Trainer asked me a question today

can you be a Vegan after this surgery?

this may be a stupid question but she is a vegan wondered about getting all the protein after surgery

I would say sure......if you want to kill yourself.  The nutritional deficiency would be astonishing.  

hahahaha that's what i thought....

Of course you can.  You just substitute soy (tofu) beans and nuts for meats, fish and dairy.  There are a couple of vegetarians who are sleevers,(not sure about vegans) maybe they will log in. 

I was thinking about that.....but based on the capacity of a sleeve....could they fit in enough tofu and beans to get adequate protein?

Tofu gives you 10g protein in 1/2 cup.  Black beans give you about 7g protein in 1/2 cup.  I am new at this but it seems like most people are eating around 1/2 cup per meal. 

I just don't see how they could meet their protein requirements.  Not to mention there would be no room left for any sort of variety.

Too each their own though....I just think it would be extremely difficult and the chance for a nutritional deficiency is pretty high.

But they have soy protein supplements and drinks and I also have morning star burgers and sausage patties. The sausage patties have 10g of protein  and the burgers have 15g of protein and they arent' even that big. I think it's totally doable. There are a lot of options out there.

Yes definitely.  Tofu especially fills differently.  sometimes when i'm out to eat in company and we do Thai i will order a tofu dish because I look like less of a freak in that i can eat quite a bit of it especially if it is in a sauce. nuts are complete sliders beans lie heavier but exit quicker.  For those people who eat 6 small meals a day it would be a cinch.  I've always found a lot of variety in the vegan lifestyle.

Yes, but it's not easy.  Also, relying almost exclusively on soy protein is not good for you. It can effect ferility, thyroid function, etc. 

It's definitely doable.

I was vegan for about 11 years and could DEFINITELY have done VSG as a vegan.

There are protein shakes made entirely of soy-based protein that would suffice... 25gms protein/1gm carbs/2gm fat per scoop to make shakes out of almond or soy based milks.

Blending silken tofu into the shakes also would add protein and boost creaminess.

TVP and tempeh are also excellent sources of protein when more solid foods are allowed into the diet.

Beans and nuts are awesome as well, and quinoa is a complete protein, too!

She could definitely do it, it just would take a little bit more work... but being vegan takes a little bit more work anyhow, so I'm sure it'd be fine!

Vegetarian and/or pescatarian are completely doable, I'm proof...Vegan is a whole different ball game. I've never been vegan so I am probably not the best resource. However, I've been vegetarian/pescatarian for 13 years. When I decided to do the VSG one of my biggest questions was if I would be successful without eating meat. I was told I could be, but it would be a struggle to get in protein. And it's been a battle.

At this point I hit my protein requirements daily but it was rough for the first several months. Soy is a great source of protein, and as someone mentioned earlier, Morningstar and Boca products are a quick go to for meatless eaters. Just be mindful of which products you are buying and how many carbs vs how much protein you are consuming from those products.

All that being said, I know for me I would have never been able to make it through this without cheese. Cheese has been a HUGE staple of my diet since surgery. Low carb + high protein = happy Leah. But then again, that's why I could never be vegan... I love me some cheese.

As always, talk to your nut and surgeon to get their input. You may be able to figure out an eating plan that is vegan and VSG friendly.