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Look I'm not doing anything special. Four shakes and a meal. I've been making some simple but yummy vegetarian dinner (I know oxymoron right? 😂) and I'm satisfied. I feel I owe a lot it to the protein I drink every hour from 2pm - 5pm, then dinner a 6. I don't feel weak or tired. I did in the beginning. I think that was from cutting sugar cold turkey. I don't feel like I when I was starving myself. I even have the energy to work out regularly. My recipe: Good quality protein isolate powder Water blender bottle Shake it. Twist it. Pull it. Bop it. (Nothing past shake it is necessary) Enjoy (plot twist, you won't!)

Stevie...I hope that your husband will surpise you then by having the house cleaned? lol Glad you had a great day regardless. Yes...March here we are....good luck on Tuesday all you March 2nd Bandsters!! FindingMe....thats great that your daughter made the team and good luck on the preop diet! Welcome "IwillSucceed" keep us posted and good luck!! Okay.....so the weekend is over....for me anyways...tomorrow there is a carnival all day at school but I dont have to be there yea!! Today..was actually alot of fun. We ran around giving and receiving but I have to say....the choc covered friut...the bestest idea...lol. Everyone loved it. Im glad... The partys and dinner was really nice....and it just so happened that at dinner.....at our table...which was a family and Dassi and myself.....sat down this man.....who was single and good looking and well...I guess my age range...and he was very nice!!! Unfortunately he left before the end of the dinner....but it was nice to meet someone new for a change...Im just wondering why that happened is this a sign...to say...you know...your on your way to a new you....maybe its time to start socializing and meeting some new people. Who knows. In any case..I have a new question. Shooting it out hoping someone can tell me the diff and if there is any or not!!! lol Ive been researching the protein shakes, drinks, shots and powders oh and isolates. Stevie...Ive checked out the site that you suggested and there were several others that sounded really good. There are several different types of protein...however on most of the sites that Ive veiwed they offer "WHEY" protein. I remembered that when my daughter was a baby..the sensory O.T recommended that we give her "RICE" protein. so....when looking at the differences...I find that there are several different sources. "WHEY" from Dairy...."SOY" vegetarian, "EGG", and "RICE". "Whey being the most popular and should not be in concentrate. SO... Question one....is the recommended popular...being "WHEY" because its the most easily digested? Question two....does it matter whether its "WHEY" or "RICE" as "RICE" seems to me the best second choice as to quality and nutritionally and most available....Ive never seen "egg" and "SOY" seems problamatic these days as far as genetically engeneered seeds and the Increase on hormones causing poss cancer in woman. So was wondering what the difference is and does it make a difference and why?? Do I really need this....does everyone supplement with all the above...and what about the Vitamins?? Ive been looking at the differences between the vitamins that I have...which are high quality so I think...and the vitamins from all these sites...do they really make a difference and if I dont use the brands for bariatric patients...will I really loose my hair?? etc etc? oy......Im stuck on the "Stuff" I see....but want to be as prepared as possible for after surgery. I dont want to go out and start looking and researching after the fact...not a good thing...Also as I wont be able to send someone out to go and do this for me...except me...so might as well do it this week. Its funny....my freinds..are concerned with my preperation of me....before surgery as I might never again be able to go out.;....lol like making sure to get a hair cut, manicure/pedicure, haircut, waxing done....highlights//etc etc and im like whattt?????? do you think I care about all the above?? who is going to see me???? I cant just shave??? whats wrong with my hair? I cant have nail polish. I have enough PJs and they will be clean. Im thinking...of foods for me....and food prep for Dassi and setting up the cleaning girl, the dog walker, who is going to take Dassi to the bus off the bus and to all her activities and help her do homework? all the above?? Did I ever have time for those luxuries ever???? lol Im allready thinking I best start going shopping for passover. I dont even have time to shower for more then 10 min. at a time...I think..maybe Ill allow myself a few more min for a quick shave....the night before and Ill be READY! well....okay enough....its late and tomorrow is another day for preperation. Thanks so much for all of your input and responses....I truly believe its because of you all....that I will be prepared...and not worried and...in the end successful. Of course you all might need prozac at the end of the next two weeks but....I thank you in advance...(silly me) Have a great night all.. and a wonderful week!!! Jodi

Dairy and Protein Servings • Fat-free Milk or Light Yogurt, 8 oz • Fat-free or Low-fat cheese, 1 oz • Non-fat or Low-fat Cottage Cheese, 1/4 cup • Parmesan (grated), 2 Tbsp • chicken or Turkey (without skin), 1 oz • Egg, 1 • Egg Whites, 3 • Egg Substitute, 1/2 cup • Fish (fresh or frozen, not breaded), 1 oz • Lean Beef (Round, Sirloin, Flank, Tenderloin, Chuck, Rump), 1 oz • Lean Pork (Fresh or Boiled Ham, Canadian Bacon, Tenderloin, Loin Chop), 1 oz • Sandwich meat (with 2 grams of fat or less per ounce), 1 oz • Sardines, 2 • Shellfish (Clams, Crab, Lobster, Scallops, Shrimp), 2 oz • Tuna (canned in water), 1/4 cup • Vegetarian Protein Foods ("Veggie" Burgers, Smart Dogs), 2 oz Skim Milk Alternatives If you have trouble getting in all of your dairy servings or are lactose intolerant, the following can be used to replace a Dairy or Protein serving in your meal plan: • NutriSystem Chewy Fudge Bar Low Glycemic Index Carbohydrate Servings • Barley (cooked), 1/3 cup • Beans (Garbanzo, Pinto, Kidney, White), 1/3 cup • Bread (Whole-wheat, Multi-grain, Pumpernickel, Rye, Sourdough, Oatmeal), 1 slice • Corn, 1/2 cup • Couscous (cooked), 1/3 cup • Crackers (whole-grain), 3/4 oz • oatmeal (cooked), 1/2 cup • Pasta (cooked al dente), 1/2 cup • Peas (green), 1/2 cup • Peas (split, black-eyed), 1/3 cup • Pita (whole-grain, 6 inch), 1/2 • Rice (cooked, brown), 1/3 cup • Roll (whole-grain, small), 1 • Sweet Potatoes, Yams, 1/3 cup Fat Servings • Avocado, 1/8 • Mayonnaise, 1 tsp • Nuts Almonds, 6 Peanuts, 10 large Pecans, 4 halves Walnuts, 4 halves • Peanut Butter, 1 tsp • Oil (Canola, Olive, Peanut, Corn, Safflower), 1 tsp • Olives, 5 large • salad Dressings (regular), 1 Tbsp • Salad Dressings (reduced-fat), 2 Tbsp • Seeds (Sesame, pumpkin, Sunflower), 1 Tbsp Fruit Servings • Apple, 1 small • Applesauce, 1/2 cup • Apricots, 1/2 cup • banana, 1/2 • Blueberries, 3/4 cup • Cantaloupe, 1/3 • Cherries, 12 • Cranberries, dried 2 Tbsp. • Grapes, 15 • Grapefruit, 1/2 • Honeydew melon, 1/8 • Kiwi, 1 large • Mandarin Oranges, 1/2 c. canned • Nectarine, 1 med. • Orange, 1 med. • Pear, 1 small • Peach, 1 med. • pineapple, 1/3 c. canned • Pineapple, 3/4 cup fresh • Plums, 2 • Pomegranate, 1/2 med. • Prunes, 3 • Raisins, 2 Tbsp. • Raspberries, 1 cup • Strawberries, whole, 11/4 cup • Tangerines, 2 small Fruit Juices (may replace fruit) • Apple juice, 1/2 cup • Cranberry Juice Cocktail, 1/3 cup • Grapefruit Juice, 1/2 cup • Grape Juice, 1/3 cup • Orange Juice, 1/2 cup • Pineapple Juice, 1/2 cup Salad Vegetable Servings These raw vegetables may be eaten in unlimited amounts as part of your daily salad servings. • Alfalfa Sprouts • Cabbage • Chicory • Cucumbers • Celery • Escarole • Green Onions • Hot Peppers • Lettuce (all types) • Parsley • Radishes • Spinach • Watercress • Zucchini Vegetable Servings Serving size is 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw unless otherwise noted. • Artichoke, 1/2 large • Asparagus • Beets • Bell Peppers • Broccoli • Brussels Sprouts • Cabbage • Carrots • Cauliflower • Collard Greens • Eggplant • Green Beans • Kale • Mushrooms • Mustard Greens • Snow Pea Pods • Spinach • Tomato, 1 med • Tomato Juice • Vegetable Juice • Zucchini The follow condiments and beverages may be eaten in the amounts listed. Unlimited • Artificial sweeteners • Herbs • Lemon juice • Spices (salt-free) • Vinegar Limited to 1 tsp. per day: • Flavoring extracts • Horseradish • Low-sodium soy sauce • Mustard • Relish • Worcestershire sauce Limited to 1 Tbsp. per day: • Catsup • Salsa • Picante sauce • Taco sauce These beverages may be consumed in unlimited amounts: • Cofee ot tea • Diet soda • Sodium-free seltzer Water • sugar-free tonic water

So, the best thing I learned at the NUT appointment I went to in December what how the hunger receptors work. They sit at the bottom and top of the new banana shaped stomach. Eating dense protein first will put a "firmer" pressure on those receptors at the bottom. I can't believe the difference it made when I switched to eating my salmon first then the lettuce rather than eating it as a salad with meat sprinkled all about. Anyway, the idea is that you get several ounces of dense protein (I have no idea how this works for vegetarians - but for me it means meat/poultry/fish/seafood) sorta solid in there. You are supposed to stop when no longer hungry, but what I wonder is if you are eating 2-3 bites and it is just enough to temporarily tap those hunger receptors without really creating lasting satiety. I am not exactly following it, but this NUT really pushed 5 mini meals - all of them starting with dense protein, adding a bit of veggies etc. and eating just enough to keep from getting overly hungry before the next meal. She felt I don't eat often enough which is leading to eating too much at one sitting (some people become grazers, but i seem to return to volume eating). She said max I should ever eat is 1.5 cups and of course that depends on what the food is - I can't eat that much dense protein for sure but I think I could eat that much in crackers, cheese and wine....

Being a vegetarian makes this way of eating very restrictive. I'm not willing to eat meat as protein source.... boohoo.

I had a really easy time of it. No pain at all! I was walking in recovery, and continued walking once in my room. I was in the hospital 2 days and only needed tylenol once for a headache. Otherwise I was fine. I didn't even bother to get the prescription for pain meds filled when I was discharged. As for soul food eating, I'm already a little different because I am vegetarian. I eat collard greens but I don't add pork or turkey to them. In fact tonight I treated myself to the Soul Food vegetarian restaurant in my area. I had mock BBQ chicken, collards and brown rice. My hair is loc'd. Because I am menopausal I already was taking Biotin. So far I haven't noticed any hair loss. Once I came home the worse thing was a rash where the IV site & every bandaide was. That was due to late allergies and even none latex bandages have a small amount of latex in the glue. For most people it's not a concern, but I have multiple allergies and I'm hypersensitive. A few days using hydro-cortisone cream cleared the rash up. Also for the first few weeks I got tired really easy. I felt pretty normal after a week, but ran out of steam really fast. My best advice is relax, follow the doctor's recommendations as closely as possible.

Well I finally get weighed this afternoon from the end of November so will let you know what happens later glad you are feeling better try some vegetarian options they might be better also look on pintrest just type in biatric foods there's loads of recipes on their website

I think either way it's a tool. This is a life changing experience in every sense of the way. We will need to change everything about our relationship with food from now until the rest of our lives. As far as health issues besides the weight loss I've heard nothing about the sleeve. (I too have searched and searched) for the bypass malnutrition. My aunt had the bypass and has to go for Iron infusions now. But I will say she does NOT take her Vitamins. After a certain point post op she stopped. Had she continued maybe it would be different. She also has an intolerance to meat in general so again back to lifestyle change, you have to have eat Protein first being vegetarian is going to make things difficult. She also just recently had a bout with kidney stones. Probably related to not drinking enough Water. Again we need to remember the good of the surgery should outweigh the bad. What are the long term risks of doing nothing at all. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hey now! Have completed 3 days of work and i have to be honest it has taken a lot of the wind out of my sails . No problems per say just very tired by 7pm. so i am accepting its part of the healing process and will get better once i'm fully back on the normal ebbs and tides of this thing I call life :-) Hope everyone is doing well, well off to by a crock pot so i can start making low fat high protein vegetarian chilli and other healthy foods for when i get to the solid food phase next week... Just call me Chef Boy RJ ( Im such a geek ) Have a great Day RJ

Since I know this is going to be a big question for people, I'm creating a list of Protein sources for vegan and vegetarians and in no particular order: Green peas Quinoa Nuts Peanut Butter Beans Chickpeas or garbanzo beans Tempeh Tofu Edemama Hemp Chia seeds Sesame seeds Seitan Yogurt cheese eggs Lentils Milk Black Eyed Peas TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) Cottage cheese Buckwheat Hummus Spirulina Any more?

Good Friday Everyone!!!! Thanks Kendra. I wish I could switch to soft foods. I'm not sure why my doctor has his patients do Clear liquids for four weeks after surgery. I've seen where others go to mooshie (sp) food ten days after surgery. I guess I should not worry or question since it has allowed me to drop what I consider a lot of weight. This weekend is Easter, and my mom always makes a ham and all the side dishes to go with it. It is going to be so hard not to get to eat any of it. Holidays have always been a big deal for my mom, and especially since my dad passed away it is even a bigger deal for her. She loves to cook for us. So I have question that i would love some feed back on. I've not had meat in a while and i'm wondering about some of the vegetarian meats. I've never been a big fan of red meat, i do like chicken and some fish, so i'm wondering if anyone knows if the vegetarian meats are any good? I've heard that some taste like cardboard. Let me know! Have a nice evening. Monica

Hi, I haven't posted for a while because I am so saddened and truly depressed over my lack of success with this band. I have the VG 10 cc band and I have had 2 fills and I have absolutely no restriction I can eat 90% of what I ate before. The 15 pounds I lost, I have gained back 5 since the last fill. The doctor tells me it is my fault, I'm not working with the band. I really am trying to eat right, but when you eat too much of a good think, that's not gonna help you lose. I'm a vegetarian so eating enough proteins is essential and I work very hard on that. Of course, I'm not perfect, sometimes I do blow it, but for the most part, I'm pretty good. I even work out a few days a week and drink a ton of water. Nothing. I'm eating between 1100 - 1400 calories a day. Nothing. I'm thinking that I'm just one of those people that has to eat 800 or less to lose. I go for another fill on Thursday. I am going to desperately beg him to please give me a large fill. He does not do fluoro. If this fill doesn't do it again, then I am just going to fly to Mexico to have Dr. Joya give me a good strong fill. Is anyon else a failure like me? I am so jealous (but still happy for y'all) over your successes. I would love to have that feeling again of restriction I had for the 1st 2 weeks after surgery *sigh*

This is a quote by the same guy in the video I posted who is a RD working with Dr. McDougall. I like the way he explains things. Right now we are all bombarded with every kind of vegan or plant-based diet in the world. How would you capsulize Jeff Novick’s diet? I have really been thinking about that lately and how best to describe the principles of a healthy diet, and I think, plant-centered, minimally processed, calorie dilute, low SOS really sums it up. It’s not just vegan, vegetarian or plant-based because one could have a pretty bad vegan, vegetarian or plant-based diet. So I like to say “plant- centered” but I also add that it should be minimally processed. I don’t say “whole” or “unprocessed” as not all processing is bad. Processing per se isn’t what’s hurtful, it’s processing that either detracts from the value of the food (i.e., refining) or adds something that is potentially harmful, (i.e., salt, sugar, etc.). So plant-centered, minimally processed, and then calorie dilute, because so much food has become so calorie dense which is a major contributing factor for obesity and many other diseases. The fourth principle is a diet low in SOS, which is salt, oil/fat and sugar. Even if you have a plant-centered, minimally processed, calorie-dilute diet and you cover it with salt, sugar, and oil, it is not healthy. I’m not going to say none, but low, as it isn’t all or nothing.

Thanks L8bloomr - truth is I don't do the rants and raves bc its usually a useless battle. Everyone has their own opinion and I doubt what I have to say will change anyone elses. But abortion is something I feel strongly about. I also feel very strongly about Jesus, being a Christian is so misunderstood. I get so tired of everyone who has strong moral values as being thrown into the radiacal right wing group. Jesus wasn't like that at all. He was friend to sinners - and yes I'm a Christian but I'm a sinner too. Only by Gods grace am I forgiven. If we each look deep into our souls and find out what kind of forgiveness we are capable of - can you forgive the rapist? Can you forgive the molester (I've been there), can you forgive the husband or boyfriend who cheated on you? (been there) How about the drunk driver who killed your best friend or brother? How about that officer gossiper who told everyone you had lapband surgery? Petty when we think of it, but it hurt just the same. If we can forgive any of these people who have hurt us - just think how much more God can forgive us. Can we love the homosexual? I should hope so since most of us have them in our family! What is sin? Did God send down a list of things we can't do because its SIN? No, God sent down a list of things that will bring pain and destruction to our lives. When God says don't commit adultry is it bc he doesn't want us to have a 'good time' , no, its bc he knows it will bring pain, hurt, confussion, destruction to the relationship. When God says don't kill we interpret it however it suits us. Someone says we are hyprocrites bc we still kill animals to eat - well thats their interpretation and aparently haven't read any of the other scriptures that tell us to eat the meat. I dont' have a problem is a vegetarian, good for them, but I like meat (Lord knows I like all food or I wouldn't be on LBT) - do I have a problem with gluttony? you bet I do - yep I'm a sinner but I'm also a Christian who has accepted Jesus Christ as her savior (savior means He alone can save me from hell by forgiving me of my sins). Thats my story and I'm sticking to it. Goodnight and farewell.

I know this was mentioned before here in the Vegans/Vegetarians forums and I wanted to maybe start this thread for all things pertaining to the book that Dr. Garth Davis authored, Proteinaholic. So far I'm on chapter 6 of it and I'm just amazed with how sound it is and all the studies that are out there to support why we don't need such a high amount of protein, and why it's a culprit of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.... There's just so much to talk about if anyone wants to get into discussion. Now, this thread IS NOT going to be for debate. I do not want anyone coming on here advocating high protein and what they "know" and debating with any of us who are or evolving into plant based, vegans or vegetarians. I want to share the things I've learned from the book and if anyone wants to challenge those, READ THE BOOK FIRST, and then you can come and talk about it. If you don't or haven't read the book, feel free to read the things that will be posted...and do your own homework to find these facts/truths out for yourself. I literally don't have time to do a protein ping pong match...so don't start one. You will be ignored. Okay, with that said and out of the way, the first thing I want to mention is that Dr. Davis actually dispels the myths about protein and why our bodies don't need so much. It is not an opinionated book, it's a science/fact book. It makes TOTAL sense. He is quite comical too. The parts where he plays out his doctor/patient dialogues hit me the most...because I can relate to how I was educated about protein being what we all need. I had the same mentalities as he did regarding it, but after I started watching documentaries on plant based diets for the past couple of years, I've slowly become open to all the health benefits of eating plant based. But now, even though I knew plant based is great for the health, I didn't know that the protein component was/is what was causing so many problems in my health, my husband's, etc. Now, I've got science and truth to understand the premise of protein. The history of why, what Dr Davis talks about, we western society pick apart whole foods and live based off of macronutrients. Now, it just boggles me why we do that. The other thing that rings true and is nice knowing, is that he is a bariatric surgeon too. He knows what he's coaching/telling his patients. He knows that he was not a nutritionist, didn't know a single thing, but the one hour of nutrition studies in his school days, but he took the time to dive into history, studies, reports, etc to bring light to why western society is so unhealthy, and most of it is based on animal protein. Wow. Read the book!

I think it's a matter of preference. I tend to go by Whole Foods plant based. Vegan can have a lot of other things than just veggies and fruits, as long as there are no animal products used, which can be a whole lot of junky processed foods as well. There are Healthy vegans though. If I had to label my lifestyle it'll have to vegetarian currently, because I do have an egg or some cheese every now and then; but it's probably 90% plant based. But I am not all that big on labels, so I say I eat a WFPB diet if the subject of diet comes up.

I am no longer eating eggs, dairy, or any animal products with a few exceptions 1. Yogurt- I am still eating this 2-3 times a week. 2. Wild Salmon- I ate 2oz of this last weekend, but most likely will not eat it again. I will continue to cook it for my hubby though. 3. The whey protein in my Chike protein coffee shake. I am not stopping this anytime soon. Thank you for posting the recipe though as I am sure there are still some vegetarians reading this thread that are still eating eggs. I just can't do it anymore after all I have learned.

It's a little late now, but I'll make sure to come back and post some recipes tomorrow. For now, I'll just give you some general advice about making the transition to vegetarianism. I've been a vegetarian for a little over 7 years, but in the first couple of years, I just replaced meat with more carbs. When my parents would make dinner (some kind of meat with rice), I'd just add more rice to my plate, along with a side. This led me to gain weight rather quickly and become temporarily anemic. So, I guess I'd just warn you to watch out for that. Although vegetarianism is associated with better health, higher brain functioning, and longer life-spans, if done improperly, it can actually be more unhealthy than a carnivorous diet. Always shop for enough non-meat protein to cover every meal. Typically, I make foods that are usually made with meat, but I replace the meat portion with tofu, veggie ground meat, or Beans. Also, as a new vegetarian, it's easy to fall into the all-soy mentality. In the first year of being a vegetarian, I drank soy milk, ate soy ice-cream (found a pretty good one too), ate soy hot dogs and burgers with soy cheese regularly. We, all of us, including meat-eaters, already get a high amount of soy in our foods. I try to limit my soy (tofu and veggie meats) to no more than 4 servings a week, since studies indicate that too much of it is risky. Out of all soy products, tofu and tempeh are definitely much healthier versions of soy than soy veggie meats, as veggie meats are highly processed. If you are buying veggie meats (i.e. burgers, hot dogs, chicken strips etc), try to search for those that are made from grain or non-soy protein (legumes, taro, shitake mushroom burgers etc). If you don't want to drink cow's milk any longer, I'd recommend switching to a non-soy milk such as almond or rice milk. Unless you're considering veganism, I also recommend replacing some of your meat protein with eggs (since they contain all essential amino acids, many important minerals and Vitamins (especially the very important Vitamin B12, which only comes from meat or meat byproducts!), and are only about 70 calories each). In order to get a proper amount of Iron (and other minerals in your diet), you may want to increase your regular intake of dark veggies like broccoli and spinach, and eat more beans and whole grains. You won't need iron supplements (or supplements of any kind) if you eat these types of foods. Anyway, that's it for now. Good luck on switching to vegetarianism. You can always message me if you need any tips.

Uh, you misunderstood what you read. Haha. Obviously, I meant that it was a little late in the day for me to post recipes because I was sleepy. Why else would I follow up "it's a little late now," with "but I'll make sure to come back tomorrow?" Also, I spent the next paragraph giving her advice on how to make a healthy transition to vegetarianism, then I wished her good luck on the switch, and told her to message me for tips if she needed them... so, just from the context of the statement, it's pretty clear that I'm not trying to discourage her from becoming a vegetarian.

I stay away from FF as much as possible b/c it was one of my worst habits pre-band. When I do eat it, it is Wendy's chili or a Chipotle vegetarian bown with black beans. The kids' meals at Chick-Fil-A sound like a good option, especially since I am not a huge fan of chicken. It's something I can eat and get my nutrition when I am out, but I won't enjoy it so much that I will abuse it.

Lying or choosing just not to tell others? My life, my body, my choice. I am not a poster child for bariatric surgery. The reactions - It's like telling someone you're vegetarian. They think they have to go out of their way to accommodate you. No, just cook what you normally cook and I'll choose what I want to eat and how much I want to eat. Then there's the doubters. "Do you really think that's necessary, can't you just diet? Such a drastic thing to do! You're putting yourself at risk going under anesthesia!" Blah, blah, blah! At a business dinner one time a coworker told the waiter, "I've had bariatric surgery so I can't eat much. The table dinner conversation following was all about her and the surgery. She kept the conversation going even though the rest of the table was well done talking about it which was real quick. This is a business dinner not an all about me and my bariatric surgery dinner. Well, she gained all the weight back she had lost plus a few more. Maybe she should have kept that information about her bariatric surgery to herself? Now, if I want to tell and talk about it with a friend or acquaintance who seems could benefit and it comes up in conversation I will tell them and talk about it and ask for their confidentiality. Long term weight loss is not guaranteed so let's not sugar coat it. Some people fail. A lot, well most of us have eating disorders. Or relationship with food is the problem. It's like a drug it calms and sooths us until after we're done eating too much. We don't listen to our bodies. You can't necessarily fix a mental problem with a physical solution. So, you be you and let others be them.

Hey there, Banded on the 6th. I'm doing great! Just tried eggs for the first time last night, and did very well with them! I'm looking forward to getting off these Protein shakes and more towards whole foods. My husband made me two types of bean Soups and a squash Soup that I puree and absolutely lovelovelovelove. The pureed soups are definitely a high point for me. Are there any other December banders out there with infants? My son is 9 months old and he gives me a workout! I am pretty sore by the end of the day. Also, I saw that there was another a vegetarian out there - yay! I prefer to eat to vegan, but will likely adding fish and eggs to my routine. I start my day with a green juice (kale-celery-cucumber-apple). I intend to do a spinach-banana-oj smoothie, too. What varieties are you going to incorporate to get your protein in? I can't do soy/tofu - GM soy is no bueno for me.

hey France - i measure out my portions before I start eating, so that way if i don't notice my body telling me to stop, at the very least i've run out of food. My nutritionist told me no more than 1 cup (8oz) at a meal/sitting. If i want a little variety and more than one taste in a meal, then i reduce the size portion of stuff I'll consume. As an example last night I had 1/2 a cup of canned green beans and 1/2 a cup of vegetarian baked beans - but i measured it before I ate it to help me from overeating. if you are still hungry after the 1 cup portion my recommendation is to change activities - do something else for a while - and if it's an hour later and you're still hungry, then have another 1/4 or 1/2 cup of something. also, make sure you're fully hydrated. sometimes i mistake hunger for thirst and i'll eat something only to still have the same feeling in my body - but it turns out what solves it is a drink.

Clif bars taste pretty decent, but they do look like someone chewed them once already right before they went into the package. Pretty high in carbs, too. Though, if I remember correctly, you're vegetarian, so I gather you have to approach the carbs/protein thing very differently than I do.

Golly BG, It's not like you don't have enough to keep you busy. How many jobs are you working? How young are your children? I couldn't be in school if I actually had to work hard 40 hours a week and didn't share my kid with my ex. But hypothetically, if you did go back to school what would you do? W- BG is the vegetarian, ZZ too I think. I'll join you for that Arby's sans bun.