Really wanting to go Vegetarian (still eat eggs and cheese)

[CherokeeGirl 25]

I deeply want to do this...I was for two years and got sick as I didn't know what I was doing. I need any help and info as I can. I had a sleeve done last October. I try to keep my carbs done also...any info woud be so greatly apprecuated!!!! Thank you

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I occasionally do days where I eat vegetarian and still meet my Protein goals pretty readily. But does the title of your post mean that cheese is the only dairy you will eat? That might be tough -- cheese doesn't have as much protein per serving as other dairy (except maybe cottage cheese). If you are open to eating yogurt, particularly Greek yogurt and drinking milk, you'll likely do fine. There are some specialized brands of milk like Fair Life and CarbMaster that take out sugar and add in additional whey that work really well for post-wls people. Whey Protein Powder is another good dairy option to keep your protein high and your carbs low. Good luck!

[chunkyloverlovesyou 197]

I would love to do this too. I can't justify torturing animals to have a few bits of food and tossing the rest. I am dying inside,

[swimbikerun 1,046]

Check out people like Rich Roll. There are others who eat vegetarian. Hindus & Indians do. All don't have a problem with Protein. They have a bigger issue with B12 than anything else.

[catwoman7 11,277]

I eat almost no meat (I can go days in a row without it). I've done fine with Protein. I eat a lot eggs, cheese (string cheese and cottage cheese are especially high in protein), and Greek yogurt. Although I'm only three months out so I'm still drinking a Protein shake every day, too.

[swimbikerun 1,046]

Catwoman that's what I do.

[jennysayscheese 23]

I have been a vegetarian for over two years for ethical and health reasons. I recently had the roux n y done so most of my thoughts and advice are from pre surgery, keep that in mind. That being said, it is entirely possible and not difficult to be a vegetarian! Before or after surgery!

Protein staples post surgery will be eggs, dairy in general, Beans, tofu/soy products, including faux meat like my favorite, gardein's meatless ground "beef".

I love black beans and chickpeas, lentils, peas.....Bob's Red Mill makes a veg Soup mix that I add additional beans, corn, tomatoes, etc to with some veggie broth. Moroccan Chickpea soup is a fave, too.

I also love cheese and dairy so I make quiches , add cheese to up flavor and protein, as well as use plain greek yogurt as a topping replacement for sour cream.

Experiment with veggies and recipes you can find online, especially through allrecipes.com. tofu can be substituted for any meat, though there are premade tofu dishes that you may want to try first. Also, once onto regular foods diet, Tempeh is great to make veggie reubans. Yum! Oh and Quorn makes excellent faux chicken. Highly recommend! I find this stuff I. My grocer's organic aisle, Wal-Mart doesn't carry this stuff yet to my knowledge.

Commit for a week, preplan and pre make your dishes because healthy vegetarian done right requires some cooking and planning. Then go for two weeks. If you are craving tuna or some other meat, indulge and then go back to no meat products. I still will eat a burger every now and again, and then I move on. I have felt so much better since becoming a vegetarian. My food tastes better, I can isolate the individual flavors without the heaviness of meat drowning it out.

Also, season I.g is a big key component to making veggies and food more than just ordinary. It became a lot of fun for me to try new stuff and introduce my family to it!

If you are interested in any recipes I utilize, please let me know. I don't like anything too complicated or time consuming. Sorry I kind of jumped around, I get so excited when other ppl take interest in bettering themselves and the world through their forks. OH...YOU MUST WATCH "Forks Over Knives". Must. I saw it on Netflix. It is a great documentary, will change how you look at health and food and history.

[jennysayscheese 23]

Check out people like Rich Roll. There are others who eat vegetarian. Hindus & Indians do. All don't have a problem with Protein. They have a bigger issue with B12

Actually vegans, who don't eat dairy, tend to have more b12 issues. I. Any case, you can buy nutritional yeast to help with that. It has a buttery, cheese flavor. I add it to Soups, Pasta, and veggies- especially broccoli. It's yummy. I bought mine from Amazon, but I believe many grocery stores carry it.

[swimbikerun 1,046]

I have always seen more problems with B12 for vegans (and some vegetarians) than I ever have with Protein. That being said, the Indians I know are healthy and only one of them does extra B12.

[Debbieduck4 399]

I've been Vegetarian for 6 years now and eat eggs and cheese too. On very rare occasions I will have a little seafood, but it is maybe once or twice a year. There are so many fabulous vegetarian recipes out there and great replacement foods that you will really enjoy! I love love love spicy black bean burgers, Bocca chicken patties, and Morning Star Breakfast sausage. For Protein, I try to get in 60-90 grams each day. I start my day with a scoop of GENEPRO Protein powder in my coffee which is 30 so that's a big head start... then here's other vegetarian protein sources:

Protein powders/shakes

Soy products

Mozzarella cheese

Cottage Cheese

eggs

Greek Yogurt

Milk, Soy Milk, Almond Milk

Nuts

Beans

Lentils

Edamame

Oats

Barley

Artichokes

Asparagus

Broccoli

Peas

Brussel Sprouts

Kale

Corn

..and smaller amounts in bell peppers, carrots, green Beans, cauliflower, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes.

Thank you for considering the lives of our animal friends... not food.

***Also When I first start eating veggie I literally just didn't know what to make, so I thought it might help to know what a typical day looks like... so here's what I ate today:

coffee w/Genepro

Breakfast: Hardboiled egg, Morningstar sausage patty (pre-cooked and ate in the car on the way to work)

Lunch: Leftover vegetarian chili

Snack: Cottage cheese and carrot sticks

Snack: Almonds

Dinner: I'm making Black bean tostada...(Just like regular ones, except I use black beans cooked with taco seasoning as the base)

I also have a sugar free vanilla pudding in the fridge for later

Edited September 19, 2015 by Debbieduck4

[JenniferP1 75]

Go for it! Am a lifelong vegetarian sleeved on 11/5. Have found it easy to get enough Protein from shakes, Beans, dairy, eggs.< /p>

[JupiterinVirgo 846]

I have always been a big meat eater, but something happened since surgery: following my surgeons instructions to eat Protein first left me with little room for anything else. This made me realize that I needed to find other options. My first thought was to add nutrabullet shakes but everyone seems freaked about the fruit sugar. I don't believe for one second fruit made me fat or can make me fat. I have been making an effort to eat less meat and much more fruits and veggies for long term health and faster weight loss. I'm not committed to vegetarianism but I do want to continue to shift in that direction and can use all the help I can get. Trying to avoid gmos and factory farms means choosing higher fat foods. Some days I live on nuts and advocados. I feel like I'm stumbling clumsy and lost. My surgeons office clearly knows nothing about food. Any info would be much appreciated.

[JenniferP1 75]

Am a life-long vegetarian sleeved on 11/5/2015. Invite you to search for & join "WLS Vegetarians" on Facebook. Like-minded WLS'ers seeking to live healthy on a plant-based diet.

Edited January 23, 2016 by JenniferP1