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I will be two weeks out tomorrow so it hasn't been an issue yet. I am lacto ovo so I am planning on lots of eggs, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. I've been a vegetarian for two years but I do find myself really craving a McDonalds chicken sandwich!

Hi Robin! I'm also a vegetarian! There's not many of us out here. My nutritionist helped with showing me many different high-Protein vegetarian items, most I already knew about but it was very helpful to go over it all. I had my surgery Nov 16. I've had some complecations (but not because of being a vegetarian) so I'm still on a full liquid diet. I'm having trouble getting all my Proteins down. I mix my Protein powder with Westsoy soy milk which has 11g protein per 8oz. I try to have a serving of unjury chicken Soup (it's vegetarian) it has 20g protein. If you have any questions let me know.. and let me know if you find any high Protein shakes that taste good! Kelli

Your friend gave you awful advice. I can't speak for bypass patients but as a sleeve patient I can eat whatever I want. The difference is the amount of what I can eat. Because that amount is small I choose to make sure that what I eat is quality. I go for real food; fresh veg, and because I am vegetarian Beans, eggs and cheese. I don't reach for junk food. However I can eat pretty much anything I want. Yesterday I had chocolate chips Cookies. That's not a typical choice, but I can have it if I want. My thought process is different. Now it's why would I regularly eat chocolate chip cookies when I went through surgery, and then 6 weeks of reintroducing food back into my life (2 weeks all liquid/2 weeks purees/2 weeks soft foods)? Why would I eat chocolate chip cookies regularly when I spent the past year exercising to loose 115lbs? It's about making good choices and not being a slave to food. The holiday's are over. Get rid of those leftovers. You don't want to go into surgery still having cravings from all those sugary carbs.

Thanks, this helps a lot. Only thing is I'm vegetarian, but I can do some of this.

Heather I, yes quite a similar scenario. That's useful, and I like the idea of looking at it like a vegetarian would need to in terms of sourcing all Protein from veges......thereby getting the fibre at the same time as the protein . Definitely food for thought. Probiotics, yes. We've always moaned about the cost of the unsweetened natural yoghurt that I absolutely adore. And couldn't see much cost benefit in sachets for the easiyo set ups. Duh!! Dopey here hadn't thought about making my own yoghurt simply using dregs of the last brew. It took my chemist to mention it to me. ....as probiotic capsules are not in the budget. So just a couple of days ago I found a complete easiyo set up for $6 from the local op shop and am practicing. So happy about that. Kefir came up when I was looking into systemic candida. I'd forgotten to follow that line of thought so thank you for bringing me back to it. Just before replying I had a quick squizz at a couple of sites. I'll look more into it. If it's more like a yoghurt in consistency I'd give it a go. If it's more like a milk consistency I'd likely gag. I've been a milk baby for over 40 years and am so proud of myself for culling the quantity of milk that I drink. It's a massive achievement and shows dramatically on the scales. Whenever I've tried any other "milky" substitute. .....I gag. I'm used to the sharp tang and texture of natural yoghurt. I'll definitely go do some research and have a play. Kefir does read like a power house food though. Many thanks, Ladies. Sent from my GT-I9300T using the BariatricPal App

Meal looks awesome I'm ready to try all shakes again or vegetarian because everything gets me sick on stomach now days yucky yuck Sent from my LG-K373 using BariatricPal mobile app

Oh yeah I love food porn. My favorite images come from IG. I love love the fat/unhealthy vegetarian and vegan posts there. HW 341 lbs 07/19/16 - 298 lbs 08/09/16 DOS - 286 lbs CW 253 lbs

I am on soft foods too and have been handling them well, overall. Finding some high Protein recipes, like the ricotta bake, has been helpful as I am vegetarian and struggling a bit with protein. Trying to get these habits into place before going back to the chaos that is my job...how about you all? Back at work yet?

I do paleo every so often because it goes right along with low carb, and there are some FABULOUS recipes. I don't think I could completely give up dairy though, same problem with veganism for me when I was a vegetarian.

If your into ancestral eating styles, this site will be interesting to you. I am neolithic all the way... so palio won't work for me...however there is one guy mentioned who is a paleo vegetarian...very limited food options though... Paleo is a style of eating like our ancestors did before they developed agriculture...while they were hunter gatherers. http://rawfoodsos.com/

Proteins for four weeks lost weight and experienced improvements in blood cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors, according to a report in the June 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. A high-carbohydrate, low-fat vegetarian diet also resulted in weight loss but without the additional cardiovascular benefits. "There is a dilemma relating to the proportion and source of fat, Protein and carbohydrate that constitutes the optimal weight loss and cholesterol-lowering diet," the authors write as background information in the article. Newer dietary approaches for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease emphasize increased fruit and vegetable intake and reduced meat consumption. However, low-carbohydrate diets with increased meat consumption have also been promoted for body weight reduction and the prevention and treatment of diabetes and coronary heart disease. These diets have been shown to be effective in inducing weight loss, reducing insulin resistance, lowering blood fats known as triglycerides and raising high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, or "good" cholesterol) levels, but have tended to increase low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, or "bad" cholesterol) levels. "This lack of a benefit for LDL-C control is a major disadvantage in using this dietary strategy in those already at increased risk of coronary heart disease," the authors write. David J.A. Jenkins, M.D., of St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues tested the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet high in vegetable proteins from gluten, soy, nuts, fruits, vegetables, cereals and vegetable oils among overweight men and women with high LDL cholesterol levels. A total of 25 participants were randomly assigned to consume this diet-the "Eco-Atkins" diet-for four weeks, while an additional 25 participants ate a control diet that was high-carbohydrate, lacto-ovo vegetarian and based on low-fat dairy and whole grain products. Study food was provided to participants at 60 percent of their estimated calorie requirements. Of the 47 participants who began the study, 44 (22 in each group) completed the four-week period. Weight loss was similar-about 4 kilograms or 8.8 pounds-in both groups. However, reductions in LDL-C levels and improvements in the ratios between total cholesterol and HDL-C were greater for the low-carbohydrate diet compared with the high-carbohydrate diet. The low-carbohydrate diet also appeared to produce beneficial changes in levels and ratios of apolipoproteins, proteins that bind to fats. In addition, small but significantly greater reductions were seen in both systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure for the low-carbohydrate vs. the high-carbohydrate group. Pending answers to important questions, including whether further reducing carbohydrate intake would produce additional benefits, "a plant-based low-carbohydrate diet high in vegetable proteins and oils may be an effective option in treating those with dyslipidemia for whom both weight loss and lower LDL-C concentrations are treatment goals," the authors conclude. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169[11]:1046-1054 Source Archives of Internal Medicine

There are lots of alternatives to meat if you don’t like it. Look for vegetarian or vegan recipes and products.

Do a search. I've seen various threads on this topic and post from several vegetarian sleevers. I'm pre-op but I've read there are vegetarian protein supplements like Vega. I've read that most eat tofu and beans for protein. I think it can be done, just maybe not as low carb as so many sleevers on here follow.

Here a response to your suggestions. If you cannot keep healthy solids down, you need to seek an unfill. Chips should not go down and easier than, say, beans. Perhaps you need to try different behaviors when eating good foods. If you tell yourself you cannot get something healthy down, then you're probably not going to get something healthy down.What you don't know is that I would love to eat chicken and veggies. Every time I go to eat them I feel blocked. As far as eating the chips it isn't my food of choice. I have been fighting for 6 years to get this surgery and could have had either one but I selected the lapband because I thought it was safer. I can't handle meat at all and since Nov I have lost 1 pound. You're eating sweets & chips, and have only lost 1 lb since November. That sounds about right to me. Being banded will do nothing for weightloss if you aren't also making good decisions. Have you tried soups? I have tried soups and if they have any type of meat in them then I get sick. Softer healthy foods such as cottage cheese or eggs? Once again I would love to have egg whites with some veggies and some turkey bacon but after a few bites the pressure is bad and I end up throwing it up.Have you tried very crunchy meats, e.g. very crunchy bacon or cooked/drained pepperoni? The only meat I have found that I can tolerate is ground pork and then it takes me about 4 hours to get down a few ounces.I have tried eating really slow. Another problem is that I am always hungry. I'm confused - you're too tight to eat, but you're always hungry? Most of the time the discomfort from eating when tight, or being cligged up, is enough (in most people) to wipe away any signs of hunger. Are you truly hungry, or are you head/pity hungry? Are you an emotional eater?Once I try to eat and get sick most of the time what every was in my stomach is thrown up and yes I am hungry. Your right while I am in discomfort I don;'t want to eat but I also can not be in that situation for very long.My start weight was high and I was on the border line for the lapband procedure. Did I select the wrong procedure. I am so unhappy. To date I have lost 46 pounds. 46 lbs in roughly 6 months is not bad. It's between 7 & 8 lbs per month. How much were you expecting to lose? I was expecting to lose about 2 pounds a week. That is what I was told in my informational meetings.I tried to go to a liquid diet but the hunger is really bad. If you need to resort to a liquid diet, then you need an unfill. The reason I was thinking a liquid diet was because I was told that maybe I am at a plateau and it would jump start my weight loss.My doctor is from UCSF in San Francisco and he is really not a very nice man. Any suggestions would really help. Well, a doctor being NICE, and a doctor being ABLE TO HELP have nothing to do with each other. Go try a slight unfillI am not looking for Dr. Welby but I am looking for a doctor that I feel comfortable talking too. He is rude and never goes over anything unless I am persistent and then he gets nasty. He has way too many patients and when I went in for an unfill he told me "I thought you wanted to lose weight, deal with it. I also told him that I had a hard time getting meat down, his response was, "become a vegetarian". And no I can't see another because of my insurance group once they assign a doctor you must stay with them. To tell you how nasty this doctor is on my surgery day in the pre op room, he came in and asked if I had lost more weight. When I said a little he said, "well don't be surprised if I don't do your surgery and just open and shut you up" My daughter ask me who this was since he didn't even bother to introduce himself to her and she was shocked when I said my doctor.

Have you tried diffrent brands of protien shakes? I like some and hate others. At costco they have a brand called preimere and they are shakes they come in vanilla and choclate and they have 30 gr protien. Also i buy these bags of protein powder there by crosport, i have bought them for yrs for my vegetarian daughter. I make her a smoothie with fruits and milk or water and one scoop provides 27 grams of protein. What i do is alternate what i do as far as the shakes go to help keep me from getting tired of them.

After my RNY surgery I cannot stomach meat at all and don't even like it. The surgery totally changed my taste buds, I get my protein first from my shakes, then eggs, beans, nuts, cheese etc. But my main source of protein is the shakes. I make fratatas and breakfast pies to keep things interesting and use lots of veggies, eggs, cheese. There are tons of vegetarian cook books that have wonderful receipes.

I'm a vegetarian also, and just started my soft stage. I definitely have to supplement the protein.. I do so with genepro protein. Dissolves in anything. I'm going to start soft tofu, blended legumes, eggs, fish, special k protein cereal softened with almond milk. I. Also going to try green smoothies with protein powder. Also veggie burgers if I chew them up real good. Also soft cheese

I can't do shakes (I developed an allergy to whey after surgery, and the bone broth and pea based proteins taste horrendous), and I get all my protein from food. I usually am anywhere between 60-90grams a day. I eat eggs (egg whites because I have to do low fat; my gallbladder failed a month into my recovery), turkey bacon bits, ham, and cheese omelettes in the morning with either broccoli or asparagus inside. My snack is ostrim turkey jerky and either nuts (I like 0.5oz of cashews), 3 grapes, or mozzarella. Lunch is lunch meat or vegetable sausage (morningstar is good) with 4-5 triscuits and some laughing cow. Dinner is varied, but it's usually some kind of meat and veggie together. I eat a lot of actual meat and vegetarian protein, but I did find one protein product that was super tasty. I'd get fairlife milk (lactose free and high protein) and Magic Spoon cereal (protein cereal made with allulose!!! It's so tasty!) and eat that occasionally in place of one of my meals or my snack. I also will occasionally eat a One brand protein bar, but that's only on days I can't make it home to eat my regular meals (high protein, low sugar). You gotta get creative sometimes, but it's totally doable to go without shakes. Bleh.

Any vegetarian or pescatarian recipe options?

I'm a strict vegetarian but mostly plant [emoji271] based diet as I don't eat dairy or cheese. But I do have the ocasional egg. Aka_ET HW-220 Pre-op 194.3 RNY SD June 16th 2017 CW-188 GW-140 HT 5' 3" [emoji120][emoji878][emoji1272] "You may see me struggle but you will never see me quit"

Hello all I have spent the past few days surfing everything I could find about Gastric Sleeves on the web and have really enjoyed reading this forum I hope I am allowed to join in. I'm new here, I'm 46 yrs old and have a lifelong history of weight problems from reaching 22st at one point. I have been overweight my whole life. 7 yrs ago I managed to lose 10 st through diet and exercise, thought I would never go back, well here I am back up to 18st and still rising. My knees hurt and I am always tired and I pretty much despise myself. I need to do this, I know I don't have it in me to try and fail again. I need a permanent solution and my passion for large portions needs to be curbed! I am a vegetarian with a love of carbs, this is a bad thing.. my carb problem is something that I really need help with, that and my mansize portions of everything! I don't eat meat or fish so I'm really worried about how I will get sufficient Protein down me after this surgery, can anyone advise on this? I have my first consultant appointment this Friday 5th April with Mr Shaw Somers through BMI and I'm really excited but also nervous. I've had a tummy tuck done so I know what major abdominal surgery can be like, infact I think that was a bigger procedure and a longer recovery than I am anticipating this to be (assuming no problems of course). Shame I went and put all that weight on again having paid all that money for a perfectly good tummy tuck! At least it's still just about holding up but I often have days when it feels like I've got my belt done up too tight and I don't wear a belt! Would be nice to see this weight gone for good. Any tips or advice on a quick recovery? I'm a singer in a band and we gig every weekend, so I was planning on taking 3 weeks off from gigging, is this realistic or am I mad? Would appreciate your help on this too? Thanks so much for reading all this!

I have always been a big meat eater, but something happened since surgery: following my surgeons instructions to eat protein first left me with little room for anything else. This made me realize that I needed to find other options. My first thought was to add nutrabullet shakes but everyone seems freaked about the fruit sugar. I don't believe for one second fruit made me fat or can make me fat. I have been making an effort to eat less meat and much more fruits and veggies for long term health and faster weight loss. I'm not committed to vegetarianism but I do want to continue to shift in that direction and can use all the help I can get. Trying to avoid gmos and factory farms means choosing higher fat foods. Some days I live on nuts and advocados. I feel like I'm stumbling clumsy and lost. My surgeons office clearly knows nothing about food. Any info would be much appreciated.

Ricotta bake is a delicious, soft, vegetarian option. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi there, I'm a fish-eating vegetarian or a pescatarian (I am not really a fan of that word). I've been so since October of 2008. I was banded last month. I, too, intend to go vegan at some point. I think it would be pretty easy to do it with the band. The majority of your protein would probably come from soy protein shakes. I found one organic whey protein but I think I might be lactose intolerant so I couldn't use that one. I ate a lot of vegetarian fat free refried beans, lentils and tuna on my mushy stage. For my liquid stage, I used mushroom stock and vegetable broth. If I were you, I might retain a solid protein - like fish - until you really have the hang of getting all your protein in without it. The band is pretty limiting at first and, for me, I had two years under my belt without meat so it wasn't too difficult to figure out how to use what I normally ate with the band. Best of luck to you! You might also want to post this on the post-op thread because I think you may get more responses. I've run across a few people here who are vegetarian.

Hello and thanks for your post. I have been a vegetarian before and even vegan for a short while - back then I found dairy too hard to give up but believe I can do it now - but back in my previous veggie days I never paid a lot of attention to how much protein I was taking in. So that will be a new angle for me with the band. I have many reasons for wanting to get back to a vegan diet, health being an important reason but also have concerns about the environment and the cruelty to the animals we raise in such horrible conditions so that we can eat them. I will take your advise and post on the post op boards - thanks for that suggestion :-) Hi there, I'm a fish-eating vegetarian or a pescatarian (I am not really a fan of that word). I've been so since October of 2008. I was banded last month. I, too, intend to go vegan at some point. I think it would be pretty easy to do it with the band. The majority of your protein would probably come from soy protein shakes. I found one organic whey protein but I think I might be lactose intolerant so I couldn't use that one. I ate a lot of vegetarian fat free refried beans, lentils and tuna on my mushy stage. For my liquid stage, I used mushroom stock and vegetable broth. If I were you, I might retain a solid protein - like fish - until you really have the hang of getting all your protein in without it. The band is pretty limiting at first and, for me, I had two years under my belt without meat so it wasn't too difficult to figure out how to use what I normally ate with the band. Best of luck to you! You might also want to post this on the post-op thread because I think you may get more responses. I've run across a few people here who are vegetarian.