cfmama

Hello, I am new here. A little background: I have struggled with my weight most of my life starting in adolescence. In my late 20s, i reached near 300#.I lost about 35 pounds doing Atkins in the 2003 (no exercise). I started working out and running and doing triathlons in 2005 and dropped down to 230. I regained again in 2010 to 255#. That's when I started doing crossfit. I dropped down to 215, but due to a cross-country move this year I am back up to 240#. I have been unable to lose even 2-3 pounds since. I still do crossfit 4 times a week, plus at least one day of extra heavy lifting. Despite my best efforts in eating well, it just seems like my body is not responding. (I am 38 years old.) For the first time, I am seriously considering WLS. Does any one have any experience similar to mine? Crossfit is important to me, and I realize any surgery will keep me from it for a period of time. However, I am concerned about losing muscle mass and losing my level of fitness. I know it sounds weird to say I am afraid of having weight loss surgery because I am afraid it will make me less fit, but that's how I feel. Despite my age and weight, I do a fairly good job of keeping up with and sometimes beating out my much leaner and much younger crossfit comrades. However, body weight exercises (runnning, gymnastics movements, pull ups, rope climbs, etc) are where I struggle performance-wise and I know it is because of my weight. I've been battling this for so long. Any words of advice or anyone with a similar experience who can chime in would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Hmmmm.... I like ones that mix heavy lifts with something more body weight-ish. I liked this one from this year's Crossfit Open. It was week 3 (14.3). I got 106 reps. Complete as many reps as possible in 8 minutes of: (Women) 95-lb. deadlifts, 10 reps 15 box jumps, 20-inch 135-lb. deadlifts, 15 reps 15 box jumps, 20-inch 155-lb. deadlifts, 20 reps 15 box jumps, 20-inch 185-lb. deadlifts, 25 reps 15 box jumps, 20-inch 205-lb. deadlifts, 30 reps 15 box jumps, 20-inch 225-lb. deadlifts, 35 reps 15 box jumps, 20-inch MEN - includes Masters Men up to 54 years old Complete as many reps as possible in 8 minutes of: 135-lb. deadlifts, 10 reps 15 box jumps, 24-inch 185-lb. deadlifts, 15 reps 15 box jumps, 24-inch 225-lb. deadlifts, 20 reps 15 box jumps, 24-inch 275-lb. deadlifts, 25 reps 15 box jumps, 24-inch 315-lb. deadlifts, 30 reps 15 box jumps, 24-inch 365-lb. deadlifts, 35 reps 15 box jumps, 24-inch

Aroundhky, thank you so much for your response. Everyone's situation and bodies are certainly different, but I do think that a crossfitter getting WLS is a pretty rare occurrence. So having someone with a little experience with it is helpful! While I continue research and consider doing WLS, I am going to give eattoperform.com a shot and see what happens. Thanks again!

Thanks, Fluff! We do sound somewhat similar. I'm somewhere between 5'6 and 5'7, so a bit taller than you are. I currently am wearing a size 16 or 14W in pants. I have shrunk in size since starting crossfit even though my weight hasn't really changed that dramatically. It's encouraging to hear that you have transitioned from surgery back into WODs. I realize it will seem like a "step back" initially, but part of me is scared if I stop, I won't go back! I've been crossfitting for 3.5 years and I still remember how painful it was to start up!

Mrs RRn - thanks for the update! congrats on getting to your goal weight! I'm sure that once you start lifting heavy again, you'll get back. But losing strength is part of what scares me about WLS. I am going to attend an informational meeting next week. I'll see if I can have my fears addressed.

Thanks, Fiddleman. That is encouraging. I also see that I used to live near you (Mill Creek). I love lifting - I currently back squat 210#, deadlift 270#, strict press 105#. I hope to get my deadlift to 300+ and back squat to 250 this year. Our gym always does a lift before the WOD (which I do at least 4 times a week and up to six), plus I come exclusively for Oly sessions at least once a week. I usually stay after to work on a skill like double unders, pull ups, hand stand push ups, etc. I am a very strong rower, averaging around 1:45/500m. I started my fitness journey by running - and have completed 15 half marathons and countless 5K, 10K, 12k 5 milers etc. SInce starting crossfit I have abandoned the long distance running (as I found that made me gain weight and impact to a bad ankle.) I still do 5K fun runs, but no more than that. I competed in the crossfit open this year, and was mostly hampered by my lack of ability to do skills that are difficult because of my weight (chest to bar, toes to bar). Despite the fact that there were two work outs I could not complete because I couldn't do C2B or T2B, I still did fairly well. All of that to say....I think I've reached my potential athletically at my current weight. Unfortunately, even after all of these years of trying different things with diet and exercise, I haven't made progress in weight loss which is why I am finally considering WLS. Thanks for your insight and encouragement.

Thanks PDXMan and Mrs RRn. RRn - were you training regularly before your surgery? For how long? How long after your surgery did you start again? How far off are you from what you used to be able to lift?