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The monthly visits are very important, whether you're losing weight or not. The doctor wants to monitor your progress. Too much weight being lost, they're going to unfill you a little bit. I know that might horrify some of you, but I lost a lot of hair during my 100 lbs fiasco that scared the bejesus out of me because I ate terribly, nothing nutritious, mashed potatoes loaded with butter and southwest eggrolls...but I kept losing because my restriction was so tight. Fortunately I have a lot of hair and it wasn't noticeable except when I wore black suit jackets...but I put a stop to that by going vegetarian and following the blood type diet, which is the last regimen I will ever need! If you are not losing fast enough, they'll bump you up a little. I could swear the thinking at my doc's office was: 1. Fill - liquids 2 days (lose weight) 2. Mushy foods 2 days (lose more weight) 3. Solid/regular...which makes you maintain for another 3 - 4 weeks til next follow up. Like clock work, 4 - 8 lbs a month. I always lost the most during fill time and then it was just my body dealing with the lost fat. Then my body would be like "OK...lord...we can survive with those 8 lbs, I just made the adjustments, we should be able to hang on to calories again!" and then I thwart it with another fill :wink2:

I hear this a lot. I've been a vegetarian for 6 years about and don't plan on changing that. I'm wondering how tofu and other plant based proteins will sit with me post bypass. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

My plan is high carbs, but they're low glycemic carbs with good protein content like whole grains, beans, etc. I pretty much follow the Mayo clinic diet...which is similar to Mediterranean. My group serves a diverse community of people from all over the world, lot of vegans and vegetarians...so we have a lot of options. I think high protein keto diets produce the fastest weight loss and some folks tolerate them really well. (wish I did, but I don't) My group stresses keeping the calories at 1000-1200 per day, 60+g of protein, lots of exercise, lots of water, eat simple. We do a lot of fruit and veggies and whole grains and beans.

I'm starting my 14-day pre-op liquid diet that consists of 2 cans of slim fast protein, low carb shake, sugar free carnation instant breakfast with 1 cup skim milk, cup cottage cheese, 1 cup dannon light and fit yogurt, 15 oz can vegetarian vegetable soup, quaker oatmeal weight control oatmeal, 3 servings of fruit (1/2 cup each serving), and 48-64 ounces of water or sugar free drinks, no caffeine, no carbonation. I have to have all this every day for 2 weeks. Is anyone doing the same diet or something like this? I know every surgeon and weight loss center is different. Any tips and advice? Thanks!!!

I am now 5 days post-op. I feel pretty good. Seem to have gas after I eat, but pain has been minimal. I have been craving meat and I am a vegetarian. It hasn't been easy getting in my protein because I do get full easily. Returning to work tomorrow, not really looking forward to going back. I have one more week at this job and will be starting a new job the following week. I am looking for postive change, positive people and a new skinny me. Here's to positve changes in life "toast".

No - he can be a jerk, but he's not controlling that way. I have fingerprint protection on my phone anyway, and it is the only number I give out. The insurance company is always sending statements, and I open and discard them because he is not even interested in seeing them. I have my own business working from home - but I can pretty much do my own thing right up until 5.30pm on weekdays for appts and he would be none the wiser. My daughters know about the surgery and are very on board. They can keep a secret - we are always doing things without him knowing. They aren't all that close to him because he's not around all that much if he's binge drinking/binge exercising/binge online game playing - and often the 3 of us will just go off shopping, out to eat, to fairs, festivals, etc. I mean, it's pretty telling that we go off to the UK for 6 weeks in the summer and leave him behind... They are only 11 and 10, though - so I have at least 3 good friends that could take me to the hospital (including the 1 that had gastric sleeve last year). Once it's a done deal he'll be Ok with it - but I'm pretty sure he would do anything to stop it. Because he'll be worried that something will happen to me, yes - but also because he'll be jealous (having done his stupid yo-yo diets for 17 years himself) and because he is so much older than me and he dislikes me getting any male attention as it is (he's 66, and I'm 41 and don't look it). My BMI is not huge - at 36 with diabetes, PCOS, and high cholesterol I *just* qualify, so I have not been told to lose any weight prior. The surgery for me is more about future-proofing my health. For the last couple of years I have made sure to do at least 10,000 steps a day, and keep my calories around 1300. I have logged it all in MyFitnessPal going back to 2015. I should lose weight, but with the PCOS it is almost impossible. What I am looking to get out of the WLS is the complete reset of hormones and metabolism that follows. Because I don;t know how I could keep this up in 10 years, 20 years, etc. No joke - I already have a protein shake for breakfast and one for lunch, for 2 years now. He's used to seeing that. I have been vegetarian since I was a child and only use skim milk, etc. and cook healthy meals. I don't think he's going to notice much difference in my pre-op diet. Plus I can hide any odd looking stuff in my room - we have separate bedrooms.

i start mushies on Sunday i bought vegetarian chili, black bean soup, lentil soup, apple/apricot sauce, I have greek yogurt, ff pudding, s/f jello my nutritionist said eggs also she also said ground meats in sauces...so i am gonna buy some of my fave turkey meatballs and sauce eggface also has a baked ricotta I wanna try oh yeah cottage cheese

I love to cook. Here is a link to the recipe. I got it from foodlab. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/best-vegetarian-bean-chile-recipe.html

I am a Vegetarian and have been for the last 5 week or so. In thee last 5 weeks I have lost over 15 pounds which was much quicker than the weight loss I experienced when I wasn't a Vegetarian (besides when I first got the sleeve done last September). Now I'm 2 pounds from goal and I feel like this is THE BEST decision for me. And before anyone jumps on the Protein bandwagon, I get plenty of it. I feel great and I am doing my best to contribute to a better environment for the planet and my body. Eating meat is completely unnecessary in todays world.

Never heard of such a prohibition. I could eat soft ground meats and soft fish during my soft food stage after two weeks. Solid meat proteins are generally very important for bandster's satiety, but there's exceptions to every rule, particularly when it comes to band rules. I would probably investigate some band vegetarian menus for good ideas for non meat and filling meals.

I decided to go with the dietitian at the surgeon's office instead of with my primary. The office said I could do them there since I'm out of town but after seeing how little my primary new about bariatric surgery requirements I decided against it. Last thing I want is for something to get documented wrong and then I'm pushed back another 6 months. I'm also definitely not going vegetarian. It's not a good choice for my body, especially since I have to stay away from anything with soy in it. Kinda limits me. As far as my primary goes I'm going to go on South Beach, but in reality I'll be doing closer to Atkin's since I'm familiar with it and have had good results on it.

Please search for and join "WLS Vegetarians" on Facebook - there are lots of us out there!

Here are a few Q&A's from the ASMBS: Q: How much Protein do I need daily? A: Most patients get 60-80 grams daily, but some may require more depending on their response to surgery or their type of operation. Your dietitian can provide more detailed information. Q: Can I take all of the protein in one dose? A: Protein should be taken in multiple doses, across multiple meals or healthy Snacks. The body cannot absorb more than approximately 30 grams at once. Also, protein is a nutrient that helps us feel fuller, longer. If we try to include Proteins in each of our meals or healthy snacks, we’re less likely to feel hungry when it’s not time to eat. Q: How should I get my protein? With shakes? Bars? What if I’m a vegetarian? A: There are many options even for those with special dietary needs or preferences. Your dietitian can provide additional information on protein sources. meats, eggs, dairy products, and Beans are common protein sources in everyday foods. Protein extracts made from soy, brown rice and whey are commonly sold in stores. Protein Shakes or bars may offer additional ways to meet your protein needs. You may find it helpful to calculate your daily protein intake to be sure you’re not falling short. As you are able to tolerate more regular foods, you get a higher portion of the requirement during regular meals and supplements become less necessary. Q: What happens if I don’t take in enough protein? A: The body needs additional protein during the period of rapid weight loss to maintain your muscle mass. Protein is also required for your metabolism to occur. If you don’t provide enough protein in your diet, the body will take its protein from your muscles and you can become frail.

Hi I've just been searching for this topic as I've recently realised I have just started showing symptoms of Reactive Hyplogylcemia. I'm exactly one year post-op sleeve surgery and I had no idea us sleevers could suffer these symptoms. I'm a vegetarian so trying to cut out carbs has been a huge challenge for me and must admit that recently they have come back into my diet and my weightloss has also stalled. I now find that if I try and exercise in the mornings I have a massive hypo attack, the shakes, sweating, low blood sugar, feel like I'm going to faint, need to sit down and then an urgency to eat something. I then continue to feel terrible for the rest of the day like I'm all washed out and very tired even though I've done almost nothing. This is a very worrying new complication of the sleeve surgery that I did not sign up for and I'm trying to find out as much as possible about the condition so I can learn how to manage it. I'm confused as to whether I need to cut the carbs or increase them? I've been eating about 1,000 calories a day but burning around 2,700 cals per day (I wear a BodyMedia monitor so I know exactly what I'm using). I'm now really worried about this new development.. I'm seeing my surgeon next week for my one year review, I will be asking about this as from what I've researched, it seems as though there are a lot of people post bariatric surgery complaining of the problem and not much can be done from what I know??. Mine so far has been manageable but I am very worried it might get worse and I've read some people having their Pancreases removed which seems very extreme!. Any help or advice would be gratefully received. Prior to surgery I had PCOS, under-active thyroid and had been told years ago that I was insulin resistent but I never had diabetes. I must say, had I known about this complication it would have made me consider very carefully whether I should do this? Please has anyone any advice as it is worrying me a lot??

@@lauraellen80 ... I agree that nutritional guidelines widely available are confusing. There are major points of disagreement between (1) standard nutritional advice (which I figure is what certified nutritionists dispense), (2) Atkins / low carb lifestyle eating advice, and (3) other plans like Paleo, vegetarian, and vegan. This morning I did some online research and learned that standard nutritional guidelines generally advise that healthy women should eat daily: 60 grams of Protein 170 grams of carbohydrates 70 grams of fat 2,000 calories 4-5 cups of vegetables and fruits (yeah, I'm working on that ... ) I also read (on various sites -- and I'm reporting ONLY that I've read this, not that I'm a nutritional researcher who's done any actual research) that too much protein in one's diet can be tough on kidneys, liver, bones, cause cancer, feed yeast overgrowth, cause dehydration, degrade brain functions, and God knows what else. There's so much emphasis after WLS on eating such a big proportion of protein during the losing phases that this focus carries over to maintenance. I've seen so many posts by WLS patients who report they're maintaining their weight loss (after losing all their excess weight) by continuing to eat high protein / low carb diets. And when anyone gains weight, the greatest proportion of advice given online is to "eat low-carb!" And, of course, no one is advising us to eat sugar and lots of starchy foods, but eating 4-5 cups of vegetables and fruits is surely harder for sleeved patients. At least, that's how I feel at 14.5 months post-op. Maybe I'll find eating 4-5 cups of veggies / fruits a day easier as the years roll on. ???

Mr. United States, United by Christ, is surging in the polls...and to think, the following is what he believes (he does not believe in evolution): The Bible teaches (in Genesis 1:29-30) that the original animals (and the first humans) were commanded to be vegetarian. There were no meat eaters in the original creation. Furthermore, there was no death. It was an unblemished world, with Adam and Eve and animals (including dinosaurs) living in perfect harmony, eating only plants. Sadly, it did not stay this way for very long. Adam rebelled against his Creator, bringing sin into the world (Genesis 3:1-7; Romans 5:12). Because of this rebellion, Adam, and thus all of his descendants (you and me), gave up the right to live with a Holy (sinless) and just God. God therefore judged sin with death. The Bible plainly teaches from Genesis to Revelation that there was no death of animals or humans before Adam sinned. (Consider just a few of the many passages, such as: Romans 5:12; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 1:29-30; Romans 8:20-22; Acts 3:21; Hebrews 9:22; I Corinthians 15; Revelation 21:1-4; Revelation 22:3.) This means there could not have been any animal fossils (and no dinosaur bones) before sin. After Adam’s sin, animals and people started to die. It was now a different world, one of death and strife. A world that was once beautiful now suffered under the curse placed upon it by the Creator (Genesis 3:14-19). But a promise was given (Genesis 3:15) that God would provide a way for the penalty of sin to be paid so there would be a way for man to come back to God. Why Do We Find Dinosaur Fossils? In Genesis 6, we read that all flesh (man and animals) had ‘corrupted his way upon the Earth’ (Genesis 6:12). Perhaps people and animals were killing each other; maybe dinosaurs had started killing other animals and humans. In any case, the Bible describes the world as ‘wicked.’ Because of this wickedness, God warned a godly man named Noah that He was going to destroy the world with a Flood (Genesis 6:13). God therefore commanded him to build a great ship (the Ark) so that all the kinds of land animals (which must have included dinosaurs) and Noah’s family could survive on board while the Flood destroyed the entire Earth (Genesis 6:14-20). Some people think that dinosaurs were too big, or there were too many of them, to go on this Ark. However, there were not very many different kinds of dinosaurs. There are certainly hundreds of dinosaur names, but many of these were given to just a bit of bone or skeletons of the same dinosaur found in other countries. It is also reasonable to assume that different sizes, varieties, and sexes of the same kind of dinosaur have ended up with different names. For example, look at the many different varieties and sizes of dogs, but they are all the same kind-the dog kind! In reality, there may have been fewer than 50 kinds of dinosaurs. God sent two of every (seven of some) land animal into the Ark (Genesis 7:2-3; 7:8-9)—there were no exceptions. Therefore, dinosaurs must have been on the Ark. Even though there was ample room in the huge ship for large animals, perhaps God sent young adults into the Ark that still had plenty of room for them to grow. Well, what happened to all the land animals that did not go on the Ark? Very simply, they drowned. Many would have been covered with tons of mud as the rampaging Water covered the land (Genesis 7:11-12,19). Because of this quick burial, many of the animals would have been preserved as fossils. If this happened, you would expect to find evidence of billions of dead things buried in rock layers (formed from this mud) all over the Earth. This is exactly what you do find. By the way, the Flood of Noah’s day probably occurred just over 4,500 years ago. Creationists believe that this event formed many of the fossil layers around the Earth. (Additional fossil layers were formed by other floods as the Earth settled down after the great Flood.) Thus, the dinosaur fossils which were formed as a result of this Flood were probably formed about 4,500 years ago, not millions of years ago. Somehow, believing the crap above makes me worried about his ability to be the President. Call me kooky.

I saw that movie and fo believe plant based diet is the way to go. Plant based is even recommended for reversing diabetes. I favor vegetarian over vegan because I have seen people who are vegan eat cereal and other sugar based crap foods in the name of bring vegan. One if my favorite sayings is " too many people counting calories and not enough counting chemicals " Fruits and veggies do not contain artificial chemicals and chemicals are a big part of why our society is so sick The documentary "forks over knives " is about a surgeon who reversed heart disease with a vegetarian diet. It is an excellent movie. So is "Hungry for change". These are all on Netflix or hulu. My husband and I drink green juice and have for 4 years. We both have seen the positive effects on our health from green juice. I had surgery on 7/21 and we both are going vegetarian but with fish or shrimp only. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using BariatricPal mobile app

I have watched that documentary as well as many others in favor of plant based. I am following a plant based diet and I'm still losing weight, etc. My husband, who is trying to gain, is following as well and is gaining muscle much easier than he was doing all that protein. We both feel better, more alert. I don't have any digestive issues anymore. I'm quite regular as well. It's nice. In fact, he decided to eat a meal that was high in fat and had some animal protein in it today for lunch. He's currently sleeping, told me he felt really sick and gross. I told him his body doesn't want that stuff anymore. He won't be eating like that again. Lol I started a thread in the Vegan/Vegetarian forum; Proteinaholic. Check it out. We're talking about what bariatric surgeon, Dr Garth Davis, has researched and found by science and evidence regarding animal protein and our diets. It's VERY interesting and just confirms to me I'm on the right path. His book is called Proteinaholic. You should check it out.

I love love love their salad with grilled veggies on top. Sometimes I add cheese (I'm a vegetarian), but I think you can get it with grilled chicken. I have come to think of pasta as tasteless, a waste of space (I'm post-op), yucky/gummy, and low bang for the buck given its lack of nutritional value. I feel so good putting a healthful tasty salad in my body instead. And everyone at the table will probably look at your salad longingly, wishing they had ordered it. You will feel great after eating it, too! I would pass on the bread or maybe have half a piece with the dipping oil bc that's the best part (since you are pre-op--post-op, you won't want it). You can get a side of sautéed spinach with garlic (not sure if it's on the menu, but they will do it), which is sooo good and good for you. Most of all, I hope you enjoy your time with your loved ones!

Hi, Alysha~ Yes, there are a number of us vegetarians here. I'm trying to remember who else is, but if you search using "vegetarian", you should find some of our posts. We've traded some recipes back and forth, but I ha ven't seen anything recently. You've found a great support group...spend time reading through current and older posts, and you'll glean tons of great information and tips. Best of luck on your surgery and recovery! Emily

Thanks for the responses. It's nice to have a network like this to rely on for real answers. I'm just afraid of a lot right now, and dying young is one of them... but mostly being denied for my insurance to pay and for my heart not to be able to hold up for surgery. Calorie reduction kind of sucks for me when it comes to losing, I think if I have an okay from the insurance, I'll get on the bandwagon or whatever to get the weight off... for good, but I don't want to yo-y anymore. I've lost a lot of hair, sleep, and respect for myself for not being able to stick to a lifestyle. I did the South Beach diet and did okay, now that I'm a vegetarian and have been for 4 months, it's getting hard to try to tell myself to eat meat again, but I realize I will have to to keep the lifestyle plan with the lap band. *sigh* What a long road, glad to know I don't walk alone....

I'm not even sure who to contact, but I was thinking...wouldn't it be a great idea to have bariatric size meals ready to go for people. When I went to the grocery store, even a lean cuisine or atkins meal is just too much to eat. Who would want to venture into a business doing frozen and fresh meals and Snacks for wls patients? Does anyone know how to go about this and who to contact? It would be great to have small portion sizes or even 2-3 portions in a box that are separated. It would have to be great tasting food and many varieties! I for one don't eat red meat or pork so using ground turkey and chicken would be ideal for me. I know others eat meat so having thinks like a regular chili and a turkey chili and a vegetarian option would be awesome. Anyways this is an idea that I'm floating around because regular food is just too much.

me too!! I could easily be vegetarian, but vegan would be a struggle - I'd have a REALLY hard time giving up dairy!

Plateaus can happen for no/many reasons even sometimes when your body is pausing to adjust. But if it has been very long (6+ months) w/o weightloss you may have reached maintenance (I know it was quite hard for me to maintain strict vegetarianism while in the losing phase. I found mostly grain free ovo lacto pescaterian the best path for me with flexing in solid animal protein occasionally) To try and kickstart weightloss again perhaps you could take a look at your diet and weed out any problem foods (highly processed, high sodium, wheat fillers) Easy vegetarian foods are usually high calorie/carb. To avoid This you may need to use pure vegetarian protein sources (tofu, eggs) but reduce precooked packaged items as well as limit grains & legumes (if you eat them) Good Luck 💜

You’re making the right choice, I had R-n-Y July 2017. I’ve gone from 89kgs to 65kgs ( 198 lbs - 140 lbs) been maintaining my weight for over 18 months now and yes it’s possible ! I also ridiculed my fat body, it was a form of protection, we’re just saying it before the other person does !! Surgery was the kick start and then the nutritional advise (tool) has kept me at maintenance. I’ve had blips at Christmas time, been scared each time thinking that my appetite has increased and my stomach has got bigger too. But nope, I go back to small diet and appetite, it’s such a great feeling, being in control 🙌🏽 I loved carbs like potatoes and bread to make me feel sated. I have 1 slice of bread a day now and potatoes maybe once every 2/3 weeks, i love the fact I’m not using carbs for comfort anymore. I do have naughty days when I want a bag of crisps/chips, in which case I’ll buy a bag of roasted nuts, that way at least I’m getting some protein whilst being naughty. ! Protein has been very challenging for me as I’m vegetarian, my diet has never been dairy based but it is now. My tummy is still quite small, I can’t eat huge or even ‘normal’ portions. I’m not on hypertension drugs anymore. I love being able to buckle my sandals and tying shoe laces. 😆 I can’t believe I was carrying a ‘suitcase’ (23kg excess fat/weight) around for 30yrs. When I go on holiday, my suitcase feels very heavy carrying it to car, then to check in, to think I was carrying that around with me daily... crazy and scary for 30 years. Telling people - I didn’t tell my family as I worried that if I didn’t lose weight I’d be ashamed. But, one does lose weight and you will ! Don’t stress about that, this surgery does work and using the tools that you have learnt help you to be sucessful in the future. I was nervous too, but it’s great being on the other side now Good luck !