Search the Community

Hi all, As someone who gave up meat (apart from fish) pre surgery, I've found it tricky to sometimes find the most Protein rich foods. I found this link which I thought I'd pass on as it not only gives examples, it goes through in detail what is also important and why. http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein/ Hope this helps anyone else in the same boat. Now all I need to do is find recipes that use these foods as I am incredibly boring in my cooking! X

Make sure girlfriend knows how you normally have thanksgiving Maybe make a small turkey breast Then mashed potatoes - voila for you Creamed corn should be ok for you and the vegetarian. Have a bunch of appys and sneak in some for yourself and no one will even notice. You are stressing it but I bet no one will even notice. If they do, holidays are stressful especially when you bring a special friend

I really think that you will be happier with the surgery. I can lost 40 lbs, but I gain it back then lose it then gain back ... etc. I'm where I am in my weight because I can't get skinny so I'm having this surgery in hopes to fix that. I'm 38 and my body doesn't lose like it use to. I am even a vegetarian who has cut out sugar. I use Splenda. I don't have caffine and I still can't lose the weight. So this is the next step. This step seems to work for people who can't lose it any other way. I can do without the bad food, but my body still seems to stay fat. Best of luck!!!

You might be an over-thinker like I am. I had all the same concerns. Bottom line is that you may not be around in 10-20 years to even worry about the long term effects if you remain obese. I made the decision to just do it! Put all doubts aside and just went with the flow. There are a lot of steps to the process and I just took them one step at a time and didn't dwell on what the 3 steps ahead were. I would schedule the surgery and try the vegetarian diet between now and then. If you make it through Thanksgiving without cheating and you are loosing weight then just cancel or postpone the surgery. Good luck!

I've been vegetarian for nearly 20 years and still managed to become morbidly obese.

Hopefully, your body is just deep cleansing its self. I go through this every 6 to 7 months. I'm pre op, but before I became a vegetarian my cycle would last for 7 days and I would have a very heavy flow. After I changed my diet and started taking in more nutrients my system did a total turn around and I started having lighter flows with no pain at all. I had them really bad to the point of being just about tied to the bed or the bathroom for three day in crazy pain and big chunks of clots passing non stop. Due the WLS and your new style of eating your systems may be going through that detoxing stage, and after it passes you will have that time of the month become easy breezy. Talk to your doctor, I'm sure that they have seen this time and time again. Best of luck to us all, cause I hate pain! lol

ya know thinking about what you said, every time i have lost some weight, my life long friend who is overweight has been the meanest to me..and i have friends at work who are skinny vegetarians and are the sweetest people Ive ever met..i guess it is who you are inside really huh?

I was sleeved August 5. Transitioned to "regular" foods yesterday. I'm a little nervous about introducing fruits and veggies, but really want to try (I miss them!) Especially salad! I'm going slow, reintroducing one "new" food at a time. Okay, what follows is TMI, so skip it if you're squeamish! Yesterday, I had my first bad digestive experience since the first week after surgery (I had a lot of nausea and constipation for the first 6 days, then nausea and diarrhea for a few days after that. Since then, I have stabilized.) Anyway, yesterday I ate some peanuts, which I chewed really, really well. A couple of hours later I had urgent diarrhea. Thank goodness I was at home! So, no more nuts for a while. (I LOVE nuts, and for a vegetarian like me they've been a great source of Protein over the years. Waahhhh!) I also have a weird pain right under my left ribs -- much higher up and several inches to the left of my biggest incision -- It feels like I'm bruised inside, and this didn't start until 3 weeks in. Anybody else have this?

I find that unless one is a strict vegan/vegetarian, almost anything can be obliterated to tiny particles in an excellent blender then mixed with 25mL, 50mL, 75mL, 100mL or 125mL of pourable raw egg whites. These amounts of egg whites offer an extra 15g, 29g, 44g, 58g or 73g of extra dietary protein respectively. Egg whites blended into anything else are near to neutral. Makes swallowing anything else easy for most people. My dietitian and surgeon applauded this idea for protein building. Each 55g (2oz) egg only adds 7g protein plus a whack of fat and may kick your cholesterol count way out. Egg whites are negligible to zero cholesterol depending on brand or processing.

Which foods have protein? Protein is found in meat, fish and chicken. For vegetarians and those less keen on meat, there’s protein in cottage cheese, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, cheese sticks all the beans you might put in chili—except green beans. There’s also protein in meat alternatives like products from Morningstar Farms and Boca. You can usually find these products in the frozen food section. Protein amounts vary so check the labels. How much protein do I need? I tell my clients aim for 60-80 grams per day. Anyone with kidney issues might need to be much lower so it’s important to work with a dietitian specializing in bariatrics and kidney disease to get the protein prescription right for you. Can you get too much protein? If you’re drinking more than a two protein drinks per day along with multiple servings of protein, it’s easy to get up to 90 grams per day or more. There IS such a thing as too much protein and greater than 95-100 grams per day is starting to push healthy levels. p.s. Did you know the body simply cannot absorb more than 30 grams of protein per meal? If any of your protein drinks or bars are promising more than this per serving, don’t be fooled into thinking you are giving your body that full amount. Is protein really that important, anyway? Oh yes my friends, it is. Here’s why. Your body needs protein for its daily operations—cell building, transportation and repair work-- just to name a few. If you don’t feed it enough protein it will use the protein it has in storage (your muscles!!!) while stopping all fat burning activity. It does this because it senses that this is a crisis situation and perhaps a famine is ahead. Any body fat on hand has become more precious than a winning Powerball ticket and will be protected appropriately. It’s a common myth that after WLS you can eat whatever you want because you can’t ‘overeat.’ My advice? For optimal weight loss, that you can sustain, pull a Goldilocks and strive to get the amount that’s not too low and not too high but just right.

I am a new sleever, but I have been a vegetarian for many years, so just wanted to give a shout out to my fellow veggie. My doctor's nutritionist is totally fine with me being a veggie post-sleeve fortunately.

I'm glad that you didn't leave. You've supported me countless times, and have always done it with a smile. You're one of the most selfless and caring individuals on this board, and WE NEED YOU HERE!!! I feel your pain about the numbers not moving. Even when I was exercising 4 days/week and eating a healthful vegetarian diet, those dang numbers wouldn't move more than a pound below what I am at right now. It's frustrating, infuriating, and downright tisses me off sometimes - but then I stop to think about how far I have come from my heaviest weight. I think about how I can chase my son around without thinking that I'm going to drop over dead, and I think about how I am at least one size smaller than what I used to be. Keep reminding yourself of how far you've come, and it'll help keep your mind off of how far you have to go. (I have to give myself this pep talk ALL OF THE TIME!) Good luck my sweets. I know this journey isn't an easy one, but the important thing is that we are doing it, and we are better people for that reason. Lots of Love to You!

I am just wondering if anyone else here has suffered from severe anemia. Just a quick background, I had the sleeve, which leaked. Then RNY. I am vegetarian. I am wondering if the surgeries (I had stents put in when I had the leak (total of 7 attempts and then it had to be sewn in place) have damaged something that is leading to anemia? I have had anemia for a couple of years now - I had a series of 5 infusions of Iron, but it didn't do much for me. I asked my obgyn (who was checking hormones) to add in my Iron levels, and sure enough it's still low and so I am going back to see her. I KNOW she's going to flag me now for a colonoscopy, because I guess that's a conclusion you could make from my anemia. I really don't want to have to go through a whole slew of testing if this is a common thing in bariatric surgeries. Here are my blood test results - no other bloods were out of whack. Ferritin 6 Iron Binding Capacity 395 Saturation 6 Iron Total 23 Hemoglobin 11.6 Hemocrit 35.3 MCV 79.3 MCH 26.1 RDW 16 I would just really appreciate some feedback from people who might have been through the same thing.

I totally relate to your comment that you don't know what you'll eat. When I first became vegetarian I realized I was pretty darn hungry, there was nothing I liked that I could eat. It took a lot of trial and error but I eventually learned all kinds of things I really liked. Yellow squash, slice them the long way, scoop out the middle, replace with diced celery, garlic, bell pepper, onions, whatever you like. Put it back like a twice baked potato, bake, sprinkle with favorite cheese, you are done. It's cheap, it's healthy, it has flavor, and it's GREAT. Do the same thing with Zucchini. Spaghetti Squash... use like you would pasta, just try to avoid high cal cheese. But if you have to use cheese to get used to it, just try to find a low fat cheese. Again, cheap, healthy, band friendly, filling, and good. Salad w/o lettuce. Take all your favorite veggies that you would usually top a salad with and cut them up, marinate in Italian dressing, enjoy. Cheap, healthy, band friendly, filling, and good. Veggies & eggs. Veggie Chili. I have a recipe for Wendy's Chili. Make it without meat and add extra beans or veggies of your choice. There are all kinds of ideas. Just get the veggies you like best and start working with them and see what you come up with.

Okay, here are some questions I have gotten and here are the answers. Wanna start looking for the special outfit for the cruise dinners??? Here are some guidelines during a cruise: *cruises include two formal nights, one smart casual night and the remainder nights casual. Casual: Sport shirts/polos and slacks for men, sundresses or pants for womenSmart Casual: ties for men, jacket optional, dresses or pantsuits for womenFormal: Suits and ties OR tuxedos for men, cocktail dresses/formal for women (I will tell you that most men wear a suit and tie and most women do the full formal wear) Tuxedos can be reserved ahead of time if you let me know you want one (cost involved). Hair/nail/spa appointments for an up-do or style can also be arranged (cost involved) During the day the dress is comfortable casual. This means a pair of shorts, shirts, sneakers, etc. RCL accommodates special needs such as, food Allergies, Gluten-free, Vegetarian (except for vegan/macrobiotic) Low-fat, Low-Sodium, Lactaid/Soy Milk, Ensure, and Kosher meals at no extra charge. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE NOW SO THAT IT CAN BE NOTED ON YOUR CRUISE. If it is your Anniversary or Birthday, please let me know. ATM machines are onboard the ship. ($5 surcharge) There is internet access at a cost available. It is best to buy in a package when you board and look for "specials" in your daily itinerary magazine. Medical staff: Yes, there are a minimum of two fully certified doctors and a minimum of 3 fully certified nurses on every ship. Smoking: smoking is permitted on all open air decks. Smoking is not permitted inside the ship unless it is a designated lounge area. What are the transfers? RCL meet & greet staff will meet you in the Baggage Claim Area or outside of Customs (for international flights) to direct you to your transportation between the airport and ship/ ship and airport. Hairdryers: All cabins have hairdryers. Room service? Room service is free. Just call and tell them what you want. If you would like, you may tip the steward that delivers or you may tip at the end of your cruise. Drinking water: Yes, you can drink the Water on the ship. It is all filtered and distilled. Passports? Yes, it is highly recommended that each guest has a valid passport. Due to government restrictions and new legislations it is unclear whether it will be REQUIRED at the time of your sailing, therefore the cruise lines are asking passengers to please get their passports ahead of time so as to not have confusion. When will I get my cruise documents? cruise documents are sent to you or your travel agent 20-50 days prior to sailing, assuming your reservation is finalized and your payments have been made. Can I bring my own liquor? Technically... NO and they will take it if they find it. But I do. Is there laundry? Yes, for a price. SHIPBOARD LAUNDRY SERVICE * All prices are in US. Dollars and are subject to change without notice. MEN WOMEN Shirt/T-Shirt:$2.50Blouse:$3.50Shirt (dress):$3.00Dress (wash):$5.00Underwear:$1.20Skirt:$3.50Jeans:$3.00Nightgown:$3.00Pajamas:$4.00Swimsuit:$2.00Handkerchif:$0.75Slip:$2.50Shorts:$2.50Housecoat:$3.50Bathrobe:$3.50Hosiery:$3.50Pants (wash):$3.50Slacks:$3.50Sweatshirt:$3.00 Socks:$1.00 PRESS ONLY - 50% of cleaning prices SHIPBOARD DRY CLEANING SERVICES * All prices are in US. Dollars and are subject to change without notice. MEN WOMAN Suit:$7.00Evening Gown:$8.00Pants:$4.25Dress$7.00Jacket:$4.50Silk Blouse:$5:00Sweater:$4.00Silk Dress:$8.00Coat:$7.00Skirt$4.50Tie:$2.00Suit:$7.50Shirt:$3.50Blouse:$4.00Shorts:$3.00Scarf:$2.50Vest$2.50 Silk Pajamas:$4.50 PRESS ONLY - 50% of cleaning prices Please note: We do not provide irons in the staterooms as they constitute a fire hazard. Is there an emergency number if my family needs to contact me??? Yes, Your friends and family can contact the ship by calling (888) 724-SHIP [(888) 724-7447]. Or from outside the U.S. they can call (732) 335-3285. The cost is $7.95 USD a minute, and can be charged to their American Express®, MasterCard®, Visa®, Discover® or Diners Club®. From outside the U.S. additional long distance charges will also apply. You can make ship-to-shore calls from your stateroom, 24 hours a day. The cost is $7.95 USD per minute and will be automatically charged to your SeaPassSM account.

I lost a lot of weight prior to surgery following a diet similar to this: Unsweetened almond milk latte for breakfast One string cheese as a snack Premier protein for lunch High protein/low calorie dinner like eggs and a vegetarian sausage It sucks but it’s effective!

Newsho posted this a long time ago, but it's worth reviving. These are Newsho's words not mine--I just copied and pasted below. LENGTH ALERT! (This has very detailed tips and tricks, so this is not a short post. Just a "heads up") People asked me a lot how I went from Slow Loser to getting to goal. I did better my second year of banding and when the weight came off - it really came off. This is something that worked for me, and I recommended to other Bandsters. Granted, these are tips that's not in any LapBand brochure or doctor's manual, and YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - but if you already think of yourself as a Slow Loser like I was, then maybe you will be open to trying something to shake things up a bit. When I needed a weight-loss push, I didn't cut down on calories much (if I'd recently had a fill adjustment, that's different) but in general: I *added* Protein to every thing I ate. This helped me to lose steadily (although it sped up my weight loss, more importantly it kept it steady). And it worked! Some Bandsters in my same banding date were better at counting calories - I wasn't. Some were better at counting carbs, I wasn't, but I excelled at ADDING protein. And I did well and later, other fellow Bandsters were asking me for help and tips. How did I do it? I did not reduce calories or the amount I consumed (without a fill it wasn't much need to try that) and yet, I still lost. (I added a little bit of Beans, or a sprinkle of cheese (my favorite), or eggs - whatever I could. I didn't reduce what I ate, but I "upped my protein" - and it worked. With the band, if you eat more protein, you generally will find yourself eating less overall - it doesn't feel that way but you do. Every single time I added more protein to my regular Band-friendly meals, I lost more weight, even though I wasn't eating less calories sometimes. Sounds crazy - but in my particular case, if I didn't keep my protein levels up, my body held on to calories a lot more. Who needs their bodies "hoarding" calories? If adding a bit of food meant I would lose more, it was worth a try. It worked. And I paid attention to the TYPE of protein I ate. (Even before banding, I didn't eat beef or pork at all. And the band was developed in other countries where the pork and beef consumption is a lot lower than it is here in the 'States. I'm not a vegetarian, I just eat seafood and poultry only. My doc said this helped my weight loss a lot because the protein I ate was leaner, not fattier protein like pork/ham/bacon or beef/hamburger/fatty red meat. So I didn't have to regulate my portions as much as some Bandsters did. My can of tuna did more for me than a hamburger ever would have.) Also, I'm a single/childless Bandster who lives alone, so I eat out for almost every meal. If I could make it to goal - while eating out - ANYBODY can. How did I do it? Here were some tips. At breakfast, with my morning egg(s), I added a bit of cheese on top. Or I would have cottage cheese added. For protein and hunger reasons, cottage cheese did better than yogurt for me - unless I just had a fill or was very very filled or adjusted. The most filled I am, the less I eat in the mornings. So especially if you are not at your sweet spot, try Proteins that "stick" with you more to keep hunger away. Yogurt alone was not good enough of a breakfast for me, with the band it just went through, and wasn't really filling. Now if I charged up my yogurt with lots of nuts, seeds, and wheat germ - then BAM! I'm not much of a cold cereal eater (I prefer hot cereals) but if I had one I made sure it was a protein-packed one (I LOVE Grape Nuts cereal best. Go Lean is awesome, and several of the Oatmeals & Cream of Wheat cereals have good protein content. I also added a few nuts to those, too. If I had a yogurt smoothie drink as a snack, I had them had a half scoop of protein powder (a full scoop can make it too thick sometimes) or some soy or nuts. Lunchtime was easy to get more protein in. I'd eat a scoop of tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch - and have them add some shredded cheese, some seeds and/or some nuts. I also love soup. Usually a cup is a nice start to my lunch if I'm having a scoop of salad or tuna. If it's my whole lunch I get a bowl of soup and eat what I can from it. My band will tell me when to stop. Almost any kind of any soup is great with a sprinkle of cheese or nuts added. Beans, too! With my dinner I always like a cup of soup to begin. Gets me going, jump starts & 'primes' my band and it's a great protein opportunity. Then if I could, I concentrated on seafood. ANY type of fish worked great with my band - From catfish to salmon to snapper to Tilapia. Or even shrimp or my all time favorite, calamari. I enjoy oysters in season and clams all year. The weeks that I ate more seafood, I lost more weight - across the board. Usually grilled is a good choice to be honest I even ate it fried (sorry, weight loss experts) and I still did well. And with my seafood, if I could I added beans to almost everything. With my steamed veggies, I added nuts and a sprinkle of cheese sometimes. I know it's not very It really does work! See when I restrict my calories or even when I try to cut down on fat - I usually just end up cutting down on protein. And no matter how "well" or how much less I eat, if I cut my protein my body won't 'burn' up the fat. It holds on to it. I know that protein is the fuel that helps the LapBand machine work and not trying to diet or 'cut down' was a blessing to me. I've had other Bandsters try this, and yes they are skeptical at first but when they start seeing inches lost (muscle really does weigh more than fat, so your clothes tell you before the scale ever will) then they get on the bandwagon. So don't just 'cut down' - ADD some food on your plate. That's right. ADD MORE nuts, boiled/diced egg, beans, cheese, seeds and other yummy forms of protein. Your body and your LapBand will thank you for it. Also adding protein allowed me to eat fewer carbs and save them for what was really a nice treat - a nice martini or occasional glass of wine, with dinner. Yes, I'm a drinking Bandster. All the successful European Bandsters I knew drank a glass or two now and then and they were my role models. I can't drink a lot AT ALL - a little goes a long way, but it was nice to get to goal weight without ever missing a Friday Happy Hour. I got the band to enhance my life, not take away some of the things that make it enjoyable. I eat out at restaurants, I go have drinks with friends - and I feel and look great. BRAVO! Good Luck to you. (And since so many people asked me the same question in private posts - that's why I am posting it on the Slow Losers board too...) Keep up the good fight. I did it - and you can too.

From what I've read, soy and whey Proteins are equally viable. From what I have read, and to follow the recommendations of my surgeon who is affiliated with a bariatric "Center of Excellence", and is not a product distributor of herbalife products, soy Protein is not considered to be a complete protein source. This topic did come up in one of the patient education classes I attended pre op, and we were advised that in general even those who have sensitivities to regular dairy products can use whey isolate as they are considered to be lactose and nearly cholesterol free. Soy has a different amino acid structure, one which has in several studies to be related to increased levels of hormones which have been linked to hormonal disorders in humans. Soy is a source of complete protein, and since it is plant-based, it is a great alternative for vegans, vegetarians, and those with dairy allergies. It is still controversial to state that soy is considered a complete protein, because in the field of nutrition studies many do not consider that to be an accurate statement. Vegetarians usually do use dairy products, as well as eggs. Whey isolate is generally considered to be both lactose and cholesterol free. Vegans would be the only group to stay with plant based proteins to remain compliant with their self imposed dietary rules. Anecdotally, when I've had whey isolate protein-based drinks they have not agreed with me. I haven't had the same discomfort (and other more graphic issues) with soy protein. You may have an allergy to dairy products, and whey isolate protein may not be your best choice. But it is really an individual thing, and in light of the research it seems unfair to call whey 'the best' -- 'my whey or the highway' (I couldn't resist!) -- when soy is also nutritious and made from the same stuff: the amino acids that are the building blocks of all the cells in your body. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. As you mentioned, and I definitely agree, everyone should consult with their own nutritionists and surgeons as to what is the best source of protein to use while following a bariatric diet. when soy is also nutritious and made from the same stuff: the amino acids Well, no, as you said yourself, soy is not dairy. The amino acids are not derived from the same sources, so from a organic chemistry perspective, can they really be the same stuff? I'm not a chemist, and don't care to debate this topic. But, let's get back to basics. Most of us on the forum are not trying to build muscular physiques. We want a good, complete and nutritious source of protein which does not contain carbs or cholesterol. Whey isolate protein is still considered to be the "Gold Standard" of proteins for bariatric patients. During the pre op nutrition class which I attended, we were advised that other types of protein were not considered to be complete, and lacked the amount of protein per gram of product which whey isolate provided. I do not share my opinion as anything but what a "Center of Excellence" has stated in their patient education curriculum. You have written that you are a distributor of herbalife products. I would hope that you are not misusing the scope and contents of this forum to promote the use of your products, or to enhance your business interests in your distributorship. It would also seem that, based on your profile, you have not had any bariatric surgery, and also do not need to loose any weight. So, as a matter of inquiring minds want to know... what are your reasons to be active on this forum? That said, as one who, incidentally does have dairy allergies, I will continue to follow the instructions of my surgeon. 100% Whey Isolate protein...

In a recent post (that I can't find) someone wrote about Hormel Turkey Chili. I tried it and it is a winner, even though there are no beans in it. The cals are up there, 190 per cup, but it is very filling and has 23 grams of protein and only 3 grams of fat!! I also want to put in a plug for the 99% fat free vegetarian Hormel Chili which is also excellent and very very filling. That one has the same calorie count but 11 grams of Protein and a whopping 10 grams of dietary fiber with 1 gram of fat. Each can has 2 servings. Both kinds have quite a bit of sodium and I am going to contact the company to ask if they have any plans on cutting back on it to make it more healthy. Maybe they will give me free coupons, LOL!!!! Enjoy, Mimi

I have done a 4 eggs and 6 oz.tuna combo, in a frying pan slow heat turn over shred low fat mozzarella cheese. Divide in 1/4. You can add stir fry veggies too. applesauce I have mixed cottage cheese with apple sauce banana with Tblsp of Better'n Peanut Butter spread over it (find out when you are cleared to have the peanut butter) vegetarian refried beans ( which I add cooked ground turkey- add cumin and shred mozzarella) Salads - add chicken, tuna or shrimp. Make sure everything measure 1/4 cup/ meal there are lots of recipes here too: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

I have Protein challenges without fish and while I LOVE Matrix 5.0, I don't want to depend on Protein shakes for the bulk of my protein. I have been reading and participating in a tofo thread and I have my hopes up for tofu vs. chicken or tuna. I'm pretty well over chicken, it's fish that is my challenge. Replacing that protein in salads. I was vegetarian for many years and want to go back to that. I felt better, slept less, everything was better with a veggie diet.

That's the way my DS eats mostly. He wants to be a Veggie, but finds it hard (he is only 10.5, so I have to give the kid credit for even trying) So he eats fish whenever we go out, and while he is away at school camp, he will be eating whatever is served (we decided not to tick the vegetarian box, after seeing the menu - yuck!) If you want some recipes, I am happy to share, just let me know! I really look forward to reading the post that announces your Vegetarianism.

Hello, everyone! I had my sleeve on August 31, 2011, so I am about 2 months shy of 2 years. There have been lots of events in my life the last few months, that have added to my stress, and disrupted my eating routine, and I'd like to write a little about it. Primarily to get feedback if anyone has had a similar situation, and secondarily to put my thoughts out there into a world where people can relate. Since I had surgery, I have had lots of time to fall into a very well planned eating and drinking routine. As a student, I have had loads of time to find what works for me, and what doesn't. However, there were many events that took place in the month of May and June that sort of disrupted that routine. In May, I gave one of the biggest exams of my life. My appetite wasn't very good, and my calorie/protein intake dropped a bit. Following this, I was in classes from 8 to 7 for a week (also a wonky eating and drinking routine), and then I was off to India - this is where things really went downhill. I was barely hitting 50-60% of my nutritional goals, and was running around all day long. By the end of these 2 months, I had dropped 2.5 pounds below my healthy weight range. Here's the thing, many of us might even be a little happy about going below the range, but no one wants to look sick or undernourished. Losing weight with a healthy lifestyle still leaves you glowing and energetic. I, however, looked anorexic, pale, and dull. It was seriously ridiculous, and people were commenting on how unhealthy I looked every single day. This was new for me, because I didn't realize how easily I could become malnourished if I wasn't adequately planning out my meals. (I'm vegetarian, by the way). After coming back, there was a huge function at our house, and I was eating the bare minimum for another 2 days. This put me at 3 pounds below weight. In the meantime, the low nutrition caused a bit of muscle loss around the hips, and I started having symptoms related to a pinched nerve. So, I started pilates and yoga classes to help strengthen my core and ease the pain. At the same time, I decided I would add some more calories, fats, and carbs into my diet, to help bring back that glow and the lost pounds. On a daily basis, I added in half an avocado, 2 pieces of whole wheat toast, and an ounce of nuts. All healthy fats and calories, no? Well, here's the kicker. By the end of 3 weeks, I had gained back those 3 pounds, plus 1 more. 4 pounds in 3 weeks. Yes, I'm back in my healthy range, I look well nourished, I have more energy, and no one is telling me that I look sick. I can even see the difference from the yoga. However, I am terrified at learning how easy it is for me to gain weight, even when eating healthy foods. Yes, I can convince myself that it was also easy to lose the weight, and that my body reacted quickly by replacing the lost nutrition... blah blah blah. In the end, I still gained 4 pounds with very little effort, in less than a month. I always knew that my nutritional planning would be a lifelong process, and I have learned to enjoy it. Still, I didn't realize how quickly my weight and health could fluctuate if I did not make my intake a priority!

I chose other. For me it wasn't about the fear. Well when I first heard about the surgery, but after doing research for a few weeks I wasn't afraid/ I was willing to accept the risks. It was more about my age at the time. I was 16 I'm now 18. I didn't have the resources or maturity. Now I have a job, I drive, I have money I can go out and buy my own groceries. I'm better at cooking (back then i could barely saute an onion). Now I can be responsible for my own health. I have also had time to reflect. I don't look at food the same, I'm now a vegetarian, soon to be vegan. I question everything I put into my body, and ruled out a lot of foods/ ingredients. I think im in a good place to do it now

Hi all, I am unfilled and 3 months out of surgery. I just ate 6 ounces of breaded seiten (fake chicken for vegetarians) I was starving and 3 ounces did not fill me up, so I had another. Is that normal???? I'm a bit worried about being able to take in so much food to fill me up.