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Someone shared this article from bariatriceating.com that I wanted to share here: Don’t eat bread! That latte has 35g sugar! No macaroni salad. NO tortillas. No rice. It won’t last without change There is no delicate way to say this. We have always set ourselves apart from other bariatric groups in that we don’t look the other way while post ops continue to eat the bad carbs. We try and bring them back to the bariatric reality. We coax you to knock off the Pasta, rice, tortillas or bread and often people get mad or try and justify it. For years we’ve watched people blow through this surgery and they all have the same story. Everyone thinks they are ‘Different’, that they can handle the bad carbs and the sugar (they don’t get sick!) and ‘because they have lost 100 pounds in 7 months they must be doing something right’. The first hundred pounds is the surgery Hate to keep making the same point, but your surgery did it, not you. Remember that you are not driving the car for the first year. Eating the same foods that grew you to 300 pounds, but in smaller amounts is not a good long term plan as eventually you will be able to eat larger portions. Ask yourself why eating the same bad carbs would be a good plan. No doctor has advised you to eat the same way post op as you did pre op. Post ops pick this up somewhere, latch on to it and defend it, often to the bitter end of a total regain. No one fights for broccoli carbs! It’s not that the bagel will kill you, it’s that these carbs make you hungry. They rapidly turn to glucose and burn… poof, gone, #Lookingformore. They don’t give you any nutrients. They don’t create a feeling of satiety or lasting fullness. The empty carbs work against what you are trying to achieve. If you were arguing for eating salad or green bean carbs, more power to you… but people are trying to hang on to foods without value. If this big argument was for VEGETABLES… well it wouldn’t be a debate as vegetables didn’t make us fat, it was those ‘other’ carbs. Did you ever meet an obese vegetarian and wonder ‘HUH?’… how’d they get obese if they are vegetarian? Same deal… its not the vegetables, its the other stuff… the carbs… the potatoes, bread, macaroni, rice, tortillas and sugar! Square peg… round hole Stop looking for slightly better substitutes for bad choices and find new healthier foods to love instead. We keep trying to force that square peg into that round hole. Stop EATING crackers and chips… don’t find ones that you can justify because they have fewer carbs. Enough with the terrible fishy shirataki tofu noodles. Learn to live without bread and pasta so it will not call your name. We aren’t changing the behavior or trend if we continue eating them, just slightly shifting it. Before long you’ve got your hand back in the Doritos bag & fork in the Mac and cheese. Look It’s Protein Cheesecake! Don’t add protein to muffins and convince yourself they’re good for you. Stop with the Starbucks Creme Brûlée Lattes because ‘they’re your one indulgence'; they have 500 calories and thin people don’t even drink them. Stay the heck out of Wendy’s. I read an article the other day touting all the ‘good choices’ in fast food restaurants. How about stay out of them. That’s the best choice of all! Why go to the place where you know there is danger. Before you know it, oops… there are fries in your bag! You know people gain back weight, right? In our first month of new Facebook Support group I have cried for new members who have gained back all their weight. I am not immune either after fourteen years, three bariatric books and knowing better. When life hit the fan, I comforted my bruises in the way I knew best and it has taken me ten months to lose fifty pounds of it. People are having revisions, a lovely sounding word for a second serious body damaging operation. What will change? Unless there is major change along with that new surgery, won’t it have the same result? Step away from the bagel! Own that there was and maybe still is something wrong with your food picker! Use surgery as an opportunity to change, not cheat. I used be bothered by the ‘word on the street’ that we were the carb or food police, but am now proud of it. If you want to promote the virtues of Everything in Moderation while eating half a Subway, there are plenty of groups that will help you do it. If you want to eat right and learn new behaviors to make the feeling of slipping on those skinny jeans last… we have a support group that’s a healthier fit. Bariatric Surgery IS the easy way out It’s a personal food cop that is always with us, that helps us push away from the table. We make it hard when we don’t live by the bariatric rules we’ve been given. There is nothing harder then gaining weight back after surgery. There is nothing better than losing it a second time. Control is empowering. If you need to pick up and start losing again… If you need to work off a regain… it’s not too late and your pouch works just fine if you choose the right foods. Clean those lethal carbs from your life and go back to Bariatric Eating – protein first and lots of fresh salad and vegetables. We’ve got the support for you to make that change!

Make sure you don't use a lot of salad dressing! From the people who I've interacted with that are vegan or vegetarian, most seem to feel they're better than those who eat meats. Kinda funny to me, since I myself, before my VSG (10/24) was a vegetarian for almost 3 and half years...

Last night I had a vegetarian schnitzel for dinner. It was quite dry compared to what I usually eat which is more casserole consistency. I am 10 weeks sleeved. After I ate it I checked MFP and was only at 50grams Protein. I decided to push through and eat a second schnitzel (around a third of the size of what a meat schnitzel would be). I had only slept three hours the night before (kids) and after being at work all day I was buggered. I was feeling very uncomfortable, but didn't vomit, which was probably because the food was quite dry. So I went to bed feeling not very well. An hour and a half later I woke up and couldn't breathe. I was trying to take a breath but everything was closed up. I was making this horrible wheezing noise and by chest/throat was burning. It only lasted for about 30 seconds until I could breath again, but it was terrifying! I sat upright for 30 minutes until the burning subsided and then slept on 5 pillows so I was slightly upright. I have never had acid reflux before so I am so glad some of you had posted about it before or I would have thought I was dying. Lesson learned, I will never eat just before bedtime ever again!!!

I feel like an unwilling vegetarian since surgery! I eat Greek yogurt, cheese, lentils, beans, protein shakes etc. meat just doesn't sit right. I'm 7 weeks out.

I was told I had to do 24 hrs of clear liquids, 14 days of pureed, then 14 days of soft foods. I am a strict vegetarian who does not eat artifical sweetners so most of what I have been eating is carbs and sugar (from fruit). Thin mashed potatoes, blended potato soup, thin cream of wheat, Fruit smoothies with protein powder, some plain yougart and pudding. I really used to think I Loved carbs but one more bite of mashed potatoes and I think I will die. Veggies in the blender is GROSS. I am ready for soft so I can eat something a little more healthy. I havent been really loosing since surgery. I hope that when I can start eating other things that will change. I feel like I am eating worse than what I did before surgery.

WOW her kids are on a gluten free, lacto-free, vegetarian diet? Wow, I would consider that child neglect in some form. Malnution is so easy with adults... Kids I am sure can be stunted in their development with such a diet. Maybe your friend needs an damn intervention! You sound sane to me =).

Hello everyone! I have started the process of getting approved for surgery and I feel like I am not sure how I stay on a vegetarian diet after surgery. I am a horrible cook and I hate to cook also. I really like that I eliminated the inflammation in by body by going vegetarian and I really don’t want to go off but I’m nervous about after the surgery any suggestions because now I kinda just steam veggies or cook the morning star burgers eat. I have only been a vegetarian since September 2019. Still very new n learning. Help please I appreciate all you can offer. Thank you in advanced!

I don't know a lot about vegetarian and vegan or the difference between the two, can you have eggs and cheese? Those are good sources of protein.

Well, I don't think the commercial is that bad. I've seen commercials where people were wearing clothes that showed more than that, lol. I really, REALLY don't understand AT ALL what the visuals in that commercial have to do with being a vegetarian...?

Hi scrazyp, Thanks for your reply! Im sorry to hear about your bad experience & that you had to go through that. I hope you can still be successful without it! As far as my eating habits, I am the type of person who eats like 2 very large meals a day. I have never liked snacking. I was even seeing a dietitian for a while & she recommended small Snacks throughout the day to keep me full & I didn't like it. Even if I wanted to I am always "on the go" so its very hard; I guess were on opposite ends there. I really only had enough time to eat in the morning & then the evening so when it was time to finally eat, I'd be starving and basically binge. On top of that, since I was always so busy, when I sat down for a meal it was nice to relax & it was comforting. I've always kind of had a problem with over eating but it's always been under control, now that life's gotten more hectic it's gotten out of hand & have gained too much weight. The other problem is that I am a "semi vegetarian" I guess you could call it. I rarely eat meat but the food I replace it with is food that isn't good for me. I don't eat junk food, Cookies, chips or anything like that. I'm Italian & my favorite foods are pastas, bread, cheeses etc. Basically all carbs & food high fat like cheese which is terrible for me. I was hoping since I'm not really a snacker that the band would help me to cut back on those 2-3 large meals I eat a day.

Can and when can I eat them? Is that a vegetable or a Protein? I'm 3 weeks post op. Just trying to be creative with meals. I'm not a vegetarian, I like variety. Thanks Amanda

I decided to go with the dietitian at the surgeon's office instead of with my primary. The office said I could do them there since I'm out of town but after seeing how little my primary new about bariatric surgery requirements I decided against it. Last thing I want is for something to get documented wrong and then I'm pushed back another 6 months. I'm also definitely not going vegetarian. It's not a good choice for my body, especially since I have to stay away from anything with soy in it. Kinda limits me. As far as my primary goes I'm going to go on South Beach, but in reality I'll be doing closer to Atkin's since I'm familiar with it and have had good results on it.

See to me, that smacks of it being an unsustainable lifestyle - if you "blow everything" because a certain type of food is not available. I get that that's just my view and opinion on it though and that the South Beach diet is generally respected by the experts. Truly, how can you blow a lifestyle in just one weekend ? Such studies of this only reinforce to me that you must do what you personally believe suits you best. Because just like there's a zillion studies supporting a low carb way of eating, so obviously there is just as many pointing out the possible dangers. I think anyone who truly things that their way of eating is absolutely and utterly RIGHT is a bit nuts, anyone rational will admit that its a balance and leaning one way or another might make a difference to your health but that its completely a matter of swings and roundabouts - just like vegetarians are healthier than meat eaters in some respects but less healthy in others - they may get too little Iron, they may eat too much high fat cheese and too many eggs, or if they're vegan they might not be managing to combine plant Proteins properly etc etc. If you're healthy and happy on a low carb diet and your diabetes is controlled, then I wouldnt pay any attention to this study at all.

I actually would like to try Quorn. The cranberry/goat cheese options sounds interesting. Love that combo with chicken. I kinda chickened out about trying Quorn cuz I read that you could have super bad reactions to the mushrooms? I eat other mushrooms though without problems. In the old days I used to love Morningside Farms grillers. I actually miss them. I may have to see if there are Quorn crumbles in the freezer section. It's not that I'm looking to go vegetarian, vegan, or to up my veg/fiber consumption cuz I already eat over 1lb per day (per Dr. Weiner), but I do love to just have options and variety. One of my most satisfying meals is the combo of mixed mushrooms sauteed with garlic and greens and egg/egg whites. It's very meaty and substantial without making you queasy cuz it's so heavy and rich. Sometimes I'll add turkey sausage crumbles or will add a bit of cheese like feta or goat cheese.

I was banded on 8/23/10. I started out as a meat eater but had such trouble getting any kind of meat down. I decided to go veg for this and other reasons. I've been a vegetarian for about 6 months now and I'm a little limited on recipes. Anyone know of any band friendly recipes that are also vegetarian friendly?

Hello, chickabo. Please know that I come from a place of wanting to help provide you some information and share my experience. I'm not saying I'm right or wrong, this is just my experience over the past 8 weeks. And I know when I was pre surgery I wanted as much information as I could get to help me. Before I go into my story below, I found a doctor online, Dr. Garth Davis, (http://www.thedavisclinic.com), who is a Bariatric surgeon in Texas -he is a 'plant based' doctor. I found this guy after I had my surgery, but he seems to be a good resource and one that I wish I would have found pre-surgery. You may find his information helpful or at least contact his office to get information sent to you so that you have some to help you with your doctor. Here is my story, if you want to read further: I was a vegan for several years pre-surgery. So was my family (husband and two sons). We did it for the animal issue, not the health issue. Trust me when I say I have seen more than most people on animal cruelty and food and I battle mentally with it everyday. When I first started looking into the Lap-band, I didn't find anything on vegan and Lap-band. All I kept seeing was 'Protein, protein, protein' and more 'protein.' But I knew, as a vegan, that I could get enough protein to hit 60 grams or more a day per what my doctor was telling me I had to have. I had done it for years and didn't see the issue. (When I say protein here is what I mean: There are only a few "complete proteins" (a protein that contains all the 8 essential amino acids that your body is unable to make on its own) for vegans and they are soy milk, tofu, and tempeh (these are the only true "complete proteins" for vegans). All other Proteins that you get from plants are called "incomplete proteins" like grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts. Now as vegan, you can take two "incomplete proteins" and combine them to can get a "complete protein." Example: grains + legumes or legumes + seeds/nuts.) So the issue wasn't getting "protein" per say. The issue that I saw right away was getting the enough of the right "protein" (complete proteins) which lead me to where I would have the biggest issue being vegan-- the volume of food that I would need to eat to get a minimum of 60 grams of protein a day. You see, when I was vegan (pre band), I could eat a large tofu "egg" wrap with a cup of broccoli and vegan cheese inside for Breakfast. This would give me ~14 grams of protein for ~350 calories or so (including a low carb wrap). However, when I look at the numbers in more detail with my post-band rules, this just doesn't give me the right amount of protein for the calories (10/1 - for every 10 calories in the food it should have at least 1 gram of protein). So, even thought it would give me "complete protein" for the meal, it wasn't the 10/1 rule. But more importantly, that is a HUGE amount of food to be eating after Lap-Band surgery. There is no way I could eat that much in one sitting. I might be able to make two meals of it now. That means for two meals I would only be getting ~14 grams of protein. So, having said that, I could (and do on occasion) supplement with Protein drinks (Sun Warrior Original Flavor chocolate or vanilla is the absolute best tasting and it has a 80 calories / 4 carbs / 15 grams of protein - which is great), but I quickly learned after I moved to soft solid foods (after the liquid diet pre and post surgery) that I wanted to eat food - I was SICK of drinking my calories. So protein drinks can fill in the gaps for getting more protein, but I found that I wanted to eat my calories instead of drinking them. So this wouldn't be an option for me longterm. So, what's an animal loving vegan who really wants / needs a Lap-band to do? As I was doing research, I ran across an article that talked about a devout vegan (animal lover) who was vegan for years and all of a sudden started craving animal protein. Long article short, she took a bite of something that had animal protein in it and as she said, "guess what, the world didn't end!" That was my moment. I thought, I have spent years battling my weight and part of that was doing everything that was 'best' for everyone else and it was time that I took care of me. So that is when I made the switch to vegetarian. I had huge amount of guilt (that I still carry around) but I knew I needed to at least try it versus continue down my road of being obese and miserable. You see, WLS patients aren't choosing the easy way out, contrary to what you might think, read, see, or hear. We chose surgery where we are cut open and surgically altered - that is not easy. We chose to eat very minimal amounts of food when others around us are eating pounds of it - that is not easy. We chose to exercise at least 210 minutes a week - that is not easy. We chose to have to chew every little bite we take 20-30 times - that is not easy. We have to take Vitamins that are horrible every single day - that is not easy. So to me, making a few food changes to my diet didn't seem that hard compared to all the other "not easy" stuff I was agreeing to do. So, after my pre-op and post-op diet of all liquids (which I had for 3 weeks), when I made the move to soft proteins I incorporated some yogurt (which I still can't stand) and then I incorporated some string cheese and some egg whites (not eggs). I did this very slowly. I then progressed to eating salmon, tuna, and shrimp. I still use all my vegan condiments (vegan mayo, cream cheese, sour cream, etc.) but I chose to add in easier proteins to my day. I'm not going to tell you how great I feel or how I'm losing weight by the lbs daily, but I'm just going to tell you that it is working for me right now, today and that's all I have. Opening my mind and putting more focus on me is working for me, today. And everyday is another day to do it better. I have tried to get away from "I did bad today," to "I will try to do better tomorrow" and that has helped to. I hope some of this has helped you a little bit. It's okay if it didn't. I just want you to know that whatever you choose to do, do it for you. This is YOUR time and no one or no thing can take it away from you. Sending you all the best and well wishes. Keep us posted on here! Jen

@kristenle. I am confused. I think my doctor is trying to convert me to a vegetarian. She told me to start with the Beans first and than the veggies. I'm like what about the meat. Lol. So I have been trying to have a lean meat only once a day. She said she doesn't want me to focus on scales and counting. Eat four times drink my 3-4 bottles of Water and take my Vitamins. I had a whole argument about what "I saw on the Internet". She said leave the Internet alone. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Make Sure There’s Something for You to Eat The worst-case scenario is sitting down to eat, looking around the table, and not seeing one semi-healthy food that’s on your WLS diet amidst the mounds of candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, dinner rolls and butter, green bean casserole, and sausage stuffing. Don’t let this happen to you! Whether you’re hosting or you’re a guest, you can always make sure there’s at least something for you to eat. Just make a big enough batch to share with the table. You can never have too many salads, sides, and desserts at Thanksgiving, so consider one or more of the following. Acorn or butternut squash roasted with garlic, rosemary, and chicken broth for seasoning. Roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans with Dijon mustard. Spinach salad with cranberries, chestnut pieces, and cubes of cooked sweet potato. Cabbage and roasted beet salad. Fresh fruit salad. Baked apples with cinnamon and sprinkled with chopped walnuts or pecans. These dishes can save your diet and dignity, and they’re pretty simple! You don’t need to aim for fancy dishes and give yourself any extra headaches in the kitchen at Thanksgiving. Protein and Veggies…You Know the Drill You know how to eat right after WLS. Thanksgiving dinner is no different. Protein comes first, then come veggies. A serving of starch can fit in, and watch out for the condiments. That sounds easy enough, and it’s what you do every other day. Ready to put it in place on Thanksgiving? Your lean protein is probably skinless turkey breast, unless you’re vegetarian or having a non-traditional Thanksgiving. Whether you have tofu, crab, chicken, ham, or venison, you can make a small serving of lean protein the center of your meal. Take mustard and only a dollop of cranberry sauce, which is high-sugar. Veggies come next. Load up on green salads, sautéed broccoli or kale, and anything roasted, such as carrots, green beans, and onions. Watch out for creamy corn and green bean casseroles and buttery vegetables. Finally, garnish your meal with a little bit of starch. Sweet potatoes are healthiest, but you can also opt for a small serving of mashed potatoes, half a dinner roll, or even a spoonful of stuffing. Pick One Special Treat You don’t need to deprive yourself completely on Thanksgiving. If you don’t let yourself have any treats, you might eventually break down and eat way too much later. Better to enjoy a few bites of pumpkin pie now and feel good about it than to cave in to the entire pie later and feel sick and guilty. Give yourself permission to choose a special treat that you love and look forward to every year. Whether it’s your mom’s sausage and apple stuffing or your brother-in-law’s homemade biscuits, let yourself have a few bites of that special treat. Savor every bite. Think about its flavors and texture, and what it means to you, and how proud you are that you can enjoy it and be satisfied with that portion. Practice Eating Slowly Eating slowly is essential on the bariatric surgery diet. Thanksgiving is actually the ideal time to practice your skills. When else do you get the pleasure of good company sitting around the table for hours? Take advantage! Engage in the conversation, and focus on the people, not the food. If you stick to the rule of not talking with your mouth full, and you put your fork down and make eye contact when you’re listening to someone else talk, Thanksgiving dinner will fly by, and you may find you enjoyed it more than ever while eating less than ever. Good deal! Don’t Let Leftovers Weigh You Down The dinner’s over, everyone’s left the table, and the house is quiet again. It’s not yet time to let your guard down, though! The leftovers can be even more dangerous than Thanksgiving dinner itself. Pack them up and get rid of the ones that are trouble – like chocolate cream pie. There are plenty of healthy ways you can use leftover turkey. One is to simply freeze it in small portions and defrost them when you need them. You can also try any of these ideas. Turkey wraps with shredded turkey, mustard, and leftover roasted veggies wrapped in lettuce leaves. Turkey soup with a base of chicken broth, onions, carrots, and celery, plus any veggies you want. Turkey curry with cauliflower, eggplant, peas, and Indian spices. Turkey salad with cooked cubed turkey, halved cherry or grape tomatoes, nonfat plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, diced pickles, and black pepper. Green salad with turkey, avocado, and black beans. There are so many healthy ways to use turkey, you may not even be sick of it after you finish the entire turkey! With these hacks and a little discipline and creativity, you can get through Thanksgiving dinner and beyond feeling healthy and confident, not stuffed and weighed down. That confidence is worth a lot, and it can carry you through the holiday season as you keep working towards your goals.

There's a Facebook page called WLS Vegetarians. You might join there.

I can't answer for that person but in my humble opinion, the need for such a high amount of protein isn't really needed. I think in the beginning, to follow through the best you can. But I just ordered Dr Garths book called a Proteinaholic today. He's a bariatric surgeon who went vegan and encourages his patients and everyone on a vegan diet. I'm currently doing vegetarian. I'm going to read it and see what he has to say. He dispels the myths about protein, protein, protein. Even though my doc wants me to do protein (min of 65g and that's where I keep it) he does promote more veggies and grains too, which is what I'm doing. So far so good. Still losing the weight too. 😊

FYI I was an on-and-off vegan prior to surgery but went back to eating meat and dairy because my surgeon was also on the high-protein bandwagon. But after research I realized I could be healthy vegetarian with VSG, and I ditched the high protein myth shortly afterwards. You have to make a healthy plan for ANY way of eating, omnivore or otherwise. I find I meet/exceed all my nutritional requirements without even trying most days, more than I ever did as a meat eater. Apps that track vitamins and minerals as well as fat/carbs/protein like Cronometer really help! I am now 5 years out and my portion sizes are about the same as a normal person (ie. non-WLS patient of a healthy weight/healthy mindset around food). This is normal - you WILL be able to eat more over time, that is why you need to take advantage of the first 6-12 months to break bad habits. I definitely attributed eating mostly plant-based to being able to maintain my weight. I never reached my goal, but that's because I let high fat foods and carbs like pasta and bread and rice back in too soon, as well as cheats like pizza. Granted I still eat far less of these things... all things... (I can eat 2 slices of pizza max) but less pizza is still pizza!

It may be worth seeing a registered dietician who specializes in vegetarian/vegan diets, independent of/outside your surgeon's practice. The nutritionist at your surgeon's office is going to be biased and only advise you based on the surgeon's program.

My diet is not plant based but I do eat a variety of foods and happy to eat vegetarian or vegan when I visit my sisters (one vegan, the other vegetarian) or go to their preferred restaurants. As much as possible I will buy free range and locally/grass fed and the local farmers market is excellent. Fortunately where I live is a food bowl.

Anyone have recommendations for vegetarian Bariatric cookbooks? Thanks in advance!

I also wanna be a vegetarian or vegan lol