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I am pre op, 23 years old and looking at a February date. I have been friends with a woman since we were 12 and together we have struggled with our weight. We were workout buddies, we failed weight watchers together and several other "diets" since highschool she has said" I would totally get WLS no matter what my mother thinks."I've been in the kaiser program for 13 months now and throughout this whole thing she has made stabs at me. Every time that i see her and I'm speaking in absolutes because every time that I see her she makes a comment about having loose skin after surgery, " aren't you worried about all the loose skin, you are going to look weird and deformed" every time I kid you not. She also on occasion makes the remark "I could never do that to myself" really? Because you said you would. I got a new gym membership 6 weeks ago or so because I moved to a new area and it happens to be a nicer facility and in the 6 weeks I've lost 20 lbs, I also happen to be a vegetarian so she decided to get a membership at the same gym I am in, in a neighboring city even though she's in a contract with another gym which is closer to her house, she also said she's becoming a vegetarian to lose weight.... I became a vegetarian because heart disease runs in my family and I wanted to eliminate the saturated fats and the hormones and chemicals in meat. But apparently she thinks being a vegetarian is the reason im losing weight, uh no, it's very easy to be a junk food vegetarian I chose not to be through discipline and I get my ass to the gym rain or shine every day. Her new favorite thing to do though is I swear serial dating where she likes to compare each one of them to my fiancé and send me pictures of them via text. I've spent the last two years preparing to be emotionally ready for this and surrounding myself with positive people and I'm so fed up with this.

I've been vegan for six years and vegetarian before that for 32 years. It's super easy to go vegan these days (compared to when I first attempted it back in the late 90s). What do you want to know? How to transition?

Based on your statement - I have 2 questions - all about - you guessed it -- poo! I had my VSG October 8, and last night October 16 (on full liquids and having eaten nonfat greek plain yogurt for almost 2 full days), I end up with diarrhea. I can't figure it. I added Protein powder earlier and milk and such with no trouble the morning before (so milk 3 times and feeling wonderful on that until last night, so probably not lactose intolerance). I was up all night with liquid and tiny bits of that nasty red pasty stool that means I still have stomach bleeding. For you guys also that noticed your initial post-surgical bleeding (reddish stools for stools passing quickly though but no clear blood streaks if from that high up), how long did it last. Everything that went in on my last protein "snack" last night came out last night, all night, and into this am. Also - has anyone noticed that the unjury Protein as a snack contains more calories than what I can consume for a meal (I won't, I am even a vegetarian-Pescatarian/Lacto-Ovo-Vegatarian but recently added ground turkey and chicken) to accommodate my protein needs. I already live on Greek yogurt, and soy;-) Sorry to rattle on. And sorry for the bad picture, I couldn't find the good one of my cat (I am serious - not making fun - really true. My cat will appear shortly. Thanks ahead guys.

I am a vegetarian, and am almost 2 years out. I have had NO problem getting enough protein, however for the first year, and even now I sometimes use protein shakes to boost my protein. I throw a muscle milk lite into my ice coffee, easy peasy! I can't eat as much in a sitting... but can graze like no ones business... and eat plenty of the wrong things. I have gained some weight, but still am SOOOO happy I have the sleeve. I am having to go back to "diet" eating, but that being said, its still easier than before. You do not have to give up grains, however the first year you need to really focus on protein and low carb veg to get the most out of your sleeve. I really missed the veggies, and started making veggie soups, blended at first, and could drink a lot of thoses... at a low calorie/carb cost. It took many months before I could eat raw, salads, fruit skins and such, but now, no problem. The time will pass, the sleeve will become more forgiving, and it will be easier to gain. It is a great tool though, and well worth the risk in my opinion. Oh, and I was lactose intolerant for a few months early on, making it hard to get protein through milk, cheese and such..(whey was fine), but that went away after 3-4 months.

I agree re the protein. thanks for the reminder. being vegetarian and also not a huge fan of protein foods I know I struggle with this. although I know many vegans /vegetarians who are thin. One of the reasons I had it done was cos i knew I would never be a protein fan so thought hey if i can feel full eating way less.. lol .

Hi HS. Today I got my labs results. I’m low on vitamin K and my bacterial test came back negative. They’re think it is lactose intolerance indeed. Of course I got the email after my egg breakfast and cottage cheese lunch 🙃. So for now, I have to abstain from the dairy and my premier protein shakes. Does anyone have experience with this or know someone who does? I have to rethink my entire purée diet. That leaves me with low fat vegetarian chili, deli turkey and roast beef. That is all I have without dairy. Oof. Thanks in advance for the ideas guys.

I hated meat at first, it just made me too full no matter how little I ate. I kept trying. Switched to chicken thighs as the breast I could't seem to get down. Beef still not that Great. I eat maybe an ounce of meat at a time because it feels me up so fast. I considered myself a vegetarian for a while after surgery but stopped when I could tolerate meat. I was tired of Beans and the carbs were freaking me out!!! Couldn't do eggs either, but no problems now... I have an eggs steamer and love the texture a bit better than boiled. If it doesn't work for You at first , put it Sade and come back to it later.

@@bananashake my doctor had told me most of his patients tried the Protein shake and raw vegetables diet and lost weight. I added seafood and chicken to mine which I put in salad and broth. I pray that after my surgery I will be able to still enjoy fish and chicken. If not I don't mind being vegetarian I have been one before and lost 54 lbs Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Well we made it home, round trip five and a half hours to go to the doc. I got the pain pump out and about half of the lipo stitches. I have to go back next thursday to get the drains and some more stitches removed. I am smaller and smaller every day so weird. I said that today to the doc that I feel like I am shrinking and he said you are. He said that every day I will be smaller as the fluid escapes through drains or just normal every day life. I finally had some relief with the bowels. It was ok until I started having a coughing fit holy moly that was terrible. I advise no coughing and no sneezing with garment down, up it's bad enough. My doc was thrilled with my incisions and said they are healing so nice and flat. My hubby is a wonderful nurse lol. The doc also was so excited when my garment came down he was telling danny look how nice and flat and see how she now has muscles on the sides, I can't see since my boobs are ginormous now but was excited to hear him say it looks like I will have a 6 pack when I am done .. who would have ever thought. lol. We talked about my thigh lift and he says I don't need one but will do one if I really want it. I think I do. I didn't do all this not to go the whole way lol. My teen daughters are making a vegetarian Thanksgiving for us so sweet. I have friends bringing turkey lol. I am bummed not to be out there shopping on black friday. :cool2: So all in all appt went great, I feel great, I didn't take any pain meds not even tylenol today and still feel great just tired. Going to go nap. But first I want to say how Thankful I am for all of you my lapband friends xoxoxo Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Hi friends right now i am on puree diet stage and i am had core vegetarian will some share with me different vegetarian recipes it will be very help full and i will great full to all

Pre surgery I tested low on D and B12...( I use sun screen, and I'm a vegetarian... ) I eat a large variety of fruits, veg and grains, so sometimes food is not enough. I was a little deprressed, and the D really snapped me out of it.

HI I am 43 years old and weigh 142 lbs. I have gained almost 20 lbs over the last 5 years. I used to weigh 151 when I was 32, but lost 26 lbs just exercising and eating normal. Nothing crazy but not over indulging. After I had my son, I have found it extremely difficult to get back to 120s. I am a runnner, vegetarian and indulge only sometimes. I am fed up with struggling to get my weight down. I just started weightwatchers and realize that I am eating beyond my allowance, but I seem to so tired all the time. As for working out for some reason the pounds dont seem to be coming off like it did 11 years ago:-(. I guess after 40 the efforts need to be doubled. I try hard but sometimes I feel that this cycle will never end !. Sorry for such a long post, but I was looking for some guidance regarding the lap band.

in the cabinets I have fat free vegetarian refried Beans, low calorie soups, broth ( which I cant stand since surgery), enchilada sauce, canned tuna Freezer I have turger burgers patties, salmon, boneless skinless chicken breasts. Fridge I have diet cran grape, cheese, sliced turkey ( from the deli, not packaged), zucchini, celery, tomatoes

Isn't it yummy? I used to love using my firm tofu with bbq sauce. I have to admit I couldn't let go of the sauce even when I was a vegetarian. I would press the tofu out on some paper towels and get rid of the moisture, and then I would baste it with bbq, bake it for about an hour or so in the oven on 350, and put it on a sandwich. You can do pretty much any thing with tofu. it absorbs flavors, try it with a couple of salad dressing and there ya go. Yummy tofu! It is also great in stir frys, but I don't know if you are doing veggies right now.

So my unjury Protein shake mixes came today and I'm starting pre-op diet Sunday. Unjury instructions state to add some type of milk (skim, soy) but my instructions from Dr. Ortiz don't say anything about allowing or disallowing milk. Because I'm doing this on a weekend, I can't contact them directly. I'm vegetarian so I'd be adding almond milk...is this allowed? You don't mix these things with Water do you?

Recipes, please! My surgery is June 29, and now that I'm newly single and moving towards my best lifestyle - I want to move to a vegetarian/vegan diet. I'm a huge animal rights advocate, and hate factory farming - I want to start walking the walk! Thanks!

I'm vegetarian and most of my foods are high fiber and plant based. I must have the stomach made of steel because I have no issues at all. I know from pre surgery life too much *Beans will give me loose stools, but otherwise I am fine. *day I over did it black beans and eggs for breakfast, bean burger for lunch and lentil Soup for dinner..... not a good idea.

I am on the 28th! Feeling a little left out of the september group being that it is the very end of the month! I am 41, 5 ft 1 and 231 lbs. I am a little nervous because just this week my allergies have flared up and I have a cough. I do not want to be coughing after surgery. Staying dilligent on my allergy medicine and praying nothing gets messed up!!!! Pre op diet is vegetarian low fat so I am not suffering to bad. Practicing on protein shakes and found some good combos I like.

With the ensure, watch the fat and carbs. It sneaks up on you. If you have a Whole Foods store near you, they have No chicken chicken broth. Granted I have never tasted it, I am not a vegetarian, but people had in their baskets. I agree with the smoothies, they go down, even with the Protein in them, over several hours, and you stay full.

I like sashimi (sushi without rice or seaweed). Cheesecake Factory has a good light menu. B. Good is another chain with light options. I like the vegetarian spaghetti and meatballs. It’s eggplant meatballs and zucchini zoodles instead of pasta. A salad with no dressing and protein like chicken on top is also easy.

Not sure if the body can assimilate that much protein in that much time but I'm not heavily protein focused especially migrating towards full vegetarianism (I'm flexible now) and eventually veganism. Plus I'm almost 10 months out I don't think I'm at risk for protein deficiency Breaking the fast: Matcha w/ 5.5 oz premier 15g protein 30-60 mins later salad with eggs or chicken 12-14 g protein 60mins later coffee or match a w/ premier 15 g protein 30-60mins later rest of salad or salmon, chicken, or turkey, tofurky rye cracker sandwich, etc or more matcha w/ premier (rare) usually around 12-15 g protein I've removed snacks, condensed timeframe ... its really not that different than just having a busy day. 20:4 is not permanent, its speed up the process, then dip back to 18:6, etc.

I put this into a lot of stuff - mix it into yoghurt, cottage cheese, fat-free re-fried beans, curries, sauces, soups. It really helps me pack more protein in as a vegetarian. The scoops are very small. https://www.amazon.com/GENEPRO-Musclegen-Research-Flavorless-Certified/dp/B00K6OSDYA

It’s autumn now. That means longer nights and cooler weather. That means…you may be craving some comfort food. The problem is, you know most of those traditional comfort foods aren’t on your healthy weight loss surgery diet. So what can you do to satisfy the cravings while you keep losing weight? Here are some ideas for every stage of the post-op weight loss surgery diet. They’re lower in calories and healthier than some of the foods you used to dive into but aren’t an option anymore. Stage 1: Liquid Diet There’s no denying that your diet the first few days or weeks after surgery can be pretty boring, but you can still make the best of it. After surgery, you may need a little comforting as your body tries to recover. Plus, you may start to feel cold as you lose weight. So, why not try some hot tea? One option is to go for apple cinnamon tea. Stew dehydrated apple slices and cloves for about 10 minutes, then strain the liquid into your teacup and serve with a cinnamon stick. If you don’t feel like simmering dehydrated apple slices and spices, you can go the quick route with apple tea bags (make sure they’re decaf!) and a cinnamon stick instead. You can get a warming protein boost instead if you make spiced chai with soy milk or non-fat milk instead of water. For a warming protein drink, you could curl up with an instant cup of BariatricPal Hot Protein Drink – Classic Hot Chocolate or with marshmallows, or BariatricPal Hot Cappuccino Protein Drink – Vanilla. No problem if your surgeon forbids caffeine. Just opt for BariatricPal Hot Protein Drink – Creamy Cappuccino (Decaf). They’re low-sugar and each has 12 to 15 grams of protein. Stage 2: Mushies or Pureed Foods You don’t need to give in when that leftover pumpkin pie in the fridge calls your name. Listen to it, and you’ll end up with hundreds of calories, tons of sugar, and probably a stomach ache. Instead, you can mix pureed canned pumpkin with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or cloves, beaten egg whites, almond milk, and your choice of calorie-free sweeteners, such as stevia. Bake it until it sets. Once you’re on the semi-soft foods diet in stage 3, you can turn your pumpkin pie into pumpkin cheesecake by swirling the pumpkin mixture with low-calorie cheesecake mixture made from fat-free cream cheese, egg whites, fat-free cottage cheese, vanilla, and sweetener before baking. And if you’re craving some crust, add a bit of crunch with crushed high-fiber cereal. Need something a little more substantial? Go for the comfort without the carbs at breakfast with BariatricPal Maple Brown Sugar or Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal with 14 grams protein, or whip up instant BariatricPal Chocolate Chip Pancakes with 15 grams of protein. Stage 3: Semi-Soft Foods You may have heard about using pureed cauliflower to satisfy your cravings for mashed potatoes. What about taking it up a notch with a high-protein, low-carb shepherd’s pie? Blend cooked green peas and beans for the bottom layer, and cover it with a layer of lean ground turkey mixed with broth to season it. Spread pureed cauliflower over the turkey. If you want to go whole hog, sprinkle shredded low-fat cheddar cheese on the top so it browns while baking. As long as we’re talking about cauliflower – which, by the way, is in season in the fall – don’t forget you can also use it as a great alternative to fried rice. Pulse cauliflower in a blender until it is in small pieces. Then stir fry it with diced veggies and some protein, such as egg whites and cooked chicken breast. That sure beats Chinese take-out! For something a little meatier, you can try meatballs without the bad stuff! Take a packet of BariatricPal Light Sloppy Joe (or Vegetarian Joe, if you prefer), and mix it with an egg white and some low-fat parmesan cheese. Cover it in low-sugar tomato sauce, and you’re ready to eat. Stage 4: Full or Solid Foods Diet Roasted candied nuts are a big hit in fall, and you can make your own version once you’re several months out of surgery. To make sugar-free candied pecans, mix a cup of pecan halves into a beaten egg white until the pecans are coated. Roll them in a mixture of cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and your favorite calorie-free sugar substitute, such as stevia. Bake them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. They’re high in healthy fats, protein, and antioxidants – just remember they’re high in calories, too, so watch the portions. Here are a few other comfort foods you can try without guilt. Vegetarian chili with beans or chili with ground turkey, or BariatricPal Vegetable Chili with Beans. Veggie burgers with black beans, lentils, or chickpeas, oatmeal or quinoa, mushrooms, carrots, and zucchini. Serve as sliders on lettuce leaves with avocado or low-fat cheese. Lasagna made with eggplant instead of noodles, low-fat ricotta, and fat-free mozzarella cheese. Breakfast casserole made with egg whites, turkey sausage, low-fat cheese, and onions. Crunchy salty snacks like BariatricPal Lite Bites pretzel twists and chips. One More Tip – Watch Your Portions! With comfort foods, part of the problem is the “what.” The other part is the “how much.” Portion control is key when it comes to the weight loss surgery diet. When you can, try making recipes so you know how much you’re getting and so it’s naturally easier to take a small serving. Here are some suggestions. Measure your ingredients and know how many servings you should get out of the entire recipe. Make use of a muffin tin instead of a so you can pre-portion foods like meatloaf, egg-based muffins, and pumpkin pie. Make naturally pre-portioned foods, like deviled eggs and meatballs so you know a serving size is one piece. Weight loss surgery doesn’t mean giving up comfort foods. It just means choosing your foods wisely so they make you feel comforted, not bloated. Whatever you’re in the mood for, you can find a version that’s WLS friendly and simple to make. What are your favorites?

Here's another Marriot sleeve menu bulletin, heads up vegetarians: You can order vegetable broth! I had it tonight. It was super salty, so I poured about half of it out and diluted it with water. But it tasted good.

I’ve had salmon sashimi twice so far and was surprised my pouch handled it better than cooked fish or tuna. Of course each experience is different. I had already give. Up pasta for years prior to RNY. I was using shiritaki, (better than rice makes a good shiritaki rice they also make a sushi rice) i had also started subbing cauliflower rice, occasionally veggie based pasta. I’d mix better than rice, shiritaki rice and a protein (usually something vegetarian) all pre-surgery. But things change and I am still learning to adapt. But for me personally certain foods are off limits. Unless there is a healthy, but just as tasty alternative. but one month out. It’s way too early to worry about a plate of pasta or sushi. Better question is, how has your relationship to food changed and how will you adapt going forward. Go through the appropriate phases and try new things slowly and one at a time. And put thoughts out of your head about what you might eat in the future. For now it’s hydration, protein and nutrition. but that’s life. And yes sometime down the road as you start getting closer to goal weight you treat yourself to little things as long as you meet your target protein, and don’t break the calorie bank. Of course you can do this early on just set standards and don’t break past them. of course everyone is different but we all started the bariatric surgery journey for a reason.