaining as healthy or as chemical free diet as possible.

I used to have the book "Skinny b***h in the Kitch". When my son went vegetarian for 2 years, it was my go to book. It has a really good cold lentil salad in it. Peppers, fennel, lentils- all sorts of stuff. Wish I had the recipe still but shouldn't be too hard to find.

I'm about 4 months post op and my biggest challenge has been my inability to eat meat. It just doesn't sit well with me anymore & it makes me sad:(. Let's face it, I'm a southern born black girl and we will fry up, smother or sautee anything with 4 legs:). I can't do steak at all & only dark chicken, which I'm not a huge fan of. It's frustrating. I think I may have to just stick to seafood & vegetarian style dishes. My fav go to snack is chex mix cereal, wheat or cinnamon. I put it in a plastic bag & through it in my purse. Buying the cereal is cheaper than the pre-made snack bags, plus you can add your own goodies if you like. I also eat a ton of Luch meat as a snack. I'm sorta a rebel when it comes to drinking, I still drink during my meal & it doesn't seem to effect me. I don't drink as much but I do take a few sips.

Whoops hit wrong key, well anyways i'm a vegetarian for the most part. I do like a good steak though. But that's only if we go out to eat. and that's only 1 time a month usually. Other than that i do not eat meat. I LOVE LOVE LOVE peanut butter. Can you eat peanut butter after the sleeve? I hope not... I don't need it. I was just wondering LOL!

Yes, it wasn't bad at all... I had to say "No" when a cna asked for help (I usually help them alot), so it was kinda weird. But i will NOT injure myself or my sleeve for anything...I have little episodes where i feel a little weak, but it passes pretty quickly. IThese are coming less frequent each \day. Decided i need to really take it easy today. I can't believe i'm down 13.8 lbs already! I feel for sure now that i did the right thing. I'm taking in about 75g/day of protein through shakes/powder...My body is not use to this much protein! I'm eating better now than i did before surgery. My thing was CARBS....I'm a vegetarian for the most part. Love peanut butter...

this is one of the hardest things that i have to deal with as well . for bfast i have a small black coffee first.. .and five minutes after i have some Protein. other meals i have to wait for a drink.. thats hard.on monday just gone i had the worst episode of being stuck i could imagine. my tummy wasnt feeling all that great over that weekend... i should have known what was going to come.. gastritis has been going around here. anyway, i ate a piece of steak which was well cooked and moist. i must have eaten too quickly because it soon became apparent that i had to stop eating. this was about 6pm. there after, for at least four hours, i vomited continually. my pouch was so inflamed i couldnt even tolerate my saliva. it was just awful. i was sore for days afterwoods. i mentioned it to my surgeon yesterday when having a very small fill. He said it wasnt good at all and perhaps i should look at going vegetarian? i dont think i could handle just being vegetarian. so.. i have to look very carefully at how small the pieces of meat are BEFORE I SIT DOWN TO EAT. just like i would cut up my small childrens meat on their place... im going to have to do the same. for me the issues are still eating too quickly if running a bit later than four hours with a meal.. and being distracted. I have to have a good solution for both these if im going to be free of being stuck. Has anyone had vomiting for four hours without stopping? it was bad. i felt so ill. im wondering about some gastritis as well as i said. Anyone had gastritis? how did the pouch cope with it all??

My list includes; Procal 100 shakes 50 cal. String cheese Bananas- one of the few fruits I can eat regularly Hard cooked eggs- with the yolks removed Any salsa Vegetarian baked beans and refried beans. Okay, I know it's more than 3-5. I just really like food!

My journey started July 2012 to get banded. I'm 5 10 and started at 293.. I was banded August 28 with a surgery weight of 273. I'm currently six days post op and down to 262 my goal is 160 by July of 2013.. I prepared myself by getting in the gym in may 2012 and going completely vegetarian.. I'm soooo exited for this new life I have given myself .. Banded August 28 2012<br />Starting weight 293<br />Day of surgery weight 273<br />Current weight 262<br />Goal weight 160 5ft 10

Being a vegetarian I have tried them all! I love using the crumbles in recipes that call for ground beef. The garden burgers are great and the chikn patties are good but I really like Boca spicy chikn patties better. I like to have a veggie burger with salsa for lunch.

I started having problems with the high animal protein diet back in November of 2011. Apparently my gallbladder was deciding to go crazy. After the gallbladder was removed i was having bowel issues. One extreme to the next. I looked at what i was eating and then decided to eat a couple of weeks of plant based low fat and it was AMAZING. I bought Lindsay Nixon's (the Happy Herbivore) cookbooks and subscribed to her blog and have started phasing out meat and consuming a lot less dairy. Her cookbooks are amazing. The recipes are all from scratch and the ingredients are stuff you can find at your local grocery (even walmart). Made her pumpkin bread with Maple Icing last night (How good does that sound!). The Engine 2 diet is on my list to read but right now i am fully satisfied with recipes in my current books and my own imagination. I still eat seafood and low fat meat occasionally (like maybe 1x a week) but in much smaller portions (2 oz at the most) than the past. I tend to eat meat when i am rushed or didnt plan my meal. I love vegan boca burgers (at sams you can get 16 for $9) but eat them sparingly since they are processed. Same with Gardein products. Gardein has BBQ skewers (good with BBQ sauce on a bun), BBQ shreds, and buffalo wings. They are a little pricey but my Kroger's puts them on Managers Special and/or with a Q they come out real cheap. I hardly ever buy them full price. I eat a lot of beans, greens, and lentils, quinoa, grits. I incorporate bread, brown rice, and pasta and after that i am pretty satisfied. I eat a lot of "sides" but jazz them up to make a meal. Did you know you can sub oil for applesauce in baked goods and eggs for mashed bananas? This has been a gradual process and I will most likely never be fully plant based but my goal is to be 90% plant based. I have a hard time giving up yogurt and have not found a good substitute. There have been so many benefits other than the regularity. My skin is better, i feel less tired (especially after a meal), my hair is growing faster and my scalp is less oily. During this process I have also learned to pay more attention to ingredients (and not only in food either) and how my food is made. I watched Food Inc. and Forks Over Knives and read the China Study to get my will-power in gear. I stalled in weight loss after my gallbladder attacks started but if i stay on track with my new diet my weight slowly starts dropping again. I just have to make sure i stick to my allowed calories as well as watch what i eat. Plant based isnt a miracle cure but has become another tool to help my lap band journey. The other benefit is that buy cutting back meat and dairy you spend a lot less $$ at the grocery store! Would love to have a Vegan/Vegetarian board on this forum!

I am so sorry that you are having a difficult time and I pray that you began to feel better really soon. As long as your not taking in enough fluids, you will feel bad and your body will let you know it. I know it's hard trying to force yourself to drink especially when it causes you to dry heave. Having no appetite and being sensitive to smells makes it extremely difficult to put something in your mouth. Are you dry heaving from reflux? Are you just simply feeling nauseous? As hard as it may be, you're going to have to force yourself to eat and drink. I agree with the earlier posting suggesting that you try some carbs, some sort of caloric intake is necessary. If all else fails, buy some unflavored Pedialyte. They also have the pedialyte freezer pops and powder packs. The makers of Pedialyte also make EleCare in an unflavored powder, this is usually given to babies who can't tolerate whole protein. Ensure makes a clear and a high protein shake, but they still have a milk consistency (if that thickness bothers you, then they might not work). At least if you use some of the pedi products, you may be able to mix them in water and make it tolerable. Source Naturals also makes a Pea Protein Powder that most vegetarians use, it's not milk based or made from animal products so it will be easier to tolerate. I suggest purchasing some of the Pea Protein Powder and pedialyte. You've got to get your fluids and protein in order to start to feel better. As far as the depression goes, it's understandable with what you're going through. You are human and we all experience these emotions. Do not make any DNR decisions while you are in this state. I haven't been sleeved yet, but from reading posts on this forum, I can safely say that things will get better. I have read numerous post where the writer spoke of feeling depressed and wanting to give up because they were feeling so bad, but if you continue reading they always spoke of turning the fence and feeling so much better as time went on. It's still early on so don't beat yourself up to bad. You know that with God, ALL things are POSSIBLE!!!! Keep the faith Jesus says, "if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you" [Matthew 17:20. Remember, we are all here for you, and I just as many other people here on this forum were placed in your life for a reason, lean to God and lean on us! Praying for your speedy recovery!

i was the same ... a vegetarian for about a year. In that time my hair was glossy and my skin was clear ... weight loss was great. My body was more alkaline than it is now. I know that the ketogenic diet helps heaps with losing weight but im sure it leaves the body more acidic.

There are a lot of soy protein bars out there but availability in grocery stores is another question. I can't give you any brand recommendations. I love Pure Protein bars but they are whey protein. Soy protein is an excellent plant protein for folks who are lactose intolerant or vegetarian. I'm neither one so I don't have much experience with soy. If you Google "soy protein bars" you can get a ton of brand options quickly - but then comes the hard part, trying to find them in stores. But you might get lucky and find them right away. Some nutrition stores will likely have them but in my experience they tend to be quite expensive for just about everything they sell. Pricing on nutrition items like protein bars, shakes and powders varies widely so it pays to shop. Taste varies widely as well so I wouldn't buy too much of anything until you've tasted it. There are some very good online stores who have reasonable pricing on just about all things protein! Good luck and please share the results of your search with us!!

This is 1 of the processed foods I indulge in since becomming a vegetarian. I buy the little easy macs (small cups) it will last me at least 3-4 sittings and by that time I'm over the craving- I can only eat 3-4 bites and then I'm done- Pasta does not sit well in my sleeve.

I was a vegetarian for about a year or two. I felt the healthiest when I was a vegetarian and saw the most weight loss as well. I wasn't a vegetarian because of cruelty reasons or anything, just because i didn't eat much meat then. Now I'm the complete opposite doing Ketogenic diet, trying to shock my body back into weight loss!

Lemons and Weight Loss - Lose 5 Pounds in a Week By Kuunal Desshmukh Ads by Google Weight loss college www.WellspringAcademies.com Weight Loss School for Ages 18-25. Credit & Non-Credit Programs. WeightLoss Surgery Mexico www.HealthTravelGuides.com Bypass, Sleeve, Band, or Plication Which is right for you? We'll help. Raspberry Ketone 400 mg www.purehealth100.com New 90 count size - 30% savings, 100% pure,vegetarian & authentic Many questions arise when people explain the importance of using lemon for your weight loss diet. People ask "how is lemon beneficial for weight loss?" or "can lemons make me lose weight fast?" The answer to all this skeptic is yes. They help in losing weight. Let me Explain How.... Lemons are well known for their Vitamin C. They have a lot of it. They are also a very good detox agent to consider. Detox of your body is by far the most important and the first step in any weight loss program. And it starts with drinking a lot of Water. Taking a right amount of water in your body everyday is a must to keep your body functioning well as it tends to help the body clean up toxins and other unwanted stuff wee intake everyday in our meals. But, drinking a lot of water is a bit of boring to many people. So, I would suggest adding a small teaspoon or two of lemon juice in it. It will help dramatically for the functioning of your body, as the citric acid present in them is a very good detox agent. The other thing is that this acid move the extra flab of your body helps in using it for your daily activities. Ultimately, this means you lose that extra flab and lose weight in the process. Losing 5 pounds a week can be achieved if you do the following steps... Mix lemon juice in a glass of lukewarm water, and drink it on an empty stomach when you wake up in the morning. This helps to move that extra flab in your body and use it right from the start and remove that fat of the body. If you do it continuously on a daily, you will automatically see the results. Apart from using lemons in your weight loss plan it is vitally important to exercise as it goes hand in hand with the weight loss process. And if you have a good exercise regime built up for yourself, it will help in using that moved fat of your body to build muscle also, and apparently losing weight. Using honey along with lemons also speeds up the process dramatically. Honey is well known for its detoxing capabilities. And having it with lemon is like cherry on top of a wedding cake. So, change your diet plan and include the lemons and exercise schedule in the new one. More tips on creating a good diet here on Weight Loss Diets [http://www.easyweightlosstipsandguides.com/category/easy-weight-loss-diets] Kunalsingh Deshmukh owns a blog has also provided his journey to weight loss by giving his Weight Loss Photos [http://easyweightlosstipsandguides.com/category/weight-loss-photos/] Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kuunal_Desshmukh

Some traditional Mexican carne Asada in a corn tortilla and salsa !! Or vegetarian pizza from mountain mikes - maybe after six months I will but just eat in moderation !

Hey Guys! Thanks so much for all the support and encouragment. Reading your responses really has helped. I began the process back in November and have done alot of research and have always felt really confident about the VSG but this morning I woke up in a panic. It is so wonderful to hear from people who have been there and can give me honest information. I wasnt sure how to quote you guys since I am new on here so I have responded to each of you below. Thanks again! Lissa, I began to try to detox myself off of caffeine and sodas as well and have been extremely successful although I was addicted to diet soft drinks. I have been 4 months without it. It was hard at first but not even an issue right now. As far as the sweets......ehhh not so much. Thanks for the suggestions to talk to someone about the emotional issues that I have with food. I know I have them! JoyV, Congrats on making it out of the Plus sizes! I cant wait to say the same!!!! Yeah, I live in Lima, Peru and they eat rice and french fries with everything. I cant imagine a world without them but I am so ready to live in that world! MeginNOLA, thanks so much for your comments. I am exactly the same way. I love to eat healthy food and have even thought that I could be a vegetarian because I love veggies so much. I just make stupid choices!!! Even when given healthy options I opt for the cheesy fatty bad one! Are you from New Orleans? I am actually from Shreveport, LA and lived for 15 years in Baton Rouge. Just spent a year in New Orleans going to the seminary there. I would love to keep in touch. Living in Peru right now but heading back to the US for Christmas! Amazon13: Good luck for your upcoming surgery. Yours is the day before mine! We will get fit together! Amykins, I am right there with you. I am so ready to NOT be a slave to sugar! I would much prefer a brownie to an outright meal. What is wrong with me??? Anyway, I will pray for you as you change your life too! We are in this together!!! Barisaxylady: I am ready for the change! Lets do this! And one other thing: I started exercising for an hour a day 9 days ago and I feel like I am starving all the time!!!! haha

I don't follow the program at all. I'm vegetarian though and can tell you that beans/lentils are good sources of protein. I love my black beans.

Justa waitin' only have 3 days to go before surgery. I'm having all kinds of feelings. No doubts or fears really just hopes that everything goes okay and that i never have a slip or erosion. I would like to keep my band (gertrude) forever. I am looking forward to the trip to san diego then mexico. Never have been out west at all. Never have flown on a large jet before. I'm sitting in seat 13A on the flights from home to chicago! THat's my lucky number... The large jets don't have a 13th seat... well i don't have alot to say. Started liquids this am doing okay with that i'v e had Unjury chicken noodle soup, sf jello, and unjury unflavored in water and crystal light to drink. Haven't cheated. haven't had the urge to yet. My husband is grilling chicken wings right now,(don't like them) he had mercy on me and fixed something i don't really like. I'm a vegetarian about 90% of the time. Plan on being a full-time vegetarian now that i'm being banded. I'll write more on the trip to let you know how Mexico/San Diego goes...Thanks for reading my jumbled thoughts...

Yes, I've thought about it. I don't think I actually would go vegetarian, but eating certain types of meat is a pain in the butt now. I used to love beef before my surgery but now there's always gristle and it takes forever to chew down. I stick to chicken and fish.