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My favorite diets are Mediterranean and Mayo Clinic Diet...which sound a lot like you describe. I'm not a fan of all this animal protein. I've started making vegetable soup with pea powder and brown rice powder in it (a complete amino acid)...to get more veggie protein in. I also eat a lot of nut butter, chia seed pudding, lentils, chickpeas, beans, etc. I like fungus protein, and do some soy. I also do chicken breast, fish, very lean red meat (super trimmed of all fat), eggs, yogurt, etc. But I try to balance it with at least equal plant protein. There is a whole section of this website that caters to vegetarian and vegan recipes for weight loss surgery. In the early weeks post surgery....you're going to have a problem with skins, and seeds...you won't digest them well and they can get caught in your suture line and cause problems. (even in smoothies the tiny seeds can be an issue) Forget about raw veggies and fruits...It all needs to be super soft at first. In the early weeks post surgery...you won't like bread. Or it won't like you. Bread is difficult at first, particularly whole grains. (But you will have a love affair with oatmeal:) ) By two months post-surgery you'll be able to eat almost anything. You can start reintroducing the foods you love. A word about protein.....you have special needs while you're in the weight loss phase as a bariatric patient. You will have a high demand for protein and if you are not consuming it, your body will consume YOUR muscles instead...and one muscle in particular is pretty important...your heart! Eating more protein protects us from muscle wasting. When your weight loss levels off...you can taper it down, but in the rapid weight loss months it's very important. I, too, am a big fan of phytonutrients...so I hear ya.

I gained the most weight (75 lbs in a year) due to eating a HUGE refried bean and rice burrito every night - i had the highest stress job -was working around the clock but made sure to get by burrito brothers every night before closing. the thing weighed 5lbs i'm sure and i know it was the concentrated carbs plus stress that packed the lbs on. I would actually rotate restaurants so they wouldn't see me every night - carbs have always packed it on me but i love em - was a vegetarian and could be easily one again - never liked meat much.

I like the Nectar pretty well too, the caribbean cooler did need ice, or I thought it might be good in some crystal lite. I can't drink the vial stuff, I'm a vegetarian and usually they contain non dairy animal products. Also, the "Protein Drunks" title gave me a chuckle...

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

As a single person I always have leftovers. But as a vegetarian with food allergies I've always checked online before choosing a restaurant. Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy. I'm even considering doing restaurant in my city next month.

1. Oatmeal. Despite its high carb count, oatmeal is one of the healthiest foods, even for weight loss surgery patients. It is a whole grain (gluten-free, if you are wondering), and is a source of soluble fiber. People who eat whole grains instead of refined ones have a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and weight gain. Have oatmeal with nuts or peanut butter for a little extra healthy fat and protein, and add cinnamon for a sweet flavor without sugar. No law says oatmeal needs to be sweet. Turn it into a savory bowl with a poached or hard-boiled egg, some feta cheese, and sliced cooked mushrooms. 2. Pear. Pears have a lower glycemic index and glycemic load than many other fruits, so they do not spike your blood sugar as much. They have soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar. They also provide lignans, which are heart-healthy. You can do way more with a pear than use it as a dessert or a side for cottage cheese, although those work, too! Try serving it with all-natural ham, or tossing it with mixed greens, walnuts, bell peppers, and cooked chicken breast. You can also turn it into a salsa to top fish or chicken along with diced onion, tomato, and cucumber, plus chopped cilantro and lime juice. 3. Beans. Beans are a starch you can love since they pack in the fiber and protein along with vitamins and minerals. They are linked to lower risk for certain cancers, as well. If they bother your stomach, try having small portions or using an enzyme product such as Bean-o. Kidney, pinto, garbanzo, and black beans – they’re all good! Make hummus with garbanzos and olive oil, or try vegetarian chili with beans, tomatoes, other vegetables, and seasoning. Or, make a taco salad or naked burrito with fat-free refried beans. 4. Pumpkin. Pumpkin has a medium glycemic index, but so few carbohydrates that your body will barely realize that it is there. Aside from the potassium and fiber in pumpkin, you will find amazing amounts of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene – and that can only be a good thing after weight loss surgery. Butternut and acorn squash have a few more carbohydrates but are also excellent choices. Stir pumpkin and cinnamon into your oatmeal, or mix them into non-fat cream cheese for a flavorful, protein-packed spread or dip for apples. Add chunks of butternut squash to stew, or blend pumpkin into a soup to make it creamy. 5. Peas. Peas may have a bad reputation, but it is undeserved. Choose snow peas or sugar snap peas in the pod for a dose of vitamin C and fiber. Use them raw or lightly cooked to preserve their antioxidants and keep their glycemic load down. Use them in salads along with lettuce, chicken, and chopped vegetables, or dip them into Greek yogurt-based dips. You can also use snow and sugar snap peas in stir fry – just be sure to keep them crunchy.

Vegans that force their animals to also be vegan piss me off and I want to turn them in for animal cruelty. Animal ARE NOT VEGANS!! Yes, they can eat some fruits and veggies, but their bodies are designed for meat and they need meat. Just because you're vegan or vegetarian, it does not mean you don't have weight problems. Sometimes, the problems can be from health issues, such as thyroid problems. With me, they couldn't ever tell what my problem was, because I was eating healthy and all tha jazz. Now, a lot of my family has thyroid issues, and sometimes, you can have it and the tests say that you don't. My doctor thought that could be the case. Now, I'm not saying I was perfect on the vegetarian diet. I'd eat really awful foods and in bulk sometimes, such as breads and pastas. As everyone on this site knows, BREAD IS EVIL!! After getting the VSG, I've ate a helluva lot better, and I'm trying to always eat better. After I got the surgery, I had to eat meat for awhile, but I ONLY ate chicken, turkey, and tuna from the can. Now, I do not eat ANY meat / fish at all. I have been considering drinking chicken broth for Protein, but it kinda feels like I'm cheating my vegetarian lifestyle. Why did I ever choose to vegetarian? One summer, while I was staying with my older sister, I told her I was having stomach pains a lot, but that day I wasn't having any. She asked me what I normally ate when I had pains and what I ate that day. She pointed out how every time I mentioned I ate meat, my stomach hurt. My stomach didn't hurt, because on that day, I had not ate any meat products. She told me to try being vegetarian, and see if it helped with my stomach and digestion. In one week, I lost 8 lbs and my stomach / digestion felt SO much better.

My NUT said it would be very difficult for me to be vegetarian immediately post-surgery (I had been looking into it as an option) because I had a partial thyroidectomy a few years ago, and can't tolerate soy products of any kind. I know there are other protein substitute options out there, but since my food options are already limited, I'm not going to worry about it for the time being. Maybe once I hit maintenance and have a little more freedom of choice, I'll explore the issue again.

How to reduce sugar in the body by eating vegetarian and plant based natural foods .

I’m similar to you @wanderingheart. Not a huge meat eater, veer towards lacto-ovo vegetarian 80% of the time and trying to figure out how best to get my protein in once I’m off the liquid diet & eating real food. *can’t wait!*

Hey, so this prompted me to think about which recipes you may like, but as I thought about it, I realized that I really don't make anything altogether special. It's pretty easy just to substitute tofu or veggie ground beef for most foods that you're already making, from Pasta to stuffed vegetables to stir-fries. So, for example, about once a month I make vegetarian tacos. I use a mexican-flavoured veggie ground beef (but you can use plain veggie beef too, and add in taco seasoning). The brand name of the meat is Yves. I'm not sure if it is available where you live (I live in Toronto). Without using too much oil, I first sautee some onion, then add diced tomatoes, then the veggie meat. I add a few spoons of salsa into the mix. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to cook the meat from frozen on medium heat, since it comes pre-cooked. Because I can't eat too much at this point, I break one taco shell in half (down its length) and place the ingredients on each half. There really isn't anything I can tell you that you don't already know yourself, if you've ever made meat-tacos. I use low-fat sour cream, salsa, lettuce, diced onions, black Beans, and grated cheese, along with the cooked meat. I also sometimes make chinese stir-fries. Again, if you made meat-stir fries, the process is similar, except for the fact that you won't be cooking the "meat" portion first or for as long. I buy frozen chinese-style veggies to make cooking faster (they turn out pretty well and, because they were flash-frozen, they retain more Vitamins then fresh veggies). I add in marinated tofu in the last five minutes of cooking. I sometimes make lentil Soup. It's pretty easy to make since lentils don't necessarily require soaking before hand. I just boil lentils (they double in size, so be careful how much you add) on medium-high, then, once they're almost done (soft), I add in some garlic and onion. I use vegetable bouillon, a little bit of cinnamon powder, and hot pepper flakes to add flavour. In the last 15 minutes of boiling, I add quinoa (which is high in protein) to give the soup some starch. In the last five minutes, I add in frozen vegetables. The soup can be pureed, depending on preference. If I haven't eaten tofu too much that week, I sometimes add in cubes of tofu (usually firm) at the same time as the frozen veggies. For extra flavour, sautee raw veggies as a base for the soup and add in after the lentils are almost ready, instead of frozen veggies. As for using tofu, I guess a few tips are: For better health, consider buying organic tofu and avoid vacuum-packed tofu. The tofu packaged in Water is supposed to be healthier, lower in carbs, and less processed, but it doesn't keep as long as vacuum-packed tofu. When you buy tofu, try to get one that is not near the best-before date. You can leave it in the fridge, in its unopened package, until that date. Once it is opened, the tofu will keep for about three days (although some people keep it for up to a week). The instructions are usually to rinse the tofu, place it in a sealed container with new water (completely covering the tofu), and to change the water every day. Don't eat tofu raw; if you want to put it salads, boil it for about five minutes first. If you want the tofu to have a definite flavour, like in foods where the tofu stands out, you must marinate it for at least an hour (or over night in the fridge). In order to get the tofu to absorb as much marinade as possible, you can do two things. First, you can freeze and then thaw the tofu before marinating. When it's been frozen, the tofu will look yellow and look like a sponge. Frozen tofu has a very different texture (more meaty) and it soaks up marinades very well. If you do not like tofu with that texture, you can also press the moisture out of the tofu in order to get it to absorb more marinade. Some people place tofu in a towel (paper towel or cloth) and place a plate or pot over it to press out the water before marinating. If I'm making a food that has a sauce or is a stew/soup, I don't bother marinating the tofu. I just cut it up in pieces and throw it in while cooking. Sometimes, I lightly fry non-marinated tofu (until the outside is a little crisp and yellow) to give it a better texture before adding it into foods. Finally, when buying tofu, pay attention to the firmness as listed on the package. Usually, if using tofu as a replacement for meat, you should buy firm or (even better) extra-firm tofu. If using the tofu in a soup or blending it (like in a Protein shake), you can use soft or medium-firm tofu (extra-firm tofu still works in Soups too). If you ever have tofu that you need to be more firm, you can use the techniques mentioned above (pressing or freezing). Beans make a great alternative to soy, and there are some beans that are lower in carbs than others. When I was on a low-carb diet, my doctor recommended eating beans, since I was a vegetarian, and I lost weight rather quickly while maintaining my protein intake. Another alternative to soy is quinoa, which, as mentioned above, is high in protein. Quinoa cooks in about fifteen minutes and can be used instead of rice. By the way, if you live in America (I looked at your profile earlier, but I can't remember just now), there's supposed to be a really awesome brand of veggie meats called Field Roast. It's not yet been brought to Canada, except for British Columbia, but I've read one Canadian vegetarian say that she even asked her friend to smuggle some Field Roast packs across the border--it's supposed to be that good. Field roast sausages are what people usually rave about, but I've also heard good things about their vegetarian holiday turkey. Anyway, I'd thought you might want to check the brand out.

You may have to compromise and go vegetarian without being vegan if that is an option. I can't see how you would be able to have a diverse enough or healthy enough diet as a vegan because there isn't a ton of protein in many vegetables. Cheese is a great source of protein for us sleevers, is that something you would consider eating?

Seitan is very good Protein wise, but we have to eat it rarely due to people in my house have gluten intolerance. If you are not opposed to the more "processed" vegetarian fare there are tons of options. In our house we use the following Brands a lot. [/url]http://www.quorn.us/Home/ Welcome to Morningstar Farms Worthington Loma Linda BOCA Foods | Wholesome Veggie Burgers, Chik'n, Breakfast and More gardein - garden protein Nates Meatless Meatballs (could not locate link for these) You have to figure out what you like, such as we prefer the morningstar farms crumblers to the quorn crumblers, but the quorn roast is amazing in texture and taste if you spice it up. They tell you to cook it in its wrap but I don't I cook it like a regular roast with seasonings and its yum, plus most all of the products have a great protein count per serving, without high calories, fat or carbs unless it is a breaded product, plus no or little cholesterol and you are eating guilt free since only veggies were harmed in the making of the product :001_smile: I cook vegetarian for my family daily, so if you have any questions shoot me a PM and/or friend me and I will help as much as I can. It is perfectly possible to get a good amount of clean protein from these foods and avoid animal meat if you want to.

My Dr is a strong believer in fresh fruits and vegetables (i think if he had his way he would turn me into a vegan/vegetarian!).. and cleared me to eat them cooked or raw either blended/mashed quite early on - with the skin off on fresh fruits of course

Hiya, they say you should have a fill about 4-6 weeks after your surgery, generally you can begin to eat more, and i definitely think my swelling subsided after the 2 weeks too. I had my surgery on 5th December, and Dr Focquet gave me a list of local surgeons in Britain, so naturally I contacted the Glasgow one as I live in Scotland. I have been chasing him up but have had no word yet!! I think there were other ones in Sheffield and Manchester too, as well as London. Dr Focquet told me you could begin to take vitamins after about the 2 weeks post op when your swelling should subside, I have been taking Omega 3, Vitamin C and a Multi-Vit. They say the protein is the best to eat, but you being a vegetarian could get this from protein drinks, you get them in the Health Food shops. Does this help at all?

do you need a fill after about 4-5 weeks then?? i think i am definately going to go for it. Do they tell you to take Vitamins. I already have a really poor diet. However looking on the website it says about meat and fish, but i have been a vegetarian (who doesnt like vegetables) for 11 years. When you need a fill does that mean you can eat more??. Have you been waiting a long time??. Do they provide you with people near who can do the fills?? I will ask all these questions at the consultation, however I think if you ask someone who has been through it you will get more of an honest answer

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/complex-carbohydrate-examples.html This is a site that introduces you to the best complex carbs for your body. Complete Protein explanation here: If you take a trip back to your old science class, you might remember that protein is made up of smaller components called amino acids, 12 of which are manufactured by the human body. Another nine, called essential amino acids, must be obtained from food. A complete protein is a protein that contains all of the essential amino acids. Animal Proteins are complete, including red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy, so what's a vegetarian or vegan to do? There are a few nonanimal sources that offer complete proteins, so it's important to get your fill of soybeans, blue green algae, hempseed, buckwheat, and quinoa if you're diet is meat-, milk-, or egg-free. Then there are foods known as incomplete proteins, including Beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, peas, and corn. Combine two or more incomplete proteins and boom — you've got a complete protein. Enjoy them together in one meal or the combination can be consumed over the same day, such as black bean Soup for lunch and brown rice with dinner. Here are some other food combinations that work: Beans with whole grains: hummus (contains chickpeas and tahini, which is made from sesame seeds) and pita bread, red beans and rice, chickpea and quinoa veggie burgerson a whole-wheat bun, split pea soup with whole-grain bread, lentil barley soup, black beans and polenta, and tortillas with refried beans Nuts or seeds with whole grains: sunflower seed butter on crackers, almond butter on toast, peanut noodles Beans with seeds or nuts: hummus, salad topped with sunflower seeds and chickpeas Like I said I made a Protein Bar with Protein powder and hemp, chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, dried cherries and coconut. Base was prune juice. Together they make a complex protein because you have simple carbs and protein together so it becomes a complete protein.. He encouraged me to eat more of this type of food before a workout.....So today I ate a 1/2 of a bar I made and it worked....So when I work out I will eat one of them 30 min. before I start my sets.... hope this helps:

I had sleeve on 7/3/19. It’s 9/17/19. I feel like there is still a lot I can’t eat. Oatmeal and yogurt feel the best. You know that feeling when it kind of hurts when you eat something. For example tonight I made veggie crumble with taco seasoning (30% less sodium), cut tomatoes, cut avocado, and put mixture into lettuce. I have a slight feeling that I need to throw up. I only ate one leaf with the mixture. I get this feeling with a lot of foods. Can’t do any meats. (I was vegetarian for years). Even tofu gives me that grinding, painful feeling. I had hernia repair so that’s not it. It’s more of pain in stomach. Maybe too much food, maybe didn’t chew enough. Uggh. This is the only issue I have. I’ve been walking everyday. I’m down almost 60 lbs. Any thoughts???

Thanks for your post. Again, the purpose of this thread, at least my intention in creating it, is to ask everyone what their own individual philosophy to introducing new foods is, how they came to the approach, and why they find it effective (along with whatever other topics come up). These questions are not presumptuous in any sense nor is expressing an individual opinion on what works best for you or what strategies best fit your personal philosophy. As far as having a lot to learn about eating--if I take your statement literally, as only speaking for yourself when you say "I"--I'd say that many of us have already learned all that we need to know about eating at least much healthier than we were formerly. No one here is suggesting ways to reach maximum health. No human knows how to do that. But we know that eating veggies and fruits is one way to reach better health. You don't need to be thin (not "on an obesity board") to know that. Now that we are putting into action ideas of better eating for ourselves, the question is: how do parents get their children to do the same? For those without children, how would you do it and why? If you were speaking for other people when you alluded to the hypocrisy of being obese and presuming to tell parents how to feed their children, for my part, I always ate many veggies and fruit since childhood. I'm a vegetarian, I stopped drinking soda and artificially sweetened juice as a child, I always loved unpopular veggies like brussel sprouts and beets, and I hated white bread (etc). And yet, I have a weight problem. I talk about my problems with obesity in the other thread. My problem was not quality but quantity; quantity of good food and quantity of exercise. How parents can regulate those two aspects of a child's behaviour seems infinitely more difficult, but my mother certainly did try. Now that I have the band to control portions, I don't feel like I'm dieting at all because I don't have to change the kinds of food I eat at all in order to be healthy. I learned from an early age to love the alternative to greasy and sugary foods.

I was able to at 8 weeks. oddly enough my sleeve has partially turned me vegetarian. It doesn't seem to like a lot of meats, but loves veggies and fruits and soft things (avoid celery, I have heard a lot of people having a ton of issues with it, so I just avoid).

90% vegetarian?

We're all driving AB! Welcome! What did you get done this time? Well, my man made homemade vegetarian pizza last night and I brought two small pieces into work today for lunch. I bet it won't even touch the sides but it'll stop the tummy growling and that's all I care about. Then I'm going for a 3km power walk around the city. I hope it's not raining though....

Oh I am doing the protein thing okay, though its harder for a vegetarian. I eat a lot of beans and legumes, cheese, eggs etc. My problem is not what I eat, it's how I feel an hour later lol. (Hungry and watching the clock to see if the next meal is any closer)! I haven't lost any more weight going back to real food, but I haven't gained (yet) either. Christmas has me worried though, all that good food and all that time off!

I eat a vegetarian "diet" now. If by diet you mean watching what I eat, counting calories etc. then NO I dont because I can eat as much or as little fruits and veggies as I want/need and still be under my physicians reccomendations on most days. I love my new lifestyle.

Garden of Life Raw Fit and Raw Protein are both vegan. Spiru-tein has a huge line of vegetarian protein products, but they aren't marketed as vegan. I can't tell what's not vegan from the ingredients, unless it's the spirulina. Or maybe the bee pollen? Hey, just found this site when trying to find out why Spirutein isn't vegan.... http://veganproteinpowder101.com/vegan-protein-brands/