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Hi Junies! I'm doing ridiculously well, in fact maybe too well...been falling into some bad food habits. Some things like crackers and even candy go down soooo easily. I'm clearly not a 'dumper', so I have to watch the sugar! I'm vegetarian -pescatarian really, shellfish only- and for Protein I do yogurt, Beans, and nuts mostly, plus one 30 gram Protein Shake in the morning. In restaurants I do well with shrimp, scallops, and mussels. I'm loving eating salad again too, kind of crave it. Having trouble with getting many veggies in, but once again I think it's bad habits as opposed to them disagreeing with me. Soooo...gotta work on the food it never ends! Down 68 lbs though!

:-) And it's quick and cheap, and really super low sodium, which I personally prefer now--which makes me laugh, since I was quite the salt queen pre-surgery!! I'm at a legit 191 now, so really only one pound from goal--DANG IT!! I've been eating a lot more vegetables since my recent visits to farmers' markets, and I plan to keep doing that, mostly because I LOVE how they taste! I did eat some bacon yesterday that did NOT sit comfortably in my sleeve--a first for bacon--and had a couple bites of chicken with some hummus at one of our favorite Mediterranean restaurants, and that chicken HURT--I seriously thought I was going to have to go be sick but happily it resolved after around 15 minutes of pure agony. Ridiculous amount of pain over a couple bites of chicken. Lesson learned--I don't know if I ate too fast or if it was the chicken, but I'm wondering if maybe my not eating much meat/chicken/fish is having a negative effect on my ability to digest it when I do eat it, if that makes sense. Can you work your way out of being able to digest particular foods? I don't know. I'm pretty happy being an unintentional vegetarian; I didn't set out to eat this way, but it's how my sleeve feels good, and I love the foods in a vegetarian diet. Plus I also like the "green" side of vegetarian eating--eating local, fresh-grown food and supporting local producers, etc. I'm flirting with jumping all the way into it, back to vegan. I think I probably will do that this summer, maybe not every single day, but I can totally anticipate eating that way during the hot muggy days down here on the Gulf! Cool, crisp salads, fresh fruit and veggie, no heavy food--sounds kind of fantastic! It's already hit 80 degrees here, and it's March.... imagine July or August.

As a vegetarian, South Beach is the best plan I ever tried. It is a modestly low carb plan that you can follow as a vegetarian. I still use some of the principles in the way I eat. No way of doing Atkins or Paleo as a veg. I did read about one guy that was a palio veg, but I think he did eat eggs. Spartan! One of my main sources of protein is wheat! I make seitan steaks and BBQ them in yummy sauces or make big roasts to slice for sandwitches or rollups, and the protein is almost as high as meat. I do not have any problems with eating wheat gluten that I can tell.

I am a vegetarian, and I love to do lentils (cheap and high in protein) - I have found several great recipes using lentils in chilis and soups. Eggs are also good. My favorite protein drinks are the American Bariatrics fruit drinks (taste like Crystal Light or Koolaid) and the AB cappuccinos (which I mix with my coffee). Another favorite powerful protein combo is a vanilla Greek Yogurt mixed with some PB2 - Peanut Butter Powder. Delicious and high in protein!

Jake, Watch the slippery slope there. If you know taco bell will go down easy and there are ten taco bells in as many square miles, don't let it be something you turn to easily. I buy vegetarian fat free Refried beans and sprinkle a bit of cheese on the top - delicious.

Ankpta, so glad you got your fill and you are back on the road. Terri, looks like you are on the right road. I am thrilled that things are finally going your way. You deserve this, you have worked hard and not given up. Me, I am close to tears. I am starving all the time. I have become Vegetarian, mostly, and now drink a Vegetarian Protien drink. I still get gas, but not like I get when I eat animal protien. I don't know what is up with my body. It would be nice to see my surgeon, but I am still fighting. I have begun getting pressure in my chest and at least this time I told my Dr. I am now on an asprin a day, low dose. I don't know what the pressure is but I know I am stressed over my weight staying the same for a very long time and now it is going in the wrong direction. I am discourage, extremely, all this and now a fight. I knew it was too good to be true. I always waited for the other shoe to fall and I guess it did

greek yogurt, cottage cheese, seitan (gluten/wheat protein products) tofu and soy products like TVP, nuts and nut butters... mostly almond butter and walnuts, flax, Beans, hummus, cheese, I also eat some eggs ( I get the ones high in omega3s) 4everfit Protein drinks (lacto vegetarian) balance bars....I make my own Tofurky style roast from scratch, buy morning star farms products, bean, pea or lentil Soups.....tempeh.....soy nuts.....

I would have to draw the line there... if my social life was impacted this much to lose the last 10... I don't think I would go there. Thats probably why I am where I am, and not 10 pounds lower! I am not that great in the social life department anyway, and cutting out my occasional outings with friends that involve food (not horrible, The tummy helps on the quantity part, but some treats) would be heartbreaking to me. Most of my "food outings" are at horrible restaurants that do not cater to vegetarians anyway, and I have switched most of my thinking to "going out for socializing, and not for eating" Where do we draw the line?

Yeah!!! I finally cought oup on the 4 pages I got behind.. Where was I? Friends came from New Zealand, and it was all about road trips and EATING. They were nice about going out to Vegetarian when possible. I gained 3 1/2 pounds, on top of the other poundage piling up for the last year... I have been really good the last three days (they left on sunday) and doing 5:2 and writing down everything I eat (finally) Watching the pritein first, drinking enough water and staying away from almost all refined sugar (the devil!). My show came down on sunday, Craig was nice and wrapped every piece in craft paper for future protection in storage. I did pretty well, some of the old buddies came out of the woodwork... when you get to my age, you better see'em while you have the chance! ...being your own charming self? So glad you had your work in the show! I never know how many people will show up... I just figure the people who do, the show is just for them. Its all good. I so love oils too... they just get a look that other paints cant get... and the smell is devine. Try not to get them on your hands.... the pigments can cause you to develop sensitivities... my hands start pealing if I get to lax about it. Getting older is a bi+ch! I have bone spurs in my knee.... they said they were not too bad, I was continplating cutting my leg off for a minute.... perhaps a peg leg would hurt less? I was told after you shave them off, they tend to grow back.... . I do think move it or lose it is true... as long as you can stand the pain. Me too. And I have to say, after bakeries three times a day on the road, I feel MUCH better doing the 5:2 than I did then!

Honestly, Im kind of glad when I feel a little or a lot crapy from eating something I used to gobble down all the time. My body is finally asking for some good food now and then, in stead of becoming a zombie for cra(p or ck)cakes and other kinds of food drugs. Not that I say no all the time, but I do say it more often. I just did a possible crazy vegetarian move today... I have been researching ancient grains, and cleaned my refrigerator, then headed to whole foods (or whole paycheck as we call it here...) and bought some Kamut (found in an Egyptian tomb?) in abut 3 forms (flour, rolled and cracked). Spelt (preferred by Europeans in the middle ages) in two forms(flour and crackers), and Einkorn ...( the same grain that was found in the icemans stomach)! NO GMOs. Older undeveloped types of wheat. Some used as early as 9000 years ago. I use white whole wheat at this time, not a lot, but modern wheats can experience drifting contamination from fields of GMO if they are not already Genetically modified. So I am switching over to older grains to see what happens. I made some (1/4 cup of cracked Kamut in 3/4 cup water in my rice steamer, with some veggies from my garden, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms salt and pepper, and some "chi'kin" veggie stock powder. It took about 15 minutes to cook up, and it was lovely, resotto like... a little grated parm, and a dribble of olive oil...next time I think I will ad an egg...)It was lovely. Im not feeling any kind of carb spike...yet...)

Changes in diet can sometimes lead to hair loss Tuesday, September 13, 2005 By Tara Parker-Pope, The Wall Street Journal Dieters hoping to lose weight are discovering they're losing something else -- their hair. The little-talked-about secret of the dieting industry is that a successful diet can also trigger hair loss. As Americans struggle with obesity and tackle countless fad diets, some dermatologists say they are increasingly hearing complaints from perplexed dieters about thinning hair. After Esther Sokol, a New York City records manager, lost nine pounds on the Atkins diet a few years ago, her hairdresser noticed her usually thick hair was beginning to thin. It was only after talking with doctors and hair experts that she learned her diet was the likely culprit. "Diet was the only major change I'd made," says Ms. Sokol. Hair loss can be triggered by a variety of factors including pregnancy, stress, surgery and age-related hormonal changes, to name a few. But few people realize that weight loss can also cause hair to shed, likely due to a nutritional deficiency. Although Iron deficiency is often associated with diet-related hair loss, a range of nutrient deficiencies can result in thinning hair, dermatologists say. Changes in levels of zinc, magnesium, Protein, essential fatty acids and Vitamins D, B and A can all trigger episodes of shedding hair. The problem affects both men and women, but women are more likely to notice it and seek treatment, say doctors. The fact that so many different nutrients can be the culprit in hair loss means any diet can take a toll on the tresses. The threat of thinning hair shouldn't discourage patients from losing weight, but it should convince them to avoid fad, quick-reduction diets, says Wilma Bergfeld, head of clinical research for the department of dermatology at the Cleveland Clinic. Such diets often lack proper nutrition, and rapid weight loss in itself is a stress on the body and can also trigger metabolism changes that affect hair growth. For hair health, doctors say the best weight-loss plans are reduced-calorie diets that promote gradual weight loss with healthful foods from all of the food groups. Diets low in protein and iron, such as vegetarian diets and very-low-fat diets, often result in deficiencies. But high-protein diets like Atkins that initially discourage fruits and vegetables can also trigger hair loss, says Dr. Bergfeld. The typical patient complains of thinning hair after losing about 20 pounds in a relatively short period of time, she says. "We see it all the time," says Dr. Bergfeld. "If you start eating only one thing and you're not well balanced, you get into trouble." A spokesman for Atkins referred questions to the company's Web site, which addresses hair loss in its frequently asked questions section, noting that any weight-loss plan can trigger hair loss. The site contends the Atkins diet is the "least likely" to cause hair loss. However, dermatologists say no scientific study has ever determined whether certain diets are more or less likely to cause hair loss. In a healthy person, hair typically grows about an inch every two months. Hair has a three-phase life cycle -- the growing phase can last two to five years. A second, less-active phase lasts only about six weeks. A final resting phase lasts three to five months, before the hair falls out and new hair grows in. About 15 percent of hair follicles are in the resting phase at a time. Abrupt changes in nutrition can disrupt the hair-growth cycle, causing hair follicles in the growing phase to convert to the resting phase too soon. This can mean a 20 percent to 30 percent or more increase in the number of daily hairs shed. For many people, diet-related hair loss is temporary and may last only about two to six months. Once a person starts eating a more balanced diet, hair eventually comes back. In some people it may take one to two years to regain a full head of hair, dermatologists say. Some dieters aren't even that lucky. A hair-shedding episode triggered by dieting may become a chronic problem if the dieter has a genetic predisposition for thinning hair, says Dr. Bergfeld and other doctors. In addition, hair loss triggered by dieting can be exacerbated by hormonal changes, stress or medications -- sending patients into a chronic cycle of hair shedding. Ms. Sokol says she stopped the diet and has since regained the weight -- but her hair has never recovered. She says that if she had been aware of the link between weight loss and hair loss she probably wouldn't have tried the diet. Dermatologists say they often advise dieters to take a Multivitamin with iron and keep weight loss to a pace of one to two pounds a week. Dieters with a family history of thinning hair or baldness should be especially careful about proper nutrition and slow weight loss. Patients considering obesity surgery, which often results in rapid weight loss, should also talk to their doctor about ways to protect their hair. In addition to nutrition supplements, patients who experience thinning hair after dieting or for other reasons are advised to avoid chemical treatments like bleach or permanents that weaken hair. Minoxidil, the active ingredient in the topical treatment Rogaine, is often recommended for chronic hair loss, although it doesn't work for everyone and has to be used consistently or the hair shedding will return, notes Brooklyn dermatologist Morris Westfried, medical director of the New York Hair Loss Center who published one of the first reports on minoxidil. For men, the oral medication Propecia may also help improve thinning hair. Hair extensions and transplants are also an option, but they can be expensive.

I'm down 91 so far. I had a lot of trouble with eating so when my stomach finally allowed me to eat i was eating non stop and actually put on 10 pounds but it was alright cause i lost it in a week and a half when it settled down. I needed it though as i had very little energy before but I'm doing a lot better now. I eat a lot of fish and shrimp too. I really like the turkey chili with no beans. i have made turkey taco's, meatloaf and chili using vegetarian beans and ground turkey. I made all these as my wife had the surgery the week after me and we split it and save the leftovers to eat over a couple of days. It really helps when you have someone to go through it with you. She's down 56 so far. I will say that my biggest challenge i faced i have found some nice posts on another topic about soda fixes. Crush makes a single drink mix to put in a bottle of water that tastes like soda without the carbonation. They have Squirt, Grape, Orange, and i just found Strawberry. Some one also suggested using the syrups from the soda stream makers in regular water. they have diet and even some use Splenda instead of sugar in the non diet syrups. But none use high fructose corn syrup.

U look awesome!! I see that u r vegetarian, how do u get all ur protein? I am supposed 2 get 60-70gm per day, I sometimes make it to 50. I've tried 2 protein powders, one is vanilla Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Isolate that is sickly sweet!! The other is Designer Whey unflavored and tastes like sour milk.

I had surgery on September 5th an I feel great. The surgery was way easier than I imagined. Recovery was fine. It would have been horrible if I didn't have a private room in the hospital though. The people in double rooms looked miserable! Anyway, I feel great. I've lost 25 pounds which is more than I thought I would lose right off since I am on the smaller range of weight. I do get a bit bored with my stage three food though. I'm a vegetarian and not being able to get my veggies is NO fun!

PotterGirl, I was wondering about that! When I was in England for a week, it was very difficult to find light vegetarian meals at restaurants (eg, entree salads, fruit, etc.). I was on a work tour and every restaurant we went to made me something like heavy veggie lasagna with bechamel. I hated to offend them bc they made it in advance since the tour guide told them there was a vegetarian, but I realized I could start ordering dessert plates--fruit and cheese--as my entree. that was a lot better! Hope you are having a great time!!!

Careful OTR...brains aren't vegetarian.

in Scotland and vegetarian food i am finding is far and few between..i am struggling to get my numbers on.....yikes!

woops...double post if i were vegan and not lacto ova....i wouldn't have had to be sleeved.... and are indians not considered vegetarian even though east paneer cheese...i know i have this vegetarian cookbooks with vegetarian on the cover....i do realize all Indians are vegetarian though

I've been a strict vegetarian for most of my adult life (more than 20 years). I am eating more dairy and eggs post-VSG than I did before, which I'm not exactly happy about, but it will do for now. As I get farther along in my journey, I may try to eliminate them or at least reduce my consumption. For me, vegetarianism is a lifestyle and deeply rooted in my belief system--akin to others' religious beliefs. It is founded on kindness for all living things and a respect for all life (not just human life). I do not eat cheeses that contain rennet. I do not wear or buy leather, wool, or silk. I do not eat things with meat stock, and I definitely don't eat Jello. I don't buy Protein drinks that contain Gelatin. So although I am "just" a vegetarian and not a vegan--I consider this belief to be a huge part of my way of life and deeply rooted in my belief system. It comes from a love for animals--all animals--that I have had since I was a small girl and met my mom's friends who became vegetarians after watching pigs they had raised get slaughtered. I don't think that vegetarianism has lost its meaning--to me it is more meaningful than ever.

please share with me your game plan in getting in protein. any recipes you care to share? two great finds ,friendship brand protein percent cot cheese...1/2cup 16 g p over the hill brand milk 11 g p per cup.

I've always 'dabbled' w vegetarian type food--- however id really like to 'embrace' it now---- I do gave a big fear of carbs - in the past the ONLY thing that worked for me was Atkins but very very low carb and cal-- Any ideas for me --- I've been researching it but now I'm overwhelmed and confused lol I'd love ideas on how to go about - I've 'friended' fully raw and vegan and vegetarian type things on Facebook but I can't have anything like that yet-- I am 2 1/2 weeks preop-- thank you Sent from my iPhone using VST

Pureed: sweet potato with yog or Peanut Butter greek yog with banana and protein powder ( I like Chike Banana) cream of wheat made with fake chicken broth split pea soup with a dab on greek yog Iced muscle milk with coffee (I used decaf) The seitan Jerky is great but wait till solids (I think the one I get is Primal) eggface protein ice cream recipes cauliflower soup made with milk and cheese. I missed veggies early on and would make pots of soup and puree till I could eat them chunky. bean soup with veg bacon salt .....I have done it all vegetarian(lacto ovo) for the last two years with success.

I couldn't help it, I googled.... FUNNY - Vegetarians would have you believe that the "perfect" stool (that is, one uncontaminated by the consumption of animal parts) is the Floater. Many vegetarians have spent their entire lives in the Quest to produce perfection -- when in fact no particular diet can reliably produce Floaters. The vast majority of us bring forth Sinkers. SINKERS it is.... that my vote!! Sinkers really need a good P.R. person -- they have gotten a bad rap over the ages. Sure, Floaters are cute and all, but a good solid Sinker will never let you down. :sneaky:

Here are some more ideas for you: Vegetarian (or not!) chili Cabbage Rolls with potatoes Kofta Curry Muttar Paneer Stuffed Poblano Peppers Kafta Kabob Huevos Rancheros (skip the tortilla) Vegan Sweet Potato & Black Bean "meatballs" with shiitake mushrooms Menemen Dalia Khichdi Masoor Dal Dal Makhani Baba Ghanouj with Cauliflower or Zucchini Fritters (add protein powder) Blackened Salmon with Smashed Potatoes Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon over Zoodles Mahi Mahi w/ Aji Amarillo, sauteed zucchini Thai Red Curry with Mahi Mahi Tilapia w/Pesto, Roasted Root Veggies Vegetable Beef Soup (use ground beef & no corn) Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes (skip the bun), roasted carrots Swedish Meatballs & potatoes Ground Beef Stir Fry with broccoli & mushrooms Kibbeh Harira Crustless Quiche Basically anything that uses ground meats is probably safe. Get creative with veggies to either cook with or along with the meat. Some things that may be light on protein may need some unflavored protein powder mixed in.

Morningstar Farms is a line of vegetarian products in the freezer section. Their "griller" is a vegetarian burger, and they make veg sausage patties, "chick'n" patties and other stuff. Seems like they sit well with me, sometimes better than actual meat, and are really high in protein.