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My first month I spent convinced I was going to open a vegetarian culinary school. I would watch Jamie Oliver on YouTube and dream about food all night long. I learned that I had a physical feeling I associated with hunger that was really a form of anxiety. Without food to sedate it my mind panicked and started to obsess about "the precious". Don't fight it. Feel it. Observe it. But do not engage with it. Study its habits so you know how to stab it in its eyeballs a year from now when it tries to sneak back in.

@@Oregondaisy @@feedyoureye Might have some info for you. Both very successful vegetarian sleeve veterans.

Hi Heidi, i am also a vegetarian with limited dairy, no animals at all. I am presurgery, op scheduled for 4 April. I am a bit worried also in case i can't tolerate salad foods. Also initially in pureed and mashed stages how do we get protein? I have not seen the dietician yet, waiting for appointment. Can anyone recommend a plant based high prot3in, low fat & sugar protein powder please? Very nervous, no support, one working agqinst me, but i feel this is the right path after a very long time. Cheers.

I drink one called Orgain Organic Protein its plant base, I got it at Costco. My hubby and I are both vegetarian.

I'm very glad that I did it. I have never experienced any difficulties or had many eating limitations. I prefer to only have light restriction because I want to be sure that I can meet my nutritional needs and not end up feeling really deprived. In fact, vegetables are the only foods that my band has problems with (but I am vegetarian). The difference with the band for me is mostly psychological. It keeps me motivated because I know that I can always get more restriction if I lose my focus and start to regain. Knowing that I have a tool to keep the weight off makes all the difference. We have another June bandster, Faithmd, who has never had a fill and yet has lost something like 80 pounds. That is why I love the band--you can manage it any way that it works for you.

Hello!! I had my surgery the same day! I do count calories and I haven't stopped at all. Currently I'm at 1400-1600I recently had to bump it up because I workout so much and wasn't getting results. No weight loss or significant muscle gains. I'm happy to report the scale is going down again and I have more energy during the day. I'm currently 146.7 lbs and my goal is 130. [emoji4] hope this helps you..... I'm also a vegetarian.

I am vegetarian and have been gathering ideas of things to eat in the first 2 atages: Full Liquid stage: unjury chicken Flavor Protein powder (vegetarian) Strained Amy's soups (zap the Soup fillings in processor and freeze) Hot decaf tea with lemon and unflavored protein pwder Protein pops (crystal light, unflavored pp) chocolate milk (choc Protein Powder with a bit dutch cocoa and SF almond milk) Soft food stage (can add unflavored pp to any if not getting all in): Soup solids zapped in food processor (will have some frozen from liq stage) Ricotta bakes (searched this forum and got a TON of ideas) Soft Tofu blended with flavor inhancers (sauteed onion, garlic, etc) Quinoa FF Refried Beans blended with a bit of salsa and greek yogurt (my fav!) Greek yogurt Cottage cheese Tempeh bleded with cilantro and soft tofu These are just a few I can think of right now, but if you find things that work well for please send me a message! I love new ideas.

Having surgery June 26th, and as a vegetarian, I'm concerned by the first month of liquid or soft food. Has anyone tried some of the "Greens+" or similar products in powder form to add to your daily protein drinks?

The one thing we Indian vegetarians drink a lot is lentil Water.boil half cup of green or yellow pigeon pea with 5 times water and salt.and drink the liquid during clear liquid phase and when on mushy phase have the mushy lentil too much Protein in that.the other thing I did was blend water n salt with little bit yogurt and drink that.hope it helps.you can write to me incase you want vegetarian Indian recipes.

Just Google hemp Protein, soy protein, pea protein, egg protein, vegan Protein powder, etc. there are dozens of non- dairy Protein drinks out there. Ones I've found and use are Garden of Life Raw Fit and Raw Protein and Spirutein. Didn't like the Jay Robb egg (too "eggy"). But seriously, you will be overwhelmed with the choices. And you can always mix them with soy milk for even more protein....don't bother with almond milk, it has almost no protein. As for the ready made part, I have never seen Non-dairy RTD shakes out there. Maybe post on the vegetarian subforum to see if anyone else has.

Breakfast: 12 oz soy milk with Chai tea for flavor (I'm too tight in the morning to eat but this gives me Protein, sugar, and calories to get me thruogh). If I'm not too tight (or it's later in the morning but not really early afternoon), oatmeal (Trader Joe's blueberry flax with 1 tsp dried blueberries and 8 almonds crushed). Lunch: I won't eat at work because I'm way too far away from a bathroom to make it worthwhile. But I keep Protein shakes and Isopure handy and always have some Soup if I need it. Generally though I am not hungry at work so it's not a problem. Dinner: usually 1.5-2 cups of food including: 2 vegetarian tacos (1-2 tbsp soy burger with seasoning, tomatoes, lettuce, shredded sharp cheese, taco sauce, light sour cream or greek yogurt) - OR - tilapia, green Beans, brown rice - OR - angel hair Pasta, broccoli, garlic, pine nuts, sundried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes - OR - soup - OR - salad - OR - a tofu wrap (tortilla, tofu chunks, veggies, balsamic dressing, feta cheese)

I did well throughout my hospital stay and am feeling better each day. I'm grateful I've had some help w/ my kid because I can't do much right now, and that needs to be honored!!!! Clear liquids were a bit difficult for me because I am vegetarian, so I made some miso broth, that was OK and Water for 2 days, on day 4 I started to drink warm milk, good quality organinc 1% and it feels very healing, also taking spirulina suppliments that have green protien. Feels good. I am looking forward to trying a creamy Soup, but not quite yet. I have had some emotional surges, but am feeling positive. Thanks for reading!:thumbup:

I am a vegetarian (no surgery yet...3 days away!) and have attempted veganism a few times. I did not watch that clip, but I imagine it is from the film Earthlings which is an excellent movie and one I think anyone who wants to eat animals should watch. I am a firm believer in the concept of knowing what impact you are really having on the planet. If you want to eat meat, know where it came from and what that animal has to go through in order to feel your gut. If you want to continue to eat meat, but do so in a more ethical (and environmentally) friendly manner, there are a number of options for you. As someone mentioned, contact your local farms. I am lucky in that my local Whole Foods gets a lot of products (milk, cheese, and meat too I assume) from local farms. Here at the University, there is a program which teaches proper butchering and the cuts which are not cut to perfection are sold at a discounted rate. Those cows live a pretty decent life here on campus. Big thing: Go to your farmers market. This will be your best asset to getting good quality and ethical products. They are locally made and therefore decrease your ecological footprint. But, since these are typically smaller operations, the owners don't have the same pressure to hoard 300 cows into a space big enough for 50. Also, look at getting involved in a CSA (Community Sustainable Agriculture). Weekly deliveries of veggies, fruit and sometimes meats if those farms are involved too, can be a great. Hope that helps. I would suggest being a vegetarian for a while post-op (meaning, eating eggs and dairy products). Baby steps. Even take it slower..just phase out beef first. Then chicken and/or pig. And eventually fish and seafood. I did it all at once and that worked for me. But most people find it easier to progress in stages.

Personally, I love beans, lentils, split peas, etc. It's a great way to get protein and fiber and vitamins if you are vegetarian/vegan and if you like them, of course. If you don't like them, skip it LOL, there are other ways to get the same nutrients. I just think they are really tasty and I love how many different ways you can prepare legumes.

I'm so happy to see this thread! I posted asking about vegetarian sleevers for non-meat ways to hit protein goals-or at least one non-meat meal a day and this gives me hope. Thanks!

Teri, I hear you with the scale being stuck. I am loosing 1 pound a month, so I bought an elipitical. I had heard how wonderful it was and it was easy on the knees. In the store I was a little champ. Now at home - OMG :eek: I did 5 minutes the first day three times. Now two days later, my thighs are burning and my arms are dead. WHAT WAS I THINKING. But then again, I died when I started walking too. The bike, a good thing. And just think, your tushie will now fit on the seat :wink: Also, doing the family thing is perfect exercise. Makes it more fun for all! Keep it up, you are doing fantastic. Okay, constipation, what are you doing? I have been this way since surgery. Surgeon said one or two bms a week is normal. :eek: I hate this part but I guess when you don't eat very much....... AND - Not only do I have that, but I started getting gas - very bad, bloating and lets just say you can now call me "stinky". :cursing: It is soooooo embarrassing. I even went to my Dr, I was so humilated. Turns out I am now sensative to animal protien! :sad: GIVE ME A BREAK, I was barely eating animal protien as it was! I am now on SOY milk :frown: , YUCK, no more milk, whey or animal protien. What is up with that? So now I am a vegetarian and I have to take acidoliphis to get my digestive system back in sinc. I do however get to eat lots of tuna and other fish. BTW, chocolate soy milk, light with less sugar and fat, is GOOD! So I am breaking in slowly. Gotta have my chocolate fix, even if it is soy. :wink: Okay, I will give up meat, just get me regular, please. Take care Teri, just hang in there. Oh, and I agree, without the surgery we all would have been a lot more than where we started. I believe I would have topped you, I know I would have been over 300 easy. and yes, you are right, I cannot spell today//// it has been a long long day and i am tired......

I have been a vegetarian, now I just don't eat red meat. A veggie diet is definitely doable. My diet still consists largely of tofu dishes, garden burgers, and beans.

Stop stressing... While i haven't had to go through the supervised diet i have lost 40+ pounds in the first 5 months and i credit most if not all of it to a total change in my state of mind. Just like everyone else here i have a story of how i got to where i am, and despite the fact that i was big at birth, i still contributed A LOT! my first thoughts of the pre-op were that it was just a diet til i get to surgery, ITS NOT! in the last 5 months ive seen so many different doctors, and gone to therapy more then i ever have in my ENTIRE life. There are a lot of f'ed up things that have happened in my life, some things that i had to indirectly address due to the severity of the issue. Before starting the process to surgery i never even though that i would voluntarily deal with these things, but i have because i have (with the help of my doctors and therapists), I've come to peace with everything in my life. I am male carnivore, i never once in my live gone without bloody red meat (steaks) for more then a few days, i now eat no red meat and have no desire to, most of my diet consists of seafood and poultry and greens, and I would like to go completely vegetarian if i didn't have such a priority on Protein. I have literally changed my entire state of mind and its not been easy at all. im not saying all this because i want to boast, im saying it to hopefully stress the importance of the need to stop stressing. I would not have been able to accomplish ANY of this if my head wasn't in the right place, or if i were over stressed. As it is, i work multiple jobs and average 30ish hrs of sleep a WEEK (that works to 4ish hrs a day) and my stress level is at an all time low. Find a therapist, one that you like and can really talk to, i went through a couple but now have a great therapist. Stop worrying about numbers... sure weight is important, but its also a constant reminder of how your doing, and if you aren't doing to great then its only going to cause negative feelings. i never weigh myself, the only times im weighed is when im at the doctor. Sometimes (like the last time i was weighed) my weight loss was much lower then i thought, and sure i was feeling down that day, but it didn't affect the 3 weeks before the weigh-in where i was feeling great. Find your non-scale victories and think about those more then you think about any type of failure. Consult with your doctors, they're there to help. If you don't like your doctor, or feel that they aren't to helpful then change them. Im not sure of the area you are in, but hopefully you have options when it comes to hospitals and/or dr.s or medical professionals. Talk to a therapist, i dont think your crazy or anything but it really does help, specially though the rough times. Find the medical professionals that you feel comfortable with, don't go through all this feeling lonely or stressed. its my first time having this surgery, but this alone makes me feel like you aren't ready. I'd say wait off just a bit longer and get your head in the right place. I've also failed to address your unregulated thyroid, Its not helping any, thats clear. But i feel like it was brought up as a way to justify what you feel as your failure. By needing to justify it, it probly means you didn't try your hardest. Im sorry if this comes off a little hard/harsh, thats not at all how i wish for it to come across. I will however emphasize the importance stress plays in how well you do. I would like to leave you with some words that were sent to me, these words literally motivated me every time it got tough for me, the helped me through the days when i thought i should just quit. "You can and will do this!! I don't live in Chicago but I know that you are going to work out the struggles and be on your way to a better you!! I support you in all you do to better yourself!! The next song you play after you loose the weight will be music to your own ears!!!" -shrcumm LapBandTalk.com -- One last thing. I do want to let you know that if you need anyone to talk to you can feel free to pm me. i've had my share of rough nights during this long process, in the last few months ive gone through LOTS OF DHRAMA (thats drama with an extra h, just to add that much more drama) in my life, and i wouldn't wish it on anyone. if you need someone to talk to my ears are open (or since we're in a forum) my reading glasses are on.

Something nagging me. I am a vegetarian, I eat eggs and dairy too. There are quite a few Protein sources I use in my diet. Gluten, soy, milk/whey products, nuts, Beans, eggs….I am getting the sleeve in two weeks. My concerns are: -That I may become lactose intolerant….or not be able to eat eggs… and reduce my choices by a bunch. -Many of these choices are high in carbs. I hope I will have success in losing all my over weight, even though my carbs will probably be higher then some of yours. -Its always easier to eat meat when you eat out to get protein. If I can't eat dairy or eggs…..it will be impossible much of the time to find enough protein. I figure I can have a Protein Drink before going out… just fussing here….where there is a will there is a way…I REALLY do not want to go back to eating meat because my sleeve is fussy….

I remember the 5:2 site says the 5:2 is not recommended for people with Diabetes, but with you in remission, this might not apply.... I would think if you monitor, then it might be ok? I start with a 1200 limit on feast days, and add more as Myfitnesspal recommends with added exercise. I am also a vegetarian. I don't eat a very simple diet, my list is as long as my arm! I eat around 4 meals sized meals a day, averaging around 300+ calories each. I try and eat lots of veggies, in Soups, salads, stir fries and baked casseroles. I plan a sweet meal at the end of the day, and this helps me to avoid sweet snacking during the rest of the day. I try to eat more Protein and Fiber than MFP recommends, which is more in line with the 60+ recommended by my doc. My carb intake is lower than MFP recommends, but is NOT low. I try and eat very high nutrition foods, organic grains and veggies, good quality fats and fruits, and like I said, vegetarian Proteins. I can eat a lot. I make it mostly veggies. I can eat a 3 cup bowl of Soup, and the same sized bowl of salad. I try not to stuff myself, and quit before I get there. I do have good restriction, though but it shows up with some foods and not others. I can't eat much Pasta, go figure. I can make 1/2 serving, and leave most of it on the plate. (hurray!) Honestly, I don't see myself as a very good roll model, except for the eat lots of variety of high quality raw and cooked veggies advice. I even grow my own, and keep those local microbes going down the hatch! (I'm into feeding the gut microbes, pre-biotics and pro-biotics)

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

What Margo and Donna said! I'm a mostly-vegetarian and depend on Beans for Protein. I know they're high in carbs, but they also have lots of fiber and are a great protein source as well as other nutrients. Overall, I think they are an excellent food for us bandsters! Emily

I have a great recipe for a vegetarian "meat loaf", if anyone is interested. I have shared it with non-vegetarian friends, and they all love it. Gave it to one of my volunteers at work whose husband has heart problems, and he even liked it. It's one of our family favorites. Emily

I'm almost vegetarian. I had my surgery August 8 and when I !could eat whatever, meat went down fine. Now the smell really bothers me. I can certain things (one egg, sometimes, or a slice of bacon.) I eat a lot of smoothies, tofu and other things to get my nutrients. I do love all veggies so this really isn't an issue for me

After surgery I enjoyed a lot of curried dals... I would put spinach or greens with them and then puree them and eat with a little yogurt.. It was delicious. As far as the liquid portion goes.. you just get a Protein powder and mix it with the liquid of your choice. If you like, you can even get an unflavored Protein Powder and mix it with some lasse.. (the salty kind not the SWEET lasse with fruit in it) If you look at the diet your doctor gave you, you can see many vegetarian foods that you can cook into a healthy curry. As a vegetarian, you may find it more challenging to get in your protein at first, so you may need to supplement with powders for longer until your stomach can tolerate enough food for you to get sufficient protein from your vegetables/dairy/legumes. Talk to your nutritionist, she/he should be able to help you with some suggestions too.