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Also try beans. I'm vegetarian so my pureed phase will be hummus, black bean soup, refried beans...

So, this ought to puff up some of the men...LOL Under the topic of IGF1: Another Smoking Gun (pg 194-196). "And for "manly" men concerned about getting enough protein, another study found that despite having lower IGF1 levels, the vegan men actually had higher testosterone levels than vegetarians and meat eaters (Allen, Appleby, et al. 2000)." I honestly believe this accounts as for why vegan athletes tend to be stronger and agile. My husband even says he feels like the muscles he's building is staying put this time around. Kind of weird, but hey, he must be having more testosterone. lol

Lol. I do both actually. Some dishes vegan, some vegetarian. Mostly vegan though. In fact, I did have an egg this morning! Lol. Say what!?!? But, still don't count. Hey, lost four pounds since last week too. Not too shabby, eh?

Oops..sorry.. vegan-ish doesn't equal vegetarian. My bad. Double oops.. no counting! Lol!

We seem to have 3 vocal camps running around. Low carb keto. Low carb non keto. Vegetarian. Everyone counts calories.

Under the vegetarian and vegan forum. https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/400107-proteinaholic-by-dr-garth-davis/

There are many un-healthy obese vegetarians and vegans in my church for this very reason. They still eat a ton of high sugar foods!

Craving sushi? You likely will not be able to tolerate your favourite sushi rolls because of the rice and seaweed wrap, however there are several other equally satisfying options on every Asian-style restaurant menu to consider. Indulge in an order of tartar or sashimi. These rice-less options are easier to digest. Don’t be afraid to ask if your favourite sushi rolls can be made with a cucumber wrap instead of the traditional seaweed wrap. This is often a ‘low carb’ option on sushi menus. Order a side of edamame beans. These soybeans are not only a good source of protein, but they are also rich in fibre. Try a protein rich Asian soup. Asian-style restaurants often have a traditional soup with eggs, tofu, chicken, and/or shrimp. Prioritize the solid pieces and leave most of the broth behind. Salmon or tuna salad. Most sushi restaurants have a simple green salad with a seared piece of fish and a flavourful salad dressing. Sandwiches & Wraps· Choose a sandwich on toasted bread. If it is a large sandwich, remove the top piece of bread. Great options include: chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad and deli meats. Wraps are also a good option. Opt for baked chicken rather than crispy chicken. Breakfast egg sandwiches Choose a breakfast wrap or a toasted english muffin sandwich. Skip the bacon and sausage. Salad Almost all restaurants now have a green salad with chicken. Again, opt for grilled chicken instead of crispy chicken. Other high protein options include: taco salads, chickpea salads and bean salads. Chili Whether you choose the vegetarian or meat version, chili packs a lot of protein. They are also very easy to digest making them the perfect option if you have recently transitioned to solid food. Here are some other helpful tips to challenge those old fast food habits: Skip the combo option… yes, even if it’s cheaper! Don’t order a drink. You will be less tempted to drink and eat at the same time if you don’t have a refreshing beverage staring you down during your meal. Eat in the restaurant instead of in the car. If you are driving and eating, food is more likely to block. You can’t be mindful if you are multitasking! Choose foods described as: grilled, baked, sautéed, broiled, steamed, boiled, etc. more often. These cooking methods are lower in calories. Many corner stores and gas stations now have ‘grab and go’ options in their fridges such as sandwiches, salads, protein shakes, yogurt parfaits, etc. Next time you get gas, make a mental note of 3 appropriate meal options you could choose if you were in a pinch. Bon appétit!- Lisa & Monica

I've been a vegetarian most of my life. I'm scheduled to have bypass surgery Aug 21st, my nutritionist just said I may have to supplement with protien shakes and Greek yogurt for longer than meat eaters. She thinks it's perfectly healthy to be a vegetarian and have wls. Sent from my SM-G930T using BariatricPal mobile app

So exciting!@lmichelle310, where is your family from? I ask because I'm Brazilian and we also use smoked meats to season our beans. My mom (who is awesome and has been cooking for me during the VSG process) adapted her recipes and I found that her vegetarian beans still tasted delicious (I'm still in liquids for another week but she makes a mean bean soup with it). One thing I struggle with being from a different culture is not knowing which of the foods I eat will be allowed going forward since my dr's team has no idea what they are. Do you have that problem?

I've been a vegetarian for 18 years and a part-time vegan for about 2 years. I highly recommend Dr Garth Davis' new book called Protein-aholic. He's also on FB and actually responded to a question I asked. He's a bariatric surgeon who recommends vegan. I will still do dairy for a while, but once I can eat real food I will phase it out slowly. I've noticed a lot of people on here are keto, basically Atkins. It's expensive, and not easy to maintain long term. I've read numerous peer-reviewed studies and meta-studies that say we're eating way too much protein. I'm nowhere near any kind of expertise on diet and nutrition, but I know how I feel when I eat mostly plant-based vs. a heavy animal protein diet. And I flat out refuse to believe that fruits are bad for us. Juice is debatable. But I will never cut out whole fruit and starchy veggies like potatoes. Just my 2 cents.

I love this site....nutritionfacts.org Yesterday, my brother came over stating that so many people are asking him "where do you get your protein from?" He rolled his eyes and said it was just ridiculous. I agree. It's a question that requires a carefully planned answer and this video helps. My husband told my brother to ask back, "why do you believe you don't get protein from plants?" I think that'll stump many. Anyway, enjoy! https://nutritionfacts.org/video/do-vegetarians-get-enough-protein/

I ate wonton and vegetarian vegtable soup, quite often at one month post op. They both have some substance though.

I am totally plant based now, for about 3-4 weeks consistently. I eat heavy on the complex carbs, grains, legumes, etc. I eat a good amount of veggies too. Haven't really gotten in to fruit, but I do incorporate it. It hasn't changed my weight loss, I'm still losing. My loss has taken the back seat in regards to my focus being solely on how healthy I will be/am on the inside. I could be a very healthy weight and be dying on the inside and I just cannot accept that. I even told my husband, if I stay at this weight, 212 now, and keep my plant based whole foods diet, I could be very happy knowing that I'm preventing disease and just darn healthy. But the bonus is the this point, I still lose weight. Kudos to your daughter for wanting to go vegetarian, it'll help her body in the long run and for starting so early.

I was vegetarian for a little over a year until about 4 mos into my weight loss nutrition classes. I stated adding meat back into my diet because I felt like I did go heavy on the carbs and was worried that Is ruin my chances by not eating right. I should check out that book because my 14 year old must decided she is going to become a vegetarian. We've tried to stay away from peek and red meat anyway and I don't eat seafood. Thanks for sharing.

Loma Linda California is one. The medical school there is run by my church. I would say 75% of the members of my church are either vegetarian or vegan with about 25% eating clean meats. I have learned from many church sermons about the benefits of a plant based diet, but have not had the courage I guess or faith to do it. I am going to read the book. I actually had a conversation with some friends last week while camping and they were talking to me about going vegan and how it had really helped them health wise. I admit I am afraid of what will happen with my diabetes. I need to just research it for myself. Thank you for posting about the book. I'm gonna order it tonight. I think the Lord is leading through my friends and you.😊

There is no need to go "keto" or "low carb" after WLS even though many users on this board are eating this way. You need to figure out what works for you. You might want to check out the vegetarian threads on this board.

There are vegan options for shakes, but I haven't tried them. I found this list on google, from PETA https://www.peta.org/living/food/pump-workouts-vegan-protein-powder/ It looks like it could be helpful. I think your biggest challenge if vegan is the immediate post op stage where most people rely on shakes, cottage cheese, yogurt, jello, etc to get through the healing part, so you may have to be just vegetarian and allow the dairy in your diet to make it through. Once you're over that, you should be able to choose a diet you want with more veggies as your food source, but use tofu and non-dairy protein shakes to meet your protein goals. Most post op people are on a keto diet because, well, it works! And aside from the high fat intake (which isn't necessary for post-op bariatric patients because it's function is to aid in satiety in non-surgical folks, and is a LIMIT, not a GOAL), the protein and carb requirements are in line with what we need anyway. So it helps to follow keto in the sense that the keto community offers great meal ideas that keep the carbs in check and don't use added sugars.

I've noticed on YouTube and IG that so many RNYers are eating keto. I've been a vegetarian and part-time vegan for 18 years (actually started that after trying Atkins diet!) There's got to be people out there meeting both their nutrition and weight loss goals by eating vegetarian or vegan. Help, I need your feedback!

Yep, been vegan for 13 years with no issues. Protein deficiency is virtually impossible in non-impoverished countries, so you'll be fine. In fact, my surgeon says being vegan is the #1 thing you can do the extend your life, WLS is #2. Join us over on the vegan/vegetarian forum! https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1101-vegetarian-or-vegan-eating/

My doctor prefers a vegetarian diet for his patients but he didn't push it until 6 months after surgery. But the nutritionist was always recommending that lifestyle so I'm guessing it can be done. I can't do it myself yet.

Hi Guys I recently committed myself to change my lifestyle and take upon myself a vegetarian lifestyle. But now I'm having surgery, my dietician is recommended I up my protein with chicken and meat. Anyone here able to maintain being vegetarian without getting protein deficient? Thanks

First, you have to really realize that you must be on a "diet" for the rest of your life. If you are working out, it may be a 2000 calorie one (maybe).. but you will always have to watch what you eat. (And don't just watch yourself eat that entire pumpkin pie!). Once you wrap your brain around that fact, then it is time to do the mental work of figuring out what sort of plan will work for you. Each of us must figure out what will work for us LONG TERM. For one, it's keto, another is vegetarian. Then, back to basics.. calorie free beverages, protein first, no drinking with meals, at least 3 meals and a snack each day, no flour or sugar during weight loss. Etc. Track what you eat now to get an idea if how many calories to start with.