kemo46

I normally would never disagree with a Doctor's advice but I do on this subject and this is why. A lot of Doctor's do not have training in nutrition or personal training. With that said, I would make sure you get cleared BY YOUR DOCTOR for exercise and weight lifting before you do it. You do not want to strain or tear any muscles that were affected during surgery. I was not cleared for exercise until 6 weeks after surgery and I took it very slow. I think waiting until you have acheived ALL of your weight loss before starting weight lifting is a bit conservative. I agree with Lissa, lifting has helped me as well with the saggy skin. I reached my goal 9.5 months out, if I would have waited that long to start lifting, I would look a mess.

Sarah, I have sent you a private message.

Hey Amanda, I went through a similar stall. My trainer suggested I skip the gym for a few days, eat some food I normally would not eat and drink at least 100oz of Water a day for 4 days. I do not know if it was 1,2, or the combination but it worked. I dropped several pounds and have keept them off and have that stall behind me. Even though we try to mix up our routine, sometimes we have to really throw our body a shock every once in a while. I have been at my goal weight for a while now but I have been trying to create a cushion so I can build up and add a lot more muscle tone. To do this I needed to add substantial more calories, more carbs and this is totally the opposite of what I have been doing over the last year. I am resetting my goal to 190 lbs to add the muscle because I DO NOT ever want to weigh over 200lbs again. Congrats on getting through your stall.

Use your sleeve as the tool it is. You will get such an uncomfortable feeling if you over eat, you will not want to do it again, that is what keeps you from overeating. It is human nature to continue something when we see the results we are looking for, that is what happens with the sleeve. The restriction is the key, the exercise is a huge part of it and the nutrition is a must. You will not fail with those three parts. This surgery has saved my life.

PDXMAN is 100% correct. You must have the carbs and protein for energy. You need to make sure you stay hydrated as well. I eat a slice of whole grain wheat bread with Peanut Butter before my workouts with a Protein shake. I also have a protein shake after my workouts. Try different things and see what works best for you but the carbs WILL give you the extra energy for your workouts and help you burn fat, not lean muscle.

Start slow and add time to each workout. Make a good music playlist you like to listen to while working out. DO NOT look at the time or distance readings on the machine. Get caught up in the music and before you know it, 10, 15 30 min will have passed. Take it slow.

The fact is there is about 17 in 100,000 violent crimes in Tijuana. I guess I should have said crime is worse in MANY not Most U.S. cities. The point is the media does not report all the murders in El Paso or San Diego the way they do in Juarez or Tijuana. I spend time in Tijuana and I feel as safe there as anywhere. I hate when they use the words drug cartel, we have drug cartel's here in the states too, we call them gangs. They get their money from DRUGS. If people use a little common sense, they will have no issues in Mexico or any other country.

There is as much violent crime or more in most major U.S. cities than in Tijuana. The media reports what sells. Is there crime in Mexico, sure there is but I have never felt uneasy there. If you are in an area doing things you should not be doing, it can be dangerous, just like Dallas or any other city. If you want dangerous, watch your local news with all the home invasions, car-jackings, drug violence and other murders.

Increase your calories and increase your cardio workouts. When I was about 9 months out, I hit a wall, I was not getting enough calories and started to lose muscle mass. Get out of the routine you have been in and throw your body a curve. Still eat healthy but add more meals throughout the day to keep your metabalism going. This worked for me and others as well. Add an extra glass of water to your day as well, I drink about 80 oz a day at least. It will come for you, it does get harder the closer you get to your goal so mix it up.

Lissa, you can build more muscle without the bodybuilder look. It will really fill out your lose skin, you will just look nicely toned without the bulk look. I will tell you this that the diet and supplements are a big part of the puzzle, not just exercise. It is a juggling act when you are still in the losing phase but want to build up. Once I reached my weight loss goal, I started to carb up before and after my workouts. Before to give me the extra energy for longer workouts and after so you burn fat, not muscle mass. I always have a 100% whey protein shake within 1/2 hour after each workout to help build muscle. Remember, you build muscle while at rest, not while working out. The best advice I would suggest has already been given, get a personal trainer even if only for a few sessions. I did this to maximize my time at the gym and it was well worth it. You are on the right track with cardio, you will never get enough cardio. Good luck.

Like some of the posters said, a Protein drink and DO have some carbs. I try to carb up before and after a workout for several reasons. Before gives me more energy to have a longer more productive workout without getting tired. I carb up right after a workout for the muscles. If you do not have the carbs, you will lose lean muscle, you do not want to do that. Remember, you build muscle while at rest, not while lifting. The carbs and protein give the muscle the fuel they need. I know during the weight loss period we are very careful not to have too many carbs but I learned that while losing the weight, you want it to be fat you are burning , not muscle.

Check what heart rate you are maintaining while doing both. You will burn more calories while your heart rate is higher by raising your metabilism. Both are good for you. I found that any incline over 8 is harder on my knees, everyone is different. I have been doing 4.3 mph at an 8 incline for 2 miles and it is quite a workout. Keep up the good work.

Hello NeNe, I just sent you a message.

Hello all, I am new to the board and very excited to find this wealth of information. I have been educating myself for the last year on the different procedures. I have been around people that have had the band and the gastric bypass. Neither of those surgeries got me too excited. Once I heard about the sleeve and did more research, i feel I am ready to take the plunge. I was in the corporate world, lost my job and insurance. I was able to find work again but not the insurance that would cover the surgery. I have been researching the surgery down at Jerusalem hospital in Tijuana Mexico with Dr. Almanza. I was apprehensive at first but If after more research and communicating with some past patients, i feel a lot better. If anyone has recently had surgery there or is scheduled, i would like to hear from you. The cost is a fraction of what i have found here in the states and their communication is great. I have just started my paper work and getting my schedule in order for the surgery next month. I would love to hear any input from anyone who thought about the surgery in Mexico or had the surgery down there. Thank you.

I will tell you this, lifting before 6 weeks is a VERY BAD idea. Not only does your stomach need time to heal but the muscle that they cut through does too. I researched this a lot and this is a no no. Nothing good can come from lifting too early and it is not worth the risk.

He needs to get on the forums and talk with people that have actually had the surgery. Have him go to my blog and read from the beginning, the surgery is a lifesaver. Education and facts are the key that will help him.

That is awesome, it is a great feeling to KNOW you are healthy. That was also my best feeling when I got my reports back, all the hard work has paid off and we know the lifestyle we must lead to maintain it. Congrats to you.

The warmup is very important. The other thing you might want to consider is increasing your carbs before your workout. My trainer told me when I started to experience headaches that not only will lack of carbs before a workout cause you to tire in the middle of your workout, it can also cause headaches. I took his advise and have not experienced it once since. My headaches were just regular, in the temple area, they were not migranes but it is something easy you can try. Good luck.

I am 11 months out and hit my goal at 9 months out. I have lost over 117 lbs and I am in the best shape of my life. I take no medication for anything and before surgery I was Diabetic, had high cholesterol and a host of other weight related issues. I weigh 198 now and have been working to build more muscle for the last few months, it is going rather well. I went from a 52 pant size to a 36 and a 4x shirt to large and medium.

This is ALWAYS a question for your surgeon. The majority of people including myself was only allowed to walk for the first 6 weeks. We were then allowed more exercise and weight lifting. Once you are cleared by your surgeon, I recommend taking it very slow and easing into your workouts. Do not over due it, it can cause more harm than good. I started light weight lifting after 6 weeks, I incorporated riding my bike, treadmill and the ellipticle. I am 11 months out and I still lift weights 4 times a week and do cardio everyday. If you are 4 weeks out, it will simply be math for you, you will have such a calorie deficit, you will lose the weight rather quickly the first 2 months. Good luck to you and keep us posted.

You need her to get on the forums, search the internet and gather as much information as possible. The key is education. Once she finds out the facts, she will be more open to the situation.

People do not take the time to read the facts. They listen to the media and we know how they are. The fact is there are about 17 violent crimes per 100,000 people, a lot less than most major cities in the U.S. We hear about the drug cartels, well, we have them here in the states too, we call them gangs. You can find trouble anywhere you go regardless of what country you are in. As long as you are not where you should not be doing what you should not be doing, you will be fine. I have found the people of Tijuana to be very friendly and they have some great places to eat, 4 ounces at a time. I actually spend quite a bit of time in Tijuana and I agree with several posters, it is the driving habits that scare me more than anything. The good news is since I have lost my weight, I can run across the road a lot faster now.

People do not take the time to read the facts. They listen to the media and we know how they are. The fact is there are about 17 violent crimes per 100,000 people, a lot less than most major cities in the U.S. We hear about the drug cartels, well, we have them here in the states too, we call them gangs. You can find trouble anywhere you go regardless of what country you are in. As long as you are not where you should not be doing what you should not be doing, you will be fine. I have found the people of Tijuana to be very friendly and they have some great places to eat, 4 ounces at a time. I actually spend quite a bit of time in Tijuana and I agree with several posters, it is the driving habits that scare me more than anything. The good news is since I have lost my weight, I can run across the road a lot faster now.

Great job, it is a great acomplishment and I know how much hard work went in to it. You can now enjoy the rest of your healthy life.

P90X is great but not for you in your situation. Start with walking and you need to do low impact if you have knee issues.