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Ok, so today is the first day that I'm really starting to feel back to normal....very happily. Went for a walk...a short one, got a mani/ pedi, blew dry my hair, shaved the legs...all the grooming rituals that have been put on the back burner for the last 10 days! I'm also down 25 lbs today since I started the pre-op diet. So feeling pretty good about things. Two things that I think are odd about myself right now: One, I find great comfort in watching the food network constantly. I love to cook (and eat) and am growing a veggie garden now so I've been thinking of cool recipes. I have been watching A LOT and seem to be somewhat sated just watching these yummy things being prepared...I don't necessarily even want to EAT them....just a bit strange the whole thing. Number two and even weirder is that I'm having very vivid dreams about food. Have had two (so recurring) dreams about home made peach ice cream (which I'm not sure I've ever even had) and last night I was molesting a Big Mac! I'm a vegetarian and have never been a huge fast food person (although do have very fond food memories of McD's cheeseburgers during my meat eating years!) Anyway, a bit weird, but all in all things are good and I guess we all handle these changes a bit differently. :thumbup:

Farah Fawcett?? really?? Ed McMahon I liked too!! MIcheal Jackson was strange but I think he had a very very hard life. I don't agree with much of what he did and was about but he started out with promise anyway.........just sad. Riley I can drink the same as yesterday nothing has changed. I don't feel a thing. Not full at all and not much funnel. Nothing hurts, I don't feel full. It might be another 4 weeks of willpower. Last time I knew right away something was different. Right away!! I think you RILEY might be at your sweet spot!! Amazing at 5cc's !! I will be excited to hear how it goes with everyone's fills this month. By the way (Riley/Jane) Liz was asking me about my support system, support groups and of course I mentioned everyone and Kaiser West point. I said Jane and are both vegetarian and like joking around so we have alot in common. Dr. Baggs jumped in and told me keeping in contact with Jane is a very good thing for you to do. I encourage it :-) Compliment. I think maybe he thinks you can teach me a thing or two since you have lost so much and you like exercise and I don't!! LOL.

Im also a vegetarian (although I do eat fish sometimes). Basically I have a lap band cookbook and I have a bunch of recipes that I like. For the ones that call for meats, I just substitute tofu (and there are so many different kinds of tofu...you can vary it a little). Im only about a week postop so Im not eating eggs or firm tofu but I plan to just cook all the different recipes incorporating a meat substitute. Plus 1-2 protein shakes a day. Should be fine, and varying the recipes will keep it interesting!

Hey girls one more day!! I didn't do well on the 5 day test. I got way to hungry and dizzy so I stopped. I don't know if that is to healthy for me being vegetarian and all. Ok well down 2 pounds in a month but at least not up. Still don't know what Robin will say. But ah well here we go. I went to the mall tonight with my daughter got a salad only ate half cause the band stopped me ......ya know that last bite syndrome was coming on so I stopped...........was dying of thirst and took a sip of my daughter 7up..............just to clear my mouth. First of all way to sweet and sticky tasting but...........OMG I was in the bathroom with in one minute. I was instantly sick..........yuck, yuck, yuck!! My daughter was mortified I had to do this at the mall..........she told me mom serious you should know to prevent this by now. Ah yea know I was feeling no restriction the last two days than today it hits again............crazy!! I have doing liquids protien shakes all day with ice...frappicino like and yummy and had a salad tonight......but since I switched to water I have been so very thristy all day long. I can't drink enough water and thus my indulgence at the mall at subsequent visit to the pot!! see you all in two days!!

I'm not a vegetarian or a vegan but I had a similiar problem. I eat fish, I'm not a huge fan of chicken, but I never eat red meat of any kind and I was told by my primary doc & the dietician to start. Just my personal preference not to. I stick to eggs, peanut butter, LF cheese, protein waters, 1% milk [is that protein? *shrugs*] :thumbup:

Could be she is uneducated. When I mentioned I was a vegetarian, I got the deer in the head lights look. I've been doing at least one Protein shake a day, today I did two. I use soy milk, frozen fruit instead of ice, for added nutrition, and the soy Protein powder which has 25 grams of protein per scoop. Between the milk and the powder, that puts me at 31 grams, just for Breakfast. I do eat eggs and dairy yogurt. My surgeon wants us to have a goal for 75 grams of protein for the first few months. Then, keep it between 60 and 75 grams a day. I'm just worried about getting into a habit of eating the same things all the time and getting bored. When I'm hungry and bored, that's when grazing and trouble happens, LOL! I ordered to lap-band cookbooks and am sure that I can modify many recipes. I live in a small town where it's a 50 + mile drive to the nearest whole foods. So, I don't really have access to stuff like tempeh and a broad selection of veg*n items. I did buy some quinoa and am looking forward to trying it next week: 3 weeks post op. Thanks for the responses, the nutritionists seems to think that animal protein is the ONLY protein out there. My hubs, who is not a veg*n, always has some sort of animal protein around here. So, I guess I can always just appease the nutritionist and tell her that I do have animal protein in the house ... lol. I meet w/her thursday morning to discuss portion sizes, what I am eating and what I should be eating. My surgeon requires this as part of his post-op plan.

I've been a vegetarian in the past, and now I eat a primarily vegetarian diet, but I do eat fish occasionally. I'm not seeing why being a vegetarian would be a problem; if it's too hard to get enough Protein from the small amounts of vegetarian food you can eat with good restriction, you can always supplement with a Protein shake. Is it possible that your nutritionist isn't very educated about vegetarian diets? Just like meat-eaters, some veg*ns have a healthy diet and others don't. Just thinking this out... 1/2 c tofu scrambler for breakfast: 9 g protein 1/2 c black Beans w/1 tbsp LF sour cream: 8.5 g protein 8 oz skim milk: 8 g protein 1/2 c quinoa: 12 g protein OK, so that's 37.5 grams of protein and about 680 calories. Add a protein shake and get up to about 57 grams, 840 calories. The protein goal I got from my dietitian was 50 g/day, so I could easily meet that goal with the off-the-top-of-my-head diet I laid out here, right?

If you're wondering what veg*n stands for, it incorporates both Vegetarians and Vegans. I am a vegetarian. I did it for my own reasons. I am NOT going to lecture anyone for eating meat. Your diet preferences are your own for your reasons, as are mine. Tough I don't mind discussing the reason why I chose to become a vegetarian, when people ask. The pre-op nutritionist did not think I'd be able to meet my Protein requirements w/out incorporating meat back into my diet. I have my post-op apt w/the nutritionists 6/25 and I am waiting for the "you must eat meat" lecture. So far, with Protein shakes and looking at labels, I've been doing good. But, today is only 15 day post-op. The nutritionist for my surgeon said they'd only had one other vegetarian come through their doors and and this person became very weak became very weak and unhealthy. So, I'm just curious, if there are veg*ns, how do you keep your protein levels up? And post-op surgery recipe suggestions? Thanks

I appreciate where you are coming from and I know your intentions are good. For the record I agree that eating red meat CAN increase chances of many health issues. Or if you want to be picky, things like choline, excess Iron and saturated fat. The WCRF (World Cancer Research Fund) recommends no more than 17.6 oz. of red meat per week to avoid these issues. BTW, note that all of these questionable substances are also found in many other foods including vegetarian sources. My point is simply that for me, the risk is worth it. EVERYTHING in excess has risks. Eat too much Tofu? Cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's, thyroid dysfunction. You seem to be extremely health focused and risk-averse, which is commendable. I indulge in a wide variety of risky activities, from eating medium-rare pork to racing cars to riding motorcycles to eating unidentifiable street food in third world countries to the occasional cigar, bourbon or recreational herbal inhalant, lol. I'm OK with that. I'm physically and psychologically in the best health of my life right now despite all of the above. All of these risks are completely dwarfed by the damage overeating was doing to me. I guess I'm saying that for me life is more about quality than quantity. Anyway, more power to you and I sincerely respect the disciplined way you approach the betterment of your health. You are doing a good thing by raising all of these alarms. People should at least look into these things and decide for themselves. I concede that you are doing it the "right" way and I encourage readers to strive to match the standard you have set. It's just not for me. :tongue:

andrea - you don't necessarily have to cook, though - just assembling things and putting them together in a to-go container is better and cheaper for you than hitting up your local sandwich place. for instance, fruit/veggies and cheese and crackers, and a yogurt cup... there's a lunch right there... and instead of a cooler, what about those thinner insulated bags they have these days? or you can cook a nice medley of veggies and store it in a ball jar and just keep taking some... that way you don't have to cook 4 dinners, but just keep eating leftovers... i'm not trying to preach, i just honestly care, and it's sooo much better for you. in terms of eating out, i would say just try to look for the healthier options on a menu - where do you usually go? if you get a salad, can you get oil and vinegar on the side, so they don't drown your lettuce? what about subway? you can get a big sandwich there with mainly vegetables, and tell them what to put on it, so they don't load it up with mayo. hm, what else? i would tell you to try to go mainly vegetarian... i have posted before that even people like the new york times' mark bittman are saying even if you love meat, you should be mainly vegetarian... and red meat, well i would either cut that out all together or have it once every few months. it's very bad for you. Soup is also a good option, depending on what it has in it. smoothies are SOMETIMES good if you can choose what goes in them, my dr. told me that a lot of eople remain fat by going to places like jamba juice, though. i'm trying to think of what else i do when i go out... if i get a sandwich, i usually take off most of the bread, but i rarely get sandwiches anymore. if you're in an italian place, or actually, any place, you can ask them what dishes they have that are primarily vegetables... instead of (trying to) eat a big thing of pasta/chinese rice/etc... if i think of anything else i will try and let you know! one other reason i say eating in is good is because you get to experiment with what you can eat for when you do eat out, you know?

I'm a vegetarian and I don't drink a lot of dairy. The shakes the doc wanted me to drink where based on whey (dairy) protein. I actually got thrush (yeast infection) from the shakes. Look in the mirror, do you have a whitish film on your tongue? If not, most likely not thrush. May just be pre-surgery stress. Hope you feel better

Cross-posted from another thread: Proteins: soy (soymilk, tofu, soybeans, edemame), dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, ESPECIALLY cottage cheese - so much protein), nuts, beans and other legumes (like lentils)... I'm a vegetarian, but fish and poultry are also packed with protein. As I said on another thread though, beware salmonella when handling poultry (and eggs), mercury poisoning w/ fish, and avoid red meat, because it causes colon cancer among other problems - like heart problems. Here's a resource for vegan protein, but again things like dairy and eggs are packed with protein (and yolks are high in cholesterol, so beware of that if you have a problem with it... sometimes if I'm making egg salad I'll use like one yolk and 2 egg whites, you can do the same w/ scrambled or you can eat no yolks at all... lots of places these days will serve egg white omelets or scrambles... i like the flavor of the yolk, so i might throw one in there... Vegan food are primarily cholestorol free. I am not a vegan, I'm a vegetarian... people ask me "what do you eat?!" -- I eat everything, I don't consider animals food... even when I DID eat meat, it was maybe once a week or bi-weekly, it's very easy to maintain a mostly vegetarian lifestyle, and even people who love meat, like the New York Times' Mark Bittman are now saying that it's best to be mostly vegetarian... it's not that restrictive, and people like him still eat meat, just not all the time... Protein in the Vegan Diet -- The Vegetarian Resource Group

Proteins: soy (soymilk, tofu, soybeans, edemame), dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, ESPECIALLY cottage cheese - so much protein), nuts, Beans and other legumes (like lentils)... I'm a vegetarian, but fish and poultry are also packed with Protein. As I said on another thread though, beware salmonella when handling poultry (and eggs), mercury poisoning w/ fish, and avoid red meat, because it causes colon cancer among other problems - like heart problems. Here's a resource for vegan protein, but again things like dairy and eggs are packed with protein (and yolks are high in cholesterol, so beware of that if you have a problem with it... sometimes if I'm making egg salad I'll use like one yolk and 2 egg whites, you can do the same w/ scrambled or you can eat no yolks at all... lots of places these days will serve egg white omelets or scrambles... i like the flavor of the yolk, so i might throw one in there... Vegan food are primarily cholestorol free. I am not a vegan, I'm a vegetarian... people ask me "what do you eat?!" -- I eat everything, I don't consider animals food... even when I DID eat meat, it was maybe once a week or bi-weekly, it's very easy to maintain a mostly vegetarian lifestyle, and even people who love meat, like the New York Times' Mark Bittman are now saying that it's best to be mostly vegetarian... it's not that restrictive, and people like him still eat meat, just not all the time... Protein in the Vegan Diet -- The Vegetarian Resource Group

i just said this on another thread - kashi makes a lot of stuff now, even frozen meals. i don't know what kind of stuff they put in lean cuisine and the like, but i'm assuming there's a lot of preservatives. honestly, and i know you don't want to hear this, but maybe you could take some kind of quick cooking class? it's really not that hard -- actually, you don't even have to cook... you can just take good ingredients and toss them together... making salad and making your own dressing... stir frying some veggies and Beans... i would be happy to give you a few tips if you wanted... depending on what you like to eat. i[m a vegetarian, but i do know how to cook meat... though again, like i said on the other thread, i do not recommend red meat.. as it causes colon cancer among other things. even though i do not eat them, healthier meats include fish and chicken... full of Protein... though you have to be careful about salmonella with chicken and mercury with fish. cooking can be not so time consuming, if you don't make it too complicated, and it is SO MUCH cheaper (and obviously SO MUCH healthier) to make your own food our of whole ingredients... Kashi.com was giving out coupons before, I don't know if they still are, but you can check their site...

updegraffyou are not alone -- for some reason, a lot of americans do not know cheese from socks (though some good cheese should smell like socks =])!! I would tell you to go to a good cheese shoppe and ask lots of questions. Processed cheese is a lot of the stuff you will find in a grocery store... a lot of the mainstream cheddar, and like 2911plans said, velveeta and "american" --aptly named-- cheese are not really even cheese, but "cheese product" - kinda like the stuff you'd get out of a can. a lot of good cheese is brought here by other countries, and in more recent years, you can find really great cheeses made in the US -- especially from Vermont. I try to buy cheese that I know isn't made from factory farmed animals (animals kept in horribly tight spaces and not treated right, to say the least) and also ones without rennet, which is an animal product, but you can get vegetable rennet... but I am a vegetarian which is why I don't want to eat rennet... Also, if you get cheese made by animals who are treated right, from a smaller farm, it's going to taste much better... You can get non-processed cheeses in a lot of grocery stores, but I recommend going to a cheese shoppe at least to learn about them. There are endless amounts of cheese - from cheddar, to gouda, to bleu, to ...it's endless. Enjoy your learning! P.S. - as a general rule, it's much healthier for you to eat non-processed foods of any kind... start with whole foods (not the store, just whole ingredients) and make your own wonderful foods, or if going to a restaurant, a place that is real food - not fast food (and also fast food is really bad because of all of the red meat - red meat causes colon cancer among other things)... oh one other thing -- these days there are a lot more pre-made foods that ARE healthy... like things from Kashi

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......

Proteins for four weeks lost weight and experienced improvements in blood cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors, according to a report in the June 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. A high-carbohydrate, low-fat vegetarian diet also resulted in weight loss but without the additional cardiovascular benefits. "There is a dilemma relating to the proportion and source of fat, Protein and carbohydrate that constitutes the optimal weight loss and cholesterol-lowering diet," the authors write as background information in the article. Newer dietary approaches for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease emphasize increased fruit and vegetable intake and reduced meat consumption. However, low-carbohydrate diets with increased meat consumption have also been promoted for body weight reduction and the prevention and treatment of diabetes and coronary heart disease. These diets have been shown to be effective in inducing weight loss, reducing insulin resistance, lowering blood fats known as triglycerides and raising high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, or "good" cholesterol) levels, but have tended to increase low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, or "bad" cholesterol) levels. "This lack of a benefit for LDL-C control is a major disadvantage in using this dietary strategy in those already at increased risk of coronary heart disease," the authors write. David J.A. Jenkins, M.D., of St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues tested the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet high in vegetable proteins from gluten, soy, nuts, fruits, vegetables, cereals and vegetable oils among overweight men and women with high LDL cholesterol levels. A total of 25 participants were randomly assigned to consume this diet-the "Eco-Atkins" diet-for four weeks, while an additional 25 participants ate a control diet that was high-carbohydrate, lacto-ovo vegetarian and based on low-fat dairy and whole grain products. Study food was provided to participants at 60 percent of their estimated calorie requirements. Of the 47 participants who began the study, 44 (22 in each group) completed the four-week period. Weight loss was similar-about 4 kilograms or 8.8 pounds-in both groups. However, reductions in LDL-C levels and improvements in the ratios between total cholesterol and HDL-C were greater for the low-carbohydrate diet compared with the high-carbohydrate diet. The low-carbohydrate diet also appeared to produce beneficial changes in levels and ratios of apolipoproteins, proteins that bind to fats. In addition, small but significantly greater reductions were seen in both systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure for the low-carbohydrate vs. the high-carbohydrate group. Pending answers to important questions, including whether further reducing carbohydrate intake would produce additional benefits, "a plant-based low-carbohydrate diet high in vegetable proteins and oils may be an effective option in treating those with dyslipidemia for whom both weight loss and lower LDL-C concentrations are treatment goals," the authors conclude. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169[11]:1046-1054 Source Archives of Internal Medicine

Mariposa, Thanks for posting about your Friday appt. I think since surgery (May 12) I've lost about 10-12 lbs depending on the scale). I had lost 6 by my post-op and it seems to be about another 5 or 6 since, but my weight has stayed up and down by a pound the last week and a half. So you've lost 23 since surg? That's great! I'm not sure if he'll give me a fill, but I hope so. I try very hard to stick to the recommended types and amounts of food. I feel hungry after 1 1/2 hours sometimes and 2 or 3 hours other times. As for tortillas you mentioned-- I"m pretty sure the nutritionist at Simpson's office said we can have an occasional corn tortilla-- just in case you didn't know. I never cared much for them, but lately I have had them on occasion with some vegetarian refried beans/salsa. Another good thing about them is that they are small! Thanks for posting some of your foods- it's helpful to me. I'm going to try having some lettuce wraps. Question to all of you-- do you just have your 3 meals, or do you have a small snack or 2 throughout the day? Some of the literature we received from Simpson's office says not to snack between meals. Other things say you can have a small snack if you're hungry?! Sometimes I get hungry too fast so I do have a snack-- fruit or veggies. I am careful to get my Protein in first as recommended. Not sure why I get hungry too fast. Once I'm allowed to bump up my exercise a bit (I'm still on walking only for now) then I think it will help some with appetite suppressing. Lisa

Hi, my doc recommended prescriptfit, which you can find at: PrescriptFit, Medical Nutrition Therapy and Weight Loss Plan Figure 2 tubs/week. I'm a vegetarian so I didn't try the Soup. But, the shakes are very filling. I know with slimfast and such, I was hungry w/in a 1/2 hour after drinking them. The prescript fit shakes kept me full for 3 to 4 hours. I lost 10 pounds the first two weeks on the shake. And that included one meal out with friends to olive garden. Good luck

My surgery was at 7:30a.m. on the 12th. I think I was the first one. I was so nervous! But it went pretty well. What caused you to have to stay the night? My aunt lives in Phx, so I was able to leave- provided that I stayed at her house, not leaving the area for 24 hrs. I lost 13 during the pre-op diet, and by my first post-op visit I had lost another 6. However, it's hard to say where I'm at now, based on my scale, because the scale at the doc's office is quite different. I had initially asked to schedule my next appt. for June 19th, but then I read on his website somewhere that he prefers not to do fills on Fridays, in case there are any complications (ie. needing an unfill or something like that). SOOOOO-- I called back and scheduled it for the 18th (Thurs). because I really want to get my first fill at that time. I'm not sure exactly how it works, like if he evaluates and then decides, but I hope to get the fill. I don't want to have to turn around and drive back to Phx a week or two later. It's not easy for me to get off work. I"m burning up a lot of my leave time. Also, I really feel like I'm having to try much harder lately to not eat more than I'm supposed to. Right after surgery it was easier, but I suppose that's due to some pain, plus maybe swelling in the stomach. I know I'll always have to make wise food choices/portion control, but I think it's just time for a fill. What kinds of things are you eating? I've been having cottage cheese or oatmeal in the mornings, and usually vegetarian refried Beans w/salsa, or really soft chicken for lunch/dinner. I know this is long- but one more thing-- did you end up going to any support group meetings? I haven't yet, but I might try to go on the 18th if they are having one. Lisa

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

Hey Riley I will ask my mom for the lentil loaf recipe. I have lots and lots of vegetarian recipes like Special K loaf.....which sounds awful but is so good. I grew up vegetarian so I actaully like all the soy products and veggie loafs.........crazy I know!! My problem is the same as yours I was reaised with to much carbs and not enough protien so it is hard to learn how to do this now. I am really still learning and Robin does help me out alot...........she had me try tempah which is not bad but looks terrible, tofu (which I am trying to like) and cottage cheese (;-P)..........I don't like eggs either but I can now eat them every morning...if it comes to a chicken or an egg I gotta go with the egg......LOL Riley we are in the same place. I have been eating three meals and snack but I get hungry too. I definetely CANNOT eat anything past 1/4 without extreme pain and PB'ing. I did it again today darn it. It is that one last bite and yep it was already chewed up when I realized it was not gonna fit in my pouch.......in a resterant can't spit it out. I swallow and than sit there in pain for 10 minutes...........I mean berating myself for not learning from the day before!!! OMG this is crazy stuff but I am losing a bit so I am happy with the band just not my measuring abilities. But yep it is almost stuck full, not a full full!! I so get what your say, I totally get it!! Sorta nice to have someone else there with me.............sorry your hurting but at least I know my band didn't slip or something!! I am gonna see how it goes in a few weeks. I might not need a fill............but I will trust Dr. Baggs with that one. As long as I can have my crystal light........

Yummo, I want the recipe for that lentil loaf. It is SO nice to be transitioning back to veggie, and SO much sooner than I thought! Really hard to be lo-carb vegetarian tho, and that's the rub. I can't do wheat - not the amount in like bread, and definately not seitan - so it's even more of a challenge. But as long as I can have enough soy I'll be fine. I have to limit myself to 1/4 cup also right now, which just makes me eat 6 times a day instead of 3! For me, "full" - this new "full," which I DO NOT LIKE - feels like I am going to get stuck, just not as intense. Definately not the old full satisfied feeling down in my stomach, this is up near my throat!! The problem is that I usually have another bite chewed up & ready to swallow by the time I get that feeling, and it is HARD to not swallow that bite, but if I do, I am guaranteed to PB. Unfortunately, I can also drink a little something to move things through, and then eat several bites more, RATS! What does "full" (or "done") feel like to you? Do you have any signs, like burping or hiccuping or anything?

Riley how funny we are both in the same place. I am used to being able to get away with more like I was without the fill. I think your right head hunger is playing with me big time right now. I made a vegetarian tofu thing and veggies tonight......last week no problem. Tonight only half and I am not even sure this is 1/4 cup and I am sick instantly...... And you know that crazy thing.............my head still thinks that my stomach wants to eat the rest!! But I know my stomach can't handle it. It still looks yummy sitting on the plate!! I should NOT even want to touch it after getting stuck and sick!! ;-P So I am getting used to this fill but I feel like it is pretty tight fill right now..............lets hope I start dropping the weight since I know for sure I am barely eating right now. I think I went from no restriction to a pretty good amount overnight. No wonder I felt so tight that first night I should have paid more attention to that and maybe I would be in less trouble today!! No wonder they say protiens first after that there is not room for anything more!! Forget salads for awhile I guess. Hey Nicole and Christine how was your last fill? Are you guys getting full really quick and getting stuck too?? Hope everyone is having a great weekend out to the movies. Needless to say no snacks!! Hey Candra I will come walk that hill with you are you in Sacramento?? I really need a hill to walk!!

You're too funny! Every vegan I've known is in good shape. Not necessarily the same for vegetarians, though. I know -- I used to be one. lol I actually gained weight during the two years I was vegetarian. My goal now is just to follow my doctor's low-carb, low-fat diet and get healthy!