Search the Community

i would argue that any time is a bad time to go vegan. read "The Vegetarian Myth" by former vegan Lierre Keith for a good primer on this fraudulent philosophy.

My nut told me to not drink a lot of shakes. He called them artificial Protein and once you are starting to eat solid food, to just have one once in a while but not everyday. How are you getting your protein in? Is it only shakes? Are you vegetarian, is that why you don't eat meat? Will you eat eggs? I always have hard boiled eggs in the fridge and have one for Breakfast, sometimes with a piece of bacon, and I am also a big cottage cheese eater and usually have it for lunch, with pears or berries. For dinner, I usually have some sort of meat or fish and a small salad or a side veggie. For Snacks, I eat almonds, pieces of cheese, prunes (yes, prunes, I LOVE them and they are like candy to me) and I treat myself to a small piece of dark chocolate (one of the little squares) from Trader Joes once in a while. Do you keep a food diary? You maybe eating too many carbs or sugars in your shakes. You also may not be eating ENOUGH. Did your nut go over your diary with you, and give you some changes or suggestions? That is what their job is! When you do your treadmill, are you getting up a sweat? You maybe need to pump it up a little. I also think you are doing well, I don't think loosing 36 pounds in 2 or so months is bad at all! What did he expect you to loose? Dont be discourage, we all loose at different paces.

HI Try to Do This good lock Liquid Diet(1-2 weeks post-op) The goal during this phase is to protect the small stomach pouch. Only liquids can be tolerated during this time. It is very important to keep well hydrated during this time period with lots of Water. Other liquids recommended during this phase include: Clear broth or Soup (no vegetables, meat or poultry) "Designer" Protein powders (soy, whey) Carnation Instant Breakfast (no added sugar) Non-fat powered milk Skim milk or 1% sugar free popsicles Sugar free Jello Sugar free/non-carbonated drinks or water less than 5 calories per serving Drinkable yogurt – sugar free/low fat pureed Foods (3-4 weeks post op) During this phase you may start having slightly textured foods, the consistency of baby food. This will help with the transition to more solid foods later. You need to choose protein rich foods. Eat protein rich foods first, and then move on to fruits and vegetables. Pureed skinless chicken or fish Mashed potatoes no milk & butter – not a good source of protein Cooked pureed vegetables Low fat or fat free yogurt Low-fat cottage cheese or low-fat ricotta cheese Vegetarian refried bean Low fat cream Soups It is more important during the first few weeks after surgery to let your stomach adjust to the lap-band system than it is to lose weight. Your timing and progression into each dietary phase may vary. Soft Foods (5 weeks post-op) This phase includes tender cooked foods like fish and ground turkey. Make sure you cut your food into small pieces and chew well. If you don’t follow these precautions, you may experience vomiting, stomach irritation and swelling. You can also have stoma obstruction. eggs or egg substitute Fish (tuna, shrimp, white fish, or crab) Chicken, white meat without skin Turkey, white meat, without skin Lean Beef (round or loin, ground beef >90% lean) Lean Pork (tenderloin) Low fat deli meats Beans Peanut Butter or nuts (use sparingly)

It doesn't matter why a person chooses to be vegetarian. Religious reasons or not, No one should ever have to feel the need to defend their healthy lifestyle choices. It's kind of like the OP mentioned all of the "junk" food that coworkers were eating. No one ever asks why you're eating chips, pop, pizza, etc. I remember when I first started my 6 month supervised weight loss plan that was required by my insurance before they would approve my surgery. I was taking my lunch to work every day and I was eating lots of vegetables and salads and such. Every day for weeks on end people would ask "Why are you eating THAT?" Ummm, because I like it. And because it's better for me than my usual crappy hospital cafeteria choices. And I want to live a long, healthy life and my old choices just weren't cutting it. Geez. The same can be said of our choice to have WLS. It's a choice that we made and we shouldn't have to defend it to the world. Yet, how often do we end up doing that? I'm fortunate in that most of my family was very supportive but I know a lot of people aren't supportive of WLS at all. My own brother asked me if I was sure it was a good choice and was very concerned about me having it done. His was a genuine concern out of love for his sister(we're very close) but he couldn't understand why I needed surgery. He was terrified of something going wrong in surgery. He asked me if I couldn't "just diet" to lose the weight. He's one who can diet and easily and quickly drop a bunch of weight. I'm not so lucky. Once I explained to him the health problems I was developing as a direct result of my weight and lifestyle(I'm a nurse and tend to take care of everyone else without sharing my own problems with them. I'm very private like that)..anyway, he has been supportive but I think he just needed to be certain I was making the best choice for me. I have noticed though that people always feel the need to offer their opinions on the matter. And my opinion is this: my body, my choice, it doesn't effect anyone else. It's none of their business. Period. Same goes for those who choose a vegetarian diet/lifestyle. It's their choice and none of anyone else's business.

I am not vegetarian but I have a very dear friend who IS vegetarian in the truest sense of the word. He eats NO meat, fish, or animal products at all. For him, it is part of his religious background and beliefs. Until I met him, I never knew anyone who was strictly vegetarian so I had no idea the frustrations one might face as a result. I had known people who only ate fish or chicken or who would eat foods containing eggs or milk. Anyway, he has taught me a lot. I asked him a lot of questions when we first met more than 10 yrs ago and he quickly became frustrated with me until I explained to him that I was simply trying to learn and get to know him, his lifestyle, and belief system. He was very patient with me after that and has been very kind in teaching me about those things. I think he was just so used to people berating him over why he doesn't eat meat that he assumed that's what I was doing too. I had no intentions of berating him or questioning the validity of his lifestyle. I was simply curious about what he could/couldn't eat, how he managed to get enough protein, and how he managed to get complete proteins(I had recently taken nutrition, microbiology and anatomy and physiology) so I knew that a true vegetarian has to eat a variety of foods in the appropriate combinations to make complete proteins. It had been puzzling to me how they would keep up with that sort of thing so I asked him about that. I also wanted to know, since part of his reason for living this lifestyle was religious, how/why they believe what they believe and had asked him to show me/teach me the parts of the Bible that teach that. He's been very kind and patient with me over the years(thank goodness) but in addition to all of the things he has taught me about his vegetarian lifestyle, he has also shared with me some of the "attitude" that he catches from people about the foods he chooses to eat or not eat. It's sad really. I mean, what business is it of anyone else as to what the next person is eating or not eating? Another cool thing...thanks to him, I now eat veggies and have learned to try lots of new foods that I would've never ever tried before :-) He is one of a handful of people who have helped me learn to start focusing my eating habits on eating healthy foods and eating to live rather than living to eat.

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).

How you decide to maintain your weight is ultimately your choice. What I do or what someone else does may not work for you. My advice is, whatever you choose to do, make sure it is sustainable. That is, it’s a way of eating that doesn’t mean you have to make sacrifices & are able to enjoy living your life. A way of eating that is overly restrictive is destined to fail. There are always alternatives that are healthier & more nutritious. For example if you want to eat carbs, look for multi or whole grain versions & not highly processed white flours. Want pizza, try cauliflower or chicken bases or pita bread as has been suggested. There are lots of high protein low carbs pastas available too. There are snack foods that are lower in calories & higher in protein then traditional snacks. Try different cooking styles like an air fryer or oven baking versus deep frying. Some people do eat pizza, burgers, fries, etc. but they do so in small portions, occasionally. You know you best & how well you can manage eating fast foods & foods considered unhealthy. Use the time you’re losing & on a restrictive diet, to research different eating styles & reflect on your trigger foods. You may develop your own eating routine by picking & choosing from various ‘diets’. You may become vegetarian. You may switch in some vegan options or meals. You may choose to reduce certain food types from your diet like sugar or fats. You just need to develop a way of eating that works for you. Good luck.

The Thread was ' Why do people set their goal weights so high?' Originally Posted by Mariposa Bella Originally Posted by Mariposa Bella I'm 5"2" but always say I'm 5"3", started at 195 lbs a busting out of size 16, got down to 137 size 8, sometimes, very few times a 6.. and now I'm at about 155 in a size 10. Okay now tell me, why have some of you chosen to have such small goal weights of 120 or below?? I thought I wanted to weigh 130 but when I was 137 my husband said that is enough, don't lose anymore, you are starting to look sickly, you look great like this please don't lose anymore, so I stopped. I was a nice size 8, and felt great at that weight, I am truly amazed when I read that some of you are a size 0 or 2, WOW, I don't think I'd ever want to be that skinny.. Not for me, I need to get back in my 8 and I'll be comfortable.. So ladies, please don't feel that you have to get to a tiny little number, re-evaluate yourself when you lose weight, find a healthy, normal range for you, just my humble opinion. My goal weight picked me. I didn't try to get down to 107lbs, but through a good healthy diet, and daily exercise that's where I ended up. And I don't look ill, or sick at all. I am not skinny, nor do I feel pressure from anyone to be thin. At an 8 or a 10, I am still fat. I am tiny. I have tiny feet, tiny hands, and and am just a little person. So my current weight suits me just fine. Skinny is not actually a word I would use to describe myself. I look athletic, and healthy. Not skinny. My weight does not define me at all. Nor does the tag on my dress. And I am sorry that you get the impression that it does, but you are very wrong about that. I'm glad to hear that you feel perfectly healthy at your weight, I was just saying that I would hate for some of us to feel like somehow we were not successful with our bands if we don't get to such a tiny number. For me, 137 was a great weight, so that's is all I meant. Maybe I'm just jelouse.. I'm happy for you.. don't misinterpret my post.. I'm not the most eloquent at speaking or writing. I just want everyone to decide what is best for them, not for anyone else. Was my post what started this debate?? Good Lord, I hope not. As I said, FOR ME, that would be too small or yes in my eyes too skinny.. and I hate to say this, but there is such a thing as being too thin.. Look at how Nicole Ritchie and the Olsen twin girl looked.. they looked disgusting. I'm not the only one that thinks that. I am happy that some/all of you are meeting your goals at 100%.. Forgive me if I fell short of meeting my goal of 135 and stopped at 137. I personally looked really good, some oldies on this board saw my pictures taken after my weightloss and surgeries and if I say so myself, I looked pretty damn good. For me, 137 is a good weight.. My 12 year old daughter weighs about 120 lbs (very athletic and toned, she's a dancer) and is a size 0 or 1 depending on the brand.. And for me that would not be a good weight.. I could however steal her very cute clothes, Hugh?? There's a thought. No seriously, I don't want to offend anyone, but each and everyone of us, needs to evaluate themselves and decide where they feel good and healthy. And to those idiots that are sending pm's offending others, stop it.. Be happy with yourself, love yourself and respect others.. Didn't your momma teach you all this?? OOPS, I know, I know, your tired of me, but I missed highlighting some.. Can someone please teach me to edit my posts.. When I try to edit, all I get are happy face creatures in front of letters.. __________________ Banded 11-4-04 Port Revised 7-4-05 I think you would have to ask the OP if this thread was inspired by you, because I don't know. I know that MY part in this thread has been inspired by all the mean spirited people who have taken great pains to tell me I am skinny, anorexic, ugly and nasty. And I am not sure what the point in posting the content of that thread was. My point there, as it is here is, as much as people don't like being called fat, I don't like being called skinny, and scrawny. And let me tell you, when you pick my weight, or dress size, and say that at your height (which is the same as mine) you would look scrawny and skinny, it tends to give the impression that you are talking about me. I am sorry that if by saying whatever I am you think I am saying that you are falling short (I have no idea what I did to give the impression I think that by not being super skinny people are falling short, I never actually used that expression till just now...) See, I have no freaking idea where you get the idea that I think I have to be super skinny. Just because my weight is not one you could imagine on yourself, doesn't mean that I am unhealthy. And that is what pissed me off. The fact that it is just assumed that if someone is under a particular weight, that they are at deaths door. It's not the case. I just came in from an 8km run, am eating a huge bowl of oats, and have a banana to eat after that. I eat, probably more than a lot of bandsters around here, and if I was as sickly as my weight is portrayed to be by some people, I would be hooked up to an IV, not out running, and about to eat more than some people do in a day!! I eat the way I do (vegetarian and organic) because I feel almost super human when I do. I exercise the way I do, because it adds to the way I feel. I am alive. I feel better than most people could ever imagine, and the way I look, is just a very nice side effect. The way I eat and exercise is not driven by a need to be skinny, its driven by a need to be healthy. And I hate having to explain myself And to add to my previous thought, the reason I look "skinny" to some people is because a huge percentage of our population is overweight, and overweight is starting to look normal. So when people, who are used to seeing overweight people, see someone who is of a normal weight/BMI, they look too thin. So, the Olsen twins who are at the lower end of a healthy BMI, DO look too thin, compared to someone who is overweight or morbidly obese Chickie, I am sorry that you feel like you have to defend your position on being the size you are.. I admire your dedication to maintaing your weight and for keeping it off and for eating healthy.. It seems like you were able to conquer your demons.. I on the other hand am still struggling. I don't excercise and rarely eat healthy, I am what I am due to my same old self-destructive habits. When I was AT MY GOAL, I WAS SUPER HAPPY. Keep in mind that I have been fat or obsese then thin, then thin to fat to obese for almost my whole adult life.. I only weighed 190 lbs when I started and had lost the weight many times, but because I never learned how to kill the fat demon, I had to get the band. FOR ME AND ONLY ME.. 135 was a good weight, I wasn't fat anymore, but i never set out to become what I had never been or could never be at realistically. I got to the weight I though suited me and only me.. I just don't think I should be expected to be at 120 or whatever number on someone's chart, for me and only me that would not work.. Not for you, I have never been speaking of you. Please I haven't been on the board not even a week and already I am misunderstood. I hate that people called you scrawny or ugly. That is just hateful.. I just want you to know that I don't think I am selling myself short by having a larger goal weight than you. OMG I am so tired of trying to explain myself, I am exhausted.. I am not commenting on this anymore. I apologize if I without wanting to offended Why on earth would I think that? My goodness. My own husband is overweight. Not just chubby, but overweight. I don't judge him, so WHY would I judge anyone else? I never, ever said ANYWHERE that people who don't get down to some impossible number as selling themselves short. I always say that any loss is going to improve a persons health, and that is the main goal of being banded. My health was my main focus. Sure there was an element of vanity in there, I cannot deny that, but I wanted to live a long, healthy productive life. And even a 50lb loss would have gone a long way in achieving that aim. I was lucky, and I developed a fantastic lifestyle, and managed to lose 190lbs. But I would have been just as happy with 50, or 100lbs. Because it achieved my main goal of improving my health. I would just like to know how you got the impression that I think you are selling yourself short? I mean, I never actually said anything of the sort to you (or anything actually) What am I saying or doing to give people idea's like that? An example of the rest of the thread Quote: Originally Posted by kathystrick I chose my goal weight based on the weight charts and healthy BMI. I have my goal posted as 165, but at 5'10, I do believe that is going to be smaller than I am comfortable with on my body. I have been down to 225 as an adult and wore a 16/18 and felt quite skinny-collar bones and hip bones poking out, sunken cheeks, sculpted jaw. I just can't imagine my body 60 pounds smaller than that. I will keep my goal weight posted as 165, but as I get closer to that, it is likely to change. Jachuts response That's certainly a measure over how different we all are. At five foot 10 myself, I was banded at 240lb. At 225 I was desperately unhappy with what I saw as my enormous weight problem - I had health problems as a result of it too. I hate to single someone out and because this IS a personal issue and everyone should be able to decide what they want to weigh for themselves. But I just cant not comment here because to me that's a very bizarre thing to say. This is where I really think there's a bit of body image issues to this, I really cannot believe that at 225 a 5ft 10 woman would have sunken cheeks and jutting bones - its still a BMI of 32, heck, its still obese. To think you wont be comfortable being smaller, eek, I dont know, I just see that there must be some reason why you think that - and I think its showing an inability to recognise what healthy weight is meant to look like - its not bony and unattractive its (to use that awful word again) normal! I really do respect your right to weigh whatever you want but I cannot in any way truly understand your reasoning on this, and that's the point I've been trying to make - I dont argue with it but I cant help thinking that thay's just well, dysfunctional. 225 is obese and I cant understand how anyone cant see that, or why they'd choose it when they have this wonderful tool that makes it possible to achieve a healthy weight. Please dont take offence at this, its hard to say without sounding wrong, but I am quite baffled by it. Dr. Ernesto I Know from previous comments that Chickie made on the thread that she has had some really hateful comments left on her blog, and I can understand why she is upset, I would be gutted, but Mariposa wasnt the one that left those comments. I think she entered into a lively debate unaware that it had gone off the origional subject ' Why do people set their goal weights so high' and onto ' why do people critise people who are a low BMI'. I dont think that she intended to hurt anyone. Yes after trying to explain she did lose her temper, but I think what was posted was posted out of frustration, I am not saying that I agree with it, Just that I can see how it would happen. To be honest I found a lot of the thread to be sanctimonious and considering that the vast majority of the people on the board are here because it is the only place that getting down to 200lbs is a cause for major celebration, quite derogatory at times,and actually found myself playing devils advocate because of that, but thats just my opinion! ( I'll go and put my asbestos suit on now ) And just for the record I think that both ladies involved look fantastic!!!!

Close- I watch so many of the cooking shows and want to eat food that I don't even eat. I am a vegetarian so even if its meat on tv-I WANT TO EAT IT! ????

I had my surgery June 22. I am on full liquids this week, and pretty much have been going between sugar free popsicles and no sugar added apple sauce. I have been unable to do broth, Powerade zero and Jello since surgery, they make me nauceous. I did try vegetarian minestone Soup broth yesterday and that was amazing. I am looking forward to next week when I can do stage 3, pureed foods. Pain wise I have been fine, just having a little itchyness now around the big incision. My dr was great and didnt go anywhere near the bra or pant line. I haven't taken any pain medicines since last Wednesday, which is great for me. I had a hard time right after surgery because I was so sick from the medicine that they gave me prior to surgery. Good luck with everyone's journey

There is no rule of thumb. There's what works for you. And you could see ten different dietitians that could all give you different guidelines and still none of them might be what's idea for you. I spent fifteen years as a vegetarian so shifting into the Protein heavy diet was hard for me. I relied very heavily on dairy and Protein shakes in the beginning...and then I developed lactose intolerance and had to figure things out again. If you don't care much for meat (and your tastes may still change) there are other options. I love seitan. I love meat substitutes and tofu. I try to keep my substitutes to minimally processed ones, but I splurge now and again. Lentils are amazingly versatile. Quinoa is a complete protein. No, it's not as dense in protein as meat but it's a nice option if you like variety. And eggs. Let me sing my praises of eggs, because I eat at least one daily. I have so many egg recipes jamming up my cook book it's ridiculous. Is your weight really stalled? I realize the scale's not moving at the moment or you wouldn't have said that. But how far from surgery are you? Has your weight been constant for three weeks or more? If you're not getting adequate nutrition from a variety of sources, your body may be holding on to whatever you feed it for fear of famine. I don't buy in to the starvation mode myth, but I do know that our bodies are wired to survive. And your body has no idea what's going on if you feed it one day and starve it the next, or if you completely miss a necessary group of nutrients for a long period of time. Additionally, you might be sticking to hard and fast rules given by your nutritionist that simply don't work for your body. Maybe you need more or less calories, or more or less carbs than you've been instructed to consume. Tracking your intake and seeing your results (weight loss, mental health, feelings of satiety) after a few weeks on a particular diet is the only way to really know what you need. I needed a low, narrow range of calories to lose. But my carbs could be anywhere from 50-100 grams a day without any impact on my loss pattern. Figure out what works for you. Hit those protein and hydration goals you set for yourself. I simply DO NOT LOSE if I don't get adequate protein. Alex's book is a great resource and is definitely something you should read. But the trick here is to track and figure out your own individual needs. There isn't any one size fits all approach to this. ~Cheri

Doc said PS for bkfst and lunch but can have lean meat,and green leafy vegetable. Lol since I'm a vegetarian vegetables it is. Do you think it's OK to do just PS?

Why is my bypass so different I can have taco shells, well tortilla chips and salsa. it's in my diet. I'm 7weeks out I just have trouble with meats though if I can't stomach tacos I can't eat meat period I don't like chicken,fish,or pork I'm damn near a vegetarian.

Wow! Our stories are really similar and I can totally relate. I also wish I would of had my surgery sooner. So far, it has been the best decision I have made. I was a vegetarian in my 30's and early 40's but transitioned back into eating meat and fish. Now, since surgery, I no longer eat red meat and will probably go back to vegetarianism once I plateau. One meat at a time! Best of luck!

I am too tight in the morning for solids and I am a vegetarian so protein is a concern. I drink a Premier Protein (from Costco) every morning. It is 30g of protein and only 160 cals. Tastes great. I don't like the taste of MM but maybe I'll try the lite version and see, Thanks.

This is exactly the reason I decided not to tell anyone! I started by telling a few people of what I was contemplating and received negative comments from all of them! The misconception is that people who opt for the lap band are lazy and have no sense of self-control! No person will ever understand other than the people who really care, who are going through the same situation and who have seen what we go through (our husbands)! I have suffered so much to lose weight; I have even gone as far as becoming a strict vegetarian! I have the healthy lifestyle down but cannot manage to lose weight long enough because of my extreme hunger! I am ready to follow the healthy lifestyle for life....now if I could only lose this hunger!! :-/

I'm down at least 1/3 of my hair and I'm not in one camp about what causes it other than weightloss (surgical or nonsurgical -- both seem to have it) and that I don't believe it's Protein (mine has been consistent pre-post band as I'm vegetarian -- I just eat much less in carbs now). I just started taking Biotin yesterday, as well as a chewable multi Vitamin. We'll see if there's any improvement. I'm not hopeful, but I do believe I must be near the end of the shedding as I've lost so much. I'm thankful I had a lot to begin with. As for the calorie intake, I eat around 800 cals per day and it works well for me. Then once every other week or so, I eat about 1200 cals for 2 days or so (usually because I've gone out to a restaurant or had a few meals I couldn't fully control due to social obligations) and I always seem to break a plateau by eating a little more. I don't believe in starvation mode (because my surgeon and his nutritionist don't and I chose them because I trust their medical skill and advice) but I do think there's something to mixing things up with your body once and a while to make things move. Good luck! I'm sure you'll be losing in no time.

I never liked red meat except for junk food like cheese-steaks and hamburger. I tried vegetarianism as a teen but went back to eating chicken and seafood in my 20's. Then I developed a seafood allergy. Looking back I think I always had an intolerance, but it became lethal in my late 20/early 30's. When I gave up seafood I went back to vegetarianism. Unfortunately I was more of a junk-a--tarian than anything else. I ate too many white, processed carbs and junk food instead of focusing on whole, healthy plant based foods. About 5 or 6 years ago my allergies got progressively worse. I was feeling worse and worse and gaining weight at a crazy rate. I started reading up and adjusting my diet. I've improved my eating habits and have no desire to ever eat meat again. Seafood is not an option since I am now anaphylaxis levels allergic. There are even days when I think about adopting a vegan diet. For now I am firmly vegetarian and plan to stay that way.

Like many I have always had a weight problem. Chubby kid, that grew into a chubby teen and eventually turned into a morbidly obese adult. The one thing different is I always thought I was cute. I was't ashamed of my curves and had an active and happy social life. However in my 40's things started to change. I got uterine cancer and was told that excess weight could put me in a line for a recurrence. I would diet on and off, losing and gaining 30 - 50 lbs each time. I was a frequent exercisers but slowly things like walking became more of a challenge. At 45 I had a wake up call. I got a severe bout of facial shingles that completely knocked me on my butt. I promised then and there to do better for myself. I joined a gym, began working out and once again lost 35lbs. Then I got sick again and regained it all plus 10 more. I have multiple allergies and between that and the after effects of older illnesses, I was on a cycle of get better, get sick, regain. A friend of mind had GPS and did really well. I decided to investigate for myself. I looked at 2 local hospitals programs, gathered my information and decided between the GPS and the sleeve. I decided the sleeve was for me and went with my friend's doctor. My process couldn't have been easier. They provided me with a binder that listed all the testing I needed to have done.The doctor sent in the request for authorization to my insurance company ( I was approved on the first request). I didn't have to lose any weight pre-surgery. They quite literally walked me through the whole process. I had a vena cava filter placed as a precaution and on 09/18/14 I had the gastric sleeve done laproscopically. Hospital course was a breeze. I was walking in recovery. In fact I had to pee and they asked if I wanted a bedpan or could I walk. I opted to walk. I had to go so bad, I practically ran into the bathroom and the nurses laughed. I was in the hospital for 2 days. Only mild pain, no worse than a bad cramp and not gas pains at all. They arranged a visiting nurse since I live alone. She discharged me after my 2 week follow up since I was doing so well. I am 6 weeks post op. I'll be having my vena cava filter removed as soon as possible. So far I'm down 32lbs and feeling great. My biggest challenges are being a vegetarian with food allergies on an already limited diet, but I am making it work! Best decision I ever made. In fact, I wish I had done this sooner.

I'm a vegetarian, so I eat lots of fruits and veggies. I haven't tried eating apples, yet, as I'm only one month post-op. Though, I buy all kinds of frozen fruit at wal-mart. Such as various berries, mango and peaches. I make a morning smoothie using lite-soy milk and Protein powder. I add two fruits, what ever I feel like that morning. I buy bananas and freeze them for my smoothies, as well. Peel the bananas, slice them and throw a portion (about 1/2 a large banana) in individual zip-lock bags. I bought one of those blending wand things. I blend and drink in the same cup. I looked at the magic bullet gadget. But, I got the 250 watt wand for 1/2 the cost. It even can w/a food processor. I guess it's one of those, "To each her own" things If you're worried about Fiber, you can try a Metamucil-type product. I used to buy those apple flavored Metamucil cookies/wafers. That was my in pre-vegetarian days, lol. But, my hubs, who is a devout carnivor, likes those thins, which says a lot!. He's picky eater. If it's not meat or overed in hocolate, he's not interested! And he's pencil thin, to boot. It irks me so much.

Hi Everyone, Has anyone that is a vegan or vegetarian had the surgery? My surgery is a month away and the nutritionists at my doctors office are not very educated about it. I'm curious what you are eating during each phase. Brad

I love homemade seitan, it's easy to make, yet I've been buying the seitan in the store lately, which isn't nearly as good... I drank a lot of miso after banding. I talked to my nutritionist about the foods I wanted to eat. Goraw - Real Live Food Foods High in Protein,High Protein Foods List Protein - High-Protein Foods and Amount of Protein in Each Food Protein in the Vegan Diet -- The Vegetarian Resource Group Vegan Low Carb Diet - Menus, Menu Analysis, and Recipes GoodCarbs.org: Good Carbs for Good Health Low Carb Vegetarian Recipes List of High Fiber Foods - Nutrition High-Fiber Low-Carb Food List - Fiber Counts in Low-Carb Foods I can't eat a serving of food, so fiber is also lower, so I pay attention to fiber. I like Whole Foods Market recipes and Eden Foods recipes. 44 Finger Lickin’ Recipes for Vegans and Carnivores Alike | Mark's Daily Apple Kombucha tea: What are the health benefits?: Expert Answers - MayoClinic.com I don't drink kombucha.

I love so called medical people who don’t understand what being a vegetarian (even quasi) is. 🤷🏻‍♀️😱. Try beans & lentils as a source of protein, like you probably often did. Add them to your soups & blend them up till super smooth (strain after to be super sure). Many find anything that’s not super smooth too harsh to swallow & tolerate at first so go slowly. As a quasi vegetarian do you eat meat stocks? If so bone broths & the broths in pho, wonton soups, etc are also good protein options but only drink the broth part of course. Generally you can purée most things if you add enough liquids (stock, broth, gravy, milk, water).. Just doesn’t always taste pleasant but it’s only two weeks.

There is a web site called VegWeb.com. It has great recipes if you are vegetarian/vegan. There are a lot of awesome tofu recipes there!! There are also some good recipes on Allrecipes.com too.

I have trouble with meats, bread, and tortillas. I can totally get why someone would turn vegetarian. When I fix my plate, I eat the meat first because I am "supposed to" and chew chew chew. It still gets stuck sometimes. By the time I get to the other food, it is usually cold. Some friends of mine think i'm fibbing when I say I can't eat bread but can eat toast or I can't eat tortillas but can eat a tortilla chip.