Homeshad

My favorite diets are Mediterranean and mayo Clinic Diet...which sound a lot like you describe. I'm not a fan of all this animal Protein. I've started making vegetable Soup with pea powder and brown rice powder in it (a complete amino acid)...to get more veggie protein in.
I also eat a lot of nut butter, chia seed pudding, lentils, chickpeas, Beans, etc. I like fungus protein, and do some soy.
I also do chicken breast, fish, very lean red meat (super trimmed of all fat), eggs, yogurt, etc. But I try to balance it with at least equal plant protein.
There is a whole section of this website that caters to vegetarian and vegan recipes for weight loss surgery.
In the early weeks post surgery....you're going to have a problem with skins, and seeds...you won't digest them well and they can get caught in your suture line and cause problems. (even in smoothies the tiny seeds can be an issue) Forget about raw veggies and fruits...It all needs to be super soft at first.
In the early weeks post surgery...you won't like bread. Or it won't like you. Bread is difficult at first, particularly whole grains. (But you will have a love affair with oatmeal:) )
By two months post-surgery you'll be able to eat almost anything. You can start reintroducing the foods you love.
A word about protein.....you have special needs while you're in the weight loss phase as a bariatric patient. You will have a high demand for protein and if you are not consuming it, your body will consume YOUR muscles instead...and one muscle in particular is pretty important...your heart! Eating more protein protects us from muscle wasting. When your weight loss levels off...you can taper it down, but in the rapid weight loss months it's very important.
I, too, am a big fan of phytonutrients...so I hear ya.

You are not alone!!!! There's a few of us who are doing a mostly plant-based bariatric adventure. I plan to supplement Protein via shakes/bars for the first few months since as @Creekimp13 pointed out we do need more to get by as we heal and lose significant amounts of weight. But I definitely plan to eat as nutrient-dense as possible - focusing on all areas, not just protein alone. I'm still planning out what I want to try - and I know it will be trial and error with my new stomach anyway - but some of the things I'm thinking about are mashed bananas/banana ice cream, veggie juices/smoothies, blended oatmeal with bananas, flaxseed, and Protein Powder, blended veggie Soups, and whole fruit sorbets as ways to get nutrients and Fiber (and FLAVOR) in during the soft food phases. It doesn't all have to be ricotta bake and yogurt!
I LOVE Dr. Weiner's videos. He is the first person who made me believe I could be successful at permanently changing my diet. All of the low-carb, high protein, "fruit is so unhealthy, too much sugar!" stuff that is often preached in bariatric circles was so depressing to me. Really, Beans and fruit are unhealthy? Eat a chicken breast and then if you have space, a bite or two of broccoli? I just didn't think I could live that way and that was all I saw when I read about post-op diets. Now I know, thanks to Dr. Weiner as well as Dr. Garth Davis, that bariatric patients can thrive eating veggies and fruits and legumes. I also firmly believe that just because a diet helps you lose weight doesn't mean it's nutritionally adequate or protects you from disease. Fruit intake (2+ servings a day) is strongly associated with reduced risk of cancer so it bums me out reading posts from people who say they just don't bother with fruit because of carbs.
Hope this post is not too inflammatory! Don't hate me, y'all! I just got excited for you, OP, cause I love where your mind is!!! I totally agree with you and hope you can find a happy place where you and your surgeon will both be happy with your choices! Good luck

Yikes. I have to do a 30 day Optifast and you guys are scaring me lol
My surgeon told me that it is to shrink my liver but also to be sure that I am able to stick to the post op diet. They will cancel surgery if I cheat or don't lose 8% of my excess body weight.
I will get through it though. Somehow.

Hang onto your hats (both of you lol) you are starting an AMAZING journey!! You are starting the 1st steps of your MIRACLE!!! Good for you!! Remember why you started this and Keep your eyes on the prize!! Everything you have done up to this time is going to help you further down the line!! Another little tidbit is KEEP ON KEEPING ON!!!

Use this time to get ready for the big day. Practice eating slowly, taking small bites, and logging meals and Water. Focus on all the reasons you have chosen to do this. Know that better things are coming!

I'm so excited! My date is set for Jan 17. Right now I'm just excited but I feel the nerves coming on. help!

I'm so excited! My date is set for Jan 17. Right now I'm just excited but I feel the nerves coming on. help!

I'm thankful to read this because I'm in the pre op phase "rotation" diet and feel like I'm "grieving" the loss of food. The last 2 days have not been on plan at night and I need to get back to it. Thanks for sharing stories. Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one feeling these things