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Absolutely. I've been a vegetarian for about 30 years. I've lost track of exactly how long. Wasn't an issue pre-sleeve and hasn't been an issue post-sleeve.

I am not a vegetarian or vegan but in our pre-op classes the dietitian told us that it would definitely be possible to be a vegetarian and have the sleeve however it would be harder to get all of your protein in. She said that as for vegan that it would be impossible to do after having any type of gastric surgery.

Any vegetarians or vegan sleevers? Is it impossible and crazy to even think I could stay vegetarian post-op?

Wait are you talking to me? Saying I'm ridiculous? That I'm not getting 100g of protein a day? Who are you to say that??? In that total I include 20g from either one Protein shake or bar a day (I don't agree with you that the body passes most of that out and I have science to support that claim, but feel free to disagree that's what makes the world interesting) the rest is from food. You may eat less than 4oz of meat a day, great! You may use vegetarian/vegan protein sources, great! You may get a lot less protein a day than I do, great! I am not saying we all need 100g I am just saying that is MY average and it's far from a harmful level (though there def is a harmful level). We are all different and different things work for each of us. Please don't call me ridiculous. I'm not judging whether you are right or wrong about whether we need to count this stuff. I don't count it most days myself, just once in a while out of curiosity. Most days I eat 3-6oz of lean meat, at least one greek yogert, some cheese, nuts or nut butter, Beans and legumes, and yes one protein shake or bar. I eat a varied balanced diet with YES aprox 100g of protein. I work out a LOT--marathon training (I've run three halfs in 2015 so far), yoga 4-6 hours a week and swimming and bicycling to keep up for my upcoming triathlons. I have 18% body fat. This is what works FOR ME. To claim you know what is best for everyone, THAT is ridiculous.

No sushi...I cannot tolerate rice.... Chinese and Thai take-out is a favorite food for me...although I stopped eating meat, and breaded and fried things such as general tso's chicken are not very band friendly for me...too hard and rough. Low mein and similar are out because I cannot tolerate the noodles - (pasta) But there is a lot of chicken, fish and vegetarian choices....What I do bring home, I will dissect and pick out the things I can eat, mix it with 1 spoonful of rice, (can hardly tell it's there) and wind up throwing 50% of it away..and with that I am still unable to finish it and save it for the next day. I also like Chow mein, because that is green vegetables and cooked soft. again no rice. And I usually get a Soup, but that goes in the fridge for later. You are one month post-op, and although it's good to hear what other people can or cannot eat, everyone is a little different because everyone's band is adjusted differently. There is much I could eat when I was one month out, than what I can eat today...it's a learning curve people have to discover for themselves, unfortunately through some stuck episodes... I think I know where I'm stopping on the way home from work tonight.

Hello everyone! I want to be completely honest and say it's now quite yet two months, March 13th 2015 will be the two month anniversary! For those who are thinking or about to get the surgery, I'll answer questions. For those who have had the surgery, I hope my post inspires you to work smarter not harder! After all, eating right and exercising is a lot easier than waiting for the weight to drop! Let me start off by saying, there will be days that it absolutely sucks. You'll wake up in the morning and not feel hungry. You'll end up going the whole day without eating or drinking without a constant reminder. This isn't healthy! So make sure you add post-its, or something. I had my surgery January 13, 2015 at a little past 9 in the morning. First person to be on the table! When I came to, I jolted. The nurses had been talking to me and I fell asleep on them, so my body jump started. Now, at this point, I recommend you relax. When I was wiggling around, trying to find the nurses who were in surgery with me, I got extreme heartburn. It was my body's way of saying, "Stop! I hurt!" I ended up being put under from pain medication~ Not exactly under, I could hear and respond. My eyes just didn't want to open the first day. That was until the bathroom break came a long! It took over 45 minutes just to tinkle and since I moved (standing up, sitting down, etc) it caused motion sickness. So dry heaving isn't fun! Trust me. When they began to introduce liquids to me while in the hospital, I only could manage a tablespoon of popsicle juice three times a day. The rest of my fluids came from the IV - so naturally my body couldn't take anything else. At this point, it'll suck more! You'll be asked to walk around, or at least my night nurse asked me. We'd walk around the nurses station! Instead of letting me suffer in silence, she looked around my room and saw that I liked comics. She kept me entertained by asking me about the new Avengers movie that was coming out, what I was doing this summer, etc. So, a good conversation with someone other than family is nice! Your nurses are there for you and it doesn't hurt to strike up a conversation. Liquids were easy at first, I got in one shake a day (my mother upped my Protein in the shakes to about 30g) with 4 glasses of tall Water. It wasn't until the soft foods came into play (which has been just recently) that I started having eating issues. I've read that some women develop eating disorders after surgery, which I've been talking to my doctor about. I cannot stand the sight, smell, or taste of anything cooked or that has touched something with oil. Fast food is automatically out of the question, its hard! I took a bite of McDonalds bacon from my little sister's plate. Ended up throwing up from a nibble. So my doctor suggested going to less fattening alternatives. So I eat mostly fruits, about: A Fuji apple, 2 strawberries, about 10 rasberries&Blueberries&Blackberries, a plum, and a small cube (from the cube cheese bag) of cheese a day. Then you add about a 16 oz glass of water, 4 oz of apple juice, and about 2 oz of unsweetened tea. It's hard to eat or drink without feeling sick to my stomach. This might seem negative, but it helps put into light of what I use to eat and drink in a day. I'm eating healthier, although not as much as my doctor would like (he ended up giving me more Vitamins and weekly checkups with a vegetarian/vegan food counselor), however I'm proud of my process. I've dropped so much weight that my clothes are baggy. Clothes that were tight in areas~ I might be more tired due to my diet, but when I'm at the gym, I feel alive. I'm not sluggish, I feel great. This surgery isn't for everyone. It sucks on most days, but for the years to come its worth it. Now some advice for my younger ladies (I'm turning 21 soon) or women who are still having their period. This is going to suck the most. You'll bleed longer, or more, etc. It'll change your cycle completely. Just remember to take your vitamins and possibly some advil for your new found cramps.

Regular as rain. I poo at least once a day. I had my first BM on the 3 day I after I came home from the hospital. My doctor started me on stool softeners in the hospital. I was on them for 30 days and haven't needed any assistance since. I'm vegetarian so a lot of my Protein also comes from plant based sources that are also high in fiber like Beans so that may be helping. I do notice on the days when I can also get in green leafy veg or salads along with exercise and plenty of Water, I am even more regular. On those days I may go twice.

She's not talking about a vegetarian or vegan diet. OP is talking about some extreme "fruit & veg diet".

I am mostly vegetarian --trying to be vegan. I feel bad drinking all Tia milk and whey products lately since the surgery. You can get Protein through vegetarian diets. Just make sure you make your soy Protein shakes and eat veg that contain most amount of Proteins. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/high-protein-vegetables Good luck!

**** UPDATE**** Whooooeeeeeee!!! I went to see my lap band doctor today 30 days since I first saw him! He weighed me and ......I have Lost 12 pounds!!!! ***Happy dances around room**** Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!! This is fabulous!! It means I am really getting the hang of the lap band & how to use it!!! He is the most amazing doctor!! I told him everything I was doing, how I was experimenting as to what food I could eat, how I stayed away from slider foods. How its ALL about the Chewing! How I eat Protein first then veggies then left over stuff. I am doing vegetarian (NOT a diet, it's a life style change) I like vegetarian food the most so that is what I am changing my lifestyle eating to There ya have it! 2nd time IS the charm! I have learned how to use the band!!! Yah!!! There are foods I've had to give up I looooove Chinese food...but it doesn't love the band...so I gave up on that..rice doesn't like the band either which means any sushi I want to eat can take like oh an hour to chew enough to get a piece down so for now I've given up that too ... let alone trying to chew the seaweed! That's my update for now! I only weigh myself 1x per month so it will be another 30 days before I know weight loss again. Meanwhile I shall continue with what I've been doing!

You are eating more on the vegan style which means no diary or animal products. I am vegetarian so I do dairy products but no meat,fish however I love premier protein shakes. Now to answer your question you will have yo rely on vegetables, beans and go to a health food store and ask for non dairy protein shakes, non dairy cheese which I Love hope this help

Don't be discouraged!! I will be getting my sleeve done tomorrow and I have found a plethora of products to fulfill the Protein requirements. whey protein is good, legumes, almond milk, etc. I am also a vegetarian, and I think as such you really need to put a plan in place along with a strong commitment to hitting those requirments.

@@BLERDgirl is a vegetarian and she's been very successful but I would think eggs and dairy would be a big part of protein for a vegetarian and if you are eliminating those this will be very difficult for you to meet protein requirements once you move on from shakes. Hopefully she can offer some more advice. Sorry, I'm a total omnivore.

Hi everyone, I am brand new to this forum. I'm trying to find as much info as possible before signing up to get sleeved. Here is my major concern: as a vegetarian, I don't eat very much Protein. It was actually when I became a vegetarian that I started to gain weight because all I seem to eat is carbs and cheese. In addition to meat, I don't eat eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, and I don't drink milk. I'm just a weird eater. I have no idea how I would be able to get enough protein in my diet after the surgery??? Protein shakes would be great...but what else? Is anyone else here a vegetarian or do you know of a vegetarian who had this surgery done? Thanks in advance!!

I've only told some people about looking into surgery. My mom, although supportive, said things like "well, I know your Dad's main problem is he reads when he eats." Um, Dad is more obese than I am. I have a BMI of 40, he's got to be at least 50. He didn't get that way JUST from reading at some of his meals, mom. She said it like, well, if I would just make sure I don't read while I eat (and I do, sometimes), I'd lose all the weight. No, no I wouldn't. Hell, I've tried it. I'e done the mindfullness things. I've done EVERYTHING. Another favorite was the "have you done the whole 30 yet?" from a friend. Yes, I've done paleo. I lost 15lbs. Then started gaining again, while still eating paelo and even when getting more strict. I've also done vegetarian, vegan, atkins, weight watchers, and Jenny Craig. Or, "have you thought about _______ exercise equipment?" I have a gym membership. At one point I was working out 6 days a week. For an hour at a time. Exercise won't fix this, especially now that my feet hurt and cramp every time I try. I did walk 45 minutes on the treadmill yesterday, and even at a slower speed that i used to use my knee was tender the rest of the day, and my feet were sore later. Heck, if it was about exercise just carrying around an extra 100lbs should be burning all sorts of calories! Basically, I get it. I need to eat well and move more. But if that alone did the trick, I'd be thin. For whatever reason, my body doesn't respond right. Gut microbes or plastic pollution or hormones, who knows. But even when I was on my feet lifting 40lb animals and such for 10 hours a day as a vet tech I lost all of 5lbs, then put on 30lbs. If I didn't need surgery, I wouldn't get surgery. (not to mention there is ZERO evidence that anything works on obese patients other than surgery)

I love sushi too but I think I will skip the rice part of it . I am not remotely interested in being a vegetarian I cant stand kale or quinoa. I prefer the Pure Protein chocolate shakes first thing in the morning. 35 grams of protein. My NUT told me to avoid the whey protein so I don't bother with it. I don't like anything raw and since my stomach is still suffering with this reflux, I wont risk it with raw food. I will be trying asparagus and cauliflower today so I will see how it goes.

Not true. I'm a vegetarian. Easily 75% of what I eat contains fiber. I have been eating them since day 1. When I was all liquid I would make a bean Soup. I also added a bit of spinach to my Protein drinks and Soups. As for vegetables try what you like. Just allow time to see if you body reacts negatively before adding anything else new. I have been enjoying small green salads since 6 weeks out. As for grains, I don't eat white rice, but I have had brown rice and quinoa with no issues. I have never had constipation or diarrhea. I had my first BM 3 days after coming home from the hospital and I've been regular ever since.

Hey BariatricPal Members! Spring is just around the corner, and it’s time to shake off the cobwebs and plan a little spring cleaning. If your diet and exercise routine need a little cleaning up, too, you’re in luck. This newsletter can get you motivated to get back on your feet so you’ll be all set for spring break. Here’s what you’ll find this month. Polls ‘n’ More: Your Opinion Matters Member Spotlight: Meet TheRealMeIsHere! Something to Celebrate in March So, take a few minutes to read the newsletter. Then log on to BariatricPal so you can give your opinions about it and talk about whatever else is on your mind. An army of BariatricPal members is waiting to help you out on your weight loss surgery journey, so don’t be a stranger. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Polls ‘n’ More: Your Opinion Matters BariatricPal is a pretty busy place, between the polls, other conversations, and member blogs and photo galleries. Not sure where to start? Here are a couple of places where your opinion is especially valuable! Something to Help You Decide About Weight Loss Surgery We asked members about their complications after weight loss surgery, and it turned into a hot topic! This poll may help you make your decision if you’re still up in the air about getting weight loss surgery or if you’re not sure which type is for you. Hint: the answers are pretty encouraging! Interested in answering and reading other members’ answers to more polls? Go to the BariatricPal Polls Forum and chime in! Should BariatricPal Launch an Online Store? BariatricPal is here to help you through your weight loss surgery journey. The social part is a big deal, and that’s what the forums and other parts of the community are for. But the diet is also important, and BariatricPal may be able to help out with that, too. We are thinking about opening an online store to sell bariatric nutritional products at competitive prices. Before we do, we need to know whether you like that idea. Please let us know what you think and give us your suggestions! You can either post on this thread or PM Alex Brecher. Thanks! 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 powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >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 The RealMeIsHere! This month’s member spotlight is on TheRealMeIsHere from Ferndale, New York. She spent most of her life bouncing between 115 and 275 pounds. Life was great when she was closer to 115 pounds – she had energy and confidence. At her higher weight, she sat on the couch a lot, drank, ate, and talked on the phone. TheRealMeIsHere was not able to lose weight on healthy diets, and she developed eating disorders. She was anorexic and bulimic at times. When she gained weight, she developed high blood pressure and severe sleep apnea. She stopped breathing nearly 50 times an hour! Her orthopedic conditions kept her in pain and prevented her from moving much, turning it into a vicious cycle. When TheRealMeIsHere got health insurance, she researched weight loss surgery. She chose the gastric sleeve because of its permanence – unlike the lap-band. She also liked the fact that it did not cause malabsorption since she has ulcerative colitis. She got the surgery in 2012, as soon as her insurance covered it. TheRealMeIsHere just had her two-year surgiversary – and what a difference two years makes! She has maintained her weight at 115 pounds. Her sleep apnea and hypertension have diminished, and her energy has exploded. Other great moments have been realizing that she had the ability to get back to the weight she wanted, and getting a panniculectomy/abdominoplasty after reaching goal weight. food does not control her, but she still loves it and is able to enjoy in healthy ways. Instead of acting on every craving, she might make sleeve-friendly versions of her favorites. She loves salads and lean meats, and thinks of cauliflower as the “chameleon” vegetable that “can masquerade as Pasta, pizza crust, bread, or potatoes.” She delights in tricking guests with her healthy dishes. TheRealMeIsHere has figured out how to enjoy restaurant outing within her gastric sleeve diet restrictions. From the beginning, getting enough liquids and protein was difficult. She could not drink much without cramping, and she did not start hitting her 80 daily grams of protein until 18 months post-surgery. Her stomach was so small it was difficult to eat enough, so she had to stick to nothing but high-protein foods. TheRealMeIsHere was definitely grateful to be able to eat salads again! She mostly eats meats and vegetables now, and her sleeve holds about ¾ to 1 cup of food. She found out recently – the hard way – that eating too much still gives her severe diarrhea and cramps. Not worth it! TheRealMeIsHere came to BariatricPal before surgery to see success stories, learn about concerns, and look at pictures. Later, the site helped keep her focused on the goal and get feedback when needed. She also finds it helpful to answer others’ questions. TheRealMeIsHere has some tips for other weight loss surgery patients. Follow your surgeon’s and nutritionist’s guidelines. Keep your carbohydrate intake low. Stay hydrated. Stick with an exercise routine by being specific about your goals. Acknowledge and fix your mistakes. Use the surgery as a tool. Make one small change at a time. Enjoy the journey and the new you! Those are all great pieces of advice, and they are clearly working for TheRealMeIsHere. Congratulations on your weight loss surgery success, and thanks for sharing your story with us! Please let us know in the Member Spotlight Forum if you or someone you know would like to be in the member spotlight. We want to hear from you! You can also send Alex Brecher a PM to nominate yourself or someone else. Something to Celebrate in March In like a lion, out like a lamb. That usually does hold true, but it’s hard to believe that winter will soon be over when it’s been around for so long. Waiting for the sun to come back and the last bits of snow to melt can make March seem dreary, so we wanted to find something to celebrate. What’s special about March? Lots of things, it turns out! Here are just a couple of national food days in March, and some ideas for celebrating them. March 1: National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day Peanut butter…packed with antioxidants, Fiber, healthy fats, and 7 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons. And, of course, with a taste to die for. If you haven’t jumped onto the peanut butter bandwagon yet, this may be a good opportunity for you to do so! Of course, it’s high in calories, with 180, so don’t overindulge! Here are some peanut butter ideas. Make a shake with Protein powder, almond milk, and ice - and you can enjoy this when you’re still on your liquid post-op diet! Eat it with celery sticks or carrot sticks – lap-banders, be careful of the stringy celery and sticky PB. Spread it on a half of a whole-grain, high-fiber English muffin or some whole-wheat crackers. March 19: Poultry Day If you’re a weight loss surgery patient who struggles to get enough protein, you already know that chicken and turkey can bail you out. A 2-ounce serving of white meat has about 13 grams of protein and 60 calories. Vegetarian? Try soy bacon and low-fat vegetarian chicken! Add a serving of poultry morning, noon, and night, and you’ve already got 39 grams compared to the 65 to 80 you need for the day. Try: Turkey bacon with your egg whites for Breakfast. Low-fat white chicken chili with Beans and broccoli for lunch. Turkey roll-ups with low-fat cheese or fat free cream cheese and tomatoes for a snack. Ground chicken burgers in lettuce for dinner. March 28: National Something on a Stick Day You could celebrate this day with traditional fair food…fried Twinkies on a stick, corn dog on a stick, or cheese on a stick. Or, you could celebrate this day with something healthy and fun. The following can keep you on your weight loss surgery diet while you feel like you’re celebrating. Ham and eggs on a stick: Alternate slices of ham or any lean meat with quartered egg whites and cubes of melon. Grilled eggplant on a stick: Slice and salt eggplant, dip in a mixture of low-fat grated parmesan cheese and ground Fiber One Cereal crumbs, skewer the eggplant slices, alternating with low-fat mozzarella cheese, and grill. salad on a stick: Coarsely cut a head of lettuce. On your stick, put pieces of lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, grilled chicken or shrimp, and whatever else you like in your salads. To enjoy, dip it in dressing. Of course, you can also celebrate non-food celebrations. For example, mark your calendar for Good Samaritan Day on March 13, and everyone deserves to celebrate National Everything You Do Is Right Day on March 16! And, to be honest, every day is a cause for celebration when you’re getting healthy, whether you’re dancing on the scale or congratulating yourself for a non-scale victory (NSV). Don’t forget to tell us about it at BariatricPal!

So, about me. I'll be 39 in a few months. I'm 5'1 and 213lbs naked first thing in the morning, lol. BMI is right at 40. I have GERD (no hiatal hernia according to GI series done almost two decades ago) that I have to take nexium for or I'm in agony. My teeth are all messed up from the reflux (we assume that is what the issue is....no cavities until after I had my first kid and the reflux got bad, then 7 in one visit, since then multiple issues, etc). My feet hurt when I exercise. They cramp up worse than labor pains almost. I've had bouts of plantar fasciitis that flare up if I exercise too heavily, and I wear special shoes to keeep it at bay. My last labwork was about a year and 20lb or so ago, at the time I was blessedly still healthy on paper, ideal blood sugar and ideal cholesterol/trigs. (bad cholesterol was actually below normal, as were trigs). I eat healthy food, I just eat way too much of it. But I can't see how I can keep this up...if I keep gaining weight I'm GOING to end up diabetic, if nothing else. The scariest thing is that my father and his twin and his father all had heart attacks in their 40's. That terrifies me. He also has diabetes now, barely controlled even with meds. And his mom (who I look just like) had type 2 diabetes as well. And was also morbidly obese and often super obese. She was a a tough, strong willed lady. That she couldn't win the battle with food shows me just how hard it is. If it was just "will power" she'd have been thin. I've lost weight before, 70lbs once, but it always comes back, with more. Lately I lose 10 and gain 15 or 20. I started researching diets to see what has the best long term results and the answer is, none. None do. Nonehave good long term results. Then I looked at medication. But dear lord, most have horrid side effects and people only lose about 5% of their body weight! Which led me to the idea of surgery. I could put it off, I'm not that "sick" yet. But then I think, won't I heal better if I'm NOT sick? And if I wait until I have diabetes, won't that mean I end up with some permanent damage to my body? So maybe I should just do it. I have zero confidence anything else will work. I've been dieting since Jr high at least, and if something was going to work long term I think I would have found it by now. I've done Atkins, Paleo, WW, Vegetarian, Vegan, Jenny Craig, etc. I'm running out of diets. Anyway, I started out thinking lap band, because it isn't permanent and is the least extreme. But I'm reading conflicting things about it and GERD/acid reflux. And stuff about esophogeal issues. I've had esophogeal spasms in the past and they SUCK. That feeling of nothing going down, and basically foaming to get the slime out of my throat that won't pass. Lap band seems like it will cause that in a lot of people, and that sucks. Also, the results long term seem iffy.....at best. 25% don't lose the weight? Gastric sleeve seems like a good safe option, and reduces grehlin, so that sounds awesome. I see a lot of people with great results. But research tells me it isn't a good choice for people with GERD. That leaves bypass. I went into this thinking, well, I won't do bypass. That's too extreme. But, it's the best option for GERD from what I'm reading. In fact, doctors that treat GERD patients are telling their patients to have bypass instead of reflux surgery, because it's a better cure. So that seems like the best option. But...it scares the crud out of me. Honestly, I got weirded out the first time I had a filling....the idea of my body being modified freaks me out a bit. But, i got over the fillings, and I assume I'd get over this. Any thoughts? Also, there are a few places near me that do this. Two hospitals claim to be centers of excellence, but when I look them up they are not listed? And if they both really are, how do I choose between them? One seems to have a better program in place, I think, but that's judging from a website. Complicating things is my hsuband's fear of me doing this. His mother died from surgical complications a few years ago...after a back surgery her bowl ruptured. Now, she was in poor health anyway, a pill addict, had diverticulitis, etc that no one knew. But still. Also, she had bypass a long time ago, and she was an awful person who made awful decisions a lot of the time. Generally, we never do the same things she did, so this is a bit weird to him. But we can get past that, and he's supportive of me doing what I need to do. Just scared. Edited to ask: if you did Laproscopic Roux en Y, how many nights were you in the hospital? I've never been away from my 2 yr old before, overnight. Or my 5 yr old, but she'd be fine. I know my local hospital uses the Davinci robot which shortens hosptial stay, but I don't know what that means. I'm hoping for only one night, if at all possible.

I've using MFP for several years before WLS. I eat anywhere from 700 - 850 calories a day and try to keep my carbs around 50. I'm vegetarian so my carbs tend to be higher than most people. I shoot for 70gm protein or more a day. I don't worry about the fat/sodium/sugar. I just aim to keep them low. I drink 64 ounces of fluids a day, at least 40 of which are plain water.

The link to my story is in my signature tag. Basically I am a vegetarian with multiple food and medicine allergies. I spent 3 years losing the same 35 - 50 lbs, getting sick and regaining. The sleeve helped alleviate my allergy triggers. The only time I had a hive outbreak since being sleeved was when I stopped taking my ZyrtecD. Before surgery I couldn't go a week without a severe hive outbreak. This is a game changer for me.

Fruit & veggie diet? Sorry but that's crazy. I'm a vegetarian. I know for a fact you cannot lose that way. I work very hard to eat a balanced, plant based diet. I include beans, tofu and other non animal proteins. You need your protein. You don't need out help, you need to follow your program and that includes getting enough protein, exercising and getting in your fluids.

I don't have a typical day. It varies depending on my activities. Today is a light day because I didn't go to the gym. On non gym days I eat lighter and really watch my carbs. Breakfast was a scrambled egg with cheese and hot chocolate with a scoop of Protein powder. lunch was a scrambled egg with cheese and grits dinner will be a cup of soup and I'll probably add a scoop of Isopure naked to it. I may have an orange as a snack if I get hungry. On gym days I have a pre-gym Protein Drink with Fage 0% Greek yogurt, Protein Powder mixed with Water. Add in vary as to how I am feeling. Sometimes fruit, sometime a bit of cacao powder, sometimes almond butter, etc.... Lunch , then dinner. I try to have a salad with protein for dinner or a protein and a spinach for dinner. Afternoon snack are always optional if I am hungry. I am vegetarian so my Proteins are typically Beans, tofu, TVP and occasionally a non meat product like Beyond Meat or Gardein. I average 70 - 80gms of protein and day and try to keep carbs below 50.

As a vegetarian, its really hard for me to get in my protein not go over the cals, Im low a lot... I use: Explore Asian Organic Soybean Spaghetti and their other black bean or mung bean versions... around 24gms of protein in a serving... around 200 cals, and low carb(19). Cottage cheese is a go to.... I use ESA carb control ready mix drink in my coffee and tea.... DO write everything in MFP... even the day before, plan your next day, I find this helps me stick to it... I also use the 5:2 to help maintain... it is really hard for me to maintain as well.. if I gain, it takes a lot longer to lose it than early on. Chin up, fight the good fight! You are not alone. http://www3.netrition.com/explore_asian_mung_bean_fettuchini.html

@@p3aCH3s - ask questions that are important to you. I specifically asked about plant based diets since I am a vegetarian. I also made them aware of my many food and medicine allergies to make sure that they could work around that. I also informed them that I preferred no blood transfusion in case of emergencies. My surgeon was able to ensure that none of these things would be an issue and developed plans to ensure that. I also stated my preferences not to eat heavily processed on imitation foods such as artificial sugars to both my surgeon and my nutritionist. Their willingness to work with me concerning these issues assured me that this was the right team for me.