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I think she was saying it was a little late in the afternoon for her to post the reciepes. Not that it was to late for her to become a vegetarian.

Hi all, I just started the full liquids phase of my post-op diet, which includes days 6-14. I’m doing relatively well with everything in terms of getting my water and protein in, but switching to this full liquid phase has been difficult. I was really looking forward to tomato soup, but my nutritionist says to mix it with skim milk or soy milk, and the smell of those mixed together makes me want to vomit. I got down some earlier, but I can’t even stand to smell it now. I also tried cream of mushroom and it made me want to vomit as well. I’m so bummed because I was really looking forward to having something other than sweet protein shakes to drink. My full liquid diet includes skim milk or soy milk, strained cream soup with milk added for protein, protein powders, low sodium V8 (tried and it was meh), slimfast with protein, carnation instant breakfast no sugar added, and premier protein. Any suggestions on how to get some savory/salty flavors in during this part of my diet? Maybe I could have a little soup without adding additional protein and continuing to drink protein shakes during this phase to meet my goals? I have my one week post-op on Thursday, so I’ll ask my nutritionist then, but I wanted to get all y’all’s opinion in the meantime. Also, I’m vegetarian, so all the meat options are out! Thanks for any help!

Hi there, Why is dairy bad for you? I'm vegetarian and use organic humane dairy products as a source of Protein. I've always known things like cottage cheese to be good sources of nutrition and protein. Just wondering if I am missing something here...

I had an ex-girlfriend 15-20 years ago that was very into the raw food diet. She studied under Ann Wigmore. It was all about wheat grass, rejuvelac etc.. My ex was kind of a nut with a lot of food issues bordering on eating disorders. I was a vegetarian (not raw food) for 6 years or so. I put on weight as I seemed to have gained a growing fondness for Pasta, bread and other carbs which were my mental replacement for Protein. Once I started eating meat again I was even worse as then I just added a bunch of sausage into my giant bowl of pasta. That went well with a loaf of Italian bread. Not a very healthy way to live. With regard to the raw food diet I don't think it is very consistent with the band. It can be very hard on the digestive system as we depend upon cooking to help us properly break down food. With the band you also need to get the essential Proteins while eating only a limited amount of food. That would be VERY hard to achieve on a raw food diet. Hopefully the surgeons office where you were banded has a nutritionist on staff that works closely with you. I know mine does. You may want to consult with them to get better advice. Best of Luck to you

My Nut said it is perfectly fine. Focus on beans, peas, tofu, etc. There are also vegetarian and vegan protein supplements. She was very supportive. I am an animal rescuer so have thought about this for a while. Now that meat no longer agrees with me, I am moving that direction and am excited about it.

No one knows I'm doing this. It's funny, even though I don't qualify for regular insurance and even though I'm clearly obese no one would suspect that I, the quietly growing mushroom in the corner, would one day get on a flight to Mexico to have my stomach cut out. Maybe this is common for wealthy or extremely confident people. I read all the time about movie stars and other sparkly people jetting off to Rome or Cancun -- or what is it these days? Cabo San Lucas with only a bikini and a couple of syringes in a Prada bag but for me this is one gutsy, desperate, expensive, slightly terrifying thing I'm doing. I am not a good flyer. I am a bad flyer. When I get on an airplane I instantly begin to calculate the strength and the agility of the people around me to gauge whether they would be saveable or not if we rocketed into the ocean and it was up to me to get their infirm asses up to the surface and home to their yorkie, Funyons. I usually drink a lot on a flight but this will not be allowed eleven days from now because, as I mentioned, I will be having my stomach cut out the next day. I was just reading an article in the New York Times about the search for an incisionless solution to obesity. They're not having much luck. The fact is that even though twenty percent of people in the US would qualify for surgery, a number that's growing each year, no one's got much more of an answer than to cut your stomach out. I used to think there was some kind of special thing I was not personally doing and once I discovered it I would find myself in an instant size eight, but now I don't think so. I think consumer culture is trying to kill us. The problem is that as food gets cheaper to produce and there are more people on the planet, the quality of it all tanks. There are these places in the US called food deserts where you can't find a leaf of lettuce to save your life but Little Debbie, Hostess and Aunt Jemina are smiling from every shelf like spokesmodels for the apocalypse. I'm five ten and I weigh about 280. Seven years ago I went on the Atkins diet and lost all the weight: I zipped around in teen section jeans from Target and fell in love with a guy who didn't understand what it was taking me, what it had taken me to get to that point. He was a food nazi and a semi-vegetarian and he kept telling me everything I did was "unhealthy". I would work out an hour and a half a day, he told me I wasn't doing enough cardio. He would actually get redfaced over this stuff. His thing was, he was born naturally thin and he really paid very little attention to what he was supposed to be doing or eating, because being naturally thin, he was naturally healthy. I had to work at it. So he would go to work and graze from the Estrogen Bar set out by the office ladies and then come home and want to go out to eat. He loved restaurants.I would have to diet like crazy to keep up with this, and it finally got to the point where I would go off by myself, binge for a couple weeks, then spend the next couple weeks starving myself, and then reappear again, thin as ever. By the time we broke up I weighed about 240, up from a very happy 150 when we first met. During the breakup process, I put on forty more pounds. It was easy, it was instanteous. So for a while I gave up on the whole thing. I mean, how much heartbreak do you need to pack into an issue before you just check out and go for the pasta? I just kept buying bigger and bigger clothes. I didn't care, no one was ever going to love me again and I was now over 40. If I lived in the old country I could put on black robes and a veil and make everybody in the village dumplings every day. And then I realized something kind of odd. The reason we really broke up was because I was too fat for him already, when we met. I wasn't perfect then. I was a blank, doofus of an in-love slate to be improved upon, screamed and tantrummed at and *nothing* in the world would ever make me loveable enough for him. You really have to ask yourself in these moments if you want to live or die, because I had been almost intentionally, systematically destroying myself for a couple of years. But I didn't have the heart for another diet. Atkins wasn't working the way it had for one thing and my life and my body had changed in the past seven years. I had started smoking again. Seven years ago people were saying my god you're so thin how are you doing this you look like a different person just beautiful where is the rest of you? I'm ashamed I'm all the way back where I was then. I don't like to go out where people can see me and compare my old self to my new self. I hate the whole thing. For a while I just decided to be fat. I would walk around asking myself, am I loveable this way? Am I really disqualified from society because of a hundred pounds? It's still a good question, right? Then for a while I tried to do a Geneen Roth thing and "just eat normally". The problem is, for me, eating normally means I gain forty pounds in six months. It would take a year to get back there if I got there at all. I need help, that's just all there is to it. I am not going to count, measure, starve, obsess, and do all that, live on the edge of anxiety all the time worried that I'll somehow destroy my life if i have a piece of cake, only to gain it *all* back anyway in a moment of weakness. There has to be a better way. I really hope this is the way. I'm so sick of this now. It's enough already.

A bit long but very funny! FROM: Patricia Harris, Human Resources Director TO: All Employees DATE: 4th DECEMBER RE: Christmas Party I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd, starting at noon in the private function room at the Grill House. There will be a cash bar and plenty of drinks! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols...please feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if the Managing Director shows up dressed as Santa Claus! A Christmas tree will be lit at 1.00 p.m. Exchange of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over 10.00 to make the giving of gifts easy for everyone's pockets. This gathering is only for employees! The Managing Director will make a special announcement at the Party. Merry Christmas to you and your Family Patricia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FROM: Patricia Harris, Human Resources Director TO: All Employees DATE: 5th December RE: Holiday Party In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Chanukah is an important holiday, which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year. However, from now on we're calling it our ' Holiday Party.' The same policy applies to any other employees who are not Christians. There will be no Christmas tree or Christmas carols sung. We will have other types of music for your enjoyment. Happy now? Happy Holidays to you and your family, Patricia. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FROM; Patricia Harris, Human Resources Director TO: All Employees DATE : 6th December RE: Holiday Party Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table...you didn't sign your name. I'm happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads, "AA Only," you wouldn't be anonymous anymore!!!! How am I supposed to handle this? Somebody? Forget about the gift exchange, no gift exchange allowed now since the Union Officials feel that 10.00 is too much money and Management believe 10.00 is a little cheap. NO GIFT EXCHANGE WILL BE ALLOWED. Patricia. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FROM: Patricia Harris, Human Resources Director TO: All Employees DATE: 7th December RE: Holiday Party What a diverse group we are! I had no idea that December 20th begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during day l i ght hours. There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon at this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs, perhaps the Grill House can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party - or else package everything up for you to take home in a little foil doggy bag. Will that work? Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Weight Watchers to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women will get the table closest to the toilets, Gays are allowed to sit with each other, Lesbians do not have to sit with gay men, each will have their own table. Yes, there will be flower arrangements for the gay men's table, too. To the person asking permission to cross dress - no cross dressing allowed. And No, no blow-up sheep. We will have booster seats for short people. Low fat food will be available for those on a diet. We cannot control the salt used in the food. We suggest those people with high blood pressure taste the food first. There will be fresh fruits as dessert for Diabetics, the restaurant cannot supply "No Sugar" Desserts. Sorry! Did I miss anything?!?!?!?!?! Patricia. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FROM: Patricia Harris , Human Resources Director TO: All F*****G Employees DATE: 8th December RE: The ******** Holiday Party. Vegetarian pricks I've had it with you people!!! We're going to keep this party at the Grill House whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death", as you so quaintly put it. You'll get your f****** salad bar, including organic tomatoes, but you know tomatoes have feeling, too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them scream right NOW!! Hope you all have a rotten holiday * drink, drive, and die! The Bitch from HELL!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FROM: John Bishop - Acting Human Resources Director DATE: 12th December RE: Patricia Harris and Holiday Party I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patricia a speedy recovery, and I'll continue to forward your cards to her. In the meantime, Management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and instead, give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd December off with full pay.

What a great resource list! I'll definitely be ordering a few books to add to my collection. I've been wanting to move off meat to a more (if only) vegetarian diet, so these will be really beneficial for me.

You still need to get protein in if you are vegan, though--that is the biggest challenge, especially from the standpoint of the volume we can eat with the sleeve, and another layer of complexity if you want to try to stay low carb. That is the only reason I haven't made the move from vegetarian to vegan yet. I am wondering if I will try it sooner rather than later or wait until I am on maintenance. I've been a vegetarian for most of my adult life (20+ years) and have never had any issues with B12 deficiency, iron deficiency, etc. I have taken a sublingual B12 most of that time, which seems to help, and I get most of my vitamins (like iron) from veggies such as dark leafy greens. On VSG, the green smoothies are probably more realistic than eating the large volume of salads, etc.

They'll give you LOTS of info about the 1200 calorie diet and it includes vegetarian options too. Most of Richmond is a bad area, but luckily Kaiser is pretty easy to find. When you take the San Pable/Barrett exit turn right at the light. Go down about 4 miles, it seems FOREVER but it's okay. You'll see Kaiser on your left, it's an older building and doesn't look like a hospital. Turn left and then the next right and it'll take you right to the parking garage. Just don't take ANY turns for about 4 miles. That's where I went wrong. :rolleyes2: Stay on Barrett.

Hi Riley! I don't know about the way you're having to do it. Seems different in a small way for all of us. I saw my PCP, he sent me to seminar and then I started a 20 session class. We were weighed at seminar and that was our starting weight. I can't see it being much different for you. That's when you start working on your 10%. Don't start before they weigh you! Search on here for vegetarians. I know there are a lot on here. I'm pretty sure I've seen threads for it. You should be okay as long as your getting your protein in. My classes were all about teaching us all over again, how to eat, count calories, etc. In my area they put you on a 1200 calories a day diabetic diet. We had to work to get down to the 1200 throughout the class and they weighed us each class and that's how they tracked how we were doing. Best wishes!

As I'm sitting here eating on my lunch break, I decided I should start a blog. I was banded 12/10/07, and have only had two fills. I'm not sure exactly how much I was filled, but my doctor told me that my band was already filled slightly when it was put in. After my 1st fill in January, I didn't have too much restriction, so when I went in for my 2nd fill, they filled me up well! So well, that I felt I really didn't need a fill until recently. I still have food getting stuck, but it totally depends. One day, I can get by without anything getting stuck, the next, I drink water and it feels like it's stuck! I understand this is a common feeling with most of us bandsters. I lost 14 pds pre-op (started 239), and 25 pounds post-op. Over the summer, I went about 3 months where I didn't lose / didn't gain. I stopped logging in here and reading posts - this is what usually keeps me motivated. In September, I finally started losing again and I've lost 13 pounts since then. I've been hovering around 200-201 for the past week and it's killing me! I can't wait until I'm in onederland, but no matter what I do, it's not changing! Forty pounds doesn't seem like a lot when I read posts about people who started around my weight / same time, who've lost 60-70! But then I remind myself that I'd be 10-15 pounds heavier then when I started this process, and 40 pounds is a lot of weight! One year from now, hopefully I'll be blogging about how I'm at goal. My skinny friends / younger sister will go out to eat with me, and always notice that they eat so much more then I do. It was pretty much like this before I had the band too, I have a very sloow metabolism, and my Doctor told me that because of this, it's going to be extra difficult for me. I've been a vegetarian for 10 years, who yes, occassionally would eat fast food, and snack, but ate pretty similar to other people my age - only they were much thinner. Most women my age (I'm 25 by the way) burn close to 2,000 calories with a sedendary lifestyle. So eating, 1,300 - 1,500 calories a day is a diet and they'll lose weight. I burn 1,400, in order for me to lose weight, my doctor advised I must eat 1,000 calories a day. 1,000!!! When I stay on this plan, I lose, but slowly and then my skinny sister thinks I'm anorexic! After being accused of being anorexic, I'll start eating more just to prove that I am most definitely not and then I stay fat. Has anyone had a similar experience? With all the above, I guess 40 pounds is pretty impressive although I don't feel any thinner. A few years ago, I lost 40 pounds (only weighed 180 then), and I suddenly felt so exposed. At 180, I would show off some cleavage, or be outgoing and crazy, I guess for attention, but at 140, I would wear turtlenecks, and was quieter, and I was still getting so much attention, it sorta freaked me out. I would wear baggy sweatshirts and jeans out, which is so not like me. It was then that I stopped working-out, and caring about what I ate again, and the weight crept back on + 50 more pounds! Has anyone felt that they've subconsciously sabotaged themselves because they couldn't identify with the person they were on the outside compared to the person on the inside? I feel as if I'm past this now, and am ready to change the inside to match the out. I still know that even at 140 pds (goal), I'm going to look in the mirror and see a fat person. I know from experience, when I did weigh 140, I felt I was this fat person who was decieving everyone by being thin on the outside. Does this make any sense? I would meet a guy, and we'd end up kissing or something, and I'd think "If he only knew he was actually kissing a fat girl!" And I know it sounds / is crazy, and I knew it at the time, it was a subconscious feeling I couldn't shake. But I definitely agree that being thin and healthy outweighs the above "cons." And having been there, and back, I'm going to be much wiser and give in to my fears and embrace my thin beautiful healthy self. When I went to get my lunch from the office fridge, I passed by our super skinny, gorgeous secretary munching on Funions. I pulled out my healthy meager little lunch and was sad for a second, but then I realized, I am not that person, I'll never be that person. We are all made differently and we need to stop comparing ourselves to other people and getting angry for what we don't have. I'll bet there is someone who feels that way about me? Somewhere in the world :angry_smile:. Sorry to be so scattered and throw so many thoughts in one post, it's my first one! I had a lot to say. :cursing: xoxo, Michelle:thumbup:

As I'm sitting here eating on my lunch break, I decided I should start a blog. I was banded 12/10/07, and have only had two fills. I'm not sure exactly how much I was filled, but my doctor told me that my band was already filled slightly when it was put in. After my 1st fill in January, I didn't have too much restriction, so when I went in for my 2nd fill, they filled me up well! So well, that I felt I really didn't need a fill until recently. I still have food getting stuck, but it totally depends. One day, I can get by without anything getting stuck, the next, I drink water and it feels like it's stuck! I understand this is a common feeling with most of us bandsters. I lost 14 pds pre-op (started 239), and 25 pounds post-op. Over the summer, I went about 3 months where I didn't lose / didn't gain. I stopped logging in here and reading posts - this is what usually keeps me motivated. In September, I finally started losing again and I've lost 13 pounts since then. I've been hovering around 200-201 for the past week and it's killing me! I can't wait until I'm in onederland, but no matter what I do, it's not changing! Forty pounds doesn't seem like a lot when I read posts about people who started around my weight / same time, who've lost 60-70! But then I remind myself that I'd be 10-15 pounds heavier then when I started this process, and 40 pounds is a lot of weight! One year from now, hopefully I'll be blogging about how I'm at goal. My skinny friends / younger sister will go out to eat with me, and always notice that they eat so much more then I do. It was pretty much like this before I had the band too, I have a very sloow metabolism, and my Doctor told me that because of this, it's going to be extra difficult for me. I've been a vegetarian for 10 years, who yes, occassionally would eat fast food, and snack, but ate pretty similar to other people my age - only they were much thinner. Most women my age (I'm 25 by the way) burn close to 2,000 calories with a sedendary lifestyle. So eating, 1,300 - 1,500 calories a day is a diet and they'll lose weight. I burn 1,400, in order for me to lose weight, my doctor advised I must eat 1,000 calories a day. 1,000!!! When I stay on this plan, I lose, but slowly and then my skinny sister thinks I'm anorexic! After being accused of being anorexic, I'll start eating more just to prove that I am most definitely not and then I stay fat. Has anyone had a similar experience? With all the above, I guess 40 pounds is pretty impressive although I don't feel any thinner. A few years ago, I lost 40 pounds (only weighed 180 then), and I suddenly felt so exposed. At 180, I would show off some cleavage, or be outgoing and crazy, I guess for attention, but at 140, I would wear turtlenecks, and was quieter, and I was still getting so much attention, it sorta freaked me out. I would wear baggy sweatshirts and jeans out, which is so not like me. It was then that I stopped working-out, and caring about what I ate again, and the weight crept back on + 50 more pounds! Has anyone felt that they've subconsciously sabotaged themselves because they couldn't identify with the person they were on the outside compared to the person on the inside? I feel as if I'm past this now, and am ready to change the inside to match the out. I still know that even at 140 pds (goal), I'm going to look in the mirror and see a fat person. I know from experience, when I did weigh 140, I felt I was this fat person who was decieving everyone by being thin on the outside. Does this make any sense? I would meet a guy, and we'd end up kissing or something, and I'd think "If he only knew he was actually kissing a fat girl!" And I know it sounds / is crazy, and I knew it at the time, it was a subconscious feeling I couldn't shake. But I definitely agree that being thin and healthy outweighs the above "cons." And having been there, and back, I'm going to be much wiser and give in to my fears and embrace my thin beautiful healthy self. When I went to get my lunch from the office fridge, I passed by our super skinny, gorgeous secretary munching on Funions. I pulled out my healthy meager little lunch and was sad for a second, but then I realized, I am not that person, I'll never be that person. We are all made differently and we need to stop comparing ourselves to other people and getting angry for what we don't have. I'll bet there is someone who feels that way about me? Somewhere in the world :mad2:. Sorry to be so scattered and throw so many thoughts in one post, it's my first one! I had a lot to say. :wub: xoxo, Michelle:thumbup:

I was a vegetarian also and slowly working my way back I eat mostly fish as a source of non plant protein but here's a list of plant based sources : Lentils 1cup 18g protein Black beans 1cup 14.5g Sunflower seeds 1cup 31g Tempeh 1cup 31g Quinoa(cooked) 1 cup 8g Egg 7g protein Cottage cheese 4 oz 13g Edamame 1 cup 18g Greek yogurt 5.3oz 13g Hummus 4 tbsp 5g protein Spinach (cooked) 1 cup 6g Tofu 1/2 cup 11g protein Sources : Weightloss surgery for dummies cookbook The everything after weightloss surgery cookbook

Mashed beans, lentils and tofu are all soft foods. Basically, if you can cut it easily with a fork, it is considered a soft food. In fact, other than raw veggies, I can't think of anything vegetarian that wouldn't be considered a soft food. I was actually eating tofu, hummus and refried beans in my pureed stage. However, I'd stay away from the mashed potatoes unless you are adding unflavored protein powder to them. Otherwise they are just empty carbs. and feel free to continue drinking protein shakes if you need to in order to get your 60-80g of protein in. I drank them regularly for several years.

I had the Sleeve surgery on 11/23/16. As of now, I'm still on purée foods. On January 4, I will advance to a regular diet. Now, before I say this, I want to be clear that I am going to follow the doctor's food plan. All three doctors at the office have told me the same thing, so it must be a plan that works. With all that said, I am curious how many of your doctors' have told y'all not to count Protein or calories or worry about numbers? My doctors all said to focus on Beans, fruits, and veggies....or as they also said, Fiber FIBER FIBER (lol). I'm still allowed to eat meats, as long as long as beans, fruits, and veggies take up the majority of the meal/day. Also, I can still have rice, Pasta, bread, and tortillas (all whole grain, with the exception of corn tortillas occasionally). They recommend the program (which has 3 books, 1 being a cookbook) called Forks Over Knives, which is a plant-based meal program. Some of the recipes look awesome, but from what I've skimmed through and seen, it is vegetarian. I don't have to go by the book totally. But they said absolutely no counting because it is not necessary and they don't want this to feel like a diet because looking at it as a diet can cause failure, so not to stress it. What plans do you follow? Is anyone's similar to what I will be following? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

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I am also a vegetarian and I have yet to have my first fill. I have had almonds almost everyday to help with extra protein. According to my doc you can have nuts. Now... once you have your fills you might be careful with new foods like nuts to make sure that they go down ok. Also, I have my Designer whey protein a few times a week. (2 scoop because it is like over 30 grams of protein) I think the reason people don't suggest the protein shakes because it doesn't sit in your smaller stomach it is a fluid that goes through more quickly. I figure if that is only 200 calories a day for the 2 scoops and I get in that much protein I ensure that my body will work better. I am not sure as a heavy woman that I got enough protein because I was so drawn to carbs. Just my perspective! Good luck to you!

Protein doesn't have to be meat. Where do you think vegetarians get it from? Not calcium either. A variety of legumes, pulses and beans will give you a good protein intake. Also, we don't need to have as much protein in our diet as most people think. Shouldn't be more than the size of your own palm.

Had to work a night shift last night - so grrrrrrr! 3am - refried Beans with cheese and salsa 6 oz of Dr. Pepper 5pm - spicy tofu/veggie stirfry with about 3 bites of steamed rice at a vegetarian restaurant 9pm snack - 1 slice of Provolone cheese Totally weird food day - Water no good, exercise no good. Tomorrow needs to be better

The Band has changed my life.......I am one of those people who never count calories, nor do I ever measure/weigh food portions.....(I did i the first 6 months) I reached my weight loss goal in 12 months.... What I do do, is live a new life...with eating totally under control...... I have many friends who are normal weight, enjoy eating/drinking things in life, and you NEVER hear them complain about dieting, counting calories, etc etc.... What you do notice is that they NEVER make total pigs of themselves, as a matter of fact they do not eat all that much at all!!! You will also observe they have very active lifestyles, filled with things like cross country cycling, hiking, running, kayaking...etc, etc.... My skinny fit friends are all also very health conscious, many vegetarians, never eat junk, into organic foods, no sugars, no artificial crap..... THIS IS THE LIFESTYLE I NOW LIVE....Dieting is a dirty word!!! The only difference between me and those who are normal weight, healthy and fit and non banded, is that in the background I have the band still in charge (not a tool) and dictating my eating behaviors. And no one needs to know this.....otherwise I am one of them.... Yes, I had to complete the lap band journey first, had to get my band properly adjusted enduring many stuck/slime episodes to get there, had to learn new eating lessons, had to learn to give up certain foods, had to learn to "Listen" to my band and stop eating when it is time to stop eating....also I had to get my band properly adjusted to where I am not only in the Green, Bug after being there for over a year I have found my "Groove", my "New Lifestyle" As long as the band is there, with no complications, I HAVE NO FEAR of ever gaining weight EVER AGAIN....... I read posts from people who say they have failed and gained all their weight back....I scratch my head and wonder if they were ever there in the first place, and were just on another diet with the band being nothing more than playing a small part in their process......(a tool) Of Course, medical problems are a different issue...... I am happy to say, along with my new life, I have no current medical conditions or concerns....Once upon a time I had diabetes with daily insulin injections, high blood pressure, cholesterol, lipids, you name it....all that went away as my life and weight changed.... I also suffered from Coronary Artery Disease, had one heart Attack resulting in Heart Surgery....but now I have no side affects, running 5 miles a day with no shortness of breath.....like my cardiologist said after my last nuclear stress test, I am as healthy as someone 30 years younger.... So, I am happy to say that I have completely and successfully traveled through the Lap band Journey, coming out on the other side a new person with a new lifestyle. BTW, with my new way of living, I have NOT gained one single pound, nor have I gotten stuck/slimed in about a year now....... I'm not loosing weight anymore either, as was explained to me my body will stop loosing when it feel it wants to, when there is nothing left to loose - Low Body Fat %.....and mine is very low..... So you see....there is a life after Lap band....Once you learn all your lessons, loose all the weight, learn to let the band do what it was designed to do, you can come out the other side a different person....but it is up to you to make the hard decisions, and not back down as I see so many people do..... I read all the posts here from other people talking about Dieting, counting calories, measuring food....are you allowed to do this or that????......I keep my mouth shut, knowing I was there in the first 6 months also.......... 80%, if not more, of the members on this forum are either just starting out, or still getting through their weight loss......so you see it is hard to take part in many discussions.....but I do belong to other groups, on in particular, that are smaller made up of people in a more advanced stage...that keeps me sane....

Thanks so much for the responses! Per my surgeon, the only restrictions I’ve had since week 4 are to stay under 40g of carbs per day, hit 70-90g of protein, and drink at least 64oz of water - no calorie guidance at all. I do eat protein first and I have stuck with lean meats (chicken mostly). I’ve also added some vegan/vegetarian options, just to give myself some variety. I log everything, including my fluid intake, on MyFitnessPal. I have only had cashews a few times because they are a trigger food for me but I’ve only reached for them at the end of the day when starving already. I definitely feel full after smaller portion sizes than before but I can easily eat 2 eggs at a time, for example, or a 1/2 cup of food. I’m going to try to add some screenshots from MFP, not sure how it’ll work so bear with me! The first is my average for the past 7 days. The next 3 are a typical day (yesterday), and the last 3 are a bad day (Monday) in which I was so hungry at the end of the day that I ended up having some Saltines for the first time since surgery. Besides the Saltines, does anything jump out at anyone? 😏

It's so weird how different programs work. In mine, after a month which is phase 3 for me, they have provided the list of all kinds of food including bread, pasta, rice and that too white rice. We can eat all kinds of grains as long as we can tolerate. It kinda petrifies me since we are always told to stay away from carbs during weight loss. Of course we are asked to eat Protein first then vegetables, fruits and carbs come last. I'll try to include little at a time and try not to have too many carbs in my mela especially since my protein comes from heavy carb laden whole foods (vegetarian and all, and no protein powder on my program).

Hi all, thanks for the continued thoughts. I'm very much encouraged by your experiences. I definitely will log for at least 6 months, and will probably keep track of Protein for ever, as I am a vegetarian. (I don't know how I marked this "answered" -- I'm new on this forum and must have pushed the wrong button.) I'll keep reading every response, and following this forum. It's so enlightening and encouraging.

I make sure I get about 70-90 grams of protein a day. A lot of protein shakes. I'm a vegetarian so I'm challenged! I feel so tired daily and I wonder if I'm missing something? I think I will go to the doctor and have my labs ran. Any suggestions? Oh I'm 2.5 weeks post op. I wonder if its hypoglycemic?