Vegan

I had RNY in 2008 and went from 307 to 150. I have regained about 25 pounds and know what I need to do to get back to my goal. I have been vegetarian most of my adult life. I recently learned I have an egg allergy and not tolerating dairy well. Does anyone follow a vegan diet post op? For the past 12 years the majority of my protein has come from protein shakes, eggs, and dairy...

I know it's possible, but it's been a big adjustment.

I'm vegan! I'm 1-1/2 years out, and all of my blood tests have been excellent, so it's definitely possible.

This thread has a lot of product suggestions, and the ones from me are vegan:

https://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/6041034/What-product s-do-you-find-helpful-post-WLS/

I'll have a look through my food diary and see what other suggestions I have for you.

Here's something I have at least twice a day. It boosts my protein and my fluid intake, plus it tastes decadent!

hot chocolate

• spoonful of protein powder (~12 g)
• spoonful of cocoa powder (~10 g)
• splash of unsweetened almond milk (~100g)
• sweetener (I use a spoonful of one of the erithrytol products that has a touch of stevia mixed in)

The measurements don't have to be precise; it's pretty low calorie even if you are a bit heavy-handed with one of the ingredients. The resulting drink is about 83 calories with about 12 grams protein. Two of these gives me a good head start on my protein.

Sometimes I mix in a bit of cinnamon, almond flavouring, or even a small amount of almond butter (which adds some calories, so I only do that for special treats).

Thanks for this! What kind of protein are you using? I've always used Unjury and having a hard time finding a vegan protein powder that I like. I tried Unjury's vegan protein, Planted (i believe... or something along those lines) and the taste is terrible.

These days my favourite protein is PlantForce synergy protein. I like the fact that it dissolves easily in ho****er, which is important for my "hot chocolate" drink I mentioned above. Some protein powders you have to stir and stir and stir. I also like Pulsin soy protein powder. I'm in Europe; I don't know how available those products are in the U.S.

Tip: When I'm trying a new protein powder, I like to buy a small "sachet", if possible. It annoys me if I buy a full bag only to find that I can't stand the flavour! Fortunately, I have a colleague who is vegetarian and uses some vegan protein powders, so he and I often exchange samples, giving us each a chance to try something new.

Here's another tip my nutritionist gave me: If you dislike the taste of protein powders, try using just a half a serving. I've learned that I'll get just as much protein, and enjoy it more, by using smaller amounts more frequently.

Here's something else that I've fallen in love with: dates with a little almond butter. (Or peanut butter if you prefer.) It's such a delicious treat that I was afraid I would overindulge, but I find it very filling and satisfying, so I seldom overdo it. Makes a great bedtime snack.

The vitamins I take are the Veg-1 supplements from the Vegan society. My blood tests have all been excellent, so I think this is a good product.

https://www.vegansociety.com/shop/veg-1-supplements

Protein powder is great in oatmeal. I use 30g dry oatmeal, a half-serving of protein powder (~15g), ho****er, blueberries or some other fruit (~40g), and a spoonful of flaxseed (~5g) for extra fibre and omega-3. That's about 211 calories with 12g protein.

For a treat, try chia pudding. Mix 1 part chia seeds by volume to 4 parts coconut milk. Stir or shake periodically (especially important during the first 15 minutes). A 175g serving has 150 calories and 5 grams of protein. Add sweetener and/or a bit of fruit. I put the ingredients in a jar and keep it next to me, shaking the jar until it's ready to eat.

Veggie burgers are our equivalent of chicken, i.e. a dense protein that reminds you how small your sleeve is. I usually eat just a half a burger. I don't know if you have the brand Biona, but if you do, look for their sweet potato buckwheat burgers. Drool!

Adding nutritional yeast to food gives it a nutty, slightly cheesy taste. Good source of B12.

Thank you! This is very helpful!

My only comment on this thread is that you had the RNY, which I assume has some malabsorption. The other people replying to your post all had the VSG, which is just a restrictive procedure - they do not have any malabsorption.

Please make sure that the protein you take is appropriate for your malabsorptive procedure. Without dairy and eggs, is your only source of protein going to be shakes?