Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

considering going vegetarian, need some advice



Recommended Posts

Right now I only eat poultry and tuna for meat. The only reasons I haven't already gone completely vegetarian are that I haven't quite figured out how to get in all my Protein without meat, and my boyfriend pretty much eats the same things that I eat and I don't want to force him to go vegetarian (also, he is not a fan of veggies. he will eat some, but not happily). Has anyone dealt with these dilemmas? I know there are plenty of choices for plant-based Proteins, but maybe seeing some examples of meals will help ease the anxiety a little. What are some things you make for vegetarian meals? Especially meals that can be made for both of us and I can add meat to his and not mine. The cost of buying double the food (meals for him and meals for me) is also a worry of mine.

I was planning to try it out for this week when we went grocery shopping this weekend, but I totally chickened out. I need help lol.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm pretty much the same as you....I have not eaten meat since surgery over 4 years ago....and I am eating less and less chicken.....only because it it hard to get a quality meal anywhere unless it's free grazing chicken.< /p>

I do start the day with a home made smoothie with whatever fresh fruit, Peanut Butter, etc I'm in the mood for...40gms of Protein.

I will say, due to my ill health before surgery, my Dr,'s were all trying to get me to either cut back on red meat to once a week, or give it up entirely...purely for health reasons...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've been looking into this myself and while I haven't made the jump yet, I've come to the conclusion that I don't think it will be as difficult to get the Protein in as I previously thought. Quinoa is high in protein and is a complete protein so it's a good addition. It essentially takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with. Chia seeds are high in protein and can be added to yogurt, oatmeal, salads, etc. If you are doing vegetarian and not vegan, you can still have milk, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese. There are actually higher protein milk varieties now. The best I've seen is made by Fairlife. It has 13 grams of protein for a 1 cup serving. Kroger's carbmaster milk is 11 grams per 1 cup serving. I plan to use Fairlife milk for my Protein Shakes and to make my oatmeal with. Speaking of oatmeal, Quaker makes instant oatmeal that has 10 grams of protein per serving. Add some chia seeds and use milk instead of Water and it's even higher! Greek yogurt is also a good choice and you can add Nature Valley protein granola to up the protein content there. You just have to look for ways to add protein to what you're already eating as you eliminate the meat from your diet.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm sort of in the same boat... I've never been a big meat eater, so my weight came from sugar and carbs. Now that sugar and carbs are "Evil", I was caught in the problem of how do I get Protein if I don't like the taste of nearly all meat...the meat I do like makes me sick, and eggs are gross? My answer is the Protein shake! I'm not trying to make a sale for anyone here, but the Syntrax Protein drinks have been my personal savior even at 9 months out. I'll savor one for Breakfast (46g), one for lunch (another 46g) and voila! My protein's taken care of and I haven't actually eaten anything. My NUT hasn't told me this isn't ok yet, so onward I go!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Maybe @@BLERDgirl can shed some light on this for you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am vegetarian and deathly allergic to seafood. Highly processed foods tend to trigger my allergies. My Protein comes from Beans, tofu, seitan, dark green veg, grains, nuts, dairy (mostly cheese and yogurt) & eggs. I don't drink/like cow's milk, but I do eat greek yogurt. I prefer FAGE 0%. I also supplement with whey Protein powder. It takes being creative, but I have no problem keeping my Protein between 85 - 100 gms. My carbs are often high, but as long as they aren't coming from "white" or heavily refined sources I don't worry about them. I am also allergic to artificial sugars and stevia. I don't often add sugar to my foods. I do eat fruit several times a week. When I do add sugar use either real sugar or raw honey. At 10mths I keep my calories between 800 - 1000 a day and work out 5 - 6 days a week.

@@pookybear - You could try having Meatless Monday's with your boyfriend. Look for meaty textures like portabello mushroom and filling grains like quinoa and farro.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks, that's a good idea!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My Protein is regularly between 85 - 100 and occasionally higher. I supplement at least one meal a day with unflavored Protein Powder. I make a Protein shake before my AM workout, and on occasion I will drink anywhere from a half to a whole bottle of Isopure Protein ice tea throughout the day. Otherwise my protein come from plant based foods, eggs and cheese.

One of my favorite things to eat is TVP. Textured vegetable protein. I buy Bob's Red Mill brand. A quarter cup dry will yield half a cup when reconstituted. 80calories 7carbs, 0fat, 12gms protein, 2gms sodium, 3gms sugar. I add it to Soups or sometime throw it into the food processor with veggies and make my own veggie burgers. It give a similar mouth feel of that meaty texture and may make it easier for those transitioning to a vegetarian diet.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Right now I only eat poultry and tuna for meat. The only reasons I haven't already gone completely vegetarian are that I haven't quite figured out how to get in all my Protein without meat, and my boyfriend pretty much eats the same things that I eat and I don't want to force him to go vegetarian (also, he is not a fan of veggies. he will eat some, but not happily). Has anyone dealt with these dilemmas? I know there are plenty of choices for plant-based Proteins, but maybe seeing some examples of meals will help ease the anxiety a little. What are some things you make for vegetarian meals? Especially meals that can be made for both of us and I can add meat to his and not mine. The cost of buying double the food (meals for him and meals for me) is also a worry of mine.

I was planning to try it out for this week when we went grocery shopping this weekend, but I totally chickened out. I need help lol.

I highly recommend gardein's meatless ground "beef". Try it on your :( and I bet he won't notice much, if any difference. I use it to make veggie chili, empanadas, tacos, basically anything that you would traditionally use ground beef in. For chicken, Quorn makes the best, imo. I also am part I to tofu scrambles and tempeh reubans. In addition, I eat Soups a lot because they are easy and healthy if you make them right! I just made a veggie Soup using Bob's Red Mill dried Soup mix (has little.pasta,.lentils, etc) and then added veggie broth, black Beans, corn and Tomato. Would have added onion if I had it. Seasoned it and it is super good. Moroccan Chickpea soup is another fave. Eggplant moussaka is so tasty but it does require a little more effort than I normally expend on a weekly basis. Quiches are easy and you can load them with veggies and get away with it. If you like stir fry, you could use regular chicken for his and Quorn chicken in yours. Allrecipes has some veggie recipes, or just Google. I'm actually not that diverse in my veggies but I find what like and go from there. I served all vegan sides over thanksgiving for my family and they loved it all! I found that mushrooms are a godsend in flavoring just about anything (besides my usual faves of onion, garlic, vinegar, cilantro, or cumin!)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I love the red quinoa! I use it in place of rice.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×