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@gofigure I don't think Vega cares if you add 'reg' milk to it -- I'm vegetarian, and can't tolerate most milk products (cottage chz, yogurt okay), so that works for me --

It's awesome for the pureed stage, Annie--you will love it! You can make wonderful smoothies with protein powder, ice and a little soy or almond milk. I like chocolate protein powder with some PB2 (dry, powdered peanut butter). I'm a vegetarian and I love pureed veggie chili (regular would work of course too). You can puree almost any veggie or soup with a little veggie broth. When I was on full liquids, I still strained after pureeing, but once I hit regular puree it was good to eat it all. You could add some kale or spinach to smoothies to get in some fiber. I like making a protein pancake (soft foods) with egg white, ricotta or cottage cheese, flax meal, vanilla, cinnamon, and oats. My VitaMix is the best kitchen appliance I've ever invested in! I've had mine for about 12 years and it's still going strong.

Hi All, I'm Lei. I'm new to the board. Obviously And new to the bariatric surgery program at Geisinger Medical Center in Pennsylvania. I haven't been green lighted yet, just attended my first class and have made the decision to go forward with the vertical gastric sleeve a few days before the class. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I made the decision over night (I suspect, not a lot of us have!). I've been struggling with my weight my whole life, for the most part and have been considering surgery as an intervention for the past 6 years. I guess you could say the "straw that broke the camel's back" was my recent trip to Europe. I was boarding a plane from Dublin to London w/ Ryanair (1st row) and the lap belt BARELY snapped into place. I almost broke down crying and didn't want to speak to my husband the remainder of the flight (he understood, bless his heart). All of the moments came flooding back to me.. my wedding, seeing myself in my dress and being disgusted, trying to shave my legs in the shower and having to pull a balancing act.. all the times I broke down crying in department stores because my size was "snug" or just didn't fit anymore. It was that moment that I decided enough was enough. Current health issues I'm dealing with: PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) Metabolic Syndrome (Pre-Diabetic w/ insulin resistance, carry my weight around my midsection, and have an all around "slow metabolism" (my awesome Endocrinologist puts it in air quotes, it's brilliant!)) Chronic back pain Trouble sleeping (not diagnosed as sleep apnea, but I wake up CONSTANTLY with numb limbs and just all around discomfort because of my size) I had my gallbladder removed in 2008 for gallstones and I've more recently had to have a colonoscopy for digestive issues. They didn't find anything remarkable in the colonoscopy, but they did remove a 4mm polyp from my Sigmoid colon. I'm a vegetarian and I restrict my dairy consumption (Forks over Knives!). I was exercising 3x week at the height of my efforts, but have since stopped. It's very discouraging when nothing is happening! I gave the exercise and strict diet about 6 months this go round with very little results. I'm 29 years old. I suspect that my friends from work are getting sick of me yammering on about how excited I am to get rolling on with the program and how excited I am to MAYBE be slimmer and healthier. Which brings me here. I look forward to getting to know some fellow "sleevers" and learning about your stories of success!

Lemme ask you guyst some questions 1) are you not hungry with less portine? I hear vegetarians don't get the seity that protine-first meat eaters do. I also worry about the blood sugar swings of carbs causing hunger. 2) the set point smoothies were not hard on your stomache early out? 3) do you drink (or is it recommend) green juice? (No fruit, just kale, tomatoe, celery, bell pepper, etc with maybe protine powder early out when you can't eat much to get more nutrition)

In a month. The first is what I was eating in the hospital and the second is what I can eat now. I didn't finish the apple sauce and couldn't eat all of the second link but I think I'm doing pretty good. I feel like a normal person again. [ATTACH]1827[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]1828[/ATTACH] Its one scrambled egg 2 morningstar vegetarian sausage links and 1/4 cup of applesauce.

I'm about 1 month away from pre-op diet and came here to ask for vegetarian suggestions for my one protein a day. But you just did the same. Looks really good. Have you tried anything other than tofu?

I understand. I've always hated protein shakes. Blendibg them with ice has helped a lot. I have to try and find some vegetarian friendly creamed soup! Sounds decent. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I don't have any suggestions for you for pre-op, since I mostly ate lean meat (I've never been good at cooking tofu!). However, my stomach is fine with cheese, so I eat a lot of high fat dairy. Some people DO become lactose intolerant, but not all cheese has lactose. Also, kefir is more sour than bitter. It's also not necessarily high fat. I add a lot of fat free greek yogurt to my meals to add protein and flavor. It's great with chili, which can be done vegetarian post surgery when you can have beans again (I was permitted beans on pre-op).

I am by no means an expert, but I thought I'd try to answer some of your questions, as well as your last post. I, too, was like you. I really didn't feel full until I basically ate until I was almost sick. The biggest thing that has helped me with the band is eating SLOWLY...whether it's putting my fork down between every bite or just entertaining myself with other things to make me eat slower; the slower I eat, the more I allow myself to feel what I'm actually eating. I can't necessarily say I feel 'full' with the band, but I'm slowly learning how to note when I should stop eating. I noticed that people don't talk about how they feel after eating as in depth as I thought they would: What does it feel like after eating the 1/2 cup of food? I actually do try to stick with 1/2 cup or 4 ounces (depending what it is) of food per meal. I'm only 5.5 months out from surgery and haven't yet been given the go-ahead to increase my portion sizes. I have had many meals that have been more than that amount, but I try to stick with that as much as possible. I also supplement in between breakfast and lunch and then lunch and dinner with a Protein shake. I'm a vegetarian, so I make sure I have at least one Protein Shake a day. What does it feel like to be full? I tried to answer that above. I don't necessarily know if I have the feeling down yet, but I can definitely tell when I'm at the point where I shouldn't eat anything else. What does it feel like to be stuck? I've had the stuck feeling a few times...to me, it's a pain in my upper chest, and I can feel the food like a big dough ball in that area. What does it feel like before you throw up? I've only thrown up once, when I decided it was ok for me to eat a bunch of triscuts; my mouth started watering like crazy, and I went to the bathroom to spit it out in the sink...I bent over and all of the sudden I just threw it all up. It didn't hurt; I didn't wretch. It just happened. And then I felt fine afterwards. What does it feel like when you drink Water and if you drink it too fast? I was told over and over at the dr's to sip my water. I am a gulper, always have been. I actually have no problem gulping water like I used to. I don't eat 15 minutes before or an hour after I eat, so my stomach is generally empty when I drink. I don't feel anything different when I drink fast. How do you exercise during matinence? For example if you do 2 hours of exercise per day while loosing weight do you have to continue to do that much exercise during maintenance to keep the weight off or do you pull it back a bit so you don't continue to loose weight? I, obviously, am not at goal yet, but I'm only 40 pounds away (fingers crossed that'll happen soon); on the exercise front, I just wanted to put in my 2 cents. I exercise basically everyday (with rare exceptions) for at least an hour, sometimes more. I fully intend on continuing with the exercise when I'm at goal. I might back down to 5-6 days a week instead of 7, but I think doing an hour a day is feasible for the long haul.

Hummus is made from chickpeas and is a great source of vegetarian protein and very helpful during the mushy stage.Here's a link Complete Protein Hummus

I'm 8 months post -op with good restriction but I can eat pretty much whatever I like. Sometimes chicken and tough meats are a little hard on me so for awhile I was pretty much doing vegetarian. Sometimes I juice, it really just depends on what I feel like for that day. I still do protein shakes regularly to get my protein in! I have a strawberry mousse Syntrax one in the freezer right now getting cold. I love my shakes. They are easier on my stomach.

You will ultimately need to learn how to prepare food for yourself. It will support the success of your weight loss. Pre-packaged food often comes with loads of calories, hidden sugars, a high fat content and a lot of carbs. Youtube has a plethora of instruction videos, Pinterest has a ton of recipes that take you step-by-step through the recipe and many times local libraries or community colleges will have free or low cost cooking classes. Yes, supporting this decision will take a huge amount of dedication. Like many people the reason why they are obese is the types of foods they ate. A lot of those food selections were made based on ease, convenience, taste and affordability. It is a habit that needs to be changed or their success will be derailed. It is just the reality of having WLS. Aside from that pep-talk there are options. Many have already been mentioned but I'd like to add a few. Deli made chicken salad. You have to be careful as a lot of places use a Miracle Whip type dressing and not a Mayo based one. You can always ask before you buy. Many grocers will offer already shredded rotisserie chicken in their Deli's cold case. Making chicken salad is not hard. If you can make tuna, you can make chicken salad. Hormel canned chili. I have had both Turkey and Vegetarian, as well as regular. It is great with a few sprinkles of cheddar cheese, some sour cream and a splash of Tabasco. There are frozen meals that cater to high Protein needs. Just pay attention to their carb content. I used to eat Tomato Soup with a sprinkle of cheese and a slice of Avocado. I also would heat a can of refried Beans with some shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa (smooth no chunks) and even Progresso Light Soups as the veggies/protein in them are super tender.

I'm considering giving up my protein bar habit...real food is smarter this far out. I still want to keep caramel premier protein around because I love it in my coffee in the morning. I only drink about half a shake a day, so it's not a huge part of my diet. I lean heavily in the veggie protien direction. I eat a lot of vegan meat substitute...soy and mycoprotien. I eat a lot of beans and mushrooms and whole grain goodness. Pea protien with Brown rice protien is my go-to for adding protein to baked goods and soups. Never met a bowl of fancy oatmeal I didn't like...or a bowl of refried beans with sexy toppings. Yum. And...ya know...some vegetarian chili dumped on a baked potato is a fine thing:) Gotta say, I'm a sucker for protein muffins. Mostly, I make my own with oats, pea and brown rice protien powder...but sometimes I buy the Flapjacked Mighty Muffins that Bariatric Pal sells...and OMG...they taste incredibly naughty and they're not. Really good. I love me some protein pasta, too. Chock full of chickpeas, lentils and fava beany goodness. I think I actually prefer protein pasta to regular white pasta now. Trying to work more fermented foods into my diet to get the probiotics working for me. I do still love the occasional steak salad, chicken stir fry or pork chop....but it's a twice a week kinda thing. And I do love salmon on the grill lately. So good that way! I marinate it a little lemon pepper, olive oil, soy sauce and splenda brown sugar. Comes off the grill crispy and so so so delicious. Congrats on working toward vegan:) Your heart, circulatory system and kidneys thank you.

hello everyone, I have been a bandster for a yr now and I am really greatful to the band!!!I have not lost a lot of weight,,,,but i have reduced my NSAIDS and am on a right path for health improvement.. All say that the band works better in the 2nd yr!!! My problem is that I cant walk much due to muscle pain and arthritis. And because I dont exercise I am not loosing!!!Being a vegetarian my protien content is also low. I am sure that I will find a way out. At least I have stopped putting on weight ,since I cant eat much!!!!Hahaha.. All the best to all of you. The band is a wonderful tool and we should use it well.

Greek yogurt - I never ate it before surgery and now love it! In your later stages, you can eat things like quinoa salads, cheese enchiladas, meatless chilis, lots of choices - you'll essentially eat whatever you did before, just in smaller (much smaller) portions. I dont restrict carbs, sugar, calories - I track and target protein and fluid intake only. It just so happens with just targeting protein and fluid, the carbs, sugar and calories stay naturally low! Your surgical center should have a nutritionist on staff that should provide you with a very detailed diet plan for both veg and non-vegetarian patients. If not? Yikes, that scares me - but I know this VST community will come to the rescue!

I have since become a vegetarian so I eat a LOT of carrots both raw and cooked- salads too- so for me I can say I used to not eat a lot of vegetables- now I eat them to my hearts content with no problems, concerns or worries... you cannot over eat on veggies and fruits, grains and greens. I feel 900% better and like my sleeve wish I would have done it sooner!! I stopped eating the Protein bars and ready to drink shakes because they have too much sugar and carbs for me- I also didnt like the taste after changing the rest of my diet. NO processed foods here anymore- and when/if I do- it makes me a little woozie...

Yeah, me too. During pre-op, I think they were messing with me on purpose, telling me I might not like beef anymore, or smoked meat, or bacon, blah blah blah. I was worried I might turn into a vegetarian, start wearing Birkenstocks, and buy a Prius. None of that happened. Does it really cause you pain, or do you just feel really full? Early in my soft food phase, I would get full very quickly. One more bite, and I was uncomfortably full. And I mean literally, one bite would do it. As time progressed, I was able to eat more, but I can still cross that line between full and uncomfortable if I do not pace myself and pay attention.

My favorite broth has been vegetarian vegetable. It has a nice light tomato flavor that reminds you of veggie soup. It became my comfort food of sorts that first week. Warm and yummy. Now my favorite food is pink salmon in the foil packages made by chicken of the Sea. A perfect 3 oz of Protein. Packed with love

Hi Puja, My surgeon feels that without a solid Protein like chicken etc., that basically takes a long time to digest, I will feel hungry often. Did your hunger change after the surgery. I know that with removal of the fundus in the stomach, the main source ghrelin is gone, but I am not sure if in reality, that translates directly to lack of hunger. What was your weight loss like immediately post-op? I agree with you that it is a tool but lifestyle change is an issue. Like most vegetarians, my issue is that grains like rice and wheat is the main source of calories. I am OK with eating dal with Greek yogurt etc..but right now I feel too hungry after that.

This topic is good, I have been vegetarian before and had done the raw food, juicing etc. I will be seeing my Nut soon and will have some questions too. I'd like to in cooperate juices and a few things in my diet later. Keep us posted when you get more answers. Good luck.

Dear Chaya, I hope you get some answers here. I was vegetarian for 10 years. When asked why I stopped, I paused, then answered "Because I am HUNGRY! " Thanks for the explanation as to why. PS Greek yogurt often has 20+ gms of protein. I

That is a good strategy about not watching the scale. I am considering doing the surgery in California. My Dr has 10+ years doing vertical sleeve and has done thousands. His experience is that his vegan/ vegetarian patients struggle with hunger and weight loss. He does not want people to rely on smoothies and shakes post-op and move to real food and get Protein from real food sources. He was the one who asked me to post here and seek experience of others and come up with a eating plan that I can enjoy and live with for rest of my life. He does work with a nutritionist and I will be seeing her in early Jan. I have found that if the nutritionist is not familier with vegetarian diet, they often do not have suggestions beyond tofu and protein shakes. I need at least some of my meals to be similar to what my family will eat. So rajma with greek yogurt and cauliflower subji is fine for me but I know I will not eat tofu and drink protein shakes every meal. I think you get that. I just want to eat smaller portions and feel full. So do you avoid rice and wheat completely - No rice or rotis? 85 lbs is just amazing and your approach and attitude to food seems so .so.. rational. Are you still losing or are you more in maintenance mode. Did you have any medical issues that got resolved with your weight loss?

That's fair enough. My sister did very poorly on multiple antidepressants too, and finds she copes better without the chemical interference. I have been on a very low dose of effexor for the past few years once I accepted that I just wasn't improving mentally after having my second child (we had two losses in between and a traumatic birth and first week which I expect had something to do with it, plus when I had a mirena put in it messed me up completely and triggered anxiety too). Regarding your current foods: I don't do well with very sweet things either, especially post surgery. Home made pureed soups made with home made gelatin-rich chicken stock where what kept me going through my liquid phase, along with a morning decaf coffee and less-sweet and non-milky protein waters. I now have a good collagen hydrolysate supplement (derived from beef gelatin) which dissolves really well in hot and cold liquids and doesn't add any noticeable taste. I read earlier that you don't use meat-derived broths, but perhaps you can find a similarly tasteless or savoury vegetarian supplement that you can have in your soups or vegetable broth? If you move on to puree phase in a few days you may find that helps you feel better and a little more yourself. Things like hummus and seasoned mashed avocado are lovely in purees. And thick hearty soups. I hope things improve for you soon. We are all here cheering you on from the sidelines *hugz*

Thanks for the list! I appreciate it, I'm a vegetarian and feel like I'm constantly having to defend myself about the protein thing. To be honest I eat more protein now than I did when I ate meat.

Thanks! I didn't realize how easy I have it with pureed foods. You really don't feel it (at least I dont)don't. I've since moved to soft foods. I eat about 700-800 cals a day right now and in between 70-80 grams of protein. I'm getting ready to go back to all foods (except raw vegetables, refined sugar and bread products) starting March 28th. Very excited! But tbh I feel pretty much like I'm eating normal food on soft foods with eggs, cooked vegetables, tofu, vegetarian Meatballs, marinara sauce, cheese and yogurts. So far so good. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app