So yeah, I 100% want to transition into veganism as I get closer to the end of my pre-op requirements. I currently only eat chicken and fish (mostly chicken) and very rarely any other meats. We have been having a hard time financially but make "too much" for food stamps so I've been picking up food weekly from a food pantry and sometimes they give us only beef or pork. I try to just not think about it because it makes me uncomfortable. Circumstances will be changing soon & I just see the surgery as a real chance to reset myself and the way I view food and I think it would be a shame if I didn't act on it to the fullest extent.

That being said, I'm mostly wondering what you stocked up on for post-op. What broths did you buy? Soups? Protein shakes? I want to be able to stock up on the staple items i'll need so that I wont have to go shopping or send anyone to shop for me.

Are you considering vegetarianism or full veganism? Being a true vegan is extremely hard, and with WLS you need some protein. I don't eat anything that was alive, but I do eat eggs and cheese, both good protein sources.

You'll really have to read labels closely. Anything with gelatin in it isn't vegetarian since it's made of cow hooves.

Even many of the vitamins you'll have to take after your surgery aren't vegetarian. Any type of gel cap medicine isn't vegetarian. And it's hard to find an omega-3 fatty acid supplement since those are usually made of fish oil.

There are some good vegetable broths out there--when I make soup I use them instead of chicken broth.

Anyway, good luck!

Edited October 25, 20196 yr by JRT Mom

I'm working on transitioning to vegetarianism first, but the end goal is full veganism. I don't want to consume anything that comes from an animal. Have you found any good vitamins/ supplements that are at least vegetarian? Anything you can recommend would be greatly appreciated!

https://www.healthycell.com/blog/best-vegan-multivitamin-doesnt-come-in-a-pill?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI37L9q4-25QIViZyzCh1_SQCYEAAYASAAEgJpPfD_BwE

This website has an interesting discussion about what a vegan needs to supplement with. I realize it is a company that is selling a product but their points are valid.

You can Google vegan multivitamins and get lots of good sources. However, they don't factor WLS into it--maybe your surgeon can give you some insight.

Edited October 25, 20196 yr by JRT Mom

Congratulations for working towards a plant based diet. I am 5 months post op, and it is absolutely doable! As for protein, there are so many options. Let me count some ways....broccoli, beans, legumes, nuts, peanut butter, chia seeds, hemp hearts(omega 3), nutritional yeast, tofu, tempeh, setian, viral wheat gluten, most plant based pastas, quinoa, sprouted grains, oats, nut butters...ooh boy! That was a lot ?? There really is a lot of options out there. I have started to make my own unmeat crumbles. I didn’t learn this way overnight, but I didn’t get this fat overnight neither. My thinking on this WLS for me, is I took a drastic change to lose the weight, and I took a drastic change to keep it off. I comend anyone who is changing there lifestyle after this surgery. My surgery date was 12-12-19, and I have lost 68 lbs. I am living my best life, and I feel the best I have ever felt!

Vegan Heart, you are beautiful--inside and out!

I'm almost 13 years out from lap band and going strong! I've had my band since March 2008. I've been maintenance maintaining for the past 12+ years (which included 2 pregnancies and a my fair share of fluctuations along the way).

In the past year i have made some more habit changes that have included a change to a Plant Based diet, that led me to drop another 20ish pounds leaving me at about 120-125lbs at 5'2".

I spent so much of my journey never seeming to have room for veggies and always spending too much time grazing. These days, i eat meals filled with veggies, fruits and grains. I eat healthier meals than ever before and i don't feel the need to graze. I eat protein first...i just get my protein from plants!!!

I am so overjoyed to have some others to share this with from the perspective of a bariatric patient!