aroundhky

I'm just going to leave this right here....... Why Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson is "obese". https://www.yahoo.com/health/why-dwayne-the-rock-johnson-is-technically-obese-117180855078.html

Yes, something to think about. Though if I had to weigh 280, I'd rather have it with mostly muscle and less fat, than with little muscle and mostly fat.

Easy Andrew..... slow that roll just a bit. It's true that alcohol is empty calories, but I think the amount and frequency is the determining factor. If one indulges in a glass or two of wine every other week, not sure that's really going to make a difference. If someone is drinking say.....every other day or a few times a week, there's probably going to be problem with extra cals. You're lumping everyone together it seems. And by the way, my Dr AND Nut said that an occasional drink after a few months will not hurt. I can't speak for others on here, but the message you and I received may certainly differ from other messages from other bariatric teams. So if someone is complying with what they were told, it's hard to throw them under the bus.....even if it differs from what you've been told. With that said.....for those who may be alcoholics or recovering, it's probably best to not partake again.

So truthful! I couldn't have said it better Cowgirl! Wish you the best getting back into it!

Great point B52! In the end, it's really about what numbers are more important. The number on a scale? Or the number on your body composition? For the first several months after my sleeve, my WEIGHT numbers were dropping rather slowly compared to many other sleevers the first few months because I was lifting with quite a bit of frequency and intensity. But more long range....it helped me get a lot leaner, more muscle vs less body fat, and it also helped with saggy skin issues, which I have none of. I wish trainers and Dr's made it a little more known that the scale may not fall as fast while lifting, or even go up some, but to me, it's well worth it!

I use a weighted vest for training dips and pull ups. Once I got to where I was doing a dozen or so of each, I started adding a training vest since my reps were getting too high, and nice to say, they were getting too easy. This took me months to be able to do though. Even about 3-4 months after surgery, I could only do 6-8 pull ups at a time and maybe 10 dips at a time. So I just trained with my body weight for a few months after that until I could do a dozen a set, then started training with the weighted vest. My the vest I use, I can add just 5 pounds, or up to 35 pounds of added weight.

Some amazing pictures there, congrats!!

Oh yes...the GPS! I have an app with that on my phone and I do like it tracking my walks, jogs! I do like knowing how far I'v traveled, which since it's based on GPS, is probably fairly accurate.

I agree on whatever one needs to do to get themselves motivated to exercise. Just know that some of the calories burned counters often are not just inaccurate, but way off.

I think where some people get in trouble with these things would be when they are counting "cals in" and "cals out/burned". This type of equipment tells them cals out/burned is so high, maybe 600 more than they really burned. So they'll maybe eat 300 more and think the 300 deficit will help them lose. Multiply this by say 5 times a week, and they are taking in way more cals than they burned and they're gaining weight. It's really hard counting cals......true cals.....almost impossible to get it accurate. So instead of this type equipment helping people lose weight, it most often sabotages them and makes them gain....if they put stock in to what the "cals burned" is telling them.

Lift weights up, put weights down. Lift weights up, put weights down. I think the important thing is to educate yourself on the types of lifts/movements, lift to failure (with proper form), eat to support the lifting, and #1....be motivated (set goals) or find a way to really motivate yourself to stick with it. The "what kind of lifts" and "when to lift" will then fall into place. Wish you the best!

Jersey.....it looks like you have a great foundation for muscle from what I can see. I was fairly similar. Had lifted for years and I had lots of strength/muscle from those years of lifting. But I was overweight and unhealthy, had a lot of additional fat with the muscle. With hard work and just the right nutrition, you'll get back to your original strength/muscle levels after your initial rapid weight and muscle loss. That's my guess anyway since we're so similar. Ex:.... I was deadlifting 475 for a single rep and 405 for 5 reps before surgery. About oh.....maybe 7-8 months after my sleeve, I was back to those levels....minus the fat. In total from highest weight to lowest, I lost around 80-90 pounds. I have most, if not all of my original muscle, but with the fat loss, I'm just more cut now....or as I like to say....."ripped". Well at least in my own mind anyway. It's a long process and you'll probably be like me....discouraged the first 1-4 months post op and really missing the strength. Just hang in there, keep lifting during the weight loss phase, and you'll eventually get back the strength months down the road. Lifting during losing is really important. You cant really build muscle while losing a lot of weight, but you can certainly maintain it or lessen the rate of muscle loss by lifting. It signals to your body that you need the muscle.....and more of your weight loss will be fat and not as much muscle loss. With that said, ease into lifting again as your body needs to adjust and you don't want to injure yourself and have a set back. Listen to your Dr to release you. I would urge you to stay the course....I think you'll be happy you did. Wish you the best man!

Jersey...you can do it and I think you'll be glad you went through with it. Like Indianaman said.....it can be done.

Someone start a survey about running and how many fall in the middle. Love it...... Like it...... Indifferent..... Don't like it..... MY VOTE (but leaning towards hatred when in it's purest form). Mud runs or obstacle runs I love! Hate it.......

Yes, the more you run, the easier it gets. Not really easier each day, but if you do it consistantly, it will eventually get easier to do as the weeks and months go by. I'm not saying running on the treadmill is bad for you, but it isn't all that functional in regards to improving your regular street/track running. It burns cals, especially on an incline, but physiologically, it's quite a bit different that plain running. I'm not a huge fan of running either. Not that I hate it, but too much of it works against my strength/muscle goals. I still do cardio 1-2 times a week and run a mud run once a year, but that's about it for me. It all comes down to your goals. If you want to run a marathon or 1/2 marathon one day, by all means run and run A LOT, while limiting resistance training. What are your goals or what is it you aim to achieve from running?

BryBro.....give it time and with good hard resistance training (lifting) and proper/well-timmed nutrition, you'll get there. Yes, hitting the weights early (during weight loss phase), helps signal to your body to retain or hang on to the muscle and that you need it. If you didn't lift then, you're a little behind (muscle-wise) and have some catching up to do.....but you can do it. Work hard lifting, eat right and be patient....you'll get there. Make sure to concentrate on getting Protein and complex carbs for your first meal or two after your workout.......this works well for me. Then the other meals I go back to low carb, with protein and some good fats. Wish you the best!