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I have just discovered the Premier Nutrition high protein shakes, they are 160 cals and 30 gms of protein (get them at Costco). I have one a day in the morning because I have a hard time with solids then. of course being a liquid, it doesn't really keep me full. You should try to get the rest of your protein from solids, like chicken, eggs, cheese (sorry, I didn't know if you were a vegetarian; in that case, legumes, tofu)....myfitnesspal is good for tracking, also available free on the blackberry.

I begin Stage 4, weeks 7 to 8 postop, next week; surgery was June 27. According to my nutrition class information, that begins the "regular diet, which includes fresh fruits and raw vegetables." What I'm really, really craving is a hamburger dill pickle or an olive, but I'm afraid those would be super difficult to digest. Has anyone had trouble with either/or? I'm a vegetarian, so all of these cheese screams for a little something on the side!!! Also, I noticed in someone else's post, their food plan didn't allow fresh fruits or vegetables until three months. How many of you started earlier than that? Any suggestions / advice would be greatly appreciated! I've been really, really nervous each time my food stage has changed!!!

I recently been drinking a lot more of a miracle weight loss and overall good health liquid. It helps me when I have the urge to eat something due to head hunger and is important not only to help me lose weight, but for proper health. It has no artificial preservatives, no additives (within reason), no artificial flavors, dairy-free, no artificial colors, is fat-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, zero calories, soy-free, the strictest vegetarian diet friendly, sugar-free and for the most part readily available for a very low cost.... It's called Water. It is available at a faucet or water fountain near you. The only problem I have is, do I have to wait 30 minutes before or after I normally drink my water throughout the day before having this liquid?

Dear Plumpy Pad, So things are going really well. I am actually drinking the amounts of water you're supposed to drink on a daily basis, and I feel like my body is happy with that! I used to only drink when I was thirsty, and then I was drinking mainly diet soda. I have a feeling I was never really hydrated, seeing as I only peed like once a day... MAYBE twice on a rare occasion. The other thing I've realized is that it is actually simple to be a vegetarian. When I think back on all the times I tried to be a vegetarian in the past and failed because it was "too hard" I want to slap myself! The vegetarian part is simple... It's the vegan part that is going to be tricky! I have yet to find real vegan cheese, because the soy cheese they sell at the store has niacin (which is apparently milk protein) in it. I am going to have to make decisions soon as to what foods I will accept as vegan, because it seems niacin is in EVERYTHING! The other thing I am super excited about is my detoxification fast I am going to begin this Wednesday. I will start the fast with 3 full days of only eating raw fruits and vege's along with fresh pressed juices (I borrowed mom's juicer!). Then on Saturday I begin the water fast, where I will consume nothing but water for 10 full days. This is supposed to give my body a rest from digesting foods so it can focus on digesting damaged, diseased, or extra cells... The super cool part of this is that the final day of the water fast is on December 31st! This means I begin the new year fresh... LITERALLY! After the 10 day water fast is complete, I'll do 3 days of juice fasting followed by 3 days of raw foods and juice to get my stomach used to food again. I am very excited, because I am doing it for the right reasons... The weight loss will just be an extra bonus!! Anyways... I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Feedyoureye- My household is 98% vegetarian (me being the 2% holdout on occasion). What types of foods are you eating for Proteins right now? I use the following products which are all fairly low in carb and have a good nutritional count for all the rest. Morningstar farms (the breaded chicken patties are a bit high in carbs due to the breading, but not terrible.) Quorn-love the roasts and pretty much all the rest of their products Field Roast-not to bad, a bit more carby then the other brands Worthington I use any of these for the main "meat" of a meal and then add in lots of fresh and cooked veggies, dreamfields Pasta, brown rice, or taters for the family. I usually only have a tbsp of the pasta, rice or tater. They all work really well in casseroles as well. I can take most recipes and convert them to a vegetarian one with these brands. I have found that while I might be getting a tad more carbs than I would if I was eating real meat, it is not enough to slow my weight loss, unless I start adding in bread or sugar...but that is a different story

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.

Wow! Here I am in your shoes...going to exactly everything you’re going through (except I’m not married)... I find that it is very helpful to read,read,read on all your questions...I have been educating myself on plant based diets and why it is so important to incorporate veggies and more natural foods in our bodies...now granted this process or any good outcome doesn’t come over night...I have a year trying to be vegetarian...( I am at a point where I only eat chicken and fish) just recently I only eat a plant based breakfast and lunch ...dinner is chicken and whatever carb I love...so it’s really about getting our minds right before we get our refrigerator right... Please look up Dr.Vough he’s been my guide.

I didn't take anything with me to my first visit though you will need a list of meds, surgeries, and illnesses if you can't remember them all. Tricare did not require med-sup diet for me. I saw the doctor for the first time on November 4. I was notified of the approval today (12 days later). All I had to do was meet with a dietician who explained what I was in for and have a psych eval with MMPI2 (scheduled for tomorrow). My surgery is scheduled for November 30 with two preop/pretest appointments prior to that. Oh, and a low-fat vegetarian diet prior to surgery starting today. (They are giving me a break and letting me start that when I receive the diet in the mail, though--that means I get to have my farewell to food AYCE lobster meal tomorrow).

Sounds like you've got a lot of good soft/pureed vegetarian ideas there. Congratulations on your WLS and good luck on your journey.

Now you are saying that "yes" you want all those things....................get up and do something about it. Pasta has no nutritional value and certainly has no protein. If you are a vegetarian what are your other protein foods? Yogurt, beans, veggies shouldn't these be your mainstay. You have done a terrific job so far.............you can make it to your goal. You can accomplish any goal you set your mind to; one day or meal at a time!!

I work out 6 days a week 2 to 3 hours Day I've been doing it since may. I also went vegetarian in may and so I eat healthy now I do have fish still but no other meats.. I committed to all id thus before surgery so that I would be healthy and successful in my weight loss journey keep up the good work 3lbs is better than no pounds Onderland is to be in the 100s

Ahhhh, we all do it every now and again. It's part of the "process" we go through. Nonono... it wasn't rationing, it was what they grew and caught for themselves. Blech..... I have a hunch if we had to catch and "clean" our own food today we would have a LOT more vegetarians today. ;o)

We have all these storms moving in and I find myself leaning more towards Soups and casseroles which can be very rich and fattening. Since I am a vegetarian (my family is not) and I am a from scratch fanatic (I only buy canned Beans and peas nothing boxed or frozen) I have been making my own recipes. This is today's. It is a white bean and cabbage crockpot Soup with leeks and other goodness Since I will be eating it for a few days I added it to myfitnesspal You could add broth but it would up the sodium I plan on seasoning to taste as I slow cook it over the next 10 hours. I just added Water for now. I add tofu to each bowl for more Proteins. I cut it in chunks and sautatee it. It gets too slimy if you toss it in too soon.

Check the label, most of those shots are heavy in low quality collagen protein (made from animal skin) . I was told not to bother with anything but whey isolate. I was tempted too, but they are not lacto/vegetarian, which I am.

Thanks ! I think I am taking too many calories 1500+. I have a problem that I am a vegetarian so can't eat lean meats. Please tell what was your weight on the date of surgery ?

Hi All, just checking in. I have another food Story to Tell. First let me give many THUMBS UP to everyone. One of many things we all agree on is the decision to get the Band. I do not regret it at all. But I wish I had gotten it sooner. But as we know things happen in it's own time. Juli my prayers to you on your surgery. I could only image the amount of skin you describe. But when all is done you're going to be fine. All just in time to show off this summer. Although we may all at some time want to give up we don't. For we keep coming back here with a new attitude and a plan. So let's keep being here for each other and we'll all get through this. Now for my Food Story. I wanted to give the vegetarian way a chance. It all started w/ a 9day detox. With no meat, fish included of any kind for nine days. Okay, that was easy. Then I wanted to see how long I could do this vegetarian eating. All was going good, I started this in February 16. Well, thinking for what I was eating I was getting all the Vitamin, minerals and nutrients. Not realizing I had put myself on a low fat/no fat diet. Why, because I wasn't using any butter or oil in or with my food. Well, a few week ago I had eaten two sardines and felt a little funny in my tummy. I let it pass. #1. Well, on Tuesday nite I had a grilled eggplant and zucchini wrap for dinner. #2. For lunch Wednesday, I had more eggplant and zucchini wraps with cheese (more oil). #3. The big one for snack/lunch on Thursday I had sardines made with mayonnaise and crackers. Needless to say, I was so glad I decided to leave work that day. A few hours later I was no good to myself. Oh, to top it off, I had began a detox cleansing. You see where I'm going w/ this. I was a mess. In talking to my daughter who is a vegetarian, I was informed that I had deprived my body of fat. That this is the theory of the Atkins Diet the first 2 weeks. So,I had put body in fat overload. So, now that I'm back on my feet, I'm feeling much better and I'm now back to eating fish again. Lesson learned, do more research before I try this again. Thanks for taking the time to read all this. Be well and plan a great week.

(Cross-posted from the Vegetarian forum due to low traffic there.) The more I've been learning about fruit the more I want to make it a part of pretty much every meal, as well as having regular servings of whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, etc. I'm having gastric bypass so there's a greater risk of dumping syndrome. I'm wondering if these healthy but carb-y foods also cause dumping, or if it's mostly just refined sugars and high-fat foods. I'm particularly interested in your particular experiences rather than what we might assume should/shouldn't cause dumping. Thanks in advance for any advice!

I've been a vegetarian since 1995; 90% of my meals are vegan, I eat fish 1-2x a year, will eat bread that has milk and eggs in it, and will sometimes eat an egg. Prior to two car accidents I was a body builder and have learned how to get up to 120 g of Protein on a vegetarian diet without using dairy or eggs. I have dozens of vegetarian recipes, resources, and 16 years of experience for anyone interested in vegetarianism. As for being a vegan 100% of the time, I love cheese and just haven't found an ideal goat cheese substitute. There are great regular cheese substitutes for those wondering. So if you would like to talk about being vegetarian maybe this topic will help.

Everytime I look in the mirror Most people aren't healthy vegetarians, they eat a lot of white rice, white Pasta, white bread and don't eat enough soy, legumes, Beans, complex carbs, and non refined products. It all comes down to food choices. Even a vegan can be fat and unhealthy. The only diet guaranteed not to make you fat is a non processed and raw vegan diet. Pure fruits, veggies, legumes, and mildly cooked grains. You simply cannot consume enough calories to gain weight on that type of diet without some processed food additions (like sugar or refined flours). Ultimately it's about what you eat and the quantity. Eat more healthy and natural foods and fewer indulgent foods and you're golden -- and satisfied!

Very interested in vegetarian recipes safe for lap band patient. Any websites you can recommend?

Hey Maria - That's great that you're interested in being vegetarian! There are many easy things that you can do to start. You can basically take any of your recipes that you would make with chicken, red meat, etc and substitute tofu or seitan in for the meat protein. Tofu is very easy to cook with, and to some degree, takes on the flavor of whatever its in (although I think that it still does have a taste). Try to look for Organic vegetarian items and soy items that specify non-GMO ingredients (anything that is organic will not use GMO soy so go for the organics). I don't really use specifically vegetarian cookbooks, but I just swap out the meat for a soy protein (or seafood...I still eat seafood). Here are some recipes from my blog if you want to get creative: Noodless Veggie Lasagna , Cabbage salad with Peanut Dressing and Tofu Shrimp Skewers (omit the shrimp for completely veg), Edamame Burgers (one of my favorite things to make - there are a lot of steps in this recipe but its SO worth it!) Good for you for sticking to your guns! It is totally more than possible to get in enough protein on a vegetarian diet. I would just encourage everyone to seek out organic ingredients and products that use non-GMO ingredients. Better for your body, better for the farmers, and better for the earth.

I was just wondering where the vegetarians hang out on here I just got banded on Aug. 2nd and I've been a vegetarian for over 10 years. I eat dairy & if eggs are in things and i can't taste them, then i'll eat them. When I started my lap band meetings i told the nutritionist that "I am a vegetarian and i absolutely will not change that". She laughed and said she'd be happy to work with me. That was a relief since I'd been trying to find a nutritionist or a dietician to help me lose weight for about 2 years that wasn't disappointed that I wouldn't change to fit their plan exactly. I've also recently become gluten intolerant. yippee So, what do i eat, you ask? I eat a lot of tofu. I also like tempeh, there are a few Quorn brand products that don't have gluten, the pre-seasoned tofu in packets are very good (especially the red curry one and the TSSS one is mega spicy and good), quinoa instead of rice all day long, there are a couple of vegan sausages that are damn good & gluten free, I eat TONS of cottage cheese, the trader joe's fresh tofu burgers are great, Dr. Praeger's california veggie burgers are also very good when grilled, and soyrizo... i love love love soyrizo. Add me as a friend Karyn

I recently discovered Gardein (http://www.gardein.com/) vegetarian and vegan Proteins. They are just like chicken, beef, etc. and taste great. It's an easy way to get your Protein in - and because they're very meat like you can share with your meat eating family if yours does. I've taken pieces of the orange chicken, sauteed them, added a multigrain mix, some sauce, and it's a great little meal. And it breaks down nicely when chewed so it doesn't get stuck.

I'm really interested in vegetarianism. I started out by buying veggie patties, vegan hot dogs, etc. But one of my big concerns is protein intake. Any suggestion on that and maybe a good recipe book?

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: