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Our turkey is traditionally prepared by my vegetarian sister... Go figure...

Thoughts: Eat very slowly & start with your protein. Odds are you won't get through even all your protein. If you do, eat a little veggie. Yes, eventually you will be able to eat all that at once. I am 6 months out & a vegetarian. So, my meal plan varies a little from yours. Your listed breakfast is something I would eat & I don't think that I could handle that much until just recently.

food allowance". The Latin word diaeta and Greek word diaita mean "a way of life, a regimen". According to Medilexicon`s medical dictionary, a diet means "1. Food and drink in general. 2. A prescribed course of eating and drinking in which the amount and kind of food, as well as the times at which it is to be taken, are regulated for therapeutic purposes. 3. Reduction of caloric intake so as to lose weight. 4. To follow any prescribed or specific diet." In this article "diet" refers to a food and drink consumption regime with the aim to either lose weight, to prevent weight gain, or a lifestyle and philosophy. We selected the most popular diets according to three criteria: 1. How many articles there are around about these diets/lifestyles. 2. How popular they seem to be generally. 3. How often we receive feedback on them. Below you can see a list of the seven diets, some information about each one, and links to more information. Atkins The Atkins Diet, or Atkins Nutritional Approach, focuses on controlling the levels of insulin in our bodies through diet. If we consume large amounts of refined carbohydrates our insulin levels will rise rapidly, and then fall rapidly. Rising insulin levels will trigger our bodies to store as much of the energy we eat as possible - it will also make it less likely that our bodies use stored fat as a source of energy. Most people on the Atkins Diet will consume a higher proportion of Proteins than they normally do. The Zone The Zone Diet aims for a nutritional balance of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fats, and 30% Protein each time we eat. The focus is also on controlling insulin levels, which result in more successful weight loss and body weight control. The Zone Diet encourages the consumption of good quality carbohydrates - unrefined carbohydrates, and fats, such as olive oil, avocado, and nuts. Vegetarian There are various types of vegetarian - Lacto vegetarian, Fruitarian vegetarian, Lacto-ovo-vegetarian, Living food diet vegetarian, Ovo-vegetarian, Pescovegetarian, and Semi-vegetarian. The majority of vegetarians are lacto-ovovegetarians, in other words, they do not eat animal-based foods, except for eggs, dairy, and honey. Several studies over the last few years have shown that vegetarians have a lower body weight, suffer less from diseases, and generally have a longer life expectancy than people who eat meat. Vegan Veganism is more of a way of life and a philosophy than a diet. A vegan does not eat anything that is animal based, including eggs, dairy, and honey. Vegans do not generally adopt veganism just for health reasons, but also for environmental and ethical/compassionate reasons. Vegans believe that modern intensive farming methods are bad for our environment and unsustainable in the long term. If all our food were plant based our environment would benefit, animals would suffer less, more food would be produced, and people would generally enjoy better physical and mental health, vegans say. Weight Watchers Weight Watchers focuses on losing weight through diet, exercise, and a support network. Weight Watchers Inc. was born in the 1960s when a homemaker (housewife) who had lost some weight and was concerned she might put it back on. So, she created a network of friends. Weight Watchers is a huge company, with branches all over the world. Dieters can join either physically, and attend regular meetings, or online. In both cases there is a great deal of support and education available for the dieter. South Beach The South Beach Diet was started by a cardiologist, Dr. Agatston, and a nutritionist, Marie Almon. It also focuses on the control of insulin levels, and the benefits of unrefined slow carbohydrates versus fast carbs. Dr. Agatston devised the South Beach Diet during the 1990s because he was disappointed with the low-fat, high-carb diet backed by the American Heart Association. He believed and found that low-fat regimes were not effective over the long term. Raw Food The Raw Food Diet, or Raw Foodism, involves consuming foods and drinks which are not processed, are completely plant-based, and ideally organic. Raw Foodists generally say that at least three-quarters of your food intake should consist of uncooked food. A significant number of raw foodists are also vegans - they do not eat or drink anything which is animal based. There are four main types of raw foodists: 1. Raw vegetarians. 2. Raw vegans. 3. Raw omnivores. 4. Raw carnivores. Mediterranean The Mediterranean Diet is Southern European, and more specifically focuses on the nutritional habits of the people of Crete, Greece, and southern Italy. Nowadays, Spain, southern France, and Portugal are also included; even though Portugal does not touch the Mediterranean Sea. The emphasis is on lots of plant foods, fresh fruits as dessert, Beans, nuts, cereals, seeds, olive oil as the main source of dietary fats, cheese and yogurts are the main dairy foods, moderate amounts of fish and poultry, up to about four eggs per week, small amounts of red meat, and low/moderate amounts of wine. 25% to 35% of the Mediterranean diet consists of fat, with saturated fats not exceeding 8% of calorie intake. News on Nutrition / Diet For the latest news and research on Nutrition / Diet, please visit our Nutrition / Diet news section. Written by Christian Nordqvist Original article date: 11 Feb 2004 Article updated: 12 May 2009

Day 2 after surgery was a bit like that for me. Couldn't settle, couldn't lie down, sit up, stand, sleep. Headaches, nausea, general sense of distress that just wouldn't go away. I finally slept (with the help of pain relief meds) for a couple of hours and woke up feeling a little better, since then each day just gets better. I'm now being kind to myself, if I don't progress at the same rate as I think I should, I just try to accept it and adjust to whatever that day brings. I'm pretty much vegetarian at the moment - but I know that meat will re-enter my diet at some point. A friend had similar experience to you in the beginning but is now happy and about 150lb lighter and moving in with his new girlfriend. Hang in there, it does get better. Everyone has put up some great advice here - but take note of Junior Guru's comments re watching your health too so speak to your doctor or nurse. Big hugs and well wishes to you!

First it will take a lot of concentrated effort over a long period of time, eating huge amounts of food to stretch your tummy out again. You do need to be careful of portion sizes while you are healing so you don’t put too much stress on your tummy & the stitches, & staples holding it together. Though there are similarities in plans, there are also lots of differences plus there are also your individual needs to be considered (vegetarian, allergies, etc.). Which is why your surgeon &/or dietician should have provided you with the post surgical diet listing what foods you can eat when they want you to follow. They should also provide you with goals & recommendations around fluid, protein & sometimes also calories & macros. They should also advise on portion sizes. If they haven’t ask for them - they are supposed to be there to support you through this. As an example of differences, I was only given fluid, protein & portion size recommendations: 2L fluid, 60g protein, 1/4 - 1/3 cup food from purée. Some are advised more protein. Some are given caloric goals along the way like to aim for 1200 calories within a couple of months (I barely hit 900 at 6 months). There are differences in plan lengths, the stages & even the food. Once through the immediate post surgical stages & on solid foods, talk to your dietician about different eating plans you could follow while losing & would easily translate into maintenance as well. Best advice is: don't do more than you are able to do & don’t do more than you are advised to do just because you can. If you can’t eat something on your list or eat all your portion that’s okay. Eating more than your recommended portion or eating food not on your recommended list for each of the eating plan stages until you are at that stage is not the best decision.

hello all, At last I have found a solution !! I have arthritis and am not very active...so even 1200 cals was too much for me!! I have good restriction so now I have decided to have more liquids,Soups, buttermilk, and veggies and pulses.since I am a vegetarian. eating less is better for me.I have got to do it now!!!

I don't have a typical day. It varies depending on my activities. Today is a light day because I didn't go to the gym. On non gym days I eat lighter and really watch my carbs. Breakfast was a scrambled egg with cheese and hot chocolate with a scoop of Protein powder. lunch was a scrambled egg with cheese and grits dinner will be a cup of soup and I'll probably add a scoop of Isopure naked to it. I may have an orange as a snack if I get hungry. On gym days I have a pre-gym Protein Drink with Fage 0% Greek yogurt, Protein Powder mixed with Water. Add in vary as to how I am feeling. Sometimes fruit, sometime a bit of cacao powder, sometimes almond butter, etc.... Lunch , then dinner. I try to have a salad with protein for dinner or a protein and a spinach for dinner. Afternoon snack are always optional if I am hungry. I am vegetarian so my Proteins are typically Beans, tofu, TVP and occasionally a non meat product like Beyond Meat or Gardein. I average 70 - 80gms of protein and day and try to keep carbs below 50.

@@Tauruslady5 - That is true only for added fiber, particularly fiber like psyllium. If you are eating high fiber foods you won't have that problem. I am a vegetarian. I eat A LOT of Beans as part of my Protein. I also eat a far amount of green, leafy veg. I get in 64 ounces of Fluid regularly. I am as regular as clockwork. To the OP. You can try a variety of things. Colace, ducolax, prune, epsom salt in grapefruit juice, benefiber, milk of magnesium. There have been loads of suggestions in this thread and many, many threads on this board. My doctor was more proactive and started me on a 30 day course of colace day 1 in the hospital. I had my first BM on the 3rd day home and have been regular ever since. I haven't need to use anything to keep me regular. Once normal functions returned I was right as rain.

There are vegan options for shakes, but I haven't tried them. I found this list on google, from PETA https://www.peta.org/living/food/pump-workouts-vegan-protein-powder/ It looks like it could be helpful. I think your biggest challenge if vegan is the immediate post op stage where most people rely on shakes, cottage cheese, yogurt, jello, etc to get through the healing part, so you may have to be just vegetarian and allow the dairy in your diet to make it through. Once you're over that, you should be able to choose a diet you want with more veggies as your food source, but use tofu and non-dairy protein shakes to meet your protein goals. Most post op people are on a keto diet because, well, it works! And aside from the high fat intake (which isn't necessary for post-op bariatric patients because it's function is to aid in satiety in non-surgical folks, and is a LIMIT, not a GOAL), the protein and carb requirements are in line with what we need anyway. So it helps to follow keto in the sense that the keto community offers great meal ideas that keep the carbs in check and don't use added sugars.

My tummy feels yucky after each meal. Do that mean I am eating the wrong things or am I eating to much or am I now a vegetarian? I have no idea. Can you help me out? I am three weeks out.

So, I am not a vegetarian or a vegan, however, since my surgery I have been eating a lot more soy meats, and trying plant based protein replacements. I have found that I love Gardein brand. My newest love is called the "Neat " made by Atlantic Natural Foods Company, I put the link below to their "meatless" options. They also carry a line called Loma Linda Blue, which has some interesting options as well. I'm personally choosing this style of eating a few days a week to naturally lower my cholesterol, but I know that many of you choose this for a lifestyle. Feel free to share your favorite products! http://www.atlanticnaturalfoods.com/brand/neat/ http://www.atlanticnaturalfoods.com/brand/loma-linda/

So I decided to drop a friend who literally told me I was "taking the easy way out" if I got this surgery and all the months leading up to it would say I was "pathetic" and "lazy" just threw a slew of disgusting insults my way which made me feel shitty Little back story: I'm 22 and struggled with my weight my whole life (due to PCOS and other medical things) from 13-19 years old I suffered anorexia and got down to 80 something pounds (I was literally on my death bed)so right when I graduated high school for an entire year after I was inpatient in the hospital and recovering from the anorexia when I got out I guess I just couldn't stop gaining weight? (PCOS, hereditary etc)It started triggering me a lot and I would try everything to lose weight! I'm a vegetarian I work with dogs running around all day with them constantly moving very active job so you can imagine my frustration so I decided to go this route and I'm 3 weeks out and 25 pounds down and I'm doing very well this is kinda going all over the place lol sorry to whoever reads this Anywhoooo my "friend" would just put me down constantly and they knew me during my anorexic days they knew me during the recovery days they saw how much I struggled with weight gain and loss and still had the audacity to say if I went through with this procedure I was taking the "easy way out" and they'd "never be able to look at me the same" so a couple days before my surgery I dropped them and I gotta say I don't miss them at all if anything this surgery is HARDER than doing it on your own it's a fucking surgery for fucks sake #1 and #2 there is no going back you gotta learn new ways to eat you gotta take vitamins and minerals you gotta make sure you get a certain amount of protein everyday this is by no means "easy" and it still fuckin annoys me that people have the audacity to say some dumb shit like that Sorry this went like all over the place I'm just annoyed at the moment and I had to vent about it

I feel like it's a long shot, but I'm wondering if there is a vegan or mostly vegan post bariatric person out there that I can talk to. I've been a vegetarian for 17 years and I think I may finally make the transition. Thanks!

I don't. It's would be nearly impossible on a vegetarian diet when most plant based sources of protein also tend to have carbs. My carbs run a little on the high side but most days I keep it between 50 - 60 carbs/100gms protein/900 -1,000 calories a day.

Any vegetarians out there that have already been sleeved? Being able to eat right as a veggie post op is one on my main concerns. Advice???

I'm seven months post op and have been vegetarian for 20+ years. I still have one protein shake most days and am trying to get more adventurous with other veggie protein sources. It's totally doable, but I do have to be more conscious of carbs than meat eaters seem to since I can't just have a piece of chicken or fish for dinner. Talk to your nut - mine modified the preop diet for me and gave me some info on veggie protein that wasn't in our manual. If you eat eggs, as I do, it'll be easy to get in some good (and cheap!) protein.

Yeah and remember there's a fair amount of us vegetarian bariatric folks too! So legumes of course HAVE to be part of the diet, I eat black bean soups, baba ganoush, chiles, (and I'm 9 weeks out) and lentils...

I have looked into weight loss surgery three times in the last 18 months. Vacillating between types of surgeries, buying new gym equipment, or trying to find a new diet. I have a small room full of exercise equipment and every cookbook from Atkins to Zen diet. Finally, while up at an abnormally late hour with my dog, I took an online seminar required prior to a free initial consultation with a surgeon. It was the beginning of a new year and what did I have to lose? If they called me to schedule I could just say "no thank you" if I decided this was a middle of the night pipe dream. The next day they called and instead of avoiding the call, like I almost always do, I answered it. I scheduled my free initial consultation during the second week of February and I went. It was a pleasant meeting with the surgeon and the insurance specialist. I walked away with a lot of fears eased - specifically cost. The surgeon even said that I may be a good candidate for outpatient surgery if I did well with program compliance to help ease any out-of-pocket expenses I may incur after my insurance limit. While this is something I'm not banking on, it's encouraging to say the least. I walked out with a checklist of things do schedule and orders for blood work and an initial home sleep study. I was motivated to get started on this journey that has been years in the making. I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. I was billed "chubby" by my own overweight mother as a child or "big-boned." I slimmed down significantly in high school while maintaining some sharp curves and slimmed down even more in college when I found intramural sports I enjoyed playing. I think it's valuable to briefly share my journey from the past 10 years to show how I reached my decision to have the surgery. An accidental pregnancy at the age of 22, just as I had started graduate school, was a major turning point. My now husband and I made some significant lifestyle changes to welcome our baby into the world, only to discover at around 20 weeks my placenta had abrupted and our boy lost his life. I had to undergo a D&E and find a way to move on. Moving on proved to be another pregnancy very shortly after the loss. Becoming pregnant with my daughter made it seem to my body as though I had been pregnant for well over a year as opposed to a typical 9 months. I was watched very closely and modified activity throughout my pregnancy. She made her appearance several weeks early in late January of 2008. Healthy, but small. I had not emotionally recovered from initial loss and I suffered from post-partum depression for a time. Breastfeeding proved difficult due to her tiny mouth and poor latch and a serious case of mastitis did our breastfeeding journey in. So, I didn't reap the benefits of weight loss from breastfeeding, as I would my son later and I just settled for being heavier. I was too busy with work, being a new young mom, and generally finding myself to really take care of myself from a physical standpoint. I was just stuck as a heavier person. My weight creeped up very gradually and would occasionally yo-yo when I would put in effort with a new diet here or weight watchers there, or that time I bought a new treadmill and a month in it became a new clothing rack. It was frustrating never seeing the results I wanted to see. My husband and I married when my daughter was nearly 4 in late December of 2011. It wasn't what I had in mind, I had visions of eloping. But, family wishes got in the way of my plans and we were married in a very small church service with immediate family present only. My fondest memory of that day is the way my daughter looked and her tight grip on my hand as she helped my dad walk me down the aisle. Pictures of myself from that day are kept hidden. I tried to become smaller in the months leading up to my wedding, but it was frustrating and I couldn't even be proud of what little weight I had lost. My wedding bands stopped fitting about 4 months after our wedding and they still don't fit. I've never had them re-sized because I was always hopeful and trying to lose weight. I became pregnant with our son and another difficult pregnancy ensued. This time I developed tachycardia and spent 80% of my pregnancy sitting or on bed rest. I remember first noticing the issue at my sister-in-law's wedding, just 6 weeks pregnant or so. The room became extremely warm, my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest and I was so dizzy. I sat at a table and I thought about how I didn't feel right. My son was born healthy and strong 9 months later in December of 2012. During that time, I gained and gained because I was limited on mobility and I filled emotional voids with food. My husband lost a lot of weight while I was pregnant and that was so frustrating for me. I nursed my son for a year and during that time, weight melted off of me. I got down to a weight that I was able to feel good about exercising again, so I took up running again. I don't remember exactly why I stopped, but I did. I also gave up the mostly vegetarian diet. I yo-yo dieted for the next few months, waking up late and making up excuses as to why I wasn't going to go to the gym one day to the next. In the summer of 2014 I had my gallbladder removed and I seemed to pack on the pounds even more afterwards. I thought something was wrong with me. I requested my doctor do lab work for thyroid. Everything always came back fine. I was sent to an Endocrinologist to make sure, but it turned out I was just obese and needed to "try harder" at losing the weight. I feel like I've been trying hard to lose weight for years. In 2016 I started to read about people who had lost weight through bariatric surgery. Twice I half-heartedly looked into it, but would choose instead to take a spin class for a few weeks or go on a new diet like Whole30. I would lose a few pounds, but nothing that motivated me to stick with it. This year, a few weeks away from turning 33 as I write this, feels different to me. I need to lose weight. I feel the weight of my body more than ever. I'm in pain physically and emotionally because I'm stuck in a body that limits me from living my fullest life. My kids are 9 and 4 and I want to do things with them that my large body makes difficult. Making that initial "free" consultation I'm hoping will pay me back in dividends. I'm so confident in this decision and look forward to a healthy new body by the end of the year.

Are you vegetarian? If not, my dietitian told me i could have chicken breast (as long as it isnt dry and can be thrown in a processor if needed), or ground beef. Mashed potatoes too!

Thanks for your response! Sorry about the spam. I think it's only spam if I'm trying to sell you something! But I get what you're saying. So here's an attempt to elevate this threads value above spam: It's been 13 months since I had the surgery. Lost 115 lbs since. Everyone asks "how did you do it?". At first I avoided the answer, but now I say, "I took extreme measures" if they press I tell them. With one curious friend I had to draw a diagram . I don't have any reflux issues, but I still have to take some pills to keep it at bay. For the last 3 months my weight is holding. I do want to lose another 30 lbs, but suddenly it's super difficult to lose weight. I know I have to exercise more to do that. I'm a vegetarian so it is a pain to manage Protein and carbs. I try to drink at least 1 New whey protein a day. Also I eat a lot of TVP (I soak it in tomato sauce). Thank god for tvp! Btw I do not advocate vegetarianism, it's a pain in the neck to try to avoid carbs and get enough protein. I guess that's it. Thanks again for the reply and in that pretty font. Of course I know you replied because it came via email!

Today is my 1st anniversary... I felt it important to share my thoughts on my weight loss journey to help others. In November 2009 I began a six month weight loss program required by my insurance for the lap band procedure. My highest weight was 324 pds. By the end of the six months I weighed 290 pds. However, I seemed to have some conflicts with the doctor and decided it was in my best interest to seek another doctor. Well, time got away from me and it wasn't until 2011 that I again began seeking another doctor. During the process I ran into several individuals who had the lap band surgery that weren't successful. I decided to look at other options and decided the vertical sleeve was for me. In June 2011 I went to my first seminar weighing in at 311 pds. I had to start the whole insurance process again which was frustrating especially the psychological part. Finally, I was approved and in December 2011 I became my pre op diet weighing 308 pds. On January 20, the day of my surgery I weighed in at 288 pds. Several people tried to talk me out of the surgery during this process but my mind was made up that I had to do this for me. The surgery was hard, I was hospitalized longer than the usual stay and returned 10 days later for another several days. It was hard adjusting and I was stubborn and didn't necessarily want to conform to this new way of life. However, as of today I weigh 195 pds, which is my doctor's goal. No longer am I considered obese just overweight. I would like to lose another 15 pds and hope to be successful this year in meeting that goal. My life is much better mentally and physically. I have a wonderful partner who has helped me through my journey and provided support when I was frustrated or felt like I was failing. My ways may not work for you but I would like to share with you what works for me. First, I started taking depression medicine which helps me mentally and I don't feel the need as much to eat when I am stressed. I weigh myself everyday and eat accordingly. It is much easier to lose 5 pds than 50 pds. I don't count calories or carbs. I am a vegetarian so I do have to watch my protein intake because I was losing large amounts of hair after the surgery. I do watch my fat intake, and will allow myself a treat occasionally. I can't eat any sweets that have larger than 12 grams of sugar or I get ill. I have noticed I can eat several cookies but only a few ounces of vegetables. So, I do try to wisely choice my food everyday but it is hard at times and I still slip up. I eat about five to six meals a day averaging about 1,000 calories. I battle with constipation everyday and it seems to be a losing battle. Your body functions differently after the surgery. It is important to take your vitamins. My sagging skin is upsetting but as it was told to me "fat kills extra skin doesn't," so I am learning to adjust to it. My advice to everyone is don't wait any longer, do this for yourself and improve your quality of life. The journey may be frustrating but every pound you lose is a celebration. Good luck to all of you on your journey.

Hi! Looking for fellow vegetarian sleevers to exchange MFP info with. I'm trying to reduce animal proteins two point five months out and would love to talk tofurkey! I'm ovo-lacto and moving mostly vegan.

By the title of this post, I thought you were talking about the new black panther movie!! There are Great Apes and they are vegetarians lol

I use to be vegan, not anymore. But I understand wanting to be true to your beliefs and not having to sacrifice them for some silly band. There are vegan friendly Protein shakes http://www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/best-protein-powders-for-vegetarians-and-vegans Soy milk contends with bovine milk except in the calcium category supplements are the same Tofu, huge variety of Beans, tempeh, quinoa, Peanut Butter, nuts, potatoes, and veggies are all good sources of protein However, I think you will be more successful cooking at home opposed to eating out to maximize the protein punch in your meals without too many additives like frying oils, sauces etc as most meals are catered to flavors not protein content

Although I have read on other postings that many folks swear by Wendy's chili, our nutritionist said that chili (or anything) made with hamburger is hard to digest at this stage because of the gristle in it. I would probably avoid it just because of the fat content. Maybe try fat free vegetarian chili? You could also blend tuna or chicken with a little mild salsa. Maybe try some salmon blended with dill and fat-free mayo. I like applesauce and cottage cheese blended together, too. One other thing I do is cook boneless chicken breasts in my pressure cooker with a can of chopped tomatoes (any style--Italian, Mexican, etc.) or with chicken broth. The chicken breast doesn't get as dry this way, so it'll go down more easily. I was also told no more soda--bye, bye Diet Coke, hello sexy lady! :party: