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Hello All! I'm with Indio Girl 55--I'm looking at banding because I'm tired of being fat. I've tried everything except the prescription weight loss drugs and have minimal success. I have been a vegetarian for 18 years so in theory this shouldn't have happened but it did. I even went vegan last year and lost a couple pounds and that was it. I exercise at least 3 hours a week, too, so I seem to be doing all the right things but am not seeing any results. I see the surgeon on May 6th and we'll go from there. Thanks to whoever set up this board. It's an awesome resource.

Hey - are there any banded vegetarians /pescas out there? Can you tell me how your surgeon dealt differently with you? Did your pre-op / post-op liquid and mushy diets vary? What info can you give me, any would be great, thanks!

Hi, I'm vegetarian also (although I have started to eat fish now and again) but as far as the band is concerned you can get plenty of protein in with nuts, seeds, pulses and grains. For a while I found eating basmati rice difficult so I switched to cous cous, after a couple of months I tried rice again and I can eat it fine now. When you are making your Soups (broth) I suggest you put a handful of lentils in with your veggies. Protein drinks are terrific when you are on the liquid stage. A bowl of porridge (oats) with some animal milk on is as protein rich as a piece of quality meat. For the mushie stage I found houmus (blend a tin of chick peas, 2tbl sp sesame seed paste, clove of garlic and juice of 1/2 a lemon add olive oil as you blend) a terrfic protein rich easy to eat food. Good luck on your journey.:glare:

A few years ago, I had invited guests for Sunday dinner - roast beef and all the trimmings. Just as the guests were arriving, I removed the roast from the oven to let it 'rest'. I sat it on the counter, and went to greet my guests. After the hello/how are you stuff, I returned to the kitchen to get the wine. I thought something was odd but couldn't quite figure it out. Returned to the guests, had our wine, and then we all traipsed to the kitchen so that I could finish preparing the meal. It was then I noticed there was no meat resting on a platter. I thought, 'You are losing it, girl. It is still in the oven'. Nope, not in the oven, not on the counter, not in the sink. Still not clueing in, I thought maybe I have really lost my mind, and it is in the dishwasher. Nope. Then and only then did I notice that my 100 lb Lab was no where to be seen. I went looking and found him in his kennel licking his lips.... You just gotta laugh! We had a vegetarian dinner.

I'll be banded next week and I am a strict ovo-lacto vegetarian (I do eggs and some dairy). I'm just curious to hear from others what you do for Protein load once you're on to mushies and solids. Will I be on protein supplements for he long run or do you get enough from non-animal sources? I'm also thinking about bringing my own broth to the hospital once I can have clears...you never know what you're getting, kwim? Did anyone else do that?

Notes on Eating: After one year, the changes that are measured are less on pounds and more on lifestyle. The most difficult thing for me has been to relearn my life. Things in need of change: - Not drinking my dinner. Normally drank four large glasses of liquid along with my meal. - Less of the scale, more of the day to day successes in terms of change. - Life does not happen from the four walls of my bedroom. Less time on my bed and more time OUT in the world. - Chew and then swallow. - What really makes you happy? Since thinking it use to be food and actually was, food is no longer an option. ............................ The first notice of concern was the times of my meals. It was recommended that I develop a pattern of eating consistent with regular intervals of eating. Three meals a day with smaller supplementing “snacks” that are planned and at 100 calories or some determined caloric intake not more than what is consumed at a meal. v Snacks should not be more in caloric intake than a meal. There should be no confusion between food intake as identified as a “meal” and one that is a “snack” that is planned as part of my food program. Snacks are recommended at or around 100 calories and preferably in containers that are easily carried with me. Recommendations were; Yogurt, 100 calorie snacks packaged as such, pudding, mozzarella string cheese and other items lower in fat content. v Pick a day of the week devoted to preparation for my week of food plan so I don’t run out of food or don’t have something on hand in the event I have an emotional situation that is a trigger for a binge. v When I arrive home from work, the time when I am most tempted to eat something I shouldn’t, have foods prepared to intake or elect to do a non-food activity I find enjoyable. An example of this is a movie. Tell myself that I will not eat my snack until after I have watched my favorite movie. Get a favorite book and elect not to eat until after I have read so far into the book. The idea being to create a new pattern of habits. Creating new patterns is important so when I deviate from that pattern I will immediately recognize it. After reviewing my diet it was found I was taking in more fat than I realized. Items that had hidden fats in them were skin on chicken, nuts, even thin breading on seafood can hold additional fat. The objective now is to shave away fat as much as possible. When eating out, opt for an all vegetarian meal rather than always a meat meal. Suggestions are pasta with marinara, not cream sauces. Salads, not large ones, but smaller dark green vegetable salads and soups are good. Alternate meals: Example; 3-4 nights a week opt for a healthy option for dinner and save the higher caloric/fat meal for another day but plan for it. This could be the ‘special’ item you enjoy as well. Plan for ice cream, plan for wings but again, create the pattern. Create alternatives. I enjoy sweet tea, carry the small tubes of peach tea by Crystal Light and keep them in my purse. Order water at the restaurant so the temptation to drink sweet tea is lessoned. Summary: Develop a pattern of eating consistent with regular intervals of eating Snacks should not be more in caloric intake than a meal Selections should be simple. The less complicated the better Pick a day of the week devoted to preparation for my week Creating new patterns of habit so when you deviate from that pattern you will immediately recognize it 3-4 nights a week opt for a healthy option such as an all vegetable dinner Create alternatives – I enjoy sweet tea, I can bring Peach tea packets in my purse and add to my water at dinner. Be creative.

I'm 7 months out and have lost 58% of my excess weight since surgery to total 118 pounds post-op. I didn't include the pre-op loss of 17 pounds. I'm down a total of 135 pounds in all and still have 85 to go. I have been working out a whole whole lot and really watching what I eat. I've also become a vegetarian in the last 4-5 months, still have cheese and eggs though. Hang in there, it will come off. -Leena

ok so i haven't had it done yet but i wanted to share with you how i look at weight loss.... i have never cared about if i lost a pound or two it was all failure unless it was 10+ lbs.. but then one day i bout 5 lbs of ground beef and cut it open and laid it on the counter...i was disgusted and amazed at how BIG 5lbs are. 5 POUNDS! I'm well over 100 pounds over weight and that was a huge pile of beef! now go to store and pick up the largest amount of meat they have and i bet it will be heavy and still be less than 45 pounds! don't loose sight of the fact that you are loosing it. it is leaving your body and does not exist any more. you are 180 quarter pound hamburgers lighter! thats allot of burgers! sorry about all of the beef analogies it just helped me when i had a physical substance to compare my weight loss to...and if your a vegetarian then you will be super happy about there being less beef...lol congrats to you and i hope when i have my surgery it will be as successful as yours has been.

Ditto, Georgia, except the lacto ovo vegetarian thing. I gotta have some meat!! LOL On another note..... I AM IN ONEDERLAND!!!!!!!! My scales said 199.4 this morning. I am soooo pumped!!! I think exercise has gotten me over the hump. I just got back from the grocery store again,and I am ready to go today. I will post menu later. Georgia, Have a great Day!!!! WE CAN DO THIS!!!!!!

Thanks for all your thoughts!! I finished the book and found it to be hysterical. My sister has now bought it and we discuss it! I have decided to become a vegetarian and work my way to vegan. I'm not going cold turkey, cleaning out what is in the house already and just making sure to buy veg food. I laughed my butt off for most of the book - except the part about the animals and slaughterhouses, that was a tough chapter. To all who are reading the book, enjoy!

well my eating isn't too good right now. since my 1st fill 1.6cc and then i had a 2nd fill .6 and unfill .6, I can't hardly eat anything without bad pain coming on except Oatmeal. I have a cup of that in the morning and some jell-o with a 2 tbl of fat free half and half on it. tonight i tried vegetarian refried beans (99% fat free) and had 3 little bites and had horrid pain again so i I just had chocolate Muscle Protein Drink (yum!) from costco. that has 240 calories and 22 or 27 Protein. I'm hungry, but I'm dieting through pain punishment. lol If my stoma doesn't calm down by this week end I just might go in and ask for a little more unfill. 1.6cc, should not be doing this to me. Think i just have to be a long time on liquids and mushies more than normal. I'm hungry, did I mention that before. lol I try to eat between 800 and 1100 calories, (when I can eat) anything less than that would be unreasonable for me and my life long goal. and 45 to 60 protein. I just started paying attention to the fat content also. l buy lean Cusines with meat and vegies only but I can't eat them now, wha! I'm hungry... I drink hot chicken broth to open and relax my stoma now but that doesn't work for long either. I don't like tea. ok, i'll stop complaining now. :wub: i can have sf fudgecycles though.

I understand that eating organic may not be embraced by all dietitians, but ultimately it's a personal decision. I do think that eating whole organic foods is better, but I know that everyone doesn't think the same as I. I have enjoyed reading this book and I feel that the authors are very educated and knowledgeable. I feel like I am making a good decision for me and that's all that counts. Not all professional dietitians are always going to agree on everything anyway, so I always read up on anything new and make my own decisions when it comes to my health. I've left out an entire food group before on certain diets (bread, meat) so that doesn't bother me at all. I've even thought about becoming a lacto-ovo vegetarian and that would be leaving out an entire food group also. I am not endorsing this book by any means, it's just something I want to try for myself............if it works for me, that's great, if it doesn't, so be it, I'll try something else. If I do not see results from this, I will probably become a lacto-ovo vegetarian and still try to eat whole organic foods when possible. I am still trying to find my way with my band and with PCOS, trying to figure out what works best for me. That being said, thanks for your concern and good luck to you.

My pre-op diet is high protein, low carb. I have a kidney disorder and didn't want to eat an over abundance of animal protein as it is hard on my kidneys. So, I try to get in as much soy protein as possible. Instead of whey protein powder, I got a soy protein powder that I mix with lite, low carb soy milk. There are many very good meat alternatives if you look for them. One of my favorites is Melissa's soy chorizo which I find with the fresh veggies at my local store. I know most people cringe at the thought of soy anything. Especially since most people think tofu. It's not that bad and you get used to it. When I found out about my kidneys I bought several vegetarian cookbooks. There are many creative ways to eat soy protein. I never would have thought that I would eat it, much less like it. We've always been huge meat eaters. Don't get me wrong, I still love my animal protein, I just try to eat less of it than I used to. So anyway, if you are worried about your kidneys you might want to try it. It's still protein, but is easier on the kidneys. That's my two cents. Good luck!

My birthday is MAY 12th. Lol. Don't make me face getting older any sooner than I have to!!!! I just got home from getting a fill... Had a different NP do it today. Never met her before. She wasn't very accepting of the vegetarian thing. Of course I got scolded about the 'protein' thing. Duh. I STILL get my protein in... I"m not an idiot!! She was pushing me to eat at least 1 egg each day too. Last time I tried to eat a very softly scrambled egg I PBd so hard! I dunno. Still not too keen on this idea of eggs because of the PB but also because of the whole antibotic/hormone deal with the chickens. Lol. ANYWAY, she did give me an agressive fill!! Got 1cc! So that gives me a total of 8.5cc in a 10cc band. Clear liquids tonight, full liquids tomorrow. Nap time for me. I'm so tired.

Ha ha I absolutely love it. It cuts the B.S. and just tells it like it is. While I would LOVE to be a vegetarian (as the book espouses), i have been vegetarian before and I always become severely anaemic -- so that rules that out. I absolutely need red meat, for some reason. Back to "Skinny Bitch". If you want a wake up call from some no-holds-barred authors who won't tiptoe around the issue and "nurture your feelings" then it's a great read. Definitely shocks you into submission :biggrin: But I can understand it being far too confronting for some, as they do swear a lot and present you with some uncomfortable truths about the food we eat every day. So, have a flick through before you buy it, make sure that you're not offended or anything by the terminology, then buy and enjoy On another note, their cookbook "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch" has a lot of lovely recipes. Highly recommended! (obviously all vegetarian).

Hi Stacey, I am 3 weeks post-op and 8 years ovo-lacto vegetarian. My favorite veg-friendly Protein shake is VHP (very high protein), you can find it at Bariatrix.com. It is 35 grams of protein so you are halfway to your daily goal with just one shake. I also mix unjury with lowfat chocolate milk at night. Both brands are Gelatin free. As for non-shake meals, I just added in creamy Soups that I buy at Whole Foods, and I love the Campbell gold label tomato basil soup that comes in a carton, you should be able to find that in any grocery store. Just watch out for the soups that sneak in the chicken broth! As for your hospital tray, tell the nurses to note your chart that you are veg and also ask the dietary person who delivers the tray what kind of broth they brought. All hospital will have veg broth so you should be ok. Of course, you can't have the Jello that will also be brought on the tray but I hear that there are Kosher markets that carry gelatin-free gelatin. You can also eat smooth yogurt and the better brands are getting better about excluding gelatin. Hope this helps, good luck!

First of all, you are not failing, you just need to educate yourself on what you should be eating/drinking so you succeed. I would definitely recommend talking to a nutrionist because it sounds like you are not eating properly. 5 grams of protein in a shake is not nearly enough protein, especially if your doctor said you can only have 1 shake a day, which I think is weird btw. Are you sure about that? Whatever the case, you need to go to the store and buy a variety of HIGH Protein shakes and see what you like. Just buy the single servings so you don't waste money. My personal favorite is called VHP (Very High Protein) made by Bariatrix (bariatrix.com) It is 35 grams of protein, so with just one shake you are halfway to your daily goal of protein. It is also low in carbs, fat and calories. It comes in a box of 7 servings. You can also find ready made canned shakes at Trader Joes or any health food store. At the very least, buy Unflavored unjury Protein powder and mix it with lowfat choc milk in the blender, and you have 28 grams of protein. There are a lot of options out there besides Carnation Instant Breakfast, that taste just as good. I've been a vegetarian for 7 years so I am very familiar with the variety of protein out there, you have to experiment. You also might want to get "Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies", it is a good reference book for people with short attention span like me. Good luck!

Interesting.......I will admit that I have a bit of a "head in the sand" approach when it comes to eating meat.....I will also say that I am less and less inclined to eat meat as time goes on. The last debaucle in the beef slaughterhouses about put me over the edge. I think I could, quite easily, be a vegetarian at this point in my life.

Today I at protein soup for breakfast, large skinny flat white when i got to work, 3 vietnames rice paper rolls(vegetarian ) for lunch, later black coffee, 4 sesame crisps total 40 grams between lunch and dinner, large roast chicken leg, then was hungry just eatern 4 corn thin crisp breads, with two slices of cheese - light cheese. Am i eating ok, what should i have eaten. Have been banded since sep 18 2007.Help!

Here's the problem. The child DIED. The child didn't have the opportunity to protest her lack of medical treatment, and you can't reverse death. I'm all for parents' rights, especially as it impacts religious freedom. Feed your children a wacky vegetarian diet, teach them they have to pray only while underwater, make them wear funny headdresses to honor your god, whatever. But I draw the line at death. If a wacky belief that you have causes your child to die, that is neglect at the very least.

Chickie & others who are Vegetarians - Do you have some URL's for food choices / menus / recipes?? I"ve been online this afternoon after spending a bunch of $$ :thumbup:, and time at the health store today for tofu / legumes etc. and have hit upon circles of dialogue vs food choices & how to prepare. My interest isn't to become a Vegetarian - but get a better balance of protein - and those that don't come from animals. I do love a steak every now and then - chicken & fish too...I just can't do chicken or tuna every other day - I'm quite bored. That and well I run a ranch....And I see my Longhorns as pets - not something smothered in bernaise' sauce....So I'm evolving I guess:smile: Thanks in advance, Lulu

StacyM, I am like you. I don't eat meat but I do eat seafood. "Amy's" brand is great for Soup. I they have lots of vegetarian ones like I just found one called "No Meat chicken Noodle Soup". I haven't tried it yet but all of the ones I have tried are wonderful. They have it at trader joes and also safeway and fred meyer in the organic section. I am still doing my 6 month diet but will stock up on that one for my pre and post op diets. Don't be scared of telling your surgeon that you don't eat meat. I told mine and was surprised to find out he and his whole family were vegetarians. So it can really benefit you because they will be able to tell you what you should be doing to get all of your Protein in for those first few weeks. You might also try a nutritionist. They can give you a specialized diet just for you. Good Luck!

Hi Everyone - Thanks for the words of support. I got a little fill on Thursday. It just helps me to help myself. I have a new romantic interest in my life. So, Woofay, if you see me in the Springs, I am there with a purpose. We'll see where it goes. It feels a little scary, but he is a good guy, from the heart. My exercise program is my constant. Which is really odd for a person who has avoided sustained exercise in the past. Yes, it makes me feel good about myself, and also my body says thank you. It isn't just about the food, I have to remember this is a lifestyle change. Move it, sista! I keep telling myself. I am subbing more, as teachers are so tired they are getting sick. I have to plan food, but I don't obsess when I am working, however, and Lap can agree there are always eats around the school. I haven't totally avoided the chips, etc, but like you said Lap, the dang things just don't taste as good as they used to. Mal - special hugs to you and whatever you are going through. I have a funny - my son Todd went on Spring Break and came back a vegetarian. This kid is my meat and potato guy. Ain't it a kick? Hugs all, Michelle So, when is RR?

Disappearing boobs - Put on a bra tonight an noticed that the cups were too big!! WTF?! I had to borrow some of those air pocket things that some in some padded bras from a friend. Lol. They gave the girls a bit of a lift and filled the bra out a bit better. Went out to this BBQ place in downtown KC with these friends... and I ate exactly 4 french fries, 3 bites cole slaw, and I think 2 small peices of spicy flatbread. Lol. And I discovered that a BBQ place is NOT the place for a vegetarian to dine! haha!!!

Well by the title I thought you meant you were a vegan. But FYI, Person who practices "SEMI-Vegatarism" Which is what you do is still by definition considered a vegetarian. Sorry, I didn't mean anything by my earlier comment. Anyhow, even though I am not banded yet I can still tell you shouldn't have any problems getting your Proteins. Here's a link to a small site to look up high protein veggies. But if you eat fish alot then you will be fine. Protein in the Vegan Diet -- The Vegetarian Resource Group :teeth_smile: