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Arnica, great for bruises also, calendula,very smooth and soothing. Odd, But as I go farther and farther into my weight loss journey I am becoming more holistic and leaning more toward vegetarian if not total vegan, meat doesn't sit well on a gastritis stomach as it used to. I've been going to fish, small amounts of Turkey or chicken. If I can keep Hector my baby ulcer asleep,life is more beautiful[emoji106][emoji14] Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I would have to agree with Bufflehead. Achieving and maintaining consciousness around eating is very important in my opinion. When I set up a plan, prepare to implement the plan, and remain accountable.... I have less trouble losing or staying the same, and not gaining. At first I need to write down in Myfitnesspal what I am going to eat for the day. I make sure I have the supplies to fix those things. I stick with the plan, and if for some reason I don't, I log that in too. I weight in the morning, and also log in exercise...I try to balance my nutrients, keep the food as clean, organic and whole as possible, and I try to eat things I like. I do not want to walk away from a meal hungry. I eat more veggies if I don't get enough food. After doing this for a while I may be able to improvise more, but I try to write down what I eat every day, if not plan the whole thing up front. I personally like to include whole grains and complex carbs in my day.... I am also a vegetarian, so I have to watch the Protein and make sure I get enough (not that easy) You may have other ideas about how you want to eat... but the accountability thing is a strong tool.

Milaxx - just leave me a note if you're from here so I know to add. Especially seeking vegetarian sleevers

I also like Quorn veggie meats...my son, who is very anti-vegetarian due to growing up vegan, even likes that brand. Emily

Hi i just got banded 6 days ago and id like to start planning my shopping menu..Does anyone have any ideas for all my stages .. started my journey at 245lb im 5'2.. im now 213 but im starving ....but im gonna keep to it and stay positive..I have a great fiance...

I have been on iron supplements for several days because my hemoglobin is only 10.1, and it needs to be higher prior to surgery. The supplements are making me miserable. I have irritable bowel syndrome and they are giving me a lot of gas, gas pains and pretty bad diarrhea. Does anyone have any recommendations for a different brand or formulation? I am just taking vegetarian tablets from CVS.

@@MrsKarenC2008 That's definitely the way to do it...protein first, then veggies, then if you really really must, a healthy whole grain carb. I think at this point the rules on veggies are relaxed save for those foods that have really tiny seeds that can get stuck in any residual healing lines. The big leafy vegetables should be fine for us now. And honestly, I have been feeling pretty gross the last few weeks being able to have my Protein but not being able to have anything green. Also, maybe your surgeon has a different opinion, but I don't see the problem with getting your protein from the shakes, and your fullness sensation from some raw veggies. Hopefully they don't make you nauseated. After all, there are vegetarians out there, and they need their protein from somewhere too, so it has to be fairly common.

Sweetie, you can do it. Breathe. Take a moment and make a plan. If you've been okayed for Protein bars, you're going to do just fine. I couldn't tolerate the shakes, either (still can't). Suggestions from me: 1. Put 1/2 c. milk, a couple of tablespoons of dry milk powder, some sweetener of your choice, and flavoring of your choice (vanilla, cocoa powder for chocolate, sugar-free chocolate syrup, sugar-free syrup of any kind), and zap it in your blender or Magic Bullet with some ice. Instant and delicious shake higher in protein than regular milk. If you can tolerate eggs, get a pack of the egg-white egg substitute (in the dairy section) and put 1/4 c. of that in there--it's pasteurized, so no germs, and you won't taste it at all. Again, higher protein. You can put all of that in the blender and end up with about 1 c. of seriously protein packed yumminess, because you can flavor it to your liking, and no icky Protein Powder taste or smell (I SO understand what you mean about that--smells like feet!). 2. Get some unflavored protein powder and add to the above--careful, unflavored does not mean there's no flavor, so be prepared to experiment a bit until you find a combination of flavors that hides that protein powder taste/smell--orange extract and chocolate are great together, and they seem to cover it. You can also try the sugar-free raspberry syrup and chocolate or my favorite, coffee and chocolate, for a good combination that helps hide added ingredients. 3. Get some unjury chicken protein powder and add it to some chicken broth. If you're allowed, add a can of chicken meat and some seasonings (I like cilantro for this, but I like Tex-Mex flavors) and zap it in the blender/Magic Bullet and heat it up before you stir in the protein powder. 4. Experiment with Protein Bars. Get a few of different brands (LOTS of advice about them on this board) and experiment. Even if you taste two or three a day, you're picking up quite a bit of protein in the tasting. 5. Get some cheese, cottage cheese, whatever you like the flavor of, and keep it with you. Cheese will dissolve almost completely if you smush it around in your mouth--if you're allowed dairy and/or protein bars, seems like cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese would also all work. I think you can do it. If you absolutely don't want to use any kind of protein powder product, figure out ways to sneak "real food" into your shakes and soups--doubling up the milk powder or egg substitute or whatever. I really know where you're at--been there, too! At this point, most of my protein comes from dairy and nuts, as my sleeve is still really picky and hates eggs, beef, and most methods of cooking chicken. So I'm an unintentional "sleeve vegetarian," almost--sleevie does like shrimp, I have to say, and the occasional bite of hamburger meat in Wendy's chili (wink--another great source of protein, BTW!). Just get it going for now with the liquids/cheeses and see how you do. Your diet will advance soon, and the choices expand. I also ate Peanut Butter from the spoon when I was first sleeved--plus yogurt!! Best wishes--keep us posted!

Score! I bought a tube of dill paste from the fridge section near the vegetables. I squeezed some into greek yogurt, added 1 ounce of soy milk, and it made an incredible side to go with my dinner! Will work for fish, tuna, hard boiled eggs, etc. Makes a great helper for chewing. Today I ate Shwarma (chicken thighs) 3 oz @ 16g Greek Yogurt with Dill 1 oz @ 3g Vegetarian Moussaka. -- Although I am in the purees stage, I can no longer eat that texture. I will gag and starve. So I sad for an hour and chewed responsibly, and I got this meal in. Hurray.

I think a lot of eating meat after surgery involves getting past the hurdle that it might hurt. I make sure that I have some kind of sauce/moisture for meat and that I cut it into small bites and chew well. My sleeve (Rex) still won't tolerate anything remotely spicy, but I can now eat almost any meat without issues. As Meg said, there are many alternatives for Protein without eating meat. We have quite a few vegetarian sleevers around here. I love to check their group for new ideas. I personally eat a lot of cheese to help boost my protein intake, and I like a babybel in the morning before my Vitamins so that I don't get nauseous. SleevedMom, if you're getting nauseous from just putting the meat in your mouth, do YOU think it's a head issue or do you get sick once you chew up and swallow the meat? If it's a head issue, it may be time for a chat with your nutritionist or doctor about whether you're really ready for meat. It might even be a good idea to talk to a therapist about the meat issue. If it's a physical issue, for instance your tummy gets upset when you eat meat, you may just need to eat more vegetarian for a while. I've seen people who have continued with only protein bars/shakes long-term, and they do lose weight. IME, though, those people are the ones who never transition back to "normal" life. My late friend's sister in law is one of those and the sister in law ends up in the ER regularly because of malnutrition and dehydration. The sister in law says it's "too hard" to get in her Water and to eat normal food. Each time she goes in the hospital, they work on getting her into a routine where she's eating regular food and drinking water. She will comply long enough to get out of the hospital, then she's right back to only eating protein bars and drinking very little. Personally, I think the woman now has anorexia or something similar. It is really important to try to transition to getting your protein from food, but you may need some softer Proteins and some guidance from a nutritionist or therapist to get to that point. I think that is a very natural reaction since we've had such restricted diets before and after surgery. Add in that none of us want to damage our new sleeves and leaks are a terrifying complication, and it's a wonder that any of us ever manage to transition back to "regular" food after surgery! Good luck!! Please let us know how it goes.

I agree. I spent the 2 weeks prior to my surgery reading labels and buying samples. Fortunately I am neither lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy. I am vegetarian and allergic to red dyes, artificial sugars, seafood and stevia. You'd be surprised how many things have stevia .

I've seen vegetarians succeed. However, I do know of a vegan who failed miserably because he refused to eat dairy or eggs. Of course he made excuses and blamed it on other things but in reality it was because he couldn't get enough Protein in and was eating too many carbs. As long as you can drink 2 whey Protein shakes a day that will give you almost all or all of your protein requirements for the day. Then you can just eat veggies the rest of the day.

Hi Stacey, I am 3 weeks post-op and 8 years ovo-lacto vegetarian. My favorite veg-friendly Protein shake is VHP (very high protein), you can find it at Bariatrix.com. It is 35 grams of protein so you are halfway to your daily goal with just one shake. I also mix unjury with lowfat chocolate milk at night. Both brands are Gelatin free. As for non-shake meals, I just added in creamy Soups that I buy at Whole Foods, and I love the Campbell gold label tomato basil soup that comes in a carton, you should be able to find that in any grocery store. Just watch out for the soups that sneak in the chicken broth! As for your hospital tray, tell the nurses to note your chart that you are veg and also ask the dietary person who delivers the tray what kind of broth they brought. All hospital will have veg broth so you should be ok. Of course, you can't have the Jello that will also be brought on the tray but I hear that there are Kosher markets that carry gelatin-free gelatin. You can also eat smooth yogurt and the better brands are getting better about excluding gelatin. Hope this helps, good luck!

I dated a guy who was a vegan - man, I had no idea how many things we sort of take for granted that they don't touch. E.g. I tried to put Skittles in his easter basket one year. (BTW to no one in particular, eggs are considered "modern" vegetarian, fish is not). But anyway -- since you eat fish, which is very high in Protein and lean, I don't think you'll have much troubles. Nori is fairly high in protein, legumes, etc. Why not just tell your surgeon you don't eat some meats including chicken, and ask him to replace it with vegetable broth or something?

Stacey didn't say she was vegan, she said she is vegetarian. They are not one in the same. I used to be vegetarian but never could go all the way to veganism. I like cheese too much, it's a weakness.

Don't feel bad monkeyol....My diet has been carb heavy for some time...It still is to some extent. I've done the low carb thing several times before, and can't be successful long term eating that way. I prefer a vegetarian-ish diet if you will. I only eat enough meat to get my protein in, focusing mostly on fish. I still eat veggies, ancient grains and fruit. Carbs aren't bad for you.....Bad carbs are bad for you, just as bad fats are bad for you. Most of the world lives almost exclusively on carbs for nutrition, and are not fat. They don't eat Frosted Flakes, potato chips, pasta, french fries, candy and other sugars though, Their food supply is minimally processed. If you would like to incorporate carbs into your diet, then opt for healthier, minimally processed carbs, and add them back slowly so that you can see how your body reacts to them. Don't feel that you have to eat that way forever, though. You definitely have choices, and must find which way works best for you for in long term. Good luck.

I've been a lacto-vegetarian for 53 years and I have to rely on Protein drinks although I don't like them either. I make a big pot of vegetarian chili or lentil Soup and am content to eat it every day. I am an aesthetic vegetarian so I have no interest in vegetarian foods that are textured or seasoned to resemble meat. Getting Protein is a real chore for me. I shoot for 50-55 grams daily. Kay's Naturals makes protein chips which I really like as a snack. One ounce has 10 grams of protein. I love the chil nacho cheese. They are a little difficult to find and kind of pricey. I was paying $3.29 but got a great deal at Amazon grocery, 12 for about 26.00.

I'm a "VegAquarium" (fish eater) and am addicted to most all of the MorningStar Farms vegetarian/meat-free alternatives as well as ALL of the GardenBurger veggie items. If it weren't for these and tuna, I would never meet my daily quota of 60 grams of Protein. Best of luck, -Shannon

Lauren, if you eat everything but the flesh of an animal you can call yourself a vegetarian. It is a lot harder than you might think. Especially if you decided to go vegan. There is dairy and eggs hidden in a shit ton of foods. I would definitely recommend reading up on it and talking to your nutritionist to make sure you are getting adequate amounts of nutriants.

Don't engage...it is the first of the year everyone is dieting and exercise...New Years resolutions....weight watchers ,Oprah,Jenny Craig,Gyms.....Paleo,Vegetarian,Reducing carb...not too much info...

Some days I think I eat a lot too, but I weigh myself a few days later and I lose more weight if I feel like I eat a little more than when I think Im doing great. I do get worried sometimes, but I know that tomorrow is a new day and I can try harder. On a normal day I usually drink a slimfast, eat chinese food (only sauted), and then a little for dinner of whatever is cooked or if we go out to eat then I order something sensible. Since I have some trouble eating poultry breast, I order fish or some kind of grilled beef, or even a vegetarian dinner. Its all about what works for you. Signs you have eaten TOO MUCH! Or just the wrong thing: *You feel sick to your stomach *Your next bite WONT go down (like a dull knife stabbing you between your breasts) *You feel lathargic *You feel bad for eating it

Alicia Silverstone is in the news lately for a sexy,nudish video/advertisement she's done for PETA. Apparently, there is some controversy over it, and it has been banned in parts of Texas.Well, not exactly banned. It appears some local stations won't air it for being too suggestive. That's Texas for you. They get kinda weird over there. In my opinion, the nudity ain't that much, and doesn't show much either. It's just a teaser video, basically, and contains a voice over of Alicia talking about her healthy vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. Don't worry, there are no pink parts on display, so this is SFW, seeing as how it was intended for network television. I'm assuming the purpose is to convince us all to eat more broccoli and tofu or something like that. Watch the video in the link below, and see if it makes you crave a salad bar: [ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=bFlNnoE75K4]YouTube - Alicia Silverstone -Peta Advertising[/ame] Screw the broccoli. I want a taco. :eyebrows:

I had a similar issue. I was banded October 2007 and did really well the first two years. I learned to eat very healthy, even became a vegetarian, and exercised regularly. I had lost over a hundred pounds and went from a size 28 to 14! And was on the right path to reaching my goal. I didn't go back to school, instead I entered into (and ended) an unhealthy relationship and lost my routine. I still was a vegetarian but got into a very bad habit of eating slider foods and quick and easy junk foods. I also, turned to food again as an emotional support and quit exercising. I ended up gaining over 20 pounds and one size! To help get back on the right path I'm doing a couple of days of liquids then soft foods, per doctor's recommendations. And I started journaling my exercise and daily food intake again like I did when I was first starting this journey. I think the main points to remember in success is holding oneself responsable for what you eat, how much you exercise, and why you are eating. Having a routine/schedule helps me so much more! Maybe you should look back at what was working for you in the beggining and get back into doing that again. Good luck!

I started my mushy stage this week and have had no problems whatsoever. Not sure if your band has any restriction in there from surgery but mine does not. Some doctors put a small fill in during the procedure so everyone is different. Just make sure that even though your food is not going to have much texture, keep your bites small and chew, chew, chew and then chew some more lol. This will get you in the habit for the future. You can make chicken or turkey or egg salad also and long as you throw the meat into the blender or chopper first to get it very small and then add some lowfat mayo. Most all types of beans or legumes are good in the blender and then you can add some lowfat or fatfree cheese. Some people love the refried beans with cheese but i've never been a fan but I did use the vegetarian baked beans and they were good. Good luck.

"Did you ever meet an obese vegetarian and wonder ‘HUH?’… how’d they get obese if they are vegetarian? Same deal… its not the vegetables, its the other stuff… the carbs… the potatoes, bread, macaroni, rice, tortillas and sugar!" Quote from ProjectMe. I don't know who originally wrote this but vegetarians eat carbs and potatoes and bread and Pasta and sugar. What they don't eat is meat. Listen to your dietitian. They know what they are talking about