what would you like to know about being a vegetarian?

What fruits and vegetables we can't eat after WLS.  I am still a little confused.  I am exactly one year out and I still have trouble eating most raw vegetables.  I would like to become vegetarian but I don't know what I would be able to eat. 

I think most post ops are able to eat most raw veggies, but if they bother you, then of course you shouldn't eat them.  But vegetarians don't have to eat raw veggies.  You can eat cooked veggies, whole grains, beans, tofu, other soy products, dairy products (unless you don't wanna eat any animal products), etc.

 I would like to know about some of the challenges and how you came to terms with them in the transition process. 

It can't be as easy as waking up one day and saying 'no more meat'. I mean, my family would go nuts. Trying to sneak meat into my food. Or "accidentally" preparing only meat inclusive dishes. (Kinda like the potato chips and cookies that keep magically appearing in home.)

How friends will treat you, out of concern of not making you uncomfortable they stop inviting you out with them.

Do you really "feel" more healthy? Do you have to take additional supplements above and beyond the normal WLS ones?

How hard is it to find options that fit your life at common eateries? Honestly, the veg menus at the restraunts around here all look pretty boring and limited.

I have a lot of trouble cooking vegetarian dishes well. I'm just not used to preparing a lot of them. Are their cooking resources you can supply in the paper?  Umm, I have more, but I think that's enough for now. ^_^

I'm laughing because I pretty much did just say "no more meat" one day.  I was 14 and my family was eating dinner at Burger King.  The Burger King in my hometown was right beside a farm and I was eating my hamburger and watching cows graze in the field.  And I thought, something seems not quite right about this.  So I told my parents I was not going to eat meat anymore.  They figured I'd get over it in a couple days but I have not eaten meat since.

Would your family really try to sneak meat into your food?  That's... bothersome.

I am talking about how to make the transition, though, and how to deal wth family members that don't share your interest in a vegetarian diet.  I also have a section on going out to eat.  I don't have any trouble finding things to eat.  I often order something that typically comes with meat and just ask them to leave the meat off.  Like, I love the Fuji Apple chicken salad at Panera, and I just order the "Fuji Apple  chicken salad with no chicken, please."

I can't really say if I feel healthier or not.  I mean, I quit eating meat when I was 14.  I felt healthy at age 14 when I ate meat and I continued feeling healthy when I quit eating it.  I do not need any additional supplements beyond the regular RNY ones.  Vegans would need to take a B12 supplement, but all us RNY folks should be taking that anyway.  Prior to WLS, I seldom took any vitamins.  I think my vitamin D was low then, but most people's D is low.  My iron and everything was always fine.

Thanks for some really great questions!