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I do eat super healthy, and I have for a long time - I was vegetarian before this journey started (until November 08) and I am looking forward to beiung vegie again. Robin is veggie so she gets it, but I had to commit to eating meat for 1 year . . .anyways, my PROBLEM has always been not WHAT I ate, but how frekin' MUCH I ate! Cows get fat eating grass, and I got fat eating super-healthy vegies! It's about the quantity, and one of the main reasons I picked the band - quantity was my problem. What scares me now is that, once again, I am eating more than (I feel like) I should, so am I even getting rid of the main overeating that got me close to 300 lbs. in the first place? I wonder if any other bandsters have this dilemna?

Hello All, Hope everyone is doing well. It's good to see you all online posting. I think I saw Donna few pages away :-), I have not been to meeting yet and I have pledged to come to the next one. Donna I hope to see you at my place. Heather you are welcome, i always enjoy our hangouts. It seems like Feb 6th is our hang out day. How is 4p.m. for everyone this way it can be a dinner. Since almost everyone is doing protein, this is what the menu is going to look like: -Baked chicken breast and thighs with Pesto sauce -Mixed Veggies -Salad -Baked red potatoes with onions and bell pepper -Eggplant stew and Tofu for the Vegetarians. How does this sound to everyone?? For those of you on liquids I can add soup to the menu (clam chowder?). I would love for all you guys to come and enjoy yourselves. You are welcome to bring anything that your heart desires. I make plenty food so don't worry. I am super excited! :thumbup:.

Ok I'm back, had to come home & plug in my laptop :w00t: So Tina! yes my appointment with Robin was great, lasted like 40 minutes & we talked at length about my transitioning back to vegetarianism. It has been 6 months back on meat for me and I am actually eating beef now - which I never thought I'd do again. Never gonna gnaw a bone tho! Anyways she was totally empathetic and she was all about me settling in to an eating plan that I am comfortable with and can live with for the rest of my life!! Very supportive of starting my transition back now. She wants me to add beans back in, and especially lentils since they are lower in carbs. Plus boca burgers, etc. and we both sat there mourning the fact that those great vegie ribs have 35 grams of sugar!! We spent a long time on the soy question - I have asked her several times if there is such as thing as too much soy, and have never really gotten an answer out of her before, this time she said that I needed to be careful if I had a family history of estrogen-related cancers, but I am adopted and so I have no idea! I finally asked her how SHE gets her protein, and she smiled and said she eats tofu every day. She spent a lot of time exploring non-soy, non-meat protein options for me, but it is tough because I have wheat sensitivity (so no seitan) and whey sensitivity too! She's still thinking on it :wink2: but basically she was 100% supportive. I am getting WAY more protein than I need eating meat - like 90-120 grams a day - and she reminded me that the body stores excess protein as fat & I could pretty much cut my protein in half and be fine. And I had only lost 12 lbs. since my last fill, but instead of busting my chops about it, she just said "how do you feel about your weight loss?" I told her that I HAD no weight loss to speak of for the last few weeks, but overall I felt really great about it. She commented several times that things would be a lot better when I got some more fluid in my band, and they are. I had 1/2 cup of pureed gumbo soup for lunch today and I actually felt full, SO happy to have some restriction!! I hope it lasts for more than a week this time :eek:

I'm not censoring anything, I am honest with Liz and Robin and I'm still a rockstar. And I'm vegetarian too so thats not it Tina!! I think Nicole was right, Liz was referring to others who have joined in with us on occasion but aren't part of our little superstar band - like folks who were at our fill but not willing to be in support groups, stuff like that. Girls, I am full. Ahhhhhh. I had a small salad with 2 oz. of cheese and a few imitation bacon bits - calorie-free Walden Farms dressing, under 200 calories all together - and I am full. FULL! I only had berries for breakfast and I was not even hungry when I ate the salad, I just did because it was time and I have a bunch of errands to run this afternoon, did not want to chace getting hungry while running around and ending up grabbing a less-healthy option. I am getting about 4 to 4.5 hours after a mini-meal before I get hungry again. And zero PB, zero stuck, zero slime, zero issues at all! THIS IS IT!!!! So happy :smile2: Also very proud of myself today, I did 8.5 miles by 11:30 this morning! My day just goes so much better when I get my miles in And now it sounds like Jes is gettin' hooked on walking too, yay! Jes they all think I'm crazy, tell them how great it feels!!! Doin' errands - c u later!

Hey Riley where did you get the information on Dr. Baggs and the new procedure? I would love to see that. Wow did I luck out to get him than. I asked for the surgeon who was the best at lap band but they said they all were. And I told them pick for me than. They said if you stay today you can see Dr. Baggs. Interesting he also told me that under 42 BMI tended to do good with lap band. But he also really stressed that they have no long term studies and don't know what happens 15 years down the line to the lap band and studies show better weight lose with GPB. I think you were right before me LOL?? Too bad we didn't meet. I did mention being vegetarian and he said that is really important and you would probably do better with the lap band unless you plan to start eating meet. I did ask him what his choice would be if he were me and he laughed and said I like them both you chose!! He said I was healthy enough to do well with either. He said same recovery time and basic surgery risks either way. I told him 80% lap band and I would decide before I lose the two pounds. Wow if I call in next week I might also be looking at surgery in February or early March too! So what about the preop and nutrion class? Do you have to do that as well? So what is with bariactrics and back surgery being together?? The lady next to me kept asking me how I hurt my back. I didn't have the heart to tell her "no I am just here cause I am fat!! LOL" She kept telling me they were going to crack me open and check out my back..............she also couldn't hear me very well. What a strange combination!! LOL

They haven't given up the seniority list. It is a big mystery still. On our end I think they are still sorting through the details and trying to figure out who fits where............... Dr. Baggs just explained both surgeries to me. told him I was leaning towards lap band and he showed me the stats on both. But seriously I was frustrated cause he won't tell me what he thought was the best one for me. LOL. He did say that with my BMI of 41 that lap band seemed to work best on BMI 42 or below but he also stated that was a stat and depended on the person and the how they used the band. He did tell me that being vegetarian he would have concerns about the malasorbation part of the RNY. But he seriously won't lean one way or another with me. I tried to get his professional opinion but well ...............I chose the lap band on my own as you probably figured out!! My weight also is all over the place too. LOL Today I was having a hard time with protien. Breakfast and lunch I gave up by 2pm and just ate frozen yogurt which is bad I know but I think my band needed a rest today..............I am doing liquid protien tonight. Some days I just can't eat the protien without it coming back up...............my band is moody today!! I am afraid to see the calorie damage today with that frozen yogurt. I figured it was better than ice cream......

Tina, yay! I know you were worried about your CM appt. with Liz because of the vegetarianism, but she was great about it wasn't she! Folks chose to stay away from flesh foods for a variety of reasons, including religion, and none of us do it just to make our lives harder . . . I have found that the staff there are very respectful of differences. In fact Liz blows me away with her level of patience with a variety of folks. Kaiser Richmond ROCKS!! :-) Today I have to have my CPAP read by the pulmonologist and set at whatever . . I hate it, it wakes me up all night and gives me morning headaches, but I HAVE TO do it so I am 1000% compliant!! Oh and I have also noticed that the bags under my eyes are much less pronounced, don't know if it's from a different sleep pattern, or from my mask leaking and blowing cold air over my eyes all night, LOL! And I have to have my final lab work done today and pick up my pre-op nasua medication script. It's less than 2 weeks away now!!!:thumbdown:

Congratulations Heather!! Girl you are getting there keep it up. I am very excited about this weekend, i'm still waiting for some menu suggestions. I know there some vegetarians among us. Please send me your suggestions.

Tina, are you a vegetarian? I was a vegan for many years. Recently raw vegan from 2004 - 2006. Always hungry. After reading your menu, I'd suggest ditching the Oatmeal. When I eat oatmeal I'm always starving shortly after. The carbs are so high. Have you tracked foods that sustain you longer? Are you able to tolerate greek yogurt? Could you try one with a little more fat and protein powder to satisfy you? Do you ever eat eggs or fish? From my reading on the Sleeve sites, the people who wake up hungry are having a protein shake before bed which helps them get through the night. I know that Kaiser says no shakes, but they also expect weight loss. The food plan is the same whether we have the band or the sleeve. I am so sorry you're going through this Band Hell. I can imagine how frustrated you are to be doing everything right and not getting results. Sending sympathy your way....

MAMA ASH: Wow this is your week. So excited for you. How long do you stay in the hospital? Will be thinking about you this week. TAMRA: I want to lose another 7 before the 3rd of June. I want to be down 15. I am still going between 8-10. So another 7 would be great. That is my goal. I have 13 more days until I go back..........So is it the pouch test that is getting you down or protiens? I read up on the pouch test last night and it said it is to break carb addiction and to stop mindless snacking........it is suppose to get you back on track and make you feel your pouch. Not to test if it is broken which is what I thought!! LOL. Suppose to make you stop in your tracks and get serious again..........so I guess there is good and bad. As long as it is not used as a crash diet.........I got to thinking breaking the carb and snacking thing would NOT hurt me. But not to many suggestions for vegetarians. The first three days I would be good........day 4 an 5 are the problems. Anyway there is a book they sell onthe 5 day pouch test!! LOL. Than another one called day 6 and beyond!! LOL. BELLA: I want to be part of the challenge. August 31?? 90 days? I need to think what is realistic before I decide my goals. I know what I want to make a goal but I gotta think about what I will do as well. I would love to be at goal of 150 but I need to do the math. I might need to add a couple months on to that goal!! Are we talking weight down specifically or other stuff too?? For sure under 200 but sorta want more than that too...............Bella is 800 enough a day. I thought if you go to far under 1000 you go into starvation mode?? I think I would struggle with 800 everyday!! Well I am working today. DIdn't make the Kaiser Group. I planned to leave work for a couple hours to head to Kaiser but my supervisor showed up at work to help me out..........so I ended up staying. I am so close to caught up now!! Riley you doing ok? Happy weekend all.

Hey Ladies Oh I figure Liz and who knows who else is reading this forum............we are all honest and that probably is what she was talking about. We mess up and have to start over the next day. But we are honest about it. I am the vegetarian so I figured it was me and my not getting enough meat protien she was talking about. Ya know doing my own thing!! LOL. Who know but I find that comment a bit rude to be honest? I would have asked her exactly what that meant if I was there. I woulda bugged me.................. I don't think however we should censor what we say we are all honest here................ I do know at orientation Robin and Liz did say not to believe everything you hear or read in books or online........they said some of what is out there is not true and or not good info..............

Nicole I am a vegetarian and I think that makes a big difference..........................thank God I did not do RNY since I struggle with my nutritionand protien with the band!! But really I think my slower weight loss and struggles has some to do with my diet adn refusal to eat meat.............ah Riley can speak on that. WLS is not an easy road being veggie..........but doable!!

Black bean and butternut squash enchilada casserole. I can't do tortillas at all so I left them out. I am vegetarian so I've never tried chicken, but I eat vegetarian chick'n patties all the time and they go down fine.

Hey Reggie. No bagels are not allowed!! I know, I know......I was stressing and it was the only food around. I thought I would have a couple bite than 15 minutes later all gone...............ahhh I should have even picked it up. The protien bar is not high in carbs but 30 grams of protien. I just do them cause I am vegetarian and my hair and nails have problems. Not doing them forever but I have notice my hair has stopped falling out as much the last week. I also think the cinnamon twists have carbs. Oh dear I am having a carb, carb, carb day!!! My only comfort is that pre band I would go hog wild and today I have just had little mess ups. Trying to drink extra water and tomorrow will have to be extra strict and no carbs period to get back on track. Just gotta make it though the danger snack zone tonight but I did it last night fine so I should be ok......... I don't like my menu today but there it is!! :-(

Hello R Many of the questions you are asking are what most of those considering having a band have posted on this thread and there are pages and pages of peoples experiences. I'll try to answer the ones you have. I was banded just oiver a year ago with Dr Chris and have lost my terget weight and more. So here goes 1. I've heard that meats, breads and pastas are very difficult to eat after banding...in which case, what on earth do people survive on? I can't eat fish, it makes me feel ill! Is it mainly vegetarian diets? meat would refer to steak as it is very fibrous and difficult to digest. Mince is fine but in small quantities. Bread some are able to eat this. Pesonally I can't so I replace with crackerbreads and titx biscuits. Pasta depends on the day and type ofpasta. Only recently (last few weeks) have I had a fe spiral twists or tubes finely chopped up. We are talking about 2 pieces of each (so not much). Again everyone is different. 2. I'm most definitely, absolutely, positively an emotional eater and I guess a food addict. I quit alcohol a year ago (not good for me at all), and smoking earlier this year. Seeing as I clearly have an addictive personality, I'm very worried that removing the food addiction by force may end up in a brand spanking new addiction rising....anyone found other compulsive areas arising post-band? I know that's very personal, so you obviously don't need to answer on the boards! Not sure whether I have another addiction but I still drink alcohol but not in the same amounts. I look at this as a treat as I have reached my target weight. 3. Is PBing really as terrible as it sounds? How can you avoid it? Do you have time to get out of company before everything comes back up? Sometimes this just can't be helped I find I get a lot of liquid build up where I have chewed and chewed and perhaps gone a little too quickly and next thing I need to get rid of a liquid build up. Yes you have time to go to the toilet. Those around you who know are very aware of what the pattern is and understanding. 4. I had heard of an increase in complications after 5 years -anyone know if this is true? Not sure about this as just into my 2nd year of having a band. 5. The port - can you feel it? As in, if you touch the skin over where it is, can you feel the port? Or can you feel it moving around in there? Do the fills hurt? Yes you can feel the port. It's stitched in place and no I can't feel it moving it around. No the fills don't hurt. Dr C is very quick at doing these. 6. Has anyone regretted getting the band fitted? If I go ahead, I'll be using money I was supposed to be saving for a housing deposit....I feel enormous guilt at the thought of that...and I'm scared to tell my family as I think they'll judge me as vain. No regrets at all. Good health and happiness is not vanity, it's an investment in staying alive and healthy so that you can enjoy your family. Talk to them you never really know how they will react. BUt again this is individual and yu know how you feel about this and how they may react. Good luck and take care. Messgae back if you want to know anymore. Take care Claire

@aoa: A good vegan/vegetarian way to get your protein while losing is to choose vegan high-protein, low-carb pasta. It can be expensive, but it's filling, and there's no way someone who's sleeved will eat more than half a portion anyway. Make a tahini garlic sauce, throw in some black beans and cooked, slivered carrots and onions, top with chives and you've got a great meal.

Do you cook in a cast iron pan? I'd cook everything in one if I were you! https://www.nomeatathlete.com/iron-for-vegetarians/ https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/78/3/633S/4690005 Also, can you tolerate pate? Especially if you use livers from Whole Foods? I have an awesome recipe for green peppercorn pate that makes getting down chicken liver flat dreamy! Also have a great recipe for authentic "chopped livah" that's absolutely divine especially with the Wasa rye crackers!! Let me know if you want those recipes btw. I'm sure you know all about adding enough things with zinc, vit c, and carotenoids also helps iron absorption? ((hugs)) sweetie! Thanks for telling me about the cream of tartar! I think some of the issue (cuz it hasn't been low until now) is that I'm also having some intestinal disturbance along with the whatever is happening in my gut thing...you know? So I'm sure I'm losing some potassium through um, you know...TMI.

Quit this diabetes talk!! Lol. It runs deeply on both sides of my family, I've had issues with hypoglycemia for YEARS and in Sept my doc told me I was insulin resistant... I'm not really superstitious (sp?) but I'm worried ya'll will jinx me! I agree with Rhonda that some people stay away from the doc so that they can't be diagnosed. haha, that is totally ME!! Fighting bad indigestion right now. I ate a vegetarian BBQ 'riblett' for lunch at 2pm today. I was OK until I got home from work today and decided to lay down to take a nap at 5pm. I slept for maybe 45 mins, and the whole time I tossed and turned, my whole chest is on fire. I tried drinking water, not helping. I ate a small square of chocolate hoping it would help. I NEVER had heartburn before banding, so I don't have any antiacids or anything. From now on when I eat one of those ribletts I'm staying UPRIGHT for more than 3 hours afterwards. Ugh. I keep thinking today is Sunday. I'm just anxious cause I'm OFF on Monday, and I need a day off. Haha. Hope you all have a brilliant and blessed Easter.

I love Dr. Weiner and his philosophy. And I love your IF take. It gives me hope! Although I don't want to become a vegetarian, I do heart veggies (less so fruits), and I do try to get close to or a pound of them a day--especially leafy greens, cruciferous, or the brassicas! (When I'm not doing a 24 hour fast of course. LOL.)

He's one very satisfied vegetarian 😂

My bday dinner. I made roasted parmesean potatoes and vegetarian meatloaf. Had 2 oz of meatloaf and 1 baby Dutch potato cut up and Roasted. Can't forget the no sugar added ketchup lol Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

CINDY!!!! First of all, WELCOME!! So glad you decided to join us! I visited the Crackerbox website and was blown over by the beautiful ornaments!!! The website, sadly, does not give any indication of what kind of skills are required for putting them together!? Obviously they look incredibly difficult....are they? I'd LOVE to try one!!! Gosh, your tree must look amazing!!! My company gives me a Swarovski snowflake ornament every year and I think I've got 8 or 9 now. Now we give them as gifts to several of the younger couples in our family so their collection will grow. They, too, rise in value every year...but nothing close to the Crackerbox ornaments!!! So cool!! TracyK - I've got the day off today for shopping, too! I haven't bought one thing either. Not one. Don't know why I haven't been just making beads for everyone!? Well, I do know....NO TIME! I'm going to the grocery store later today and I've vowed to myself that I WILL NOT BUY ONE FORBIDDEN ITEM. I usually buy 'treats' for the kids....like Toaster Streudel or cinnamon rolls or ice cream....but it's not good for them either!! Then they go back to their dad's and I finish off the ice cream!! I WILL NOT BUY JUNK, I WILL NOT BUY JUNK, I WILL NOT BUY JUNK. Grrrrrrrrrrr. Sorry I haven't been around. Things will slow down considerably after the middle of the month and I'll be back to posting regularly again. Mom is doing so much better than she was a month ago. She's much stronger....the PT and OT are doing wonders...as well as the fact that she's getting 3 squares a day and cleaning her plate each meal! She looks good. I'd give her outlook a 6 out of 10, though....she seems a bit depressed, but OK. Could be worse. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. I'm starting to worry a little bit about my 14 yr old daughter. She told me the other day that she wants to become a vegetarian because she wants to "lose some of her muscle mass". Shit!!! She's 5'8" and weighs 130 and wears a size 5. I think she's upset because last year she wore a size 0 and is not getting the relationship between getting taller, 'becoming a woman', etc, and needing larger sizes. She knows she's not "fat" but apparently wants to be smaller....so in her mind she needs to lose muscle mass. OMG!! I've pounded good nutrition principles into these kids' heads since they were toddlers!! Is she crazy??? I'll keep a close eye on her. She does love milk so I'll keep pouring that down her throat. I've got lots to do today, girls.... I hope you all can be patient with me during my busy time and not think I'm just being a snot! Frankly, I'm feeling a little crazy and just trying to keep it all together. Love you all!

:driving:On the road again! Can't wait to get on the road again... Willie Nelson won't be with us! BTW! I wanted to touch base with my Peeps! Weigh in everyone, please. We are missing some from last week and the week before. Brandy, where are you Baby? Anita, did you get rid of your guests yet? Bookholder, how are you doing? Where are you? :crying: Marcy, I couldn't figure out if you gave me a weight for last week or not. How are the chickens doing? I do miss chicken now that I've become a vegetarian! Lifesaver, how are you, My Dear! I loved your face in our RR picture, You are just adorable! Deb, I'm so glad Tucker-baby is home with you and DH! Munchkin, how was your night floating? I floated to an adult ICU once and I threw up! :wink2: Sorry, but I was doing trach care and it was more than I could handle! Give me Meconium anyday!! Denver, there is not one thing I do not like about my band. Honestly, I cannot think of one thing. I'll be 6 months out next Tuesday and I have NOT (knock on wood) vomited once, no sliming issues and I can eat anything if I chew it well and take small bites! I love my band! Dork, a blue icee! I love icee's! I stopped at the 7-11 yesterday to get a splenda slurpee, but they were out! We've had 13 days straight of 90 degree or greater weather! I know for a PHX girl like you, that's nothing, but it's hot for us Denver Babies! Sunshine, how are you feeling? I'm sorry if I was hard on you! It's not my place to admonish anyone. I just was worried about you doing too much too soon. Besides, how often do we have a legitimate excuse for taking care of ourselves!? BRB - I'm going to weigh now! Hugs to all my Banditos! All of the newbies! :thumbup: AND all of the more seasoned Losers! Love ya, dee~

I have some hospital meals to post as well. They couldn't really do vegan (well, if you like starving it would have been possible I guess) but vegetarian minus the lactose was possible and I felt well fed.

Hi Greenie! Thanks for posting! Yes that ticket agent has her's coming some day! Karma is a witch with a capital B! I was a vegetarian for over 10 years. I recently adopted that lifestyle again! Actually very recently! The Oats/No Red/Movin' challenge with Shelbi pushed me down that path! Now it seems like I have to be so cognizant of getting my protein in - previously I didn't seem to notice. Legumes are going to be my friend. Not to mention Tofu! I love the Morningstar Farms foods, so that won't be a problem. My freezer is always full of them. I also make a mean homemade veggie burger! Most of my family are vegetarians.