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There are so many cuisines that owe their flavor to various spices instead of butter or oil-- my favorite is Indian vegetarian. Test them out by taking books out of the library to see what you like best. If there is something specific you REALLY like and don't want to give up, google whatever it is and add "copycat recipe" to the search terms. If it calls for sugar, I usually add around 25% more Splenda than the amount of sugar called for in the recipe. There is also a product that replaces brown sugar, but this is half sugar and half artificial brown sugar. To get a pie filling/dessert taste, to the fruit base, I add Splenda, a little lemon juice, a little cinnamon and, if you want to really have it taste good, around 16 crushed star anise seeds. They makes the dish incredibly tasty and fragrant!

Being a vegan or vegetarian is not for everybody. I tried it once for four months and I found myself more and more tired. I also used to juice, and besides the cost of getting the fruits and veggies needed to juice, plus the fact that I didn't feel any better, it turned out to not be for me. It's great that it works for you though. Congratulations on finding the lifestyle change for you!

I'm a vegetarian so beans are a staple in my diet. I can eat pinto, baked, kidney, red bean, etc. I try to get in some form of beans every day, simply because they are a good source of protein and fiber for me. I haven't had any problems so far and I had some veggie chili last night - a day after my first fill. I think I will try out salad this week, but I've heard some people refer to it as a slider food, so I'm not sure.

I'm a pescatarian too, I just figured saying "vegetarian" was easy to understand for the sake of the question. Thanks for the juice + isopure idea, that will be quite helpful and nourishing! I have a box of myoplex EAS original for when I can do protein shakes, I do not have a juicer so I plan to just buy broth.

I'm halfway through my 2 week pre-op diet and in the past couple of days I've discovered I enjoy watching YouTube videos of people doing food challenges. Not gross, 10 hot dogs in a minute challenges, but eating lots of food. I feel like it partially satisfies my desire to binge and also gives me some of that about-to-eat anticipation I love. And for whatever reason, it doesn't make me more hungry. I even enjoy watching them eat things that I don't eat (since I'm a vegetarian). I also like watching people do food reviews while they're eating though not quite as much. Anyone else experience this? Does this sound like a bad thing? I don't want to embed a YouTube video since the thumbnail has food, but here's an example of one I really enjoyed watching last night: Click here for food

Quick Weight Loss Center which eventually became LA Weight Loss. I lost about 35 pounds and plateaued. They couldn't help me past the stall. The pudding, soups and shakes were nasty. It was low carb without the education plus add in the money making products. That was $900 down the drain. Atkins worked the best. I also had the best blood work results when I was on that diet. I tried vegetarian, not vegan. I like meat too much. I ate too many carbs since Protein is more filling for longer. I was constantly hungry so I would eat Pasta and other crap. It isn't meat, it is low fat all good right? Herbalife was expensive and I was so tired I think I made it two weeks. I am surprised nobody else mentioned them.

@niseys4 hey there. I apologize for not responding way sooner. I’ve been off the grid, so to speak, for a while. Hon, it was hard for me to make the transition, but I eventually did and I’m so happy I did too. What helped me immensely is using the vegan/vegetarian recipes on www.budgetbytes.com. Such a great site. I think I make about 85% of my meals from there. Check it out! I’ll do my best to check in more often as well https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/vegetarian/vegan/

I did use the milk. I teeter totter between vegan and vegetarian meals. This one was awesome, but I’m wondering if I decided to substitute with maybe some almond milk and to thicken it up with a tad bit of cornstarch might do. ???? Not exactly sure what evaporated milk is made of or how it’s made. I guess I’ll look it up!

I have to say that I am definitely a vegetarian after being sleeved. I can't eat any kind of meat, it makes me nauseous and throw up. I can't even stomach the smell of it. I was a little sad because meat was a huge part of my life. However, I'd much rather be thin than eat meat and I do find a lot of great vegetarian options. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

LENGTH ALERT! (This has very detailed tips and tricks, so this is not a short post. Just a "heads up") People asked me a lot how I went from Slow Loser to getting to goal. I did better my second year of banding and when the weight came off - it really came off. This is something that worked for me, and I recommended to other Bandsters. Granted, these are tips that's not in any LapBand brochure or doctor's manual, and YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - but if you already think of yourself as a Slow Loser like I was, then maybe you will be open to trying something to shake things up a bit. When I needed a weight-loss push, I didn't cut down on calories much (if I'd recently had a fill adjustment, that's different) but in general: I *added* Protein to every thing I ate. This helped me to lose steadily (although it sped up my weight loss, more importantly it kept it steady). And it worked! Some Bandsters in my same banding date were better at counting calories - I wasn't. Some were better at counting carbs, I wasn't, but I excelled at ADDING protein. And I did well and later, other fellow Bandsters were asking me for help and tips. :crying: How did I do it? I did not reduce calories or the amount I consumed (without a fill it wasn't much need to try that) and yet, I still lost. (I added a little bit of Beans, or a sprinkle of cheese (my favorite), or eggs - whatever I could. I didn't reduce what I ate, but I "upped my protein" - and it worked. With the band, if you eat more protein, you generally will find yourself eating less overall - it doesn't feel that way but you do. Every single time I added more protein to my regular Band-friendly meals, I lost more weight, even though I wasn't eating less calories sometimes. Sounds crazy - but in my particular case, if I didn't keep my protein levels up, my body held on to calories a lot more. Who needs their bodies "hoarding" calories? :thumbup: If adding a bit of food meant I would lose more, it was worth a try. It worked. And I paid attention to the TYPE of protein I ate. (Even before banding, I didn't eat beef or pork at all. And the band was developed in other countries where the pork and beef consumption is a lot lower than it is here in the 'States. I'm not a vegetarian, I just eat seafood and poultry only. My doc said this helped my weight loss a lot because the protein I ate was leaner, not fattier protein like pork/ham/bacon or beef/hamburger/fatty red meat. So I didn't have to regulate my portions as much as some Bandsters did. My can of tuna did more for me than a hamburger ever would have.) Also, I'm a single/childless Bandster who lives alone, so I eat out for almost every meal. If I could make it to goal - while eating out - ANYBODY can. How did I do it? Here were some tips. At Breakfast, with my morning egg(s), I added a bit of cheese on top. Or I would have cottage cheese added. For protein and hunger reasons, cottage cheese did better than yogurt for me - unless I just had a fill or was very very filled or adjusted. The most filled I am, the less I eat in the mornings. So especially if you are not at your sweet spot, try Proteins that "stick" with you more to keep hunger away. Yogurt alone was not good enough of a breakfast for me, with the band it just went through, and wasn't really filling. Now if I charged up my yogurt with lots of nuts, seeds, and wheat germ - then BAM! I'm not much of a cold Cereal eater (I prefer hot cereals) but if I had one I made sure it was a protein-packed one (I LOVE Grape Nuts cereal best. Go Lean is awesome, and several of the Oatmeals & Cream of Wheat cereals have good protein content. I also added a few nuts to those, too. If I had a yogurt smoothie drink as a snack, I had them had a half scoop of Protein powder (a full scoop can make it too thick sometimes) or some soy or nuts. Lunchtime was easy to get more protein in. I'd eat a scoop of tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch - and have them add some shredded cheese, some seeds and/or some nuts. I also love Soup. Usually a cup is a nice start to my lunch if I'm having a scoop of salad or tuna. If it's my whole lunch I get a bowl of soup and eat what I can from it. My band will tell me when to stop. Almost any kind of any soup is great with a sprinkle of cheese or nuts added. Beans, too! With my dinner I always like a cup of soup to begin. Gets me going, jump starts & 'primes' my band and it's a great protein opportunity. Then if I could, I concentrated on seafood. ANY type of fish worked great with my band - From catfish to salmon to snapper to Tilapia. Or even shrimp or my all time favorite, calamari. I enjoy oysters in season and clams all year. The weeks that I ate more seafood, I lost more weight - across the board. Usually grilled is a good choice to be honest I even ate it fried (sorry, weight loss experts) and I still did well. And with my seafood, if I could I added beans to almost everything. With my steamed veggies, I added nuts and a sprinkle of cheese sometimes. I know it's not very It really does work! See when I restrict my calories or even when I try to cut down on fat - I usually just end up cutting down on protein. And no matter how "well" or how much less I eat, if I cut my protein my body won't 'burn' up the fat. It holds on to it. I know that protein is the fuel that helps the LapBand machine work and not trying to diet or 'cut down' was a blessing to me. I've had other Bandsters try this, and yes they are skeptical at first but when they start seeing inches lost (muscle really does weigh more than fat, so your clothes tell you before the scale ever will) then they get on the bandwagon. So don't just 'cut down' - ADD some food on your plate. That's right. ADD MORE nuts, boiled/diced egg, beans, cheese, seeds and other yummy forms of protein. Your body and your LapBand will thank you for it. Also adding protein allowed me to eat fewer carbs and save them for what was really a nice treat - a nice martini or occasional glass of wine, with dinner. Yes, I'm a drinking Bandster. All the successful European Bandsters I knew drank a glass or two now and then and they were my role models. I can't drink a lot AT ALL - a little goes a long way, but it was nice to get to goal weight without ever missing a Friday Happy Hour. I got the band to enhance my life, not take away some of the things that make it enjoyable. I eat out at restaurants, I go have drinks with friends - and I feel and look great. BRAVO! Good Luck to you. (And since so many people asked me the same question in private posts - that's why I am posting it on the Slow Losers board too...) Keep up the good fight. I did it - and you can too.

Thank you! It’s not very organized, but I’ve got all my Vegan/vegetarian recipes in it. 😁

I think the ricotta bake is vegetarian. If you do a google search you should find the recipe. Also the tofu Parmesan is vegitarian and soft. Welcome !!!

@@PorkChopExpress, thanks for the advice. I'm glad you brought up the restaurant/eating out thing. My daughter will definately want to go to a couple eateries. (which will be interesting becasue she is a vegetarian and I will be seeing lean meat protien!) I probably won't go out to eat until then, so it will be new to me. I will take your advice on ordering just lean meats, skip the breads. And of course I would want to take at least half out in a box but that will depnd on if I get the cooler. It will be an adventure for sure, but at least I will be on week 7 and not 2! Thanks again and good luck on your trip as well. We got this!

Can't wait to be in your shoes! My husband just wants me to do it the "natural" way... Good old fashion diet and exercise. This man was raised vegetarian and has never had an issue with weight. :/

Natalie, this must be so frustrating. I am the "bad girl" as I have never followed a low carb diet after surgery. Only a "lower carb" diet, which is around 100-150 carbs a day. I try and keep them whole grain, lower/no sugar, and lots of organics and raw as possible. I am a vegetarian and getting in the protein is not alway that great. I get back on track and try to get more of those often... its an on going problem. I have a goal range of 170-173 which I maintiained for a while, and in the past couple of months have gained 5-7 pounds. My exercise has reduced and my eating has become more mindless and emotional... which is the reason for the gain. I think you really need to get in more protein... it screws up your body not to have the protein you need to replace muscle tissue and such... My hair still falls out because of not enough protein.... Use MFP every day, do get exercise in any form you can manage, and work to improve the quality of your intake. Sometimes a little thing can really throw off your weight loss and gain. Best of luck to you, we are here for you!

Hey everyone. Sorry, it’s been a while. I made an Indian dish called Chana Saag. First time making it. It’s vegetarian and smells so good. I’ll be serving it over rice for my hubby. No rice for me—still makes me too full too fast. Super easy recipe too, hope y’all can try t out sometime. I added extra curry.

I was supposed to share my dinner last night, but I totally forgot to get my husband (who made it) to take a pic of it for me first. Anyway, it's weeknight enchiladas (vegetarian) with avocado and cilantro to garnish. Here's the recipe: https://www.budgetbytes.com/2016/01/weeknight-enchiladas/

Thank you so much for sharing! I have a feeling I may decide to be vegetarian if not pescatarian, when I am allowed to go to "soft diet" & regular. I did do veggie days some before surgery, and know that I'll be SO much healthier if I stick with it. Our church is very supportive in eating healthy/vegan. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using BariatricPal mobile app

I do believe @Newme17 has always identified all of her recipes as vegan or vegetarian depending on what it is so people will know, if it matters to them. I'm not sure why the warning is necessary?? Just really wondering.

What kind of brain-dead idiot are you? Michael Jackson was a vegetarian. Your post is an insult to those who love him and miss him. Shame!! TPG

Hodge-Podge Soup 2 medium tomatoes 1 medium carrot Handful (about 10) of green Beans 1/4 onion, chopped I pkt instant soup Pinch flavour enhancer 2 dessert spoons of Protein powder 1 tsp oil 1 tsp butter Salt & pepper Method Chop all veggies. Melt butter and oil in saucepan and when starting to sizzle, add onion salt and pepper. Cook until you get 'cooked onion' smell, then add tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, then add rest of veggies and fill saucepan about half way with Water. Add soup mix and flavour enhancer. Allow to simmer 30 minutes then remove from heat. Let cool a few minutes then blitz in blender and add Protein Powder at this stage. Blitz until smooth. Return to saucepan and add water to desired thickness. Put back into blender, then return to saucepan, straining through a sieve to remove any lumps. Heat and serve. I added a chicken instant soup mix, which gave it some 'body' and a slight chicken flavour, but if you want to keep it vegetarian, then just use a vegetable soup mix. The flavour enhancer I used is called Vegeta, but I don't know if its available outside Australia.

thanks every one for your guidance....I think i'll go back to Protein shakes for a while...in India we dont have many options for Proteins.....I do have cheese sometimes..but I found it constipating.....I have been a vegetarian all my life..so my diet has never been nutritious I guess... Initially I was tracking my protein..but it was always below the needed requirements... I think i'll take Protein Shakes for a while...so i'll be off the plateau and then I'll concentrate on my protein intake surely....Thanks. for your support !!!

Barbie, do you recommend a specific brand of Nioxin shampoo? I would want to use one with no animal products and not tested on animals, since I'm a vegetarian. Thanks so much! Great to have your professional advice.

Like Jess said....post surgical diets are incredibly different. I think Jess's version is more common among American bariatric centers.... and all of her food is stuff I'd eat in a heartbeat...looks delicious. Biggest difference, is that I do a lot of fuit and low glycemic carbs and more plant based protein. I've always done healthy carbs. Right after protein drinks I transitioned to thin cream of wheat and oatmeal per my approved plan. Mashed potatoes and vegetarian refried beans were on my soft food approved list, too. Didn't do whole grain breads until later, they were tough for a while. I know a lot of folks do something closer to keto. My clinic serves a lot of international clients and lots of them are vegan and vegetarian culturally, so my nutritionist was delighted when I said I'd been doing Mayo Clinic Diet. She was like...Awesome, I can work with that! Here's a sample menu from early on: We're only required to do 60g of protein per day, but it's not unusual for me to hit 80-100. The big things that make my diet work (I think), are fixed calories under 1200 per day, little to no refined sugar, healthy fats, fiber, steady blood sugar, lean protein and plant based protein. I don't do much animal fat. Also, my clinic stresses exercise and writes our recommendations on a prescription pad.

there was one at the bariatric clinic but i don't think she was familiar with vegetarian issues. also i hate anything sugar free that stuff causes brain cancer. and after reading all these posts i freaked cuz i've been doing the zone shakes twice a day and just realized how much sugar and carbs it has. oh no.