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Thanks to all who have responded. I appreciate all your comments. Not many pple know i have the band so i don't have much support. I've been going back and forth in my mind trying to decide if i'm too tight, if i need more, or if i should just leave it the way it is. I hear the argument about my maybe being too tight since i can't get much chicken or meat down but i have no problems getting down egg omelettes, Beans, and vegetarian tofu patties. And, if i was too tight, i don't think i'd be able to get down bagels (obviously slowly), and other similar foods that i shouldn't be able to get down. But, then again, i do vomit once in a while if i'm eating too fast or if the food is too dry (chicken, for example) I struggle with this decision every day because it costs me a lot of money to go to the surgeon....unfortunately, i have a very high deductible with this new insurance we got and i have to pay my own way for quite a while till i reach it. Going to see the nutritionist would be a waste of hard working money because she'd just give me another diet plan that i am not happy following....and even when i did follow it, i was still hungry, or could still eat more. One of you mentioned that i am probably not hungry after i feel restriction but rather that i eat for other reasons. I will admit that sometimes that is indeed true. But, other times, if i stop when i feel restriction, within the hour my stomach will be grumbling (like i said, it's not always, but there are times it does that). That's why i'm confused about how it works. I know i have to get in my Protein but on the other hand, i'm told to stop eating when feeling restriction....and then the food leaves the pouch pretty soon where i can eat more.....the only difference i feel with the band is knowing i must eat very slow, but i do finish my portions eventually (almost the same portions that i had before the band but getting through it much slower) I think i need to stay where i am with regards to the band fills until i can figure it all out before having to spend so much money on fills or unfills.

Miso is a paste made of fermented soybeans. There's all kinds of miso - white, yellow, red, and black, although yellow and red are by far the most popular and available (I've never seen black miso). It's kind of high in sodium, if that's a concern for you. Most people know miso from miso soup, which is miso paste made with a broth called dashi (seaweed and dried fish or shiitake mushrooms (for vegetarians).) But miso can be used in many other ways, like using it as a marinade for fish or chicken (not that that helps you right now), or as a salad dressing, etc.

Old habits die hard! I often serve up too much, or order and take stuff home. Last night I went out with my husband, and I got a veggie burger and onion rings (WARNING!!! SLIDERS!!!) I drank some water... ate about 4 onion rings and tucked into the hamburger... about two bites later the OFF switch flipped. Husband was very happy about getting all those onion rings and the rest of the burger came home for lunch today. Not very protein rich! But I felt normal. I always protein load early during a day I will be going out to eat, just in case! Its really hard to find good protein eating out as a vegetarian.

Jason and others, this is what I was recommended to eat. Yes it mentions low-fat Proteins, but does not emphasize them. This is from a leaflet from my consultant and is what is recommended in the UK. Successful eating with a band, divided into Green (eat freely every day), Amber (eat with cautions, eg weekends only) and Red (avoid or eat only for treats). They said Green foods should be 85% of the total. Amber foods: 10% (just 2-3 times a week). Red foods: 5% (try to avoid). Also keep the band active every 4 hours with a Cereal bar, banana or piece of fruit. GREEN * Low-fat Protein --Chicken/lean meat --Fish --Quorn (artificial vegetarian meat) * Low glycaemic index GL/GI foods --Basmati or wholemeal rice --Baby new potatoes, jacket potatoes, sweet potatoes --Porridge (but not instant porridge) --Pumpernickel or wholemeal pitta bread --Rye bread --Beans, pulses and lentils --Wholemeal Pasta * Fruit in natural form --Citrus fruits --Apples --Pears --Bananas * Fresh vegetables, except squashes, avocadoes and parships * Airdried homemade popcorn without butter or sugar * Low-fat cereal bars if used as an alternative to Breakfast * Dark chocolate (minimum 70% solids) with no sweet filling AMBER * Higher sugar fruits --Berries (a portion is 12, or 6 strawberries) --Melon/watermelon --Mango, papaya, cherries, grapes * Soft foods and ready meals that can be eaten with just a fork --Mashed potato --Shepherd's pie, cottage pie, fish pie --Creamy pastas --Haggis * Crispy foods --Multiple crackers --Biscuits [=Cookies in American English] --Crisps [=potato chips in American English] (Snack-a-jack ricecakes are better) --Packet popcorn --Cheesy biscuits * High sugar vegetables --Squashes --Parsnips * Sugary or nutty cereals --Muesli or children's cereals --Crunchy nuts --Anything with sugar, frosty or honey in the title RED * Fatty proteins and fatty vegetables --Nuts, seeds, avocados --cheese [if necessary have the Low-low brand of low-fat cheese] * Modified fruits --Juices (including home-made, organic and no added sugar juices) --Smoothes (including home-made etc) --Tinned and dried fruits, jams * Sugars (including natural) --Honey --Sugar --Milk/white chocolate --Toffee --Hot chocolate and coffee shop "Christmas special drinks" * liquids (Soups if replacing a meal) --Slimfast shakes or equivalent --Alcohol --Fizzy drink --Milk as a stand alone drink (lattes, Cappuccino, hot chocolate), although OK to add to tea/coffee * Fats --Creamy pasta sauces --Oils, including olive oil, mayonnaise, butter --Pannacotta, creme brulee, pecan pie --High fat gourmet ice creams --Cheese spread

I became a vegetarian 3 mos post op and since then I had pretty much all fruits, veggies and nuts. During my immediate post op once I got to mushies I ate a lot of apple sauce, peaches, nectarines and pears- mostly from a can in light syrup because they were softer- the further out I got I allowed myself a few bites to try- I have found that the fruits that are "sweeter" like grapes tend to cause a bit more diarrhea sooner than a normal BM (TMI) sorry... But watermelon was a staple for me post op- it was mushy, satisfied my thirst and filled me up- and when you eat fruits and veggies you get plenty of nutrients. Post op becomes a trial and error because often times you cannot eat what you did pre op for various reasons ie- Oranges- the acid KILLS me and I hate it- living in FLA I love to make fresh squeezed orange juice!! and can only have a few sips now but to sit and eat an orange I cannot. I have had the canned mandarine oranges and eaten tangerines and perhaps it's the size of the fruit but they go better with my tummy. I have made fruit salads and incorporated the "difficult" fruit in it so that I can enjoy it but not as a whole but rather just a few bites... Good luck!!

That's cool that we have the same surgery date. I definitely agree with not weighing yourself daily. As someone else pointed out the scale can definitely be a liar. I would really suggest making an appointment with your nutritionist. I would not recommend going back to only liquids. Our body is past that point. We need to be able to eat real food. Going back on liquids is like our past yo-yo dieting. A liquid restart would be for someone who had really gone off the rails in terms of eating. Every surgeon's office is different in their diet guidelines. I would definitely take a look at your sodium intake. When I see lunch meat, Jerky and a bar of some sort they are all LOADED with sodium. I have found that getting all my Water in is crucial to my success. Your body actually retains more Fluid the less you drink. Like I said, everyone's surgeon has different nutritional guidelines, but I will share mine with you. My nutritionist does not have me count calories. My guidelines are 60-70 grams of Protein, less than 40 grams net carbs (not including fruit or vegetables) and less than 1,500 mg of sodium. I do not vary what I eat very much as I have found that what I eat right now works pretty well for me. This is a sample of what my day looks like: Breakfast: 8 oz. almond milk, 1 scoop chocolate Designer whey Protein powder, 2 tbsp. PB2 & half a frozen banana blended into a shake. (Total of 24 g of protein) Lunch: Chobani 0% fat plain greek yogurt with 2 tbsp. of PB2 & 1 packet Truvia. (Total 23 g protein.) Snack: 2 Polly-O String cheese or 1/4 cup edamame (Total 14 g protein for either snack) So: before I even sit down to dinner I have had a total of 61g of protein. Dinner is always vegetarian: Tofu & veggies, Beans & rice, etc. If I feel like I need something at night I have a serving of fruit - strawberries, blueberries, red grapes & cantaloupe are my new favorites. I drink 16 oz of water in between Breakfast & Lunch. Then another 16 between lunch and snack. Another 16 between snack and dinner and my final 16 after dinner. I always follow the rule of no liquid 30 minutes prior to or after a meal. Sorry, I know that this is a super long post, but if even one thing helps you then it is well worth it. Don't give up. I started at a much higher weight than you. So, it makes sense that my weight loss is a bit of a higher number. This is really such a learning process of how to fuel our bodies not just feed them. I also think that some of us expected to lose more quickly, feel more restricted and lose huge numbers. I was sure that I would be down 100 lbs in the first 3 months & here I am 4 months out & down 75 lbs. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not complaining! I just know that personally, I am learning to use my sleeve as just 1 tool in my weight loss efforts. I would say that I average between 750-900 calories a day, but I choose what those calories are comprised of. I can have 700 calories of healthy, body fueling food or 700 empty calories. So, there is still the aspect of needing to put healthy food in our bodies and exercising. Add the sleeve and you have a good weigh loss trifecta. The most important thing is not to give up. There are a multiplicity of reasons that you are not losing at the rate that you want to. It's up to you to find what that is. We continue to be here for support. I really hope that you are feeling better soon!

I'm leaving Friday! I got the room fridge, microwave and coffee maker. Do you know there is a coffee maker cookbook?! Lol. All about how to survive in a hotel using the coffee maker to cook in. I have mapped a store. I won't have a rental car. I'm walking everywhere. Training is 12 hours a day with 1.5 for lunch. The training center is vegetarian only! Dairy and eggs okay. Ugh. I can do it. Thanks for all the tips.

Puja - where are you in India? I was in Mumbai, with a short trip to Delhi and Agra. 10 day trip in total. To answer your questions, well, I took some Pure Protein Bars with me, and ate one per day. I also ate eggs for Breakfast. I'm pretty sure that some days I was below my Protein still, because there were a couple of meals at a friend's house that were vegetarian. I ate chickpeas and lentils those meals, but those aren't as protein rich as meat, I think. I tried to focus on protein as much as possible, and ate veggies like cauliflower when it was available. Like I said before, I still had rotis and rice and stuff, but just small helpings to tone down the spiciness. When it was available (it wasn't always served) I used raita to tone down the heat. I'm also pretty sure that my calorie counts were above normal (but apparently not more than I burn, maybe 1500-1700), especially the days I ate Butter chicken (YUM!). But I didn't really have a way to log it, and it was just 10 days, so I just listened to my sleeve about when it was full, and hoped that would be enough. I actually wasn't sure if I would lose weight or just hold steady while I was there, but I ended up losing, so that was great. It was a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, and I love Indian food, so I just decided I wasn't going to worry about it. The only time I really had a moment of regret was when I was eating some fabulous butter chicken, and wanted to eat more, but I just savored it as much as I could and then stopped when I got full. likasulema - good luck on your weight loss! I'm sure you'll be able to fit without a seat extender on your next trip. Its the little NSV's like that that really make a difference.

Need advice from vegetarian or mostly vegetarian sleevers out there. I met with the Dr yesterday and he said that I should research vegetarian diet compatibility with VSG. liquid Protein is fine for the first 4 weeks but he feels a SOLID protein like a bite of chicken that will basically sit in your post-Op stomach for a long time is what helps people feel full and not overeat. Vegetarian substitutes like Beans or tofu or seitan apparently just get processed by the stomach acids and move into the intestines fast.. Making you feel hungry again. I am mostly vegetarian. I eat eggs, dairy etc. Will occasionally eat chicken or fish in restaurants but I do not cook meat at home. For the weight loss phase when I am losing weight, I am willing to do what it takes to get the protein in but I would prefer longer term diet to be mostly plant based. Is this unrealistic with the sleeve?

It is totally possible to be vegetarian!! I'm 16 months post-op, vegetarian, and very healthy! I don't do the fake meat stuff, but I do eat lots of natural foods including lentils, nuts, dairy, and eggs. It does take planning, however. I plan my entire day out in the morning, and pack my lunches. I also look at menus before going to restaurants, and call ahead if I need something special. I'm eating a meal as I write this: an apple with PB2 powder! 150 calories, 20 grams of Protein - all natural and low fat.

I know I was MIA for a while, but is everyone else as well?! I'd like to hear from the August Bandsters and see how everyone is doing. Anyhow, as we approach our first year "bandiversary" I hope that everyone is doing well. Hope to hear from you all! My own status update: As of today 43 lbs down, thought I'd be twice that by now Maybe I would have if I had found restriction early on, but I did not find restriction until 6 months after surgery. Consequently, I didn't start losing weight until 6 months after surgery as well. I am steadily losing 1 lb a week, sometimes 2 if I'm lucky. I still don't exercise as much, but I am definitely more active. Besides restriction, another big change that has worked for me was switching my diet from "average American" to almost exclusively organic and/or vegetarian (I can afford it now since I don't eat much!) I am doing it purely for the health benefits, and so far, so good. I am finally taking my daily Vitamin regularly and I have noticed elevated mood and energy and less hair loss! If you're like me and weren't remembering to take yours, I hope you do b/c it really is so important. So that is me, chugging along but very optimistic! At 235 now my goal is to be under 200 by my wedding in December... I know the only way that's going to happen is if I begin a regular exercise routine (eww) Wish me luck, because I'd really like to like to exercise :eek:

I am 13 months post surgery. I am not perfect in the way I eat but generally eat healthy. I will admit that sometimes when traveling unprepared, I have to "make do" with what is available for my diet. Making do is running to a convenience store for friendly foods or a restaurant for salad or a hamburger without the bun. I do not consider whey Protein isolate "diet food". It is recommended by most every Dr doing this surgery as a way to get proper amounts of protein. Especially as you progress through the food stages and particularly when you begin to exercise and need protein to help maintain muscle loss or carbohydrates for energy. For a very long time and still today, I can only eat so much before getting full. The only way to get required amounts of protein is to use Protein powder with skim or almond milk. Otherwise I do not maintain satiety and find myself grazing. It is also a great way to start each day! I do use "Quest" Protein Bars as an occasional snack to tide me over to the next meal or a post workout burst of protein. I have no problem eating anything. I just have to eat in small quantities. The protein must be dense enough to keep me full for 3-4 hours at a time. I am not a vegetarian and do not eat rice, Pasta, bread or potato by choice. The first six months I generally consumed 50 carbs or less a day, as exercise increased I needed more carbs. Today I usually eat 90-100 on active days and 70-80 on less active days. Low carb has always worked for me but I realize it is a personal choice about how many carbs to eat. As I progress in my diet I can eat a great variety of foods, as long as it fits into the plan I've made to maintain my weight loss.

@erp- It's a sort of hand in hand thing. I have a sweet tooth. Always have. I could probably eat a baby if it was dipped in chocolate and I'm a vegetarian! I don't limit or use sparingly. I have it when I want. However what has changed is my desire for them. This morning I had a mug of coffee, I put a good half tbsp of raw honey in it because I like it sweet. However other than some fruit I doubt I'll have more sugar today. Unless you actually eat this way it's hard to explain, but the less artificial sweeteners and additives I have in my diet, the less I want them. However I am completely satisfied and do not feel deprived.

Thank you for all the info! I haven't started any vitamins yet. I am a Vegetarian, so prior to the surgery I was taking several vitamins. But my doctors nurses said they would be to big to swallow, so they took me off of them for the time being. I am having 2-3 Protein shakes a day. Water, snapple crystal lite, and hot tea when I am feeling extremely hungry. I can't wait to move onto the mushie stage, I am starving. haha.

Well I guess the new term for me would be pescatarian! I don't eat any land animals! Funny that they have a name for that now! Usually when I say I'm a vegetarian people say "do you eat chicken"? Haha

I'm surprised that nobody answered your question yet, so I'll try to. Technically, anything is "Ok" within reason, depending on the diet your doctor or dietician wants you to follow. A lot of people try to avoid carbs, but so far I haven't because I am a semi-vegetarian who doesn't like meat very much. I get a lot of my protein from meat imitations like Gardenburger and Morningstar Farms. I am at 2 ccs fill and still have not found anything that I am physically unable to eat. There are just some foods that require very careful chewing. For example, I need to chew bread carefully or else it seems to expand in my stomach and hurt. Basically, I'd say that I eat most of the same stuff I used to eat, but now the quantity is cut in half (that's subject to change if I get another fill, but so far so good). For example, where before I could easily eat an entire bagel, now just half of a bagel is enough to make me feel stuffed. Or I used to be able to eat a big bowl of cereal, but now I'd estimate I can eat about 1.5 cups of foods such as cereal. Of course, I avoid all liquid calories and don't eat very high-calorie foods such as chocolate candies or milkshakes. That's probabyl the most radical change to my diet...before I thought nothing of snacking on chocolate candies, but now I realize chocolate has way too many cals in such little servings.

Just because nobody else has mentioned it,I thought I would mention that as a vegetarian I don't eat any meat and also I can't manage quorn (for the uninitiated it has a very similar texture to chicken). I can manage soya mince, though. I also found, post banding, that I can't manage chunks of cheese, even well chewed, nor boiled or scrambled eggs so I just gave up and became vegan - which is a lot easier.

Can I get any kind or vegetarian refried beans only?

Hi [emoji5] Diet: I'm vegetarian (been like this for 14 years) so tend to get most of my protein from cheese yoghurt and beans. I rememeber at 2 weeks out I created a spreadsheet and I had the most detailed plans of how many grams of protein, carbs and fat I would eat each day. Then I went back to real life and realised how unrealistic that really is. Well, it is in my life and will be for anybody else whose life is hectic. The truth is that the best diet is the one that uses instinct. I damn well know if I have eaten too many carbs and not enough protein during a day without needing to check a spreadsheet. It's just about using common sense to eat in a healthy and balanced manner but don't spend a week beating yourself up if there's a not so balanced day in there - everyday is a chance for a fresh start. Food restrictions: For some reason to this day I cannot eat pasta or potato (unless it's in the form of chips/crisps) without throwing up an hour later so I just stay away from them as if I'm allergic now. But I think that this is specific to me as others I speak to have been eating these since 2 weeks post op. Rice tends to not cause any issues. Have recently reintroduced bread, but like 2 slices a week. My sleeve definitely still works, I very rarely even eat meals as I do not like the bloated feeling after 2 bites. Small snack size foods throughout the day has become my thing with no meals Shakes: Eurgh shakes! Where do I start. In the UK I have yet to find a single protein shake that tastes good. I literally wasted well over £100 trying out different shakes in the first 3 months post op. I even tried protein water (Brand: Decibel if you wanna try)! THAT SUCKS AS WELL GUYS. I stick to protein from normal food now and I'm much happier for it Exercise: I like to use cardio so running, cycling and rowing machines are my thing as they are good for burning fat. Start off 2 days a week and build up from there, the more weight we lose the easier working out becomes. So dont try to jump into intense workouts that would suit you best say 8 months down the line instead. In terms of exercise I would say to trust the process, the time flies by! Loose skin: Weights will be good to prevent loose skin, I've been lucky and dont really have too much loose skin but I know that I want plastics in the future (saggy boobs lol) anyway so will find a way to get rid of it if there is any. Feelings: Honestly I feel great. I cannot believe that a whole year has zoomed by. It's the little things like walking to the train station, I'm no longer sweating or out of breath, my clothes fit better (until they get too loose, try to buy a couple pieces you can wear for the year btw as you lose, don't get a new wardrobe till you stop losing no matter how tempting it's a waste of money) and I generally have more confidence. I think we don't even realise how much our weight dictates all of the tiny choices that we make for things throughout the day until it is gone. One thing I can't stress enough is that we will all have our own journey through this thing, our bodies are unique and will react to the surgery in such a manner. Thankfully forums like these allow us to share our experiences and provide info/support to one another but remember to never let anybody judge you or the choices you make as you go through this (this is much more a mental journey than physical) or feel that your journey/process through this experience is inferior to somebody else's because you have different methods to them or you lose weight at a different speed/pattern. All in all I would do this entire year again in a heartbeat if I had to choose this surgery

Ok....so i tried turkey chili. NEVER AGAIN! I was staring at the mashed potatoes, chili and refried beans at dinner and because I apparently enjoy self torture, I went with the chili. Big mistake, I just don't think I am ready for meaty foods as yet. Earlier in the week I had beef soup, tuna and scrambled eggs, same gross reactions (diarrhea and dry heaving). I believe I have learned my lesson! :-/ I think my poor sleeve wants to be a vegetarian!

Vegetarian bean burgers Almond flour, spices, egg, corn and assorted beans (black, pink, navy, garbanzo) Hand smash half of the beans with spices and egg. Fold in almond flour, whole beans and corn until thoroughly mixed. Form patties then bake, air or pan fry until lightly crispy Highly customizable 💙

There are quite a few vegetarians and vegans on this board. Maybe you want to check out the veg threads?

Thanks for your reply, Fluffy!! Understood on all counts. As I mentioned in my reply to KT above, I'm not actually freaking out; more just jealous/annoyed. You know...ranting. . I know things will work and I've always understood it'll be my job, not the pouch's, to not eat like an a**hole. Thanks for the helpful explanation around the "fullness" feeling though. It's a hard thing to articulate, and it's good to hear it from a vet. I've also been a vegetarian for 9 years, so moving to solids seems like it'll be less of a transition for some reason. Although, I've been debating moving back to eating meat, because while definitely possible, eating whole foods as a veggie and hitting goals seems harder than if I incorporate some meat back in. Just something I'm thinking about.

I'm not a vegetarian but I find nuts incredibly easy to eat. In fact so easy that i have to be careful I don't overdo it.So I imagine that nuts will still be able to be part of your diet, just make sure you exercise good portion control.

I eat a lot of grains- steel cut oats, quinoa and tofu, I eat a lot of the morningstar burgers and meatless chicken- I also make green smoothies with spinach or kale and fruit- I eat a lot of beans, hummus, eggplant- I did a 21 day vegan challenge and kept with it- they issued a bunch of recipes and that helped a lot since it was all new to me- It was not and is not hard and I dont miss meat at all... I am always full and have to forcemyslef to eat most days but I feel 100% better overall... I eliminated dairy out of my diet but twice a month I eat string cheese or queso blanco and/or yogurt just for something different but I use almond milk or hazelnut milk daily. If we eat out and there are no vegetarian options I will eat fresh fish if I am not in the mood for a salad but that has been rare... and you have to be careful eating out- Texas Roadhouse has really good baked potatoes and sweet potatoes BUT they are cooked in bacon grease/fat- so not vegetarian and you wouldnt know unless you ask and ask and ask....