Vegan and Revision to RNYaa

Hello to everyone :) I'm tentatively scheduled for a revision from VSG to RNY in February.  Since my first surgery, I've become vegan.  Does anyone have any suggestions for great vegan shakes?  Menus for the various post-op stages?  I'd love to move more towards all non-processed foods.  Thank you for any help!

Hi, welcome to OH. To be honest, I think being vegan and Rny will be very challenging. I'm not sure how you can keep your calories low enough while ensuring you get enough protein. Most vegans I know struggle with this, and they don't have restriction to deal with. And wanting to eliminate processed foods, in that case would even further restrict your choices. (Ie protein shakes, soy based proteins ) 

in terms of protein shakes, vega is a line of pea based protein powders. They taste ok. But I have found most powders to just taste ok. 

I use some vegan shakes, if I have to because of my food allergies and sensitivities. 

Some that I like are Vega brand (any of them- Vega sport, smoothies, etc) 

Another is Plant Fusion, and there is also the Orgain - organic vegan shakes (Costco has Some of them). 

If you can use soy - there are a lot of soy based protein shakes. 

About Time - brant - has a vegan protein shake. 

FYI: I personally would not recommend vegan and RNY. The carbs and RNY are really not very compatible in losing and maintaing weight loss long term. 

Thank you for the shake ideas.  This has been my fear... that vegan and RNY won't be compatible.  I may need to figure out a way to reconcile in my mind just being vegetarian.  If I'm able to do that... do you have further suggestions / menu ideas?  I know I could add cottage cheese and eggs, which I ate a lot of after my first surgery.  Do any of you eat much cheese?  

I do eat a fair bit of cottage cheese and yogurt ( Greek or skyr). But also, i am still early days, and from everything I've read, they are frowned upon as being slider foods, so that's also something to consider in the longer term.

I think vegetarian is more feasible, but still challenging.I'm not sure if your veganism is more for animal welfare, or environmental reasons, so that would sway your decisions.

maybe sourcing a local egg producer you're comfortable with. Same with local cheeses. 

I was vegetarian for a number of years, but to be honest, I made the decision to put my health above other considerations. Selfish no doubt to some, but I'm fine with it at this point. 

I became vegan almost 2 years ago for ethical reasons, primarily animal welfare.  So it is a difficult decision.  I see that meats are difficult for many to eat.  I read that it often causes dumping and/or sits like a brick.  So I'm not sure that meat sounds all that appealing to eat after surgery, even if I weren't veg*n.  Do you eat meat?

Can you remind me what slider foods means?

MEATS DO NOT CAUSE DUMPING.  

Dumping is caused by sugar.  

Being a vegan is definitely contra-indicated to be successful after an RNY.  Meat is by far the most satiating and longest lasting in the pouch.  I have seen very few vegans successfully lose all their excess weight or reach goal, let alone maintain it.

The rule of thumb after the first few months of recovery after surgery is DENSE solid protein.  Other foods are generally "sliders"  -- meaning that they basically slide right through your pouch (your pyloric valve is gone) leaving you hungry again immediately.

Thank you Kat.  I do feel like I'm coming face to face with this.  I know that since becoming vegan, that is when my weight came back on from my first surgery.   Is there anything considered to be dense protein besides meat?  Hard-boiled eggs?  Anything else?

Eggs, depending upon how they are cooked (i.e.: hard boiled) can be dense protein (scrambled are sliders to me) -- albeit an inefficient source.  Consider that a large hardboiled eggs has approximately 78 calories and 6 grams of protein.  Compare that to 3 oz of shrimp at 70 calories and 19 to 21 grams of protein, 3 oz of chicken breast at at 120 calories and 20 grams of protein, or 3 oz of lean beef (96%) with about 110 calories and 19 grams of protein.  All of these will keep you full longer as they take a while to exit your pouch.

I am also a pretty strict "meatatarian" -- and I credit it with not only losing 220 lbs but maintaining it these last three years.

I am sure that it can be done on a vegetarian diet -- however, I would imagine that it would just be that much more difficult.  I don't think I could have done it, and being successful for my health was my priority.

You raise some excellent points.  I have printed your last post so I can refer to it as I do some menu planning... both for now and for post-op.  Congrats on your huge weight loss and even bigger congrats on successful maintenance!