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I have never gone vegetarian, so I don't know a lot about this way of eating. I also don't know how much Protein you are suppose to eat on your plan. However I know mine is 80 to 100. II am wondering how you would be getting that much protein eating vegetarian only. I would imagine you wouldn't have any energy and your hair would start to fall out. Could you please explain how a vegetarian diet with a VSG works.

So, 3 days post op for me. Weight fluctuating between 335-340 lbs. Still walking to get this co2 out of my core. Still living off OptiFast. Not much of an appetite for food since week 2 of my liquid diet. Feeling a little different about food altogether. I'm thinking about going vegetarian after this. I most definitely will not go back to eating all the foods that made me this way. I know the days will continue to go by, I just feel like I want to fast forward to a year from now so I can see more results. I've lost 57 lbs since the beginning of my journey, 30 lbs in the past 2 weeks. Cant wait for my first fill.

I really like what Endless says about freeing ourselves from the burden of dieting. I've been dieting for darn near 40 years (since age 13), and, to be very frank, I'm sick of that sh@! I'm spending my recovery weeks educating myself about 1. healthy, high-Protein foods, 2. new products/foods that I may not be familiar with, but that others find very useful, and 3. EASY recipes that will work for both my wife (a vegetarian) and me -- a base to which I can add meat and she can add a meat alternative. I figure, if I choose, buy, stock, have on-hand, and prepare the right foods, the SLEEVE will take care of the rest.

Hi, I'm vegetarian so I use soy protein. Spirutein is yum and has tons of flavors. I ordered a sample pack in advance and tried them out. I use a soy protein by Optimum Nutrition. It has no sugar and i like it mixed with water. It mixes very easily.

The decision realy has to be our own. I went through hell just prior to wondering if I should, would I fail, what would happen if people found out etc. I know my decision in all of this was right for me - but I only know that now. I've been having a tough time of the holidays, but I still know it would be worse without my band. I am a vegetarian, so it may not be that helfpul to you to tel you about my food. I eat no flesh of any kind, so no "stuck" or "PB'ing there You can defeat the band by eating cr@p - Cookies, fast food, high calorie drinks & shakes - easy easy to do. So IMHO the first thing to pledge yourself, is to stop with the fries, burgers and fast food and sodas. That's a truck load of calories. I am eating virtually my pre-op diet, but soooo much healthier

I am a vegetarian almost 3 weeks out. I also wanted to go vegan but I compromised and said once I'm at my goal weight I will. It's pretty hard to get protein in from non animal sources, especially in the purée stage. In the liquid stage you can get soy protein pretty easy. I guess if your really determined and you come up with a plan you'll be able to do it, just remember you'll probably only be able to eat about 4 oz of purees at a time and you need 60 g of protein, also you need to stay under 1000 calories. Talk to your dietician though, I'm sure she'll have advice.

I am new to this site so I can't figure out the part about this being a private conversation. . .anyway. I will be banded the week after next. Feelings: Strangely, not too many yet, but I just got instructions from my surgeon today about what to eat pre-and post-op and I guess that got me starting to feel a little nervous about really saying goodbye to using food as a crutch. And I feel a lot of anxiety about the no bread part too. If it weren't for bread, Pasta, and the fats I put on them, I'd be thin today. I have to force myself to eat Protein. I'm a vegetarian, more or less. I don't like veggies unless they're raw. So I am imagining a difficult adjustment. As far as telling people goes, I feel healthy and calm about it. I am normally a very private person, but I have told my family (I'm very close to them and they will be with me), my boss (had to in order to get the time off) and my close friends. But I have also told a few people I'm not quite as close to at work, but people I trust to be quiet about it. I figure sooner or later the word will get around at work. As far as scrutiny goes, I feel people watch what I eat very closely now. It can't be too much worse afterwards. I just don't tell people who I feel are going to ask me many questions or who are going to try to lecture me. Shame? I've lost my weight before twice and re-gained it. People who know me know I've tried and I've worked hard at it. I'm going to continue to work hard, as are we all. I'm putting shame behind me. BTW, I'm not a counselor, but I'm a social worker. Close. Nancy

I've heard some conflicting info and would like to hear from some people who have maybe gone through this. I know that some (most?) insurances require a medically supervised diet before surgery, usually about 6 months. I know mine does. The conflicting info I've heard though is regarding losing or gaining weight during that time. Some people I've heard from said they were told they couldn't get the surgery unless they lost weight on the diet, but I've also heard that if you gained weight on the diet it would make it more likely to get the surgery approved since it shows that regular diets don't work. I can see it both ways... one way they want to see proof that you can make changes and losing weight shows that, but the other way proves that regular diets don't work and the surgery is your best option. Maybe it depends on the insurance? I'm just concerned because I don't know what kind of diet the nutritionist is going to want to put me on. My primary is a strong advocate for going vegetarian but that makes me gain weight. The only way I've ever had luck losing weight is when I followed very strict low carb but I don't know if the nutritionist will agree to a low carb diet for me. Last time I saw a nutritionist was, oh god, almost 20 years ago and of course low fat low calorie was the suggestion. I've tried so many diets over the years, I gain weight on nearly all of them, even when following perfectly. Needless to say, I'm nervous about this. I talk to my primary tomorrow to start the ball rolling so I haven't seen a surgeon or nutritionist yet. Just was thinking about that tonight and figured I'd ask.

I absolutely get it! I couldn't do the protein shakes at all, either; my sleeve rejected each and every one, and I tried a bunch. I ended up making my own with "real food" alternatives--Greek yogurt, milk, white beans (yeah, in a smoothie--use the low-sodium, rinse well, and you'll never know you put a tablespoon or two in there, trust me), PB2 powder (like dried peanut butter--all the protein, none of the fat), etc. That's the only sort of thing my sleeve would tolerate. I still drink smoothies almost every day, sort of the same idea--Greek yogurt, spinach, couple of pecans, some fruit (when you are allowed), some flavoring. Hang in there. I never met my protein goals during post-op, still don't, and my blood work is stellar. Some people can easily get there, and others of us have to try other avenues. Fortunately, as your sleeve heals, you'll be able to incorporate more varied types of protein and you'll be able to find a regimen that will work for you. For me, this has meant a heavy vegetarian diet plus occasional shellfish (I can tolerate dairy and egg whites, too). You'll find your path; no stress! Listen to and trust your body.

My protocol is minimum 60 protein priority ..veggies an fruits after that's met. I hit 4 wks I can now add CERTAIN fruits still no stringy fiber...but soft fruit trying to still avoid SKIN type fruits. My instructions are 3 meals an 2 small snacks. Watching closely calories. I was told eat all protein first from plate then veggie if u can handle it an salad last..I have been eating string cheese an yogart for snacks to add the protein. .I no vegan is totaly different I have a girlfriend who has been vegetarian for 30 yrs an her diet I don't think is true vegetarian bc she lives pretty much on yogurt an starbucks lol...not sure on rest of her diet..definitely look up on here on vegans for additional help. We just don't want to do anything to cause our tummys problems an stretching. I sure don't want all this to b a waste for me....follow your plan!

Yeah to the above message! Perhaps the biggest most wonderful change gthat I didn't see coming is the absense of pain or the great lessening of it. Joints, back, everything just doesn't hurt like before not carrying that horrendous weight around. I no longer live on advils and stuff like that. But yes I second the wish I hadn't waited so long, I'm 60 and absolutely damage was done to the joints under all that weight. I've had to learn to modify greatly HOW I exercise. And one other thing that I love: the damn operation seems to have sort of turned me into a vegetarian. meats just don't go down or sit well, so it's just not a big deal. I'd always sort of flirted with the idea of not eating meat but this has made that very easy to do

um, ok so it's a carb, (duh) But if you look at the nutrition info...it does have Protein. My friend who is a vegetarian told me that. At first I was shocked, but when I looked for myself, I saw that she was right.:confused_smile:

I'm not vegetarian, but I do have a strong preference for Beans and lentils over meat most days. I even substitute lentils for rice in many dishes, because they are that good. I don't read labels for carbs, I read for Protein and Fiber. I know everyone is not the same though. What I have found is that I eat so little of anything that if I can find just the right product, at any price, I go ahead and buy it. So if you have a way to get low fat cottage cheese, do it. If you don't, go ahead with the full fat. I really doubt you will be eating that much, and if you are, you can figure it out quickly and dial back the cottage cheese. Seriously, you won't be eating a cup of cottage cheese, maybe not even a half cup. I hope this is a little helpful. Best wishes to you, I am sure you will do great!

Excellent all the way around. I love that they have support group meetings several times a week in different locations/times/places. I felt really cared for by the medical team. I have a laundry list of allergies,I'm a vegetarian and I don't accept blood transfusions. I explained all of this to the team up front and asked if this would be a problem or interfere with me have bariatric surgery. I was assured that it wasn't and te staff never pushed the issue. My surgery went as smooth as it could. The only issue I had was they couldn't fine a vein for my IV the day of surgery. They ended up having to go in my neck. It was a little scary because they had to tilt the bed back, but the staff was very comforting and reassuring under the circumstances. Other than that, my surgery was a breeze! I was walking in recovery. I had no pain and never needed to use the morphine pump or take pain meds. I had a private room on the floor and my nurse was great! When they found out I lived alone they made arrangements for a visiting nurse to come check on my upon discharge. I choose Dr. Williams because he had done GBP on a friend of mine and she said he was good. I'd definitely recommend him to anyone in the Philly area considering this surgery.

I agree with Jack. A vegan and vegetarian are not the same thing.

I would be very careful about taking the fish oil our any other supplements that are in gelcap form .... We were warned that they do not break down in our small tummies and can expand& block the stomas. We had one man in our support group session this month that that happened too and hit had to have it strictly removed. I take either liquid, chewable or fast dissolving vegetarian capsule specifically designed for bariatric patients.

Finally someone that is headed the same direction as me. I am a CrossFitter but still am having trouble given I have a few more things working against me. Our group leans heavily towards Paleo or Zone diet. I have difficulty with Zone because of the need to be really precise on preparing meals and the fact that I can only eat small zone meals. I am also a vegetarian and am working now to cut out any dairy products. I will eventually be pescatarian (only fish on occasion). Can you point me in the direction of your paleo resources or any meals/shopping guidelines you follow? I am really happy to see another Bandster on this path and enjoying success. I mentioned it to my doctor and was told that vegetarian and anything that does not follow the band nutrition plan is doomed to fail. Not what I wanted to hear.

Hi everyone I'm Zoë and I had my surgery on 2nd March 2016 at the Whittington health hospital, London so I'm 4weeks out, Would like to ask, I'm getting ready board with food, I'm a vegetarian and finding it really hard to eat something different, its the same thing all the time. Could I have some ideals please to try. Hope to hear something soon.

Vegan diet is pretty hard to stick with, and I think it'd be extra tough to not become malnourished on it after getting your sleeve. There are some high-protein vegan foods like beans, chickpeas, tofu, etc, but you have to eat a lot of them to get enough protein, and you couldn't eat very much after your sleeve. So you'd have to drink lots of soy protein shakes to make sure you are not low on protein. If you've never been vegetarian or vegan, I think a good place to start would be to buy your animal products at the local farmer's market or Whole Foods and gently phase them out of your diet until you become a vegetarian. Some things are quite easy to replace (e.g. milk with soy or almond milk - the difference in taste and texture is not that great), but the toughest thing, IMO, is with processed food - that includes breads, pastas, frozen meals, protein bars, protein powders, etc. SO many processed/prepared foods have animal products in them, whether it's eggs, whey, or gelatin. I would venture into a health food store (Whole Foods, Planet Organic) and see what animal-free prepackaged foods they have. A 100% vegan diet is very tough to follow, but you can always get as close as possible and make that the few animal products you do consume come from ethical sources.

Im a vegetarian, and do eat some eggs and dairy, however I have become lactose intolerant, so the milk product are minimal right now. I like tofu, but its pretty bland out of the box, find good recipes with yummy sauces. I make seitan and this kind of product is high Protein and does fill up the sleeve nicely. It can be done! I don't want to contribute to the meat industry either. There are good ground "beef" products in the refer section in Supermarkets, Soyrizo, dry TVP (texturized vegetable protein) which soaks up great flavor when cooked, You can also get "chicken" powdered broth that can jazz up soup and such with a chicken flavor. just found this link with some ideas... I have used most of these and they are really good. They are not meat, but close enough for me. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/460945/top_10_vegetarian_meat_substitutes.html?cat=5

Oh my God that video is very disturing, I can understand people who decide to become vegetarians

Also, if you have a Whole Foods near you, they sell a lot of great protein powders that are vegetarian and vegan. I've been buying most of my food there (primarily because I hate synthetic sweeteners and all the weird chemicals that are used in conventional protein powders). They sell soy protein and hemp protein, among other things. Just read the labels, because a lot of the non-animal supplements have fewer grams of protein in a serving.

i was asking cause, there are many vegetarian sources of protein you can eat... there is tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, lentils.... but why you dont eat those other foods might indicate what else you might or might not eat.

I had emerged from a childhood of being obese as a slim size 6 teenager vowing never to be fat again. A decade later I was bigger then ever. There was no one specific event that made me decide that having the Lap Band placed was the right decision for me, rather it was all of the small indignities that were becoming common place in my life. There were many, but with each new indignity I became more hindered in my ability to live the type of life that I wanted to. At first not being able to cross my legs was just something that I would have to live with. Then I had to start looking for seats without arms, which made going to a movie an anxiety producing event. Eventually shaving my legs became a feat worthy of a contortionist. I was actually grateful that my then year old son was a late walker, as I could not fathom chasing after a toddler I couldn’t understand why I was so fat. I had been a vegetarian for almost 15 years I was insulted whenever a complete stranger or doctor implied that I must be scarfing down whoppers and fries. Of course I knew the answer, I just ate too often and too much.I ate when I wasn’t hungry, I ate when I was sad, I ate when I had a argument with my husband, I ate when my feelings had been hurt because I had been ostracized due to my weight. After delivering my son in May 2006 I weighed in at 375 pounds, six months later I was down to 330 and the scale wouldn’t go down from there. Both my mother and my husband asked why I couldn’t just lose weight on my own again. I could never express what I felt, inside “Why ? When I won’t be able to keep it off ?” At that time I went to an information session at my local hospital, I decided that night that I much preferred having the Lap Band placed instead of either RNY or the Duodenal Switch, the only three surgeries preformed there. I also learned that I would have to wait until I was at a least a year post par tum to have the surgery, the hospital’s policy. I would love to say that during the interim between the information session and my surgery eight months later I changed my eating habits and started a healthy new lifestyle, but in reality I ate like I was going to the chair. I went for all of the prerequisite exams and learned what I was truly doing to my health. I was at the cut off point for not needing a Cpap machine, my heart was enlarged, I had horrible GERD, and my joints ached constantly. Yet I couldn't stop eating. Still when I received a call on July 26, 2007 saying that there was a cancellation with my surgeon and I could have my surgery in a mere 5 days I balked. “Could I really do this?” Resoundingly the answer that came from within was “YES I CAN ” I told my skeptical spouse and mother my decision and turned into a shrew waiting for my surgery day. I weighed in at 342 pounds the day of my surgery. The band has been an amazing tool in my life giving me a sense of satiety that I never had before. I have had success with my band because I keep reminding myself of my inner voice that told me I could when the closest people to me were skeptical. I walk 90 minutes a day at least 5 days a week and follow the Bandster rules. Today I weigh 212 pounds and am 47 pounds away from my goal. I will get there, although it is getting more difficult to lose. The quality of my life is so much better and instead of learning to live with indignities I am finding non scale victories NSVs)everywhere... :thumbup:

I'm a vegetarian, so I've been drinking veggie broth. I think it's pretty good, but I also think they mostly use the same spices that are used in chicken broth, so it might not be much of a change for you.