Search the Community

Below is a quote from a thread from March 2006. It seems to make sense. Yet many bandsters discuss soy Protein preferences and use it all the time. So, I'm "corn"-fused. Are people using soy protein because they don't know the true facts and would switch to whey if only they became Enlightened? Or: Are people using soy protein because they know the true facts and disagree that soy protein is bad? Or: Some other reason? If anyone has any definitive information or informed opinions on this topic I would appreciate hearing about it. Thanks ================================================= Soy Proteins are vegetable proteins. The body only absorbs about 30% of the ingested amount. Whey proteins are animal proteins and the body absorbs about 80-90% of them. Quoting the following article on isolates: http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/he...n-powder-1.htm "Due to the nature of the ion exchange process, the most valuable and health-promoting components are selectively depeleted. Though the protein content is increased, many of the most important subractions are lost or greatly reduced." So, you can see why soy isolates would have even fewer benefits. You are basically paying a lot for a whole lot of nothing.. except gas pains. This is an excerpt from a NESTA certified training manual for personal trainer certification: "Although considered complete proteins, the human body does not possess the necessary enzymes to break down vegetable proteins and most of it ends up in the colon where bacteria gain access to it. Research has shown that most of the gas once thought to come from the Fiber found in vegetarian sources of protein such as Beans, is now known to be caused by the undigested vegetable protein instead." If you are interested in reading more on this subject, check out my post on this thread: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14199 ===========================================

I was banded a year ago, and it seems that my assigned clinic nutritionist changes her story on me. After my first fill in February she told me I had to wait 15 minutes between drinking and eating, then a few months she told I had to wait only five. I was so amazed, I asked her to repeat herself and wrote the five minute figure down in my notebook. A few months after that, she told me I needed to wait 20 minutes. I showed her my notes from the previous session and she backpedaled, saying "Oh, uh, you only have to wait five minutes if you've quickly slammed water." Okay, that sure wasn't what she said before. This isn't the only time I've felt she's changed her story. My trust is a little impaired now. So, with that in mind, I wanted to ask a question about fill amounts and why certain amounts no longer cut it after some time. I've been up and down from 6.0 to 7.6. I had problems with constant vomiting at 7.6 and 7.0. I've been at 6.2 for at least four months. I've had problems getting a fill amount that makes me full quickly, yet also allows me to eat salmon, vegetarian "meats" and other high-protein foods. Often I've had the worst of both worlds: unable to eat those foods, AND still able to eat a large quality of slider foods. This was the case at this level for a few months, but as of recently I'm eating big quantities and I'm also able to eat those high-protein foods, so I am considering moving back up .2 ccs to 6.4. I've lost only ~10 pounds since June, so I'm frustrated. Anyway, my question is, why would a fill amount make me quickly full for a while, and then no longer cut it? My weight has not changed much in the last several months, so that shouldn't be a factor. Does the band lose the fill? More importantly, does this mean that I'm going to have to get this thing filled every few months for the rest of my life? Thanks in advance for any info you have, and thank you to the moderators for having this board for us!

Deez I agree. I'm a vegetarian and I've been justifying this for nearly 20 years. I mean, its my choice, I don't ask people not to eat meat, so WHY do people feel they need to lecture me about why I need meat? Lord knows, I'm not underweight!!! I do admit to be a bit embarrassed about the band, I sort of feel, its sort of a failure in my err ?? what self control - probably lots of things, but I'm sure you know what I mean. I just want to try and concentrate on succeeding this time

I am currently on Prednisone 15mg per day, Plaquinil 400mg per day, folic acid, nexium, and will start Methotrexate injections on Sunday. I am really leery of the Methotexate as the side effects are quite nasty, hair loss, stomach bleeding, almost total supression of your immune system so a common cold or flu can turn dangerous. Log term use of the Plaquinil can effect your eyesight as well. Prednisone has been a lifesaver lately, but it promotes weight gain and robs your body of potassium and other vital nutrients. I will start the meds as my Rheumatologist wants me to, but I am hoping if I go vegetarian and get the inflammation under control that I can slowly wean off of the meds and control it through diet. This is the worst sort of pain I have ever had in my life, it is constant and debilatating at times. So I will try anything. I hate being sidetracked from my lapband journey like this, I had come so far and was doing so well b4 this hit. I was walking everyday, now I can barely walk 10 feet at a time.

can you guys give me some advice on what food to buy and tips??? Or whats a day in your shoes being a vegetarian?? I come from a small town. So, we dont have any fancy organic grocery stores. We got a Walmart and a Vons thats as good as it gets hahaha.

I have read the book. Some interesting points brought up. I tried going vegetarian, but I like my meat based protein (poultry and seafood). I am only 3 weeks post op, so when my diet is freed up a bit, I will do plant based protein as well....believe it or not, I am craving edemame (sp?). I believe "everything in moderation." I enjoy poultry or seafood over beef, which can get you burned at the "steak", living here in the midwest! Extremes can get us all in trouble.

After my surgery I plan on returning to a vegetarian diet. I wanted to hear from anyone out there who is a vegetarian or changed to being a vegetarian/vegan after the op. I'm interested in how legumes and pulses go, passing through the band, if anyone's had any problems with it. Thanks. Michelle

That's hilarious! Thanks for the ideas. I'm a long-time subscriber to Vegetarian Times magazine, and have several (some untouched) veg cookbooks. I did just pull out my copy of "The Whole Soy Cookbook" by Patricia Greenberg, and see a few recipes I want to try. My reasons for elimating meat and dairy are not only to better my health. I am appalled at the conditions under which animals are bred, kept and slaughtered for our eating pleasure. It's inhumane and it just freakin' filthy! When I learned that beef cattle are given antibiotics to prevent the diseases they become susceptible to because of unnatural feed (high carb to fatten them up fast) and over-crowded feed lots, I was just sickened. Add to that the environmental consequences of feeding and raising animals for food, and to me...it's just not worth it. I can do without steak and chicken patties. (Sweet Italian sausage has been a bit difficult, but I'm evolving.) Sorry to rant. Bea, I'll check out the chorizo the next time I go to the supermarket. Thanks!

Proteins: soy (soymilk, tofu, soybeans, edemame), dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, ESPECIALLY cottage cheese - so much protein), nuts, Beans and other legumes (like lentils)... I'm a vegetarian, but fish and poultry are also packed with Protein. As I said on another thread though, beware salmonella when handling poultry (and eggs), mercury poisoning w/ fish, and avoid red meat, because it causes colon cancer among other problems - like heart problems. Here's a resource for vegan protein, but again things like dairy and eggs are packed with protein (and yolks are high in cholesterol, so beware of that if you have a problem with it... sometimes if I'm making egg salad I'll use like one yolk and 2 egg whites, you can do the same w/ scrambled or you can eat no yolks at all... lots of places these days will serve egg white omelets or scrambles... i like the flavor of the yolk, so i might throw one in there... Vegan food are primarily cholestorol free. I am not a vegan, I'm a vegetarian... people ask me "what do you eat?!" -- I eat everything, I don't consider animals food... even when I DID eat meat, it was maybe once a week or bi-weekly, it's very easy to maintain a mostly vegetarian lifestyle, and even people who love meat, like the New York Times' Mark Bittman are now saying that it's best to be mostly vegetarian... it's not that restrictive, and people like him still eat meat, just not all the time... Protein in the Vegan Diet -- The Vegetarian Resource Group

Silken tofu goes down very easily, and it's so soft it can just be blended up and added to drinks, Soups, etc. Or you can have little lumps of it for texture. And then there's firm tofu and tempeh as well for when you want to chew more. I was vegetarian for 12 years but started eating meat again when I was pregnant and very anaemic. I still eat it, although I don't really like much meat, and I've been thinking about going back to vegetarian again. I wouldn't go vegan, but that's just because I've got hens so I have a never-ending supply of eggs! I'd give up dairy before I gave up eggs! Plus they're very easy Protein sources, and I can eat them guilt-free because I know there has been no animal abuse or exploitation involved in getting the eggs

I agree with the fats thing, that was one thing I found with my research on this. Along with the Biotin and increased protein intake, I also upped my fats content, but was really smart about it. The Protein drinks I buy, are vegan, but they also have 6g of fat & 12grams of Protein per serving (2 servings in the bottle- which I can down in about 2 mins) and I had 1 of those a day and just watched everything else that I ate, so long as it was high protein. I'm a vegetarian, but crave red meat every so often, and usually when I crave it I eat it. fo the first few weeks on the biotin, I upped my red meat intake, basically I live with 2 carnivores, so I would make tacos & put a tablespoon of meat with 3 tablespoons of Beans, and with meat sauce, I would Strain the sauce off the top and then strain meat out of the pot and put about 2 tablespoons on my Pasta. And once a week there was a no holds barred of a 5 guys little burger. And then there was the steak incident lol..... So at this point, today esp. I haven't had meat in about 3 weeks but now that I said 5guys, I want one, and will probably give into it!

I have (or had, as the case may be) a terrible sweet tooth as well. I am thrilled to find that it has decreased TREMENDOUSLY and I'm not even banded yet. In anticipation of my surgery, I stopped drinking diet soda in February and the difference in my sweet cravings was almost immediate. I am also a big carb eater. I am not a vegetarian, but I don't eat beef or pork and tend to rely on carbs for quick, easy meals, especially Breakfast. When I stopped eating a muffin or a bagel for breakfast, I found that my sweet cravings were MUCH less throughout the rest of the day. I found I like the Muscle Milk Lite chocolate Protein drink and I save it for a time in the day that I really want something sweet. It is close enough to chocolate milk that it hits the spot. The Balance bars accomplish the same task for me. Believe me, I know your pain, but I think you might find that some diet changes now will really help tame that sweet tooth and will set you up for better success after you are banded. As is noted here time and time and time again, the band can only help how much and how fast you eat- what you CHOOSE to eat is still up to you. Good luck!! kagead

I am sure that is frustrating but luckily it shouldn't last forever..... A few years ago I decided quite quickly that I was going to become a vegetarian, mid summer aka BBQ season. It was absolute torture every time my neighbor would BBQ I would sit and longingly stare out the window at his dogs as they ate the left over rib bones (exaggeration, but you get my point) It was very important to me not to eat meat so I didn't cheat, not once. The first couple months were rough, but then something amazing happened..... It didn't matter anymore, the smell didn't bother me, I didn't start drooling, and what was even more amazing, was around 6 months later I had a cheeseburger for the first time and something I used to love.... tasted like cardboard, wet, greasy, cardboard.

I love all of the vegetarian breakfast sausages. They don't have lots of calories, keep you full and are full of protein. Plus you are eating soy instead of meat. They smell and taste so much like the real thing that my dogs go crazy for them!

I'm a vegetarian and eat more than enough fruits and vegetables to get enough fiber. My bowels agree ; ) Though my Dr. did suggest fiber powder at the beginning right after surgery for the first couple of weeks but not for life - you should be getting enough from the food you eat. If you have gas pain take a gas x pill or beano before meals that you know could cause it. It happens sometimes. Getting too much fiber may actually make you more gassy.

I shall watch this topic with interest as a pre-op vegetarian!

I was a pesciterian for two years, full vegetarian for a year and back to pescitarian for a year. It is difficult to eat the right things and you end up eating a lot of carbs. I could not stay healthy and soy products can alter your hormones.

I mostly eat fish as well, chicken occasionally. (my entire life...dont like pork or red meat) Someone asked this question in my class, the nutritionist said it would be difficult to meet your nutritional requirements as a vegetarian because your pouch cannot fit the quantity of tofu (for example) that would be required to meet your Protein requirements.

Tina, I am a class 5 Noveau Vegitarian (also called Pollo Vegetarian or Semi Vegetarian) as well. I do eat tuna, turkey (white meat only) and chicken (white meat only) but I do not eat any red meats or as I call them "funky" meat (duck, rabbit, deer, wild turkey, any animal from a popular disney movie, anything furry and cute, etc etc etc). Nor can ANYTHING be on a bone (including chicken, turkey) I don't eat the "soy" burgers as they LOOK like meat and gross me out. Chicken also has much Protein. I have talked to a nutritionist about the protein issue and she told me that it doesn't have to be "solid" protein just get the protein in your body! Today, I went to Sam's club and purchased a BIG bucket of Protein whey. I will mix them in a yogurt shake. She also said that eggs are a big source of protein as well as many other foods. There was a link that I will borrow from another member who posted that lists protein rich foods.....http://www.highproteinfoods.net/ Hope this helps.... Jenna

Noveau means "new" I guess. It is just where I fall on one book's classification list. It is also called Pollo Vegetarian or Semi Vegitarian.

Do you have any advice for veggie meat replacements for us? My daughter is a vegetarian and we often use Morningstar, Boca, and Quorn meat replacements. I haven't had any of these myself since surgery (10 wks post op) because I wasn't sure about the amount of carbohydrates in them. My nutritionist said tofu was okay but I have never tried it and although I have heard it is easy to use, I really have no idea what to do with it.

I've been a vegetarian for 18 years, and more recently a part-time vegan. My surgery is scheduled for Aug 9. I won't be eating any meat and will rely mostly on dairy and soy for protein. Hopefully once I'm back on solid food I can get rid of most of the dairy and get in more plant protein. But I'm just going to take it day by day.

Thank you both for your responses! I have checked the forum that @catdaddy suggested and I will be joining soon. I sent an email to my nutritionist today and I will call tomorrow to make an appointment so I can get some guidance. @smooshycheeks since you are a seasoned vegetarian, what are your preferred sources of protein? The ones that have the most protein?

Hi there, In October 2006 I went to see my GP for a minor problem and he told me about the gastric banding operation and how it worked. He scheduled an appointment with the surgeon and I was booked a month later for the surgery. I weighed 187kg. I looked up everything I could on the internet and was fully informed by the time I entered the hospital for the operation. I had to undergo a series of tests to see if I was suitable to undergo the operation. Heart tests, blood tests and even a psychological assessment. Everything was fine and I was given the go-ahead. I would have to pay for the operation myself as my medicare considered this "vanity surgery". I had to take out a loan but I reckoned it would be worth it in the end. On the 6th November I had my operation. Everything went fine, no complications. They didn't fill my band at that stage. That would happen 6 weeks later. My 5 small incisions healed quickly and painlessly. Apart from some minor post operative pain which lasted a few days, the procedure was a success. I found no difference in my eating habits after the operation and looked forward to my first bandfill, scheduled for the week before Christmas. My weight loss began almost immediately after my first bandfill. The port, just under my skin on the left hand side of my upper torso, just below my left breast was easily accessible and my surgeon just did the fill in his rooms. He didn't charge me once for visits or bandfills for a year as he considered me to be his "experiment". I was put in touch with a support group called "the Bandits": People who had had the operation and who met once a month to commiserate with each other!! Some had lost up to 100kg. They are a wonderful group and I don't know what I would have done without their support. After my first fill, I found the restriction had halved my intake. At that stage, there was no food that I couldn't eat, I could just eat less of it. My weight went down very slowly - about 3-4kg per month. This wasn't quick enough for me and so I went back for another fill in February. That was better. Suddenly things changed. There were certain foods that I just could not get down. meat was one of them. I couldn’t eat any meat, chicken or fish. OK, so I was destined to become a vegetarian. Not a problem. I didn't like meat that much anyway. (Gross part coming - skip this if you are sensitive) I also found that if I ate something that didn't agree with me I would produce a lot of "slime". A mucous like substance that would make me be sick. It was not like a proper vomit, but rather just a regurgitation. It didn't hurt, but wasn't nice to deal with. These episodes lasted anything from 5 -15 minutes. It helped me decide what was easy to eat and what wasn't. (Gross part over). I had no problems with dairy products (cheese, cheese and more cheese), carbohydrates (biscuits were wonderful), bread was OK, and vegetables. Some fruits worked and some didn't. Ate a lot of pulses (Beans, lentils etc). By the end of February I had lost 22kg. Then I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour and had to undergo brain surgery. After a few months recovery from the surgery I didn't go back for my fill. I regained about 10kg. I must at this stage say that the band never gave me any pain or discomfort. The port was inconspicuous and didn't even feel it. The whole procedure was painless and the fact that it was reversible gave me confidence that if anything got stuck or did cause pain, I could go to the surgeon and he would just unfill me until it sorted it self out. I haven't had to resort to this yet, but the knowledge that the option is there made me feel better. In March 2008 I thought I had better go back and get filled again and made a conscious decision to make this band work for me. A fill took me back to the level I was before my brain op and I began losing about 3-4kg a month again. Not quite satisfied with that I went for another fill in May and at last I got my "sweet spot". I went on a liquid diet for about 2 weeks before I began to eat soft solids and gradually moved onto harder solids. Once again no meat. I have had the slime episode a couple of times but know now how to deal with it. I also get wind that appears to be trapped in my stomach below my band. A few tummy pats usually dislodges it with a burp. The secret is not to eat and drink anything until you have dislodged the wind, or it traps the food in your pouch and the wind cannot escape. This can be painful. This time around I did get bad heartburn (which I hadn't had before). The other girls in my support group recommended a small pill that helps control the stomach acid and that has worked well. You learn what you can eat and can't eat and it is not the same for everyone. I have had my band in for nearly 2 years now and have never had any ill effects. I have a surgeon who is supportive and offers his assistance whenever he can, sometimes free of charge. I have a wonderful support group, some of whom have become good friends. I have lost over 50 kg. That "magic number" of 150 kg on the scale has finally been broken and I weigh less now than I did 10 years ago. I feel so much better, so much more active and my self esteem has risen tremendously. I am still losing and all I can say is that anyone who is considering this method of weight loss and for whom nothing else has worked. GO FOR IT!!! It's worth it. Bianca (Sherbrooke)

Feel free to friend me on Facebook at hely lb. I have a group with tons of recipes, ideas and suggestions. I have tons of stuff including crock pots, skillets, vegetarian, seafood, and anything you want I will find for you. The group is open to anyone. It is not a support group.