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My daughter was 19 when she had RNY surgery, the gastric bypass. She has it last May and is now 20. Prior to that she had a similar situation with issues too long to go into but she was in-patient for a week due to her suicidal thoughts and other harmful things she was doing to herself. It was a very difficult period and it happened during her last month of HS her junior year. So let's assume she was around 17 at the time. Since that time she's been seeing a therapist and also on meds for anxiety, panic attacks and depression. Mainly these affected her in HS as it was not a very friendly place for her due to her size, she is also 6 ft tall and over 300 pounds at the time. She had wanted to have the WL surgery for a while, and had actually gained much more weight after she was in-patient at the mental facility, not a pleasant time for her, or me but it's about me. Anyway once she was out of HS she seemed soooo much happier applied to the local state university here and decided to dorm. Ended up switching roommates with another girl and made a good friend and things were honky dory for a while. Then that roommate's family moved out of state and she eventually had to move to the state university near her parents which kind of left my daughter a bit vulnerable again. By the time that spring semester was in it's mid-point she was getting bad panic attacks again and got a medical leave of absence from school. During this time she was 19 and had decided she really wanted to get the gastric bypass. Oh by the way she was a vegan also during her HS years and slowly after gaining so much weight went to vegetarian and prior to her surgery now eats fish and seafood but no mammals. She seemed to really gain weight as a vegan because she ate a lot of Pasta and it seemed to be her main diet I suppose but I respected her decision to be a vegan. She eats well now and eats a lot of "Amy's tv dinners. So she's went through the same surgery center I went through to have my lap band, which was fairly new there anyway and with the backing of her therapist and psychiatric nurse and her primary care physician she was approved to have the surgery. She's lost 125 pounds since last April and there's a definite improvement in her self esteem and in her health. She also suffered from back pain. I think she wanted to be certain she would lose the weight as I had not on the lap band so she chose a more drastic surgery but I backed her up even though it worried me to death and probably always will but if she had not had the surgery I'm afraid of what she may have done to herself so I felt my hands tied. I'm just giving you this information because you are not alone out there at your age and I know how hard it is especially this day in age to be overweight and how it makes you feel. I think though that working still with your therapist will help and possibly if you insurance is going to run out maybe your parents could get some type of additional policy on you once you've past that certain age. I know some insurance companies will do that but your parents would have to pay extra in their premiums. I just think it's not an easy fix and the more support you have and knowledge you gain prior to any weight loss surgery is very important. Even though my daughter has lost a lot of weight she is still on her meds and continues with therapy and will for a long time as it's just as it's very important especially with what she's gone through and what she will go through in the future. So good luck to you and I hope things work out for you and you're feeling much better soon take care, Nancy:smile:

I wish I could swap to a vegetarian diet, but I'm soy intolerant, and it just seems like a helluva lot of work if you can't eat soy (I know there are other ways to get Protein as a vegetarian, but my NUT said it would be really difficult to get the recommended protein) That said...I eat little meat, because very little meat agrees with me. Fish, eggs, cheese and refried Beans are my friends. Sometimes chicken. But no beef or pork. I guess I would be a pescatarian (pity I really don't like fish, but my stomach tolerates it, so I eat it)

I'm just curious on how many folks have given up on meat and follow a vegetarian diet. I have had to give up meat, which I loved before surgery, because it just does not sit well in Winnie the pouch. Since I cannot tolerate meat anymore, and actually crave veggies (I used to not like veggies before surgery), I would love to hear if this is common and if you were ever able to tolerate meat again. And how do you get your Protein in without meat. Protein shakes don't sit well either, by the way. I had RNY on March 5, 2014, and had some complications for the first 3 months and was in and out of the hospital several times.

Seconding @Creekimp13, we plant based folks are always there in the vegan/vegetarian thread. As for losing muscle mass, hmm?? I’m gaining muscle mass. I’m about 9 months post as well. Check out the recipe thread for some good stuff too. Want a salty crunchy snack: roasted broad beans. Low fat popcorn. As for protein, I don’t count it, but I do eat a lot of grains, legumes, and veggies. Doc hasn’t had an issue with me not getting enough. So, I can’t help ya in that arena, but I do know these foods all have protein.

I was banded on 15th march 2011...i lost wt only in the first month. my weight earlier was 92.5 kg...i came down to 85 kg. then I had liposuction for thighs and hips and came down to 81kg...but now I am putting on wt.gone to 83 kg. I am eating proteins, have water, but my exercise is not much...due to arthritis my movements are slow.I am mostly a vegetarian so sometimes protein is less.

BOTH! I'm a vegetarian. No, I don't cram my lifestyle down other people's throat. So, don't worry about me extolling to virtues of a veggie diet, well, unless you ask . My hubs is still an omnivore and proud of it, LOL! I still take supplements, every morning. I just have to be more careful about getting certain nutrients that animal Protein provides. I can find them in plant protein, it just means eating things that my friends raise an eye-brow at. Oh well. As far as eating veggies raw, I've only tried carrots. Once I had no problem, twice I had problems. Even though I chewed and chewed. So, it'll be awhile before I try again. As far as fruit, I found I have problems w/things like apple peels. I want to keep peels on fruits that have nutrients in them. So, I learned to cut them in small bits and I don't have a problem. I guess it all comes down to trial and error. Might I suggest getting a 'how to get your kids to eat veggies' cookbook, LOL. You can make recipes like meatloaf w/shredded veggies for added nutrition and Fiber. Fiber is food for many things. But, one of the main things is that it helps fill you up and helps keep you feeling full longer. Oh, in the beginning there is a strict diet to allow your tummy time to heal. But, according to my doc the band is not meant to restrict you from eating your fave foods. We need to learn to eat what we want with healthy portions and in moderation. By moderation, eating a piece of cake once a in a while is ok. Eating a piece of cake every night is not. I do the Weight Watchers points at home. I don't go to any meetings. But keeping a food log helps me watch what goes in my mouth and keeps myself accountable. Good luck on your journey.

Hello! Im super new here and I am so glad I found this site. I was just referred by my PCP last week to start the Kaiser OPTIONS Program in Panorama City. I have already received their packet in the mail that gives information about the different bariatric surgeries they offer. I'm really excited, but nervous because I've barley hit the 40 BMI mark. I have been yo yo dieting for the last 4 years after giving birth to my 3rd child. I have not been able to get my weight under 215 pounds in these last 4 years (instead going up and up in weight then back down to 215) and I have tried it all! From regular diet and exercise, vegetarian for a year and a half, diet pills, and diet programs such as Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem and Adkins....nothing seem to help. I now find it harder to exercise: I loose my breath really quick now and am having back (sciatica) pain as well as knee pains ;( Besides those few symptoms my recent labs showed that I am very healthy with no diabetes, high cholesterol, or any other obesity related diseases. I can't wait to start this journey and learn as much as I can through the Options program.... also, so I can live healthier and hopefully help prevent my children from a life of obesity. Have any of you went through Kaiser's Options and are in the process of getting a referral to actual surgery with a lower BMI (39-45)???

Has anyone wondered if lack of dietary fat can cause hair loss? I am a vegetarian and all of the dairy products that I eat are fat free or low fat--0% Greek yogurt, low-fat cheese, low-fat ricotta, soy products, etc. My surgeon always says not getting enough protein the first 2 weeks after surgery (or on an ongoing basis) is the biggest reason people have hair loss a few months later--so I was diligent during the first 2 weeks and after that about getting mine in. However, I am still losing hair. I take Biotin and I'm not sure if it's helping (surgeon said it might not help, but it can't hurt). My hair loss isn't awful--only I really notice it..my part still looks ok etc. But it's embarrassing when it comes out during the day on my clothes or on a table etc. It was enough that my stylist noticed it. I had my hair colored a darker red yesterday and also had a few inches cut off. I also bought some Nioxin shampoo. I am seriously considering adding even a TBSP of good fat to my diet a day--maybe some olive oil on veggies or half an avocado, etc. Any thoughts?

I'm just starting the journey -- what kinds of protein do you veterans eat? Thanks!

If you needed to take these vitamins: Multivitamins, Calicum carbonate 600mg 2xdaily, Vitamin D-3 1000iu 3xdaily and vitamin B12. And say that you are able to take one of these, which one would you take, I rather take one of the bottom ones. Thanks. Alive! Womens Energy Multivitamin High Potency: Complete Multivitamin High Potency - Whole food Energizer 26 Fruits & Vegetables plus Resveratrol & Lutein Alive! Women's Energy rovides Vitamins, Minerals, Fruits, Vegetables and Antioxidants specially formulated for womean's needs and helps support: Energy Heart Health Bones Colon Health Eyes Immunity Plus hair, skin, nails and Breast Health Take 1 tablet daily, preferably with food. As with any supplement, if you are pregnant, nursing or taking medication, consult your doctor before use. Not formulated for use in children. Do not exceed recommended use. Warning Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately. Does Not Contain: sugar, yeast, wheat, corn, dairy products, artificial flavoring and preservatives. All colors used are from natural sources. Read more: Alive! Womens Energy Multivitamin High Potency by Nature's Way - Buy Alive! Womens Energy Multivitamin High Potency 50 Tablets at Vitamin Shoppe __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______________ Nature's Way Alive!Women'S Multivitamin & Mineral 90 Tablets Product Label Whole Food Energizer Vitamin & Mineral Fruits, Veggies, Green Foods, Antioxidants, Ensymes, Mushrooms, Amino Acids, Herbs, Lutein & More! #1 Mega Nutrient Optimized for Women The most potent & complete multi-vitamin for women #1 Energy Multi with more energizing nutrients from more natural sources than other supplements 25 Vitamins & Minerals 24 Fruits & Vegetables 18 Amino Acids 12 Digestive Enzymes 14 Green Foods 12 Mushrooms (Organic) 40+ Antioxidant Sources Whole Body Nourishment for Bones, Skin, Muscles, Joints, Digestion, Immunity, Heart, Vision, Nerves, Cellular Energy and Metabolism Extra Nutrients for Womens Health Bones: extra Vitamin D (1,000 IU) and Vitamin K, plus plant-based Calcium and Magnesium Breast Health: extra Vitamin D plus Flax Lignans Hair/Skin/Nails: extra Biotin plus Horsetail Grass, MSM and Tru-OPCs™ Reproductive: extra Folic Acid and Vitamin B6 Urinary Tract: CranRx™ anti-adherence Cranberry Superior Absorption Rapid Disintegration Tablets Natural, Vegetarian Formula No Yeast, Milk, Lactose or Sugar Directions Take three tablets daily. Warning Accidental overdose of Iron containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call doctor or poison control immediately. Does Not Contain: Yeast, milk, lactose or sugar Read more: Alive!Women'S Multivitamin & Mineral by Nature's Way - Buy Alive!Women'S Multivitamin & Mineral 90 Tablets at vitamin shoppe __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________ Nature's Way Alive! Once Daily Women'S 50+ Ultra Potency 60 Tablets Product Label The MOST COMPLETE ONCE DAILY MULTI-VITAMIN FOR WOMEN Alive! Ultra Potency is nutrition you can feel with more energizing nutrients from more natural sources than other multi-vitamin brands. Extra B vitamins for energy 1,000 IU of Vitamin D3 Plant-Based Aquamin® calcium Potent citrus bioflavonoids Flax Lignan, Cranx ™ and Hair, Skin & Nail support blends. Directions Take 1 tablet daily, preferably with food. Warning As with any supplement, if you are taking medication consult your doctor before use. Not formulated for children. Do not exceed recommended use. Does Not Contain: Salt, sugar, yeast, wheat grain, dairy products, artificial flavoring, colors or preservatives. Read more: Alive! Once Daily Women'S 50+ Ultra Potency by Nature's Way - Buy Alive! Once Daily Women'S 50+ Ultra Potency 60 Tablets at vitamin shoppe

I was adding raw spinach to my protein drink from week 1 Granted pureed in the nutra bullet takes a lot of the hard work off my tummy. I was making smallish salads on weeks 3 - 4 with no issues, mostly romaine or spinach leaves. My NUT had no issues with it and it didn't upset my tummy in the least. Mind you I'm vegetarian so my body may be more accustomed to raw veg than most. I never eat iceburg lettuce, it is a nutritional waste of space. I go for vitamin rich dark green leafy veg.

Hi Janex43, i had my revision from band to sleeve done last Oct. i know exactly what you mean with regards to the band. My life pre sleeve was non existent as i was just simply too embarrassed to go out to eat and try and eat something when i knew that id be disrupting everyone by rushing off to the bathroom. There wasn't a day that went by without me hurling up some food. Post sleeve it has been a learning curve, don't get me wrong, i have had to rush to the bathroom, but that is because i was trying to work out what my sleeve would accept and its not anywhere near as bad as the band! I Love, Love, Love my sleeve!! I cannot eat meat or dairy, i cannot eat corn in any form and i now have GERD, but put all these small things aside, i can go out and have dinner with friends and family - i just now select foods that are vegetarian or seafood! I just finally feel normal! I wish you all the best with your weight loss journey xox

I had the gastric sleeve surgery approx two years. My start weight was 324 pds and I had orginally got down to 190 pds. Since June of last year I have put on approx 12 pds. I would like to hear from some veterans that are a year or two out and have put on weight. I need some advice that will help me get back on track. My downfall is grazing and eating a lot of sugar. I am also a vegetarian so I am falling short of hitting my Protein levels. I don't want to regain all that weight. Any helpful advice would be great.

Ironically I discovered Indian food about 5 months ago- shortly before becoming a vegetarian and LOVED it!! I ate the most amazing lentil soup, the naan was ok- I stayed away from the rice- I also had a lentil salad, couscous something or other and tried a peice of chicken but couldnt take the spice- Now being a vegetarian I have started cooking with different spices and such to flavor the veggies- curry being 1 of them- LOVE it!! I'm sure if you take it slow- avoid the naan and rice for now you should be ok... the lentils are FULL of protein!!

LB4me, I'm not a vegetarian but those sound yummy and am going to try them.

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! How are you doing on those New Year’s resolutions? It’s easy enough for them to get lost in the shuffle as everyone gets back to regular life after the holiday season. There’s one place that’ll help you keep your head in the game, though. That’s BariatricPal. This newsletter can help you get back on track or more motivated to stay on track. Here’s what to expect. Member Polls: Share Your Views! Member Spotlight: Meet BLERDgirl! Fueling Up for the Day: Getting a High-Protein Breakfast Weight Loss and Knee Pain: Another Reason to Get Bariatric Surgery? After you get through the newsletter, come on over to BariatricPal and talk about your goals, progress, setbacks, and recipes. The community could be just what you need to meet your goals in 2015! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Member Polls: Share Your Views! The Member Polls Forum is a hot place at BariatricPal! It’s a place where you can give your opinions on almost anything, and find out what other BariatricPal members think about the same things. When you weigh in on a topic, don’t forget you can explain your answer in the conversation after you mark it in the list of options. Here are a couple of the current hot topics. Check them out on the forums! How Do You Feel About Eating Out after Weight Loss Surgery? Restaurant meals…they may be a great social opportunity and include some delicious food, but they can be a nightmare after weight loss surgery. Portions are too big, the food isn’t always on your diet, and the people with you don’t always understand your restrictions. How do you deal with restaurants after weight loss surgery? See how other BariatricPal members deal with them, too. Maybe you’ll get a few good ideas about eating out after weight loss surgery. How Did You Find and Choose Your Bariatric Surgeon? You can learn a lot of practical information from hanging out on the Polls forum. For example, if you’re thinking about weight loss surgery and still need to choose a surgeon, check out the poll asking members how they found and chose their surgeon. We won’t spill the Beans here, but there are a lot of good ways to choose a weight loss surgeon! Insure Nutrition We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify. Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs. Exciting News – We're welcoming unjury and Opurity to BariatricPal! BariatricPal is proud and excited to announce two new sponsors for our newsletters. The new sponsors are Unjury, a supplier of wonderful tasting, highest quality protein supplements, and Opurity (from the makers of UNJURY), highest purity Vitamin supplements for bariatric surgery patients. Their support lets us keep BariatricPal newsletters coming to you each month. Unjury was founded by a master’s degree dietitian who has been helping patients since 1974. It is committed your health. You know the importance of getting enough protein after weight loss surgery, but you also know that meeting your protein goals can be challenging. Unjury makes your task not just easier but actually enjoyable. Product flavors include Chocolate Splendor, Chocolate Classic, Vanilla, Strawberry Sorbet, chicken Soup Flavor, and Unflavored. These ready-to-use protein powders come in single-serve and multi-serve containers, and contain high-quality whey protein to keep you full and nourished. Launched in 2007, Opurity is dedicated to using the purest ingredients in its supplements. Opurity Bariatric Multivitamins have two unique big advantages: First, each multivitamin requires only one tablet per day*. Second, Opurity is so dedicated to quality that it is unique in using no ingredients from China. Choose from chewable orange-berry multivitamins for gastric bypass and gastric sleeve patients or for lap-band patients.Opurity also sells chewable calcium, vitamin D and folic acid/vitamin B-12 chewables. All supplements come with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed. They return policy is: “Yes you can return it.” Support from Unjury and Opurity helps us continue to bring you the services you enjoy on BariatricPal, so please support these two brands! When looking for your bariatric surgery supplements, first visit Unjury.com and Opurity.com. Purchasing from these companies helps support BariatricPal. Thanks to Unjury and Opurity for your generous sponsorship, and thanks to BariatricPal members who support our partnership! *You still need calcium and sublingual B-12. Member Spotlight: Meet BLERDgirl! This month, we are delighted to feature BLERDgirl from Philadelphia! Like many other weight loss surgery patients, BLERDgirl had always been overweight, growing from a pudgy toddler to a chubby teen to an overweight adult. She was always popular and active, though, and it wasn’t until she became morbidly obese that her weight interfered with her quality of life. She could no longer breathe easily while skiing at altitude, couldn’t fit in airplane sits, and didn’t enjoy traveling abroad where “things are designed for smaller people.” BLERDgirl still didn’t have obesity-related comorbidities, although she does have her share of health concerns, started with a long list of allergies to foods and medications. She battled uterine cancer 10 years ago, and had to get a hysterectomy that left her with a spastic bladder. She tore her meniscus skiing in 2008. A bout with facial shingles left her with facial nerve damage called trigeminal neuralgia. Most recently, she developed vertigo, which leaves her feeling dizzy. Throughout this period, BLERDgirl gained and lost 35 to 50 pounds multiple times. BLERDgirl had a friend who was doing well with gastric bypass surgery, and she investigated and eventually settled on gastric sleeve. The surgery wasn’t easy because of her allergies. She was also a high-risk case because of her weight of 400 pounds at a height of 5’3”. BLERDgirl was also concerned about her diet, since she is a vegetarian – no meat, chicken, or fish – and almost vegan – no yogurt, cheese, or eggs. Still, she got the surgery in September of 2014, and has since lost 48 pounds. BLERDgirl suspected that losing some weight would help with some of her conditions, and it looks like she was right. Since getting the surgery, she has gone for over 3 months without an allergic reaction – compare that to less than a week without a reaction before surgery – and has enjoyed a more dependable bladder and more energy. Other great moments include waking up pain-free after surgery, and losing weight quickly so far. BLERDgirl says she has a good support group that meets in person, but she also wanted to be able to chat with other bariatric patients. She has found friends on BariatricPal, and enjoys sharing ideas and encouragement with them. To members struggling with their weight, BLERDgirl suggests following your plan. She also says to make sure you do your research before choosing a surgeon and surgery, and to read up on good nutrition. Finally, exercise. Whether it’s sitting or standing, everyone can do some exercise. Thanks, BLERDgirl, for being in our member spotlight! Congratulations on your progress. We are excited to continue your journey with you! Let us know if you would like to be in the Member Spotlight section of the newsletter or there is a member you would like to see featured. Post in the Member Spotlight Forum or send a private message (PM) to Alex Brecher. It doesn’t matter if you’re at goal weight or pre-surgery – you have a unique story, and we want to hear it! Weight Loss and Knee Pain: Another Reason to Get Bariatric Surgery? Knee pain can be part of a vicious cycle when you are obese. Your knees hurt, so you don’t feel like exercising. Instead of exercising, you eat. Or you feel bad, so you eat. You gain weight, and your knees can’t take the extra strain. So they hurt. And you stop exercising. The cycle continues. Risks of Knee Replacement Surgery It gets worse, too. When you are carrying around so much extra weight, treating knee pain is much more difficult. For example, knee replacement surgery is a riskier operation that may not work as well as in normal-weight individuals. Obese patients have a higher risk of infections, blood clots, and cardiac events during surgery. And, the replacement knee can wear out faster. Bariatric Surgery to Reduce Knee Pain? If this sounds familiar, you may be wondering whether there’s hope. There is. It turns out that bariatric surgery doesn’t just lower your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and similar obesity-related conditions. Losing weight after weight loss surgery also helps reduce knee pain. In a review article published in the December 2014 edition of the journal “Obesity Reviews,” researchers looked at 3,837 patients and found knee pain and stiffness decreased, while knee function tended to increase. The reasons are simple. First, you’re putting too much stress on your knees when you force them to carry around extra pounds. Second, obesity can make you turn and twist differently than a normal weigh person, and this puts unusual strain on the knee. Something Else to Consider While Weighing Your Options If you’ve been suffering from knee pain for years, you may be thinking about knee surgery. At the same time, if you’ve been trying to lose weight for years, bariatric surgery may be in your future. It’s worth asking your doctor if you should try bariatric surgery before putting your knee under the knife. You just might save yourself the trouble of surgery for your knee, or at least make that knee surgery more effective if you lose weight first. Fueling Up for the Day: Getting a High-Protein Breakfast You learned in Weight Loss Surgery 101 that protein is the most important nutrient. It helps you stay full, keeps your muscles, hair, skin, and nails healthy, and supports your immune system. Protein should be the first nutrient you choose at each meal. Is it? As the year gets underway and you get back into your regular routine, take a look at your breakfasts, Are you making sure to include one to two high-protein foods in each one? Or are you using lack of time as an excuse to skip breakfast or grab a sugary or starchy pastry that’ll wreak havoc on your blood sugar and hunger levels? Busy or Not, Include One to Two Servings of Protein You don’t need a lot of time to have a healthy, high-protein breakfast. There are plenty of quick breakfasts to try. After choosing your protein, add in a fruit or vegetable, or a serving of starch. If you use any fat, make sure it’s a healthy one, such as Peanut Butter or olive oil, and not saturated. Here are a few breakfast ideas. Oatmeal pancakes made with cottage cheese, served with Greek yogurt. Egg whites and cheese on a whole-grain English muffin half. Oatmeal made with Protein Powder, served with apples and cinnamon. omelet with spinach, tomatoes, and low-fat feta cheese. Scrambled eggs served with turkey bacon and melon. Hot oat bran Cereal served with low-fat turkey sausage. Turn Disaster into Triumph Things always come up. No matter how hard you plan, it’s possible that you may find yourself leaving home without breakfast. As you pull up into the drive-through or coffee shop parking lot, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, focus on the healthy foods you could have. An egg white and ham sandwich – skip the bread. Reduced fat yogurt and fresh fruit salad or an apple or orange. Half of a whole-wheat bagel and peanut butter. Cereal and skim milk. Your healthy breakfast gets your day started on the right foot, so don’t miss out! That’s all we’ve got for this newsletter. Keep up the good work on those New Year’s resolutions, and keep sharing your journey with us over at BariatricPal.

I'm on the anything I want plan right now.... leaning toward vegetarian Southbeach. The closer I get to the southbeach, the more control I have over the weight and hunger. --- Reading this over I realized I DONT eat everything I want without end. But I do eat stuff I crave everyday. If I had no stops on my desire, it would be a whole different story. Give credit where credit is due!

Same for me with eating LITTLE but BAD! I don't really eat often but everything I love is bad for me: Bread, Doritos, Taco Bell, Mexican, ANY Fried FOOD. I've been a vegetarian for 15 months and I still eat unhealthy foods. Ugh!

I'm wondering if there are any succesful vegans or vegetarians. If so how does your diet look and do you have issues getting in your protien? I just watched food choices on Netflixand it was eye opening.

I am in the same boat. I was sleeved 1/25/16 and went in weighing 220 lbs. As of today I am only down to 195lbs. I am happy that I am down to my pre baby weight that I got down to with my lapband, but hearing the weight loss of others makes me feel like a total failure! I also am totally stuck on lapband habits. I pretty much became a vegetarian with my lapband because nothing would ever go down. Now I have to force myself to eat meat and remind myself that I am able too. I still reach for those little easy go to snacks that I always knew would "go down." It's definitely been a struggle. And to think I am hitting the 5 month mark and only down 25lbs.......

Well I really do love Edamame. So delicious and healthy for you. Here is an edamame burger recipe that is a staple in my diet (I make these almost once a week). Violinist With A Band: Edamame Burger Recipe If there is a supermarket near you that has raw edamame on their salad bar (like Whole Foods), you can skip the step where you cook the edamame. This recipe also uses the whole grain millet which is an awesome, very underused food (its actually a seed). I also make falafel and hummus a lot (chickpeas). I bake the falafel instead of deep frying. If you like the fried taste of falafel you could pan fry them using a nonstick pan and some cooking spray. I'm a sucker for Peanut Butter too. Its fine if you just watch how much of it you're eating and make sure you budget your calories for it. Sometimes I do a bean dip with black Beans and fat free refried beans with tofu which is so yummy. I do a similar vegetarian chili with kidney and pinto beans (and tofu). And I have a recipe for a great red lentil Soup (lentils are beans!) with barley (which is a great source of fiber).

Wheres the veggies? Im a vegetarian, so I have to shake it up to get my protein... I eat all kinds of beans, baked dishes like ricotta, pasta sauce and parmesan.... veggie meat balls, veggie meat loaf sandwiches (with half of a low cal ww bagel), bean or split pea soup, refried beans with cheese, three bean salad, tofu with a little teriyaki, homemade ricotta raviolis -I use super thin won ton rappers and make two or three raviolis with ricotta and basel. I decided I would become even more of a foodie, and that means having to cook for myself a bunch...

Has anyone here done this and been successful at it? If so, can we hear your story? I'm fascinated. Alan

Working towards it, but as you may imagine it takes lots of time and planning especially to become a lowish carb whole food vegan So I'm a flexible vegetarian

Here's an example day I created with a vegetarian, but not vegan diet. And even then it's not easy as you see