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it was kind of hard getting it going in the beginning for me. I won't lie. Not because I had to have meat, because naturally I just didn't crave or cared for it, but because I cook for my whole family and wanted everyone to be on board. Now that my husband is, it's way easier to do. We are going the vegetarian route for now. My kids still have some growing to do so I'm not too worried, but I am incorporating plants in their foods and they don't know it. Lol. But one place that has been very good as far as recipes go is www.budgetbytes.com under the vegan/vegetarian meals. It's cheaper and easy recipes and so far, we love every one of them that I've made. all that to say...i eased in to it in the very beginning. That was probably about 3 weeks before surgery. Then after surgery, it was pushed to have protein protein protein. I was going with the flow...but I knew I wanted to be plant based again and thought "well, maybe at maintenance." That's just too far away for me. Someone had mentioned Dr Weiners POUND OF CURE to me and my interest started even more so. In my opinion, there's no need to wait until then and there's no need to eat animal protein to get protein and there's definitely not the need to have so much protein! hope you get to reading the book, I think it'll help clarify and confirm your path. 😊

I have watched that documentary as well as many others in favor of plant based. I am following a plant based diet and I'm still losing weight, etc. My husband, who is trying to gain, is following as well and is gaining muscle much easier than he was doing all that protein. We both feel better, more alert. I don't have any digestive issues anymore. I'm quite regular as well. It's nice. In fact, he decided to eat a meal that was high in fat and had some animal protein in it today for lunch. He's currently sleeping, told me he felt really sick and gross. I told him his body doesn't want that stuff anymore. He won't be eating like that again. Lol I started a thread in the Vegan/Vegetarian forum; Proteinaholic. Check it out. We're talking about what bariatric surgeon, Dr Garth Davis, has researched and found by science and evidence regarding animal protein and our diets. It's VERY interesting and just confirms to me I'm on the right path. His book is called Proteinaholic. You should check it out.

I saw that movie and fo believe plant based diet is the way to go. Plant based is even recommended for reversing diabetes. I favor vegetarian over vegan because I have seen people who are vegan eat cereal and other sugar based crap foods in the name of bring vegan. One if my favorite sayings is " too many people counting calories and not enough counting chemicals " Fruits and veggies do not contain artificial chemicals and chemicals are a big part of why our society is so sick The documentary "forks over knives " is about a surgeon who reversed heart disease with a vegetarian diet. It is an excellent movie. So is "Hungry for change". These are all on Netflix or hulu. My husband and I drink green juice and have for 4 years. We both have seen the positive effects on our health from green juice. I had surgery on 7/21 and we both are going vegetarian but with fish or shrimp only. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using BariatricPal mobile app

This just happened to me -- I am 19 weeks post-op and about 3 weeks ago, I hit a wall. I was losing 2-3 lbs a week and then BLAM! nothing. My weight was fluctuating up and down a pound or two every day for 3 weeks. It was driving me crazy. Just 3 days ago something seemed to break and I'm down 3.5lbs in 3 days. I did literally all of the things they tell you to break a stall -- upped my water, logged every single thing that went into my mouth, changed up what I was eating and changed how I was exercising. I have no proof, but I think what broke things for me is radically upping my fiber (I prioritized getting 25g a day above everything, including protein) and completely cut out dairy. (I am a vegetarian, but I went totally vegan for the past week.) I was super upset during the stall -- I would blame myself, yell at the scale, etc. Just keep fighting your way through this -- it sucks, but I promise you it will break.

Thanks for starting this thread. I will first state I have one kidney, post cancer, and it has CKD (limited function) and I CAN'T eat high or even moderate meat/protein now. I have followed a modified vegetarian & low carb diet combined to both protect my wonky kidney, and help me lose. (on my own) Every pound lost is less burden on the system for BP and diabetes, and kidney health. I take essential amino acids which supports me getting the building blocks needed, without the load of meat protein. I lost 30 lbs on my own, but bounce up and down if I am not rigorous with fewer calories. The one issue I see with any bariatric is i NOW get a VOLUME of food- eating plant based I get 6-8 cups veggies a day, healthy fats, no processed foods/sugar/sodas.grains/carby food. I don't trust many of the 'heath sites" online, most never even spell check, let alone fact check! ---livestrong is ok, and one of the few places that lists 46 gr max "necessary" for women, 56 for men... Most sites waffle and say (wrongly) we NEED the 70-100 gr, and that is such overkill! We are the most overfed nation on the planet. As a veteran the VA hospital was pushing RNY at me (they offer nothing else), and I demanded the diet literature in advance, and sure enough it is MINIMUM 70-80+ gr protein a day...no discussion...so I will not be trusting them with my longevity. The dietitian also only allowed whey protein shakes, dismissed hemp seed (with complimentary amino to balance it out).. so it felt like a brick wall..but VA only teaches ONE way the USDA high carb 'plate' way. If I do have bariatric surgery of some kind in future I will be sure I can support my kidney first before I agree to massive protein intake. Winding up on dialysis just to be thin is not a good choice as I see it.

I'll muster up the courage to try my ring. Lol i started a new thread in the vegan/vegetarian forum for the Proteinaholic book. I'll be posting a lot there in regards to it. Come chime in and follow it. 😊 Enjoy dinner with your family!!!!

I know this was mentioned before here in the Vegans/Vegetarians forums and I wanted to maybe start this thread for all things pertaining to the book that Dr. Garth Davis authored, Proteinaholic. So far I'm on chapter 6 of it and I'm just amazed with how sound it is and all the studies that are out there to support why we don't need such a high amount of protein, and why it's a culprit of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.... There's just so much to talk about if anyone wants to get into discussion. Now, this thread IS NOT going to be for debate. I do not want anyone coming on here advocating high protein and what they "know" and debating with any of us who are or evolving into plant based, vegans or vegetarians. I want to share the things I've learned from the book and if anyone wants to challenge those, READ THE BOOK FIRST, and then you can come and talk about it. If you don't or haven't read the book, feel free to read the things that will be posted...and do your own homework to find these facts/truths out for yourself. I literally don't have time to do a protein ping pong match...so don't start one. You will be ignored. Okay, with that said and out of the way, the first thing I want to mention is that Dr. Davis actually dispels the myths about protein and why our bodies don't need so much. It is not an opinionated book, it's a science/fact book. It makes TOTAL sense. He is quite comical too. The parts where he plays out his doctor/patient dialogues hit me the most...because I can relate to how I was educated about protein being what we all need. I had the same mentalities as he did regarding it, but after I started watching documentaries on plant based diets for the past couple of years, I've slowly become open to all the health benefits of eating plant based. But now, even though I knew plant based is great for the health, I didn't know that the protein component was/is what was causing so many problems in my health, my husband's, etc. Now, I've got science and truth to understand the premise of protein. The history of why, what Dr Davis talks about, we western society pick apart whole foods and live based off of macronutrients. Now, it just boggles me why we do that. The other thing that rings true and is nice knowing, is that he is a bariatric surgeon too. He knows what he's coaching/telling his patients. He knows that he was not a nutritionist, didn't know a single thing, but the one hour of nutrition studies in his school days, but he took the time to dive into history, studies, reports, etc to bring light to why western society is so unhealthy, and most of it is based on animal protein. Wow. Read the book!

Can you let me know what forum was suggested? I'd love to check it out. I forgot to mention eggs! I will be eating those for protein. So soy, dairy, eggs, legumes, beans, nuts. Not sure how long after surgery I'll have to wait to add legumes, beans, and nuts. Maybe in puréed form, so hummus and nut butter. I also have Crohn's Disease and gastroparesis, which means many times I can't handle the high fiber plant protein sources. As much as I'd like to get rid of dairy and eggs I still need them. Also remember that vegetarian/vegan doesn't automatically mean healthy. Pop Tarts, Oreos, and lots of other crap foods are vegan!

Thank you both for your responses! I have checked the forum that @catdaddy suggested and I will be joining soon. I sent an email to my nutritionist today and I will call tomorrow to make an appointment so I can get some guidance. @smooshycheeks since you are a seasoned vegetarian, what are your preferred sources of protein? The ones that have the most protein?

I've been a vegetarian for 18 years, and more recently a part-time vegan. My surgery is scheduled for Aug 9. I won't be eating any meat and will rely mostly on dairy and soy for protein. Hopefully once I'm back on solid food I can get rid of most of the dairy and get in more plant protein. But I'm just going to take it day by day.

Thx! I completely agree. He's not making me really. I spoke with him over the phone about it. My husband also made the same comment you did about surgeons not trained in nutrition. So we are going to discuss it with him again. He's a very nice and understanding doctor. I think he thinks that vegan and vegetarian are the same thing. I moved here, to KY 6 months ago and no one has understood the difference when I told them. There's barely any fruit and veg section in grocery stores. I guess that's the south. I know if I drink those shakes I will just be thinking of all the baby cows that died and the moms that were made to stay pregnant to produce milk. Thx again. Your post has given me courage to stand my ground.

Yes mrsroyale there’s a lot of us out here. In BariaticPal, I recommend you go to the forum, Gastric Bypass Surgery Support Groups, General Weight Loss Surgery Forums, Vegetarian or Vegan Eating. Good luck in your journey.

It's actually one my doctors office males and puts out. If you find the number for Chike they have a "chicken" broth full of protein that has absolutely zero actual chicken or broth from chicken, it's made from a variety of spices and is delicious but suitable for vegetarians. Sent from my SM-N910P using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello all! I was wondering if there are any vegetarian or vegan peeps out there who had the bypass? I have a few questions for you. Were you vegan/vegetarian before surgery or did you switch your diet after the surgery? I noticed any time I eat any type of animal protein it sits very heavy in my pouch and it causes some pain... Not to mention that it does not matter how much I cook it, it always taste raw to me and it's quite disgusting. I don't have any problems with plant based protein though. So, I guess my next question is.... Is it possible to meet the protein requirements on a plant based diet? What does a typical day look like for you, food wise? What are your plant based proteins of choice?

I'm a vegetarian but I haven't had surgery yet. Maybe in August if insurance approval comes through quickly. I think it's easy to get protein as a vegetarian. I make lentils a lot, lentil soup or lentils with burrata a la smitten kitchen, bean burritos, omelets or frittata, egg salad, hummus, quinoa and black bean salad, ethiopian yellow lentils. Sent from my SM-G930F using BariatricPal mobile app

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. 😊

I was a vegetarian for a few years and I remember the first couple weeks I would have dreams that I was just like barbarically eating large quantities of meat. The funny thing is I've never really been a big meat eater anyway. Lol

The bike riding only bothers my knee when I try to go up one of the many hills near my house. Not pain as much as I hear it "clicking" and I get off and walk it up I felt really good on the plane, was flying alone with my 8 year-old and just felt happy and capable of keeping up with her. I'm doing pretty well with my protein; I like Think Thin 20 g bars or Premier Protein 30 g shakes for my breakfast then have yogurt for a snack with grilled chicken breast or shrimp for lunch. Some more chicken (deli meat) usually for a snack and cheese or an egg in the afternoon then some other protein for dinner. I usually only have a snack later if I'm low on protein. My daughter recently became a vegetarian so I'm experimenting with meatless options. If you're on Facebook I'm in the group My Bariatric Kitchen - they have recipe ideas and other advice for getting in protein. I use MyFitnessPal to track my protein and have the same username if you want to friend me to see my diary. I've struggled with my water intake but am doing good today - 40 ounces so far. I have a desk job so the steps are harder to come by but hopefully I'll bike tonight. I'm going to try going back to the gym at work and use one of the trainers, just need to start off slow since I'm only at about 1000 calories too. Have fun camping!! Our family doesn't camp (yet) but I'm a Girl Scout leader and took our troop for an overnight in June that involved some hiking and was so happy I could keep up!! Looking forward to more adventures as I become more healthy!!

Hello John, Did I read right? Your surgery has been delayed by 2 weeks? I'm on the home run, surgery on Tuesday,11th July. As I'm diabetic I'm the 1st patient on the day,I resent the 7am show up, but then its better this way isn't it? I won't be stressing the whole day waiting for my time I've been given. Good luck with the diet they've given you as you have another 2 week wait. Incidentally,what are you consuming on your diet ? I suffer from diabetes and hypertension's,thats why I want gastric bypass surgery, i have 6 brothers,4 of them have had heart attacks, my father died from a heart attack thats why I want the op. Its a shame I'm vegetarian, easier way to get protein if you're a meat eater. Im feeling better then I was last Saturday when I started the preop diet. Last night wasn't good as I got a hypo. My diabetic meds will definitely have to change after the op. Yes I'm set for Tuesday,ive bought my M&S cotton dressing gown ;-)''.

‘It’ foods are typically foods that many parts of the world have been eating for centuries but are only now being marketed in North America and other first-world countries. They are advertised as ‘good-for-you’ products with the promise of making you healthier and happier than you have ever been! Their marketing claims make you feel like you’ve been missing out and that you NEED to include this ‘perfect’ food in your diet every single day! As dietitians, we are ALWAYS skeptical of these types of promises. Many of our patients this year have been loading up on hemp and chia seeds to supplement their protein intake. Patients brag about sprinkling them on their oats, yogurts, scrambled eggs and even ice cream! While these seeds do boast some great qualities, they have been misrepresented as being high in protein. Yes you heard us right… hemp and chia seeds are NOT considered to be a good protein supplement. Let us explain… If you are struggling to meet your protein needs, a good protein supplement should add at least 6-15 grams of protein to your meal or snack. Additionally, you ideally want this protein source to have the least amount of calories possible. A good way to compare how much protein you are getting for the calories is to calculate the food’sprotein to calorie ratio (protein : calorie). Let's look at the protein to calorie ratios of some common protein supplements: What is this chart telling us? * For every 1 gram of protein from chia seeds there are 29 calories. ** For every 1 gram of whey isolate protein powder there are 5 calories. This means that whey isolate protein powder can give you the same amount of protein for much less calories. More precisely, it can provide the same 6 grams of protein for 1/6th of the calories compared to chia seeds! So does this mean I should stop using hemp and chia seeds? The short answer is no! Hemp and chia seeds do have many positive benefits (see below), however they should not be used to supplement the missing 20 grams of protein in your diet. WHY? Adding 20 grams of protein using chia seeds would mean adding a whopping 585 calories! With hemp seeds this would mean adding 320 calories, which is still quite a bit! Comparatively, adding 20 grams of protein using whey isolate protein powder would only mean adding 100 calories. See the difference? How should I be using hemp and chia seeds then? For those of you looking to boost your protein intake, hemp and chia seeds should not be your only source of added protein. We recommend using them in combination with other lower calorie protein supplements such as protein powders. Adding ½ or 1 serving of seeds per day (see serving sizes in chart above) for example is very appropriate, as hemp and chia seeds contain many important nutrients that are often not talked about. Hemp and chia seeds are… Good vegan/vegetarian source of protein. High in fiber. Make sure you choose whole hemp seeds (i.e. not shelled ones like hemp hearts) if you are looking for the fiber boost. In the early stages postop, adding 1-2 tbsps of these seeds into your smoothies is a great way to help fight constipation. High in several important micronutrients. Hemp seeds are excellent sources of iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and vitamin E, while chia seeds are high in calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, omega-3s and omega-6s. The bottom line: Healthy eating is not determined by one ‘superfood’ or seed. As always, the key is variety and moderation! - Lisa & Monica P.S. For those of you who are vegetarian or vegan, we recommend that you speak with your dietitian if you have questions about sources of protein.

Last night I made a Peruvian style salad that my mother-in-law showed me many years ago. This is one of my hubby's favorite meals. It is just any kind of lettuce usually 2 or 3 kinds, radishes, carrots, celery, cabbage, tomatoes, basically whatever you want. Then about 4-6 cans of tuna and usually hard boiled eggs. The dressing is 6-8 limes squeezed over it with salt and virgin olive oil drizzled liberally over all. The traditional way to serve this is over a bed of yellow rice, but I served it over riced cauliflower lol. Anyway it is a very healthy dish that could easily be served with garbonzo or lentils beans instead of the tuna for a vegetarian dish.

Really? That's awful My nut just told me that it might be harder to get protein in (but I'm going to read up on that proteinaholic book to see what's really the deal) and that I should be fine doing a vegetarian diet. She does advise me to keep eggs and cheese in...cause I won't do cow's milk/dairy.

I went vegan 4 years ago for 4 months and it was the healthiest I ever felt in my life, even though I was still crazy overweight. Then my boyfriend at the time bought a bunch of cheeses for a grill cheese tasting festival he wanted to do and well, that ended my veganism. I LOVE CHEESE! He knew it. Thank you for mentioning this doctor, I will heavily research. My surgeon PA told me I would be a failure at weight loss because I am vegetarian, and have been for so long. She said I would never be able to get the amount of protein I need. I thought that was odd. I have watched so many vegan documentaries, most recently "What the Health" and I am desperate to know how much protein is really needed for the WLS to work if you are Vegan. I want to lose cheese out of the diet if I can. I'm off to research Dr. Garth Davis.

Welcome @Batty's Mom. The best person on this thread for help with vegetarian ideas is @Newme17. She is planning a vegetarian diet also. I am so sorry you went through so much with your surgery. What exactly was the complication, if you don't mind sharing? I hope you are on the road to feeling better now.