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just curious if you can be a vegetarian or vegan if you're sleeved, as long as you meet the nutritional requirements that the doctor gave you?.. everyone always asks how they get their Protein, but they have vegan protein powders and stuff, as well as leafy green vegetables & stuff. everything has protein in it. alrighty, thanks for your time.

Sure no prob guys. Here are some of the books I found with the higher ratings and reviews. 1) 101 BEST Paleo Diet Foods by Health Research Staff 2) Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso 3) Paleo Comfort foods: Homestule cooking for a gluten- free kitchen by Julie & Charles Mayfield 4) The Power of Paleo! By Mario ans Vienna Zander's 5) The Paleo diet solution: the modern caveman's cookbook 6) The Paleo diet cookbook by Loren Cordain, Ph. d. Now, don't forget this will be a lifestyle change not a temporary fix. Basically your body will be burning fat for energy instead of carbs. This is a very carb restricted diet. You're body will be in ketosis. But many people who assume they just do this for a week or 2 and than go back to a higher carb intake bight find the lbs coming back or weightloss stalling. I think this works for me bc I can live without rice for the rest of my life now.ni made the decision that is rather be healthy and I want to motivate my mom and dad who have a plethora of health issues and only cook very salthy, MSG infested, high fat Filipino food. I want them to live past their parents (bfathers died at 65ish) and have them walk me down the aisle and meet my kids. Besides my house is kind of a slaughter house. Sorry vegetarians:( but we love seafood and meat over here. I think it'd be the perfect diet for me. Also, did you ever think about this?: white rice doesn't taste like anything! Hahahah my nephew told me that the other day saying "Awww mommmm, but whats the point? It doesn't taste like anything!" smart 4th grader. I just found another good book by Loren Cordain and Friel: the Paleo diet for athletes. The first 20 pages are very good.

Hi everyone, I just got home from a good friend's house and it was the first time I've got to see her and sit and chat since I decided I was definitely going ahead with surgery and got a surgery date.. I was hoping she would be excited for me but instead I got the "why don't you take that money and spend it on a personal trainer and a nutritionist instead? I can show you how to eat vegetarian and you can come work out with me whenever you want." She just doesn't get it and I was so disappointed.. I really shouldn't have expected her (or anyone for that matter) to be supportive and excited. But seriously, I can't believe that in this day and age there are still SO many people who just don't get it. She actually told me that she understands because once when she was younger after having kids she had to lose 30 lbs. LOL I guess I just needed to vent a bit because I'm so tired of people who tell me to "just diet". Like I've never done that Anyway, I've decided that all the important people that I wanted to know about my surgery now know about it and will be there for me to support me next month when I have surgery. I feel like I need supportive people in my life right now and so I'm SO grateful for all of you!! The rest, well maybe I'll tell them someday and maybe I won't. God it was so disappointing to have such a good friend be so judgemental about WLS though. *sigh* It reminded me to not have expectations of other people and to be grateful my family is so supportive!! Thanks for letting me vent.

I am pre-op, start per-op diet Friday! WEll, if insurance does what it should.. Anyways, I switched surgeons a while back because I already know I hate protein shakes. I found a surgeon whose pre-op diet consists of low fat vegetarian for two weeks, which I can add unflavored protein to my daily soup and mashed cauliflower and oatmeal. After surgery, the first 3 days is clear liquids then anything pureed, so long as I can not eat it with a fork. SO whatever I want to put in the blender I can have as long as I can't use a fork. Gonna be making lots of flavorful healthy homemade soups then blend the heck out of them.

I have had GI Problems for many many years. For the last 6 years I have been on Omeprazol 10mg 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening- I was sleeved 11/2011 and I came off my meds in March of 2012. I also became a vegetarian and eat no fried food. I don't eat much bread and have no carbonation. I do however still have issues with my esophagus which are due to my auto immune issues and will never go away completely- i just had an endoscopy on MOnday to dilate it. The scope will tell you a few things a) if you have any scarring from the acid if you have any blockages causing things to get stuck and most of all enable him to prescribe something to help your symptoms. For me- I had amost instantaneous releif from reflux about a month after surgery and I had lost about 18-lbs at that time but they wanted to keep me on meds a little longer. I now use a Tums if/when needed because sometimes a lettuce or onion(y) dish will get it aggravated. I think that reflux is totally reversable in most cases if/when you change your diet but often times the damage is already done and therefore you may need to stay on meds for that purpose...

I've been out twice for dinner since being sleeved and it's been OK. On Saturday night I went to an Indian restaurant and just ordered an entree serve of chicken (would've been 2 thighs) and managed to only eat one thigh with about a tablespoon of lemon rice. I went out again for dinner on Monday night and again ordered just an entree of lemon pepper calamari. I only managed maybe 3 calamari rings, 2 chips and 2 slices of cucumber from the salad. I haven't yet attempted ordering off the kids menu, but from what they offered, it was crappy fried food anyway. I'm going out again in a few weeks to an Italian restaurant which mainly deal with pizza...any suggestions appreciated as to what I can have. I was thinking thin crust vegetarian if they have it.

I'm 6 weeks post op and here are something's I eat: Vegetarian chili Blackbeans Greek yogurt Canned chicken with Greek yogurt and seasons Tuna Salmon Shrimp cheese Cottage cheese Tomatoe Soup made with milk Refried Beans Toasted half English muffin with pizza sauce and cheese to make a mini pizza

You can eat some Pasta and bread... just don't over do it unless you'll feel it just sitting there. I eat pasta, rice, rice noodles, breads (not too doughy) regularly, however in moderation (maybe 4-5 pieces of pasta). The softer the pasta, the easier, just remember that it is not a source of Protein and it is not good for your hips and thighs. As for the vegetables - I'm the opposite. I had so much trouble with chicken, turkey, steak, etc that I have become vegetarian after the band. I can eat almost all veg and fruits, except spinach used in a salad. I can eat cooked spinach, but raw spinach gets stuck. Try smaller bits, reallychewing, and taking longer to eat a meal. A salad that used to take me 20 minutes to eat now takes me about 2 hours.

RNYTalk Newsletter By Hey, RNYTalk.com members!The weather’s warm, zucchini and watermelons are abundant and the Summer Games are providing inspirational moments for all of us. We hope life is good for you and you’ve been achieving your own goals this summer. To help you stay focused, here’s another newsletter from RNYTalk.com. This is what we’ve got for you: Burning question: What are the Best Sources of Protein? Member Spotlight: Meet KevinsBabyGirl85! Bypass Challenge: Record Your Diet! Life after Bypass: What’s Your Emergency Plan? We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter and you get inspiration and a few great ideas from it. Of course, when you’re done reading, come on over to the RNYTalk.com board and talk about the newsletter or anything else that’s on your mind. Also remember to drop me a line any time if you have comments or suggestions for the boards. Thanks! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder liquid diet after weight loss surgery, Protein shakes and Protein powder can help you meet your needs. Fat-free milk is another good source, and it also has Calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones. In the pureed foods stage, you can add in things like canned flake chicken, extra-lean ground beef and light tuna. Tuna has an extra benefit because of its heart-healthy omega-three fatty acids. Fat-free yogurt is another great option. You always want to look for lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy products instead of full-fat ones. That’ll help you limit your calories and reduce saturated fat, which is unhealthy for your heart because it raises your cholesterol levels. By the time you get to the soft (semi-solid) foods and solid foods stages, you have a lot more options. Fish, crab, white-meat, skinless chicken and turkey, and egg whites are almost pure protein – plus some essential nutrients. Be very careful to avoid any bones or gristle in your fish or meat. Some vegetarian options are tofu, Beans and low-fat cheese. Melted cheddar cheese makes a delicious topping for almost anything. Always eat slowly, savor the flavors and chew your food well before swallowing. Choosing Proteins that are lowest in calories and saturated fat will help you lose weight and stay healthy. Did you miss the previous Burning Question? You can always see the earlier Burning Questions in our sleep apnea and back pain, and couldn’t even go outside in the heat without losing her breath. KevinsBabyGirl85’s story is a little different than some we’ve seen. Many gastric bypass patients choose to get the surgery because they’re worried that they’ll have a health crisis in the future. For KevinsBabyGirl85, it was a reality. She spent 47 days in the hospital, including 21 on life support, when she needed two lung surgeries after catching bilateral pneumonia. Something had to change, and for KevinsBabyGirl85, gastric bypass was the answer. Since the surgery in January of 2012, KevinsBabyGirl85’s down to 164 pounds en route to her goal of 120 pounds. Some of her toughest moments have some as she’s figured out who her true friends are based on their support during her weight loss journey. A rewarding moment? Being able to stand with both legs in one pant leg of her old jeans! We bet she has a lot more energy now to keep up with her 7-year-old twins and their 5-year-old brother. KevinsBabyGirl85 is active on the boards and well-known for her generous and helpful advice. She uses RNYTalk.com to get support and provide it for others. Two pieces of advice for others? Take it one day at a time, and don’t ever give up! Thanks, KevinsBabyGirl85, for sharing your advice and story. You’re a great example of how well your advice really works! Don’t forget to check out KevinsBabyGirl85’s before and after photos in her member profile – she’s looking pretty awesome! Each newsletter features a different RNYTalk.com member in the dinner in the future. How will you let out your inner Olympian? Let us all know in the member Challenge Forum! Tell us what you did and whether you think it worked for you! The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we’d love for you to share your experiences. You’ll help inspire others to chase their own dreams. Miss a challenge? No problem! Just go back to the old newsletters to see what the challenges were. It’s never to late to try something new and tell us about it on the forums. Life after Bypass: What’s Your Emergency Plan? It’s Sunday morning and you haven’t been able to eat or drink all night because of nausea and vomiting. Your surgeon’s office hours are from Monday through Friday. You wait miserably until first thing Monday morning, when you call your surgeon. The receptionist is horrified to hear about your ordeal and says, “Why didn’t you call yesterday? We have someone here 24/7 for emergencies!” This scenario comes up all the time on the boards, and it’s truly heartbreaking because in most cases, the suffering you feel is entirely unnecessary. You should know what number to call when you have trouble. If your surgeon didn’t give you an after-hours number, ask for one. You should never have to wait a whole day just because your emergency happens on a weekend. And with that advice, we’re done with this newsletter. You can always read it again and look through old newsletters in the Newsletter Forum. We’re always happy to hear from you and to see increased participation on the boards, so log in and get talking! Thanks for your support. Take care of yourself and each other, Alex ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.rnytalk.c...&tab=newsletter

Hey, Banders!The weather’s warm, zucchini and watermelons are abundant and the Summer Games are providing inspirational moments for all of us. We hope life is good for you and you’ve been achieving your own goals this summer. To help you stay focused, here’s another newsletter from LapBandTalk.com. This is what we’ve got for you: Burning question: What are the Best Sources of Protein? Member Spotlight: Meet kll724! Bander Challenge: Record Your Diet! Life with the Lap-Band: What’s Your Emergency Plan? We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter and you get inspiration and a few great ideas from it. Of course, when you’re done reading, come on over to the LapBandTalk.com board and talk about the newsletter or anything else that’s on your mind. Also remember to drop me a line any time if you have comments or suggestions for the boards. Thanks! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder LapBandTalk.com Burning Question: What are the Best Sources of Protein? Last week we talked about why you need protein when you’re losing weight after surgery. But where should you get your protein from? There are a bunch of good sources. When you’re on a liquid diet after weight loss surgery, Protein shakes and Protein powder can help you meet your needs. Fat-free milk is another good source, and it also has Calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones. In the pureed foods stage, you can add in things like canned flake chicken, extra-lean ground beef and light tuna. Tuna has an extra benefit because of its heart-healthy omega-three fatty acids. Fat-free yogurt is another great option. You always want to look for lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy products instead of full-fat ones. That’ll help you limit your calories and reduce saturated fat, which is unhealthy for your heart because it raises your cholesterol levels. By the time you get to the soft (semi-solid) foods and solid foods stages, you have a lot more options. Fish, crab, white-meat, skinless chicken and turkey, and egg whites are almost pure protein – plus some essential nutrients. Be very careful to avoid any bones or gristle in your fish or meat. Some vegetarian options are tofu, Beans and low-fat cheese. Melted cheddar cheese makes a delicious topping for almost anything. Always eat slowly, savor the flavors and chew your food well before swallowing. Choosing Proteins that are lowest in calories and saturated fat will help you lose weight and stay healthy. Did you miss the previous Burning Question? You can always see the earlier Burning Questions in our Newsletter Archives. You don’t have to miss any important information! Member Spotlight – Meet kll724! This week we have the honor of featuring kll724 – or Karen – from Lakeland, Florida. This 64-year-old woman had gained weight over the years, ending up at a size 24 from her young adult size 7. She decided to get banded when she saw the success that her friend’s daughter had with the surgery in Mexico. Her surgeon in Florida had her follow a six-month pre-surgery diet, along with taking phentermine, so she could “learn to eat like a skinny person.” Not everything was smooth sailing. She had to get a complete unfill and revision due to slippage. She got dehydrated because she waited until Monday to call her surgeon before finding out that she could have called on Sunday! Karen is now down 100 pounds from her high weight of 244 pounds. Her arthritic knee is no longer troublesome, and she walks every day “without breaking a sweat.” Her husband calls this beautiful lady his trophy wife! Success with the lap-band seems to run in the family – both of her children have also been banded. Karen truly appreciates the warmth of LapBandTalk.com, where, as she says, “no one cares if you are 20 or 70.” Having maintained her goal weight for a while now, she offers wise advice for other banders. First, follow your surgeon’s advice. Second, be patient with yourself and don’t compare your weight loss to others. And finally, “remember that the band is a tool, and you do need to work at the weight loss.” We know that her advice works – if you need proof, just head on over to kll724’s profile and take a look at her photo gallery. She’s looking awesome! Thanks, Karen, for being such a supportive member of the community and for being in our spotlight! Each newsletter features a different LapBandTalk.com member in the Member Spotlight section. Let us know in the member spotlight forum if there’s someone you want to learn more about or if you want to be our spotlighted member! We’re all eager to hear more about you, so let us know who you are! If you’re shy and don’t want to post publicly, just PM Alex with the message that you want to be in the spotlight. This is our favorite part of the newsletter! Thanks for making it happen! Bander Challenge – Let out your inner Olympian! The Bander Challenge is the section of the newsletter when we suggest a challenge for you to try. The goal is to motivate you to push yourself to the next level – and that’s definitely the focus of this newsletter’s challenge! The Olympics are in full swing, and the whole world is watching these phenomenal athletes chasing and achieving their dreams. You may not have the grace, power and strength of the world’s best athletes, but you do have goals, hopes and dreams – just like Olympic athletes – and the chance to make them happen. So this newsletter’s challenge? Go for the gold and act like an Olympian! Olympic athletes put 100 percent of their effort toward achieving their dreams, and you can put 100 percent of your effort toward losing (or maintaining) weight and living a healthy lifestyle. Your challenge is to figure out what specific actions you might take to ensure your success. These are some ideas. Eat for success. Olympians choose nutritious foods over junk food because they’ll perform better. A meal with vegetables, fruit and lean meat will go a lot further than a hamburger and fries. The same is true for you – you’ll feel better, think more clearly and have more energy when you eat nutritious foods. Plan your meals and exercise. Success is no accident. Olympians plan every aspect of their training programs from training and recovery to diet and sleep. You should plan your own diet and exercise so that you always know what to do. Keep a log. An Olympic athlete keeps a training log to record each day’s workout and be able to look back and see what worked and what didn’t. Keeping your own diet and exercise log keeps you on track and lets you look back to see what patterns led to success and where you could have improved your choices. Visualize success. Most successful athletes take time each day to visualize their victory. They think about running that last lap in record time and accepting their medal on the victory podium. You can think about the bikini that you’re planning to wear next summer and the proud look on your spouse’s face when you two go out to dinner in the future. How will you let out your inner Olympian? Let us all know in the member Challenge Forum! Tell us what you did and whether you think it worked for you! The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we’d love for you to share your experiences. You’ll help inspire others to chase their own dreams. Miss a challenge? No problem! Just go back to the old newsletters to see what the challenges were. It’s never to late to try something new and tell us about it on the forums. Life with the Lap-Band: What’s Your Emergency Plan? It’s Sunday morning and you haven’t been able to eat or drink all night because of nausea and vomiting. Your surgeon’s office hours are from Monday through Friday. You wait miserably until first thing Monday morning, when you call your surgeon. The receptionist is horrified to hear about your ordeal and says, “Why didn’t you call yesterday? We have someone here 24/7 for emergencies!” This scenario comes up all the time on the boards, and it’s truly heartbreaking because in most cases, the suffering you feel is entirely unnecessary. You should know what number to call when you have trouble. If your surgeon didn’t give you an after-hours number, ask for one. You should never have to wait a whole day just because your emergency happens on a weekend. And with that advice, we’re done with this newsletter. You can always read it again and look through old newsletters in the Newsletter Forum. We’re always happy to hear from you and to see increased participation on the boards, so log in and get talking! Thanks for your support. Take care of yourself and each other, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

VerticalSleeveTalk Newsletter By Hey, Sleevers!The weather’s warm, zucchini and watermelons are abundant and the Summer Games are providing inspirational moments for all of us. We hope life is good for you and you’ve been achieving your own goals this summer. To help you stay focused, here’s another newsletter from VerticalSleeveTalk.com. This is what we’ve got for you: Burning Question: What are the Best Sources of Protein? Member Spotlight: Kyllfalcon! Sleever Challenge: Record Your Diet! Life with the Sleeve: What’s Your Emergency Plan? We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter and you get inspiration and a few great ideas from it. Of course, when you’re done reading, come on over to the VerticalSleeveTalk.com board and talk about the newsletter or anything else that’s on your mind. Also remember to drop me a line any time if you have comments or suggestions for the boards. Thanks! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder liquid diet after weight loss surgery, Protein shakes and Protein powder can help you meet your needs. Fat-free milk is another good source, and it also has Calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones. In the pureed foods stage, you can add in things like canned flake chicken, extra-lean ground beef and light tuna. Tuna has an extra benefit because of its heart-healthy omega-three fatty acids. Fat-free yogurt is another great option. You always want to look for lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy products instead of full-fat ones. That’ll help you limit your calories and reduce saturated fat, which is unhealthy for your heart because it raises your cholesterol levels. By the time you get to the soft (semi-solid) foods and solid foods stages, you have a lot more options. Fish, crab, white-meat, skinless chicken and turkey, and egg whites are almost pure protein – plus some essential nutrients. Be very careful to avoid any bones or gristle in your fish or meat. Some vegetarian options are tofu, Beans and low-fat cheese. Melted cheddar cheese makes a delicious topping for almost anything. Always eat slowly, savor the flavors and chew your food well before swallowing. Choosing Proteins that are lowest in calories and saturated fat will help you lose weight and stay healthy. Did you miss the previous Burning Question? You can always see the earlier Burning Questions in our scale victories has been while clothes shopping. Her old size was a 3x. After surgery, she mail-ordered a 1x pair of pants, and it was too big. She exchanged it for an XL, but that didn’t work, either. She finally settled on a size large – and we bet it’ll be too big for her soon! Kyllfalcon’s also proud and relieved to say that she can still enjoy family parties while losing weight! She can share in the pizza and birthday cake, but now she’s in control and knows when enough is enough – and when the party’s over, it’s time to get back to business. Kyllfalcon’s arthritis has improved a lot, and her blood pressure is under control. Water has been a little tough, but she fixes it up with Crystal Light. She reports a pretty smooth weight loss journey so far, and we think her success is due to her positive attitude. Kyllfalcon counts VerticalSleeveTalk.com as part of her official support group, along with friends, family and coworkers. She visits each day to get and give support. Some of her tips? Keep fighting – if you fall down, “get right back up to fight another day.” She also encourages you to “see yourself thin and healthy.” Thanks, Kyllfalcon, for being such a great role model and sharing your story in our member spotlight! Each newsletter features a different VerticalSleeveTalk.com member in the sleep. You should plan your own diet and exercise so that you always know what to do. Keep a log. An Olympic athlete keeps a training log to record each day’s workout and be able to look back and see what worked and what didn’t. Keeping your own diet and exercise log keeps you on track and lets you look back to see what patterns led to success and where you could have improved your choices. Visualize success. Most successful athletes take time each day to visualize their victory. They think about running that last lap in record time and accepting their medal on the victory podium. You can think about the bikini that you’re planning to wear next summer and the proud look on your spouse’s face when you two go out to dinner in the future. How will you let out your inner Olympian? Let us all know in the member Challenge Forum! Tell us what you did and whether you think it worked for you! The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we’d love for you to share your experiences. You’ll help inspire others to chase their own dreams. Miss a challenge? No problem! Just go back to the old newsletters to see what the challenges were. It’s never to late to try something new and tell us about it on the forums. Life with the Sleeve: What’s Your Emergency Plan? It’s Sunday morning and you haven’t been able to eat or drink all night because of nausea and vomiting. Your surgeon’s office hours are from Monday through Friday. You wait miserably until first thing Monday morning, when you call your surgeon. The receptionist is horrified to hear about your ordeal and says, “Why didn’t you call yesterday? We have someone here 24/7 for emergencies!” This scenario comes up all the time on the boards, and it’s truly heartbreaking because in most cases, the suffering you feel is entirely unnecessary. You should know what number to call when you have trouble. If your surgeon didn’t give you an after-hours number, ask for one. You should never have to wait a whole day just because your emergency happens on a weekend. And with that advice, we’re done with this newsletter. You can always read it again and look through old newsletters in the Newsletter Forum. We’re always happy to hear from you and to see increased participation on the boards, so log in and get talking! Thanks for your support. Take care of yourself and each other, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

Hi All! I hope your journey is going smoothly. I have been reading on VST for a while now. I was starting to feel concerned about the pre op diet, but I am starting to wonder if I actually have anything to worry about? This week I started my pre op appointments. Welcome group, NUT and psychologist. I have to say I am a bit surprized about all of these appointments. Psychologist- This was a weird conversation and we did NOT talk too much about weight loss. We talked about almost all major aspects of my life: marriage, parenting, my family history, doctoral program and goals I have. The psychologist told me about his life a little. When I left I had a list of goals that the psychologist made for me, which were to say the least, were weird and really not related to what we talked about. Did you have this experience? Nut- I LOVE my NUT, she is the best. She is a vegetarian as well, which is nice. I need to loose 20lbs prior to surgery, but I have three months to do so. So, we talked about small changes, like pre measuring 1oz servings of cheese (I LOVE CHEESE) and eating about 1500-1800 calories. We also talked about not making changes until I feel its time for me. Everything really seems very centered on what I feel is right for me. The NUT gave me samples of Protein Shakes, and said if I wanted I could replace one meal a day, but that was up to me. Why are so many having these intense pre op diets? Am I missing something? Maybe I have a more intense version coming up? So far I am very pleased with the clinic and the entire team. Next week I see the PT, NP and have the metabolic test. I would love to hear what your experience with your pre op appointments has been like!! Thanks for reading and sharing! Wishing You Wellness, Sannah

If You Use Vitamins Or Protein powders, You Need To Read This...and Share It With Everyone You Know. by slojo67 Jul 10, 2012 9:35 AM Weight Loss Surgery Weight Loss Pregnancy Seniors Heart Health Vegetarians Cancer Patients Unjury Brand Vitamins, Protein Powder by slojo67 Jul 9, 2012 2:45 PM I just ordered 100 lap-band chewable vitamins and 15 unflavored protein packets from Unjur for 56.00. This is medical quality protein that can be added to my puree's, shakes, coffee (haha). I find this very reasonable price. I have to have packets for the plane flights to Mexico in August for surgery. Plan to add these twice daily pre-op and post op. This will equal 50g protein that I won't have to worry about achieving some other way... And the vitamins are chewable... (Read More) 5 Comments

I'm actually doing very well with this recipe.. No pain at all.. And the taste makes me crave it.. Especially after adding the cheese n tomato I'm laying in bed wanting to cry because I have no more chicken n I'm out of money. Ugh, idk what I'm going to eat tomorrow... I pushed away from the KFC.. I seen I couldn't tolerate it. I was to I could have the following per my nutritionist... Recommended Foods for Stage 3 High Protein Foods Other Foods Eggs/Egg Whites Skinless Fruits (banana, Melon, Peach) ( Avoid fruits in syrup or added sugar) Low-Fat Yogurt (Greek Yogurt) Cream of Wheat/Oatmeal/Farina/Grits Flaky White Fish (Broiled or Baked) Soggy Cold Cereal with Skim Milk/Milk Alternative Flaked Tuna Cooked/Mashed Soft Vegetables * Avoid stringy vegetable choices* Small Shrimp/Scallops/Crab/Salmon Soft Mashed or Sweet Potatoes Mashed Beans/Lentils/ Blended Chili Low-Fat Strained Soups (No Chunks) Low-Fat/Fat-Free Cottage Cheese Unsweetened apple sauce Low-Fat Shredded or Soft Cheese Crackers and Toast * Exception to the rule: Both are tolerated if chewed properly and eaten slowly* Skim/1% Milk Soft lettuce (Bib or Red Leaf) Tofu or Hummus Thinly sliced deli turkey/ham (Low-Fat) >93% Lean Ground Beef/Turkey Chicken/Egg salad with low fat mayo Morning Star Vegetarian Choices Veggie Burger

I saw the Taco Soup recipe! That sounds sooo good, but I'm looking for more. Does anyone know how to cook up some mean tofu?? I've never made tofu before, but would love to learn how and make it good! I like to use Boca crumbles and Morningstar bacon. I plan to go to Whole Foods to see what other meat alternatives would be RNY-friendly. I also need recipes that my 2 1/2-year might eat. She's sooo picky--worse than me! LOL

Oh wow! So nice to find someone else like me! Exactly why I joined this group! Has being a picky eater what got you overweight in the first place? That's what happened to me, because even though I've been a vegetarian for 11 years, I still packed on the weight because I technically don't like vegetables but love (loved) carbs. I used to call myself a carbivore instead! LOL I will say that for me, finding things that taste good got harder and harder as time went on, because all these foods that I used to think were soooo good, I developed an aversion to for a few different reasons. Some of them made me feel nauseous and I'd throw up, some of them I could eat so I'd eat it so often that I couldn't stand it anymore, and anything rich or creamy just makes me sick to even think about it! I too am hoping to find some good vegetarian/vegan recipes here. I also need added spice to foods since the surgery. Things are just so much more bland now and I pepper the crap out of everything! And I also had a really hard time in the very beginning, because it was just impossible for me to drink liquid foods as often as I was supposed to and there was hardly anything I wanted or could stomach. Tomato Soup ended up being something I had a lot of and now I can't stand. Popsicles were also a life-saver for me. As far as the sugar-free foods, I've always had an issue with any foods containing Splenda/sucralose and that hasn't changed. I just try to stick to finding foods with real sugar but low sugar. One thing that I've always been able to handle is sugar-free maple syrup and I would put a little bit of that into some cream of wheat instead of brown sugar and not only would it be sugar-free, but the syrup helps liquify the cream of wheat to make it easier to eat. I hope to keep in contact with you and maybe I can help you along the way. It's really tough in the very beginning, because you're stomach has changed, but your mind hasn't and you think you still want those bad-for-you foods and you want solids--now! But it'll come sooner than later and the results are well worth all the hassle!! Good luck to you!

Hi Michelle! First, let me say congrats on your weight loss; thats amazing! I'm new to this too! I just had surgery last thursday & its been rough finding anything that tastes good to me. I'm also a vegetarian & an extremely picky eater which I think has only gotten worse. I'm hoping to find some great recipes to "spice" things up a bit. I'm not even doing puréed foods yet, so it's been hard to find "liquids" appealing. I use to be able to eat diet foods & now everything that I've tried sugar free seems to leave an unpleasant after taste in my mouth. Did you run in to that too?

Hi! Allow me to introduce myself! My name is Michelle. I am a 33-year old single mom of a 2 1/2-year old who I had made a promise to when I was pregnant that by the time she was 3 I would be healthy and no longer embarrassed to wear shorts, tank tops, and maybe even a swimsuit out in public. So far, I've accomplished the first two!! The first time I put on a tank top and walked into the Walgreens in my town, I was sooooo excited and proud! I am currently 15 1/2 weeks post-op and down 68 pounds! I haven't been at this weight for over 10 years! It's been amazing as well as trying. Luckily the issues I've run into are probably just because it's only been a few months since my surgery and my "pouch" (I hate that word--I say tiny tummy) is still adjusting. I have a few more obstacles than the average person who had the roux-en-y surgery in that I have some "mental illnesses" (hate those words too!), I'm a vegetarian, and I'm an extreeeemely picky eater (and since the surgery, that has just gotten worse--suddenly foods taste different--and not in a good way! In one sense that's good, but in the sense that I need lots of Protein and I'm not getting enough, it's not.). My main hurdle, however, has been keeping foods down. My doc thinks it's just because my medications have possible side effects of nausea and vomiting and/or that my tiny tummy is still adjusting. But, I wondered if it could have anything to do with the enormous amount of drainage I've been having probably due to allergies, because when my food comes up, lots of (sorry) mucus comes with it. Anyone else have this problem?? This is why I am excited to join this support group. To get answers, to get to know other people in my position, to share my experiences, to hopefully help other people, and to inquire on what is yet to come.

Hey Sleevers! I have 2 more days to go before surgery and I feel the butterflies in my stomach.... Congrats to all that are coming up on that big date! We will do well and be a success! (have to keep telling myself that) And my son has the AUDACITY to be sitting in front of me chomping down on some hot dogs & Bush's vegetarian beans..... I can say this though...I DON'T WANT ANY!!!! (didn't think I'd feel that way about food lol) Anyhoo, say a prayer for me and I will do the same!

I became a vegetarian post op. and am not having any problems at all- other than some hair loss which was present pre op. I do eat dairy a few times a month (yogurt, cheese) but other than that it is all meatless items, fruits and veggies... I have personally NEVER felt better than I have since adopting this lifestyle and the hardest part has been cooking for me and hubby- he is a true carnivore...

I am close to a year out and eat salads quite often being a vegetarian... However I was not able to eat them without vomiting or diarrhea until about 5 mos out. Even then I gradually went into them.. a few bites here and there just to test the waters... NOw I have no problem and can eat kale, greens, spinach, salade etc... NO problems.

I eat a lot of grains- steel cut oats, quinoa and tofu, I eat a lot of the morningstar burgers and meatless chicken- I also make green smoothies with spinach or kale and fruit- I eat a lot of beans, hummus, eggplant- I did a 21 day vegan challenge and kept with it- they issued a bunch of recipes and that helped a lot since it was all new to me- It was not and is not hard and I dont miss meat at all... I am always full and have to forcemyslef to eat most days but I feel 100% better overall... I eliminated dairy out of my diet but twice a month I eat string cheese or queso blanco and/or yogurt just for something different but I use almond milk or hazelnut milk daily. If we eat out and there are no vegetarian options I will eat fresh fish if I am not in the mood for a salad but that has been rare... and you have to be careful eating out- Texas Roadhouse has really good baked potatoes and sweet potatoes BUT they are cooked in bacon grease/fat- so not vegetarian and you wouldnt know unless you ask and ask and ask....

I am banded two years ago and have lost nearly seven stone. until you start having fills, you won't get decent restriction that you can live with - everyone is different. my surgeon was Martin richardson, THG Bromsgrove. Had brilliant support and aftercare package, so would recommend him/it/them. I've recently had a problem following two long haul flights in two months, which meant my band got a bit sensitive to the de-fills and fills that I subjected it to. I've spent the last 3 months being sick a lot, which has resulted in low levels of albumin in my blood, which has shown as swollen feet and legs. I wasn't keeping enough Protein down to ensure my liver was able to manufacture the albumin apparently. I'm now on a high protein diet (I'm vegetarian, so takes a bit more thought) and my band seems to have settled down, so I've stopped being sick, don't know how long it will take for normal functioning to resume, but it will. also had some problems in the recent past with night cough, but that is fine now, as long as I don't eat too late. even though ive had a few problems, it has all been worth it, my general health and energy levels are so much better and I look good now too! one word of advice - take advice from the clinicians rather than going to other bandsters first - we're all on a journey and what works for them may not be the best advice for you. having said that, there is great support to be had from sites such as this one. good luck! karen

I'm on the anything I want plan right now.... leaning toward vegetarian Southbeach. The closer I get to the southbeach, the more control I have over the weight and hunger. --- Reading this over I realized I DONT eat everything I want without end. But I do eat stuff I crave everyday. If I had no stops on my desire, it would be a whole different story. Give credit where credit is due!