Miss Norway

Hi! My name is Hanne and I am from Norway. I have been considering the gastric sleeve. I am 34 y/o and weigh around 210 lbs /95 kg. I am overweight but not extremely fat/obese. My struggle is my pcos condition. It is making it so hard for me to lose weight, and even though I have managed to lose a lot of weight a few times, I've obviously never been able to keep it of. I had some issues with anorexia when I was a teenager. Even with an eating disorder I became normal weight, and not looking dangerously underweight as one might associate with anorexic patients. This has made me lose so much hope of ever living in a body that has a normal weight without starving myself. So this is why I am considering surgery even though I really dont have huge amounts of weight to lose. My weight is making me very depressed and is really stopping me from going on dates and stuff like that. I really dont have any confidence, and this body is starting to feel like a prison. I feel like I am always waiting for my life to start, and I would have to be normal weight for that to really happen. I have always been very active, and I guess that's why I haven't gotten even worse with my weight. However, I should lose around 65 lbs/30 kg to feel okay with myself. I never seem to be able to keep the weight off, and at this age I dont know if I can try it all over again knowing my past struggles. I am also competing in powerlifting, and my current PR's are squat 265 lbs/ 120 kg, bench 170 lbs/77,5 kg and deadlift 352 lbs/160 kg. I am including these stats because I am curios to see if there are any fellow powerlifters who has gotten the sleeve. I worry about losing a lot of muscle, even though I know it is inevitable in the first period after surgery. But what will life be like maybe a year after surgery? Will I be able to be a powerlifter still and will I be able to really build muscle after surgery? How has the sleeve affected your training? Are you okay training with belts? Can your body do anything in terms of training now? I love to go hiking in the mountains, and I worry about my fluids. Will I be able to drink all the water necessary during a day in the mountains? What about high altitudes, any sleevers have experiences with that? I would love to take a lean body back to the Himalayas, I would imagine the experience to be easier. But you have to drink a lot of water up there. Is it doable with the sleeve? If i go to a spin class today, I will drink around 1 liter/0,25 gallons of water in an hour. Is that possible with the sleeve? I really worry about not being able to drink/eat enough for me to keep really pushing hard in the gym after surgery. I would really love to hear if anyone has gotten surgery without being very obese, and whether or not it was worth it for you. If anyone has experience with the sleeve and powerlifting or hiking/altitudes I would be grateful to hear your experiences with the sleeve Hanne

Hi!! That's so funny, what are the odds of that!! I never managed to go through with the surgery, and I am very thankful for that these days. As of now I am at 81 kg and have just decided to take my time and do things naturally. I guess i won't be of much help to you seeing as I never got the surgery. But I want to wish you the best of luck on your journey, which ever route you decide to go down :) :) Hanne

Oh man. That sucks...! Injuries can easily ruin your motivation. Good to see that you still are keeping it up...! "maturity related". well thanks you've got to keep me posted on the surgery. Sometimes its really efficient to take a step back in powerlifting, I have found that it helps on minor injuries or pain, more than not training at all. So I think you might be on to something As of now I am just trying to eat less without obsessing about it. I am trying not to step on the scal to often, and just seeing if it's doable without having to stress over everything I eat and feel bad every time I have something I shouldn't. I don't really know if it's a good approach, but I feel like it's worth a shot. I can so easily obsess to much over food and it's not a good way to live. So I guess I just have to see how this plays out. Surgery scares me, but I guess you've already heard that Sorry if I have any spelling errors, I don't always bother to look every word up

Hi Viff...! So nice of you to check in These days I am still thinking about the surgery, but I haven't done anything but think. I am still powerlifting. Just like @Brik8te did, I have decided to try for one last time to lose the weight on my own. I already know that it's not really going to work, but I just need to know that I have really tried everything before heading for surgery. So nowadays I am thinking a little bit about having the surgery in a year, next winter. The surgery still scares me a bit, so this is tough. Oh, and about the lifts, I haven't tried any new PRs lately, but I do feel strong so maybe I will before summer. What about you, how are you doing? Hanne

16,8 is great! that's a lot to get rid of. Must feel amazing. Again i really identify with you, in a weird way I don't feel big. And I have been skinny before so I know I just want to get back to that. It won't be such a change that my head can't keep track - at least I have a very hard time imagining that. I feel that this whole process really has just been building up to me making the decision. Like, somehow I already know I am going to do it - but I need to take my time reading and checking everything in advance so it doesn't feel rushed. But now I have spoken to both my parents about it to, so it feels another step closer. Only hesitation is my very active social life, but it seems like all of you are saying I shouldn't worry as much as I do. I am not 100% yet, but sure does feel like I am headed for the surgery

Don't worry - just reply whenever you have time It's so great hearing your experienses. Have you lost any more weight? It sounds like this really has been an awesome decission for you. No regrets at all yet? Are you able to enjoy your progress? I read a lot about people's heads not quite following and that they still feel big after

Jaaa! Hurra! Vi har masse å snakke om. Jeg deaktiverte faktisk Instagram i går. Men vil du legge meg til på Facebook? Det er Hanne gartland. Bare jeg som heter det. Bilde fra fjellet. Add meg så kan jeg hjelpe deg med styrkeløft og du hjelpe meg med operasjon? :-D

Oh, we are so much alike. I was thinking also about trying one last time. I know I would have to really starve, and deep inside I know it's not goint to be sufficient no matter what I do. Also, how much time am I going to spend in this mode, struggling with no real results. It's not magically going to change after turning 35, that's for sure. I feel you on the snowballing. Knowing how much harder dieting gets for each time you have gained weight, it's so not motivating. What about alcohol? Tried any of that yet? Hope you'll have a great trip to Vegas, and that you get some time off to do fun stuff there too

No, the only thing I am considering is sleeve or nothing. Its such a hard decission. How long did you think about it before you decided? I really understand what you mean about the reactions. I think I would do the same. Just don't bother explaining. Many people don't understand regalrdless of how much you explain, I feel. I forgot to ask - do you have issues with sleep apnea or poor sleep prior to surgery? If so, has it improved yet? It sounds like you are very commited, so I think you are going to be succesful. You sure are so far It's really hard to make up my mind, I kind of fear missing to be able to go out to dinner and stuff, I don't know how I will handle all the changes. And the water - part aswell. So I'm still having a hard time deciding

I get that. I really do. Even though everyone is welcome in powerlifting, and the feeling of being proud over yourself for finishing a meet is awesome, I get why you don't bother. The most important thing here is that you keep pushing your own limits and that powerlifting gives you joy. It's really not important with the competitions. You are doing so great the way you are right now, so you just keep it up. I'm so dying at the "snowflake" - expression, I think it's the funniest thing

Thanks for your reply First of all congrats on your deadlift PR! Thats just great. All progress is good This is turning out to be a real difficult thing to make up my mind about. However I know that I will never reach my goals without surgery. It's just not going to happen. Thanks for sharing your experienses with me

Ah, cool. Never heard the word Yeah the breathing is important, can't release your potential without it. Do you do competitions as well?

Oh my, we are very much alike! I am so glad you replied here. So you ended up choosing the sleeve. On one hand, it feels very drastic since we are not really that fat, on the other hand we have these kg's really making our lives suck a lot. It's such a struggle and PCOS is horrible. I agree on best possible shape preop, and it sounds like it really worked for you. That's a relief to hear. And the fact that you are 11 weeks out, lost 15 kgs and you are able to lift like preop is amazing. As you and i both know, you would've never lost 15 kgs in 11 weeks without surgery. So the tool is really working. And since you were fit and didn't have that much weight to lose, dont you think those numbers are ok? I mean the more extra weight you have, the faster you lose it at first. How do you feel these days, enjoying your results? What is your goal weight? Do you know if we will gain weight easier than others a couple of years postop due to our condition? I worry about success only being temporary and that I am doomed to an overweight life forever in a way.. This is feeling like a prison and such a hopeless situation these days. I have to say you are doing great. I know your struggles and it can be so tempting to give up. Now you have an amazing opportunity and you are really making the most of it. I really agree, going to the gym is like brushing your teeth. It's just something that has to be done. No need to think about if you want to go or not. Nobody is motivated every day Again, I am so glad you wrote, and I really want to here more from you

oh, stop it Oktoberfest was a lot of fun, I do dread never having another beer

Thanks, the squat was good, only regret not daring to add more kg to it. I think I could've handled 5-10 kg more with a bit of a grind. I dont know what vasalva means, but yeah. I guess its something I did I've heard of Lyss and read her story. She has really changed so much, its crazy. I dont know about strong, but she sure has a lot of hours in the gym. Probably didnt have any muscle preop so they are all built postop I guess. She really got a second chance in life. But I guess that's how you all feel now PCOS is so horrible. I see the "fat girl dancing" - chick on tlc and she is so annoying. THAT is not how you get because of PCOS. She is giving us other PCOS - girls a bad look because it's obviously just a bullshit excuse with her. Grunt. I have absolutely had a very active life and done tons of fun stuff. But I think that especially my trips hiking in the mountains would have been so much better at another weight. Its exactly like @Brik8te says. You wont believe the frustration of working out and doing your best and not have your body cooperate or show it. It really is a struggle, and I hate my extra kg's a lot. I do have hot flashes like an old lady, and sleep apnea. These are things that are normally helped a lot with surgery. The sleeve is very good for the PCOS symptoms. I haven't slept a whole night since I was a teenager, and I'm always tired. So those things come in to play when considering the sleeve also. This sure is an enormous decission, and I don't know yet what I'll end up doing

Yeah, I've heard many people say that dehydration is really bad, thats kind of scary. Thanks for your answers, i really appreciate it

I can talk about powerlifting all you want B-) I do a high bar. Been trying the low bar lately but I am not really friends with it just yet. I do sumo deadlifts at meets, but i train the classic ones to. If you go to my instagram (hannegartland) and scroll down a bit I do have a few videos, all pr's from last meet is on there. Check it out if you wanna I think it's kinda scary with all the unceirtanty (spelling?!?!) of life after the operation compared to now. Maybe I will be better of not doing it. I do feel pretty healthy, obviously except from the excess weight. I guess I am "fat fit" as I saw someone on here call it. Does your nutritional needs change because you are sleeved? And does it vary for you from day to day how much your stomach can handle? or is it just about the time and planning whether or not you reach 3000 kcal? And when you say you are full from the water, are you just normal full or does it get painful in any way? Can it hit you like a ton of bricks if you chug to much water? I'm thinking to the point where you feel bad and give up the session? I agree on the numbers on the bar. I am never going to be any kind of powerlifting legend, I basically compete with myself. So I dont really care about losing strength in numbers. But I am worried about losing use of potential. Now I know for sure my body can take any beating needed with the weights, and I am scared to lose that feeling. At the same time I want to buy some dresses and wear a bikini, so the dilemma is real

Thanks for your reply :-D Thats so cool that you have gotten into powerlifting after the sleeve. Its such an amazing feeling to feel strong! Do you feel like you are really able to release your potential in the gym with the sleeve? Do you think you body can take the same beating now as if you would have lost the weight without surgery? I mean, if you are able to eat 3000 calories in a day I cant se why you would not be succesful in the gym. That gives me hope But that means you have to eat often? Do you get sick of it, or does it become a habit? You couldn't drink a liter, but do you feel thirsty or are the sips really enough? I do have a love for chugging water so I can imagine it being a struggle not being able to. I forgot to include my height, you're right. I am 160 cm/ 5,25 feet. I have always been kind of sturdy buildt, I dont think you would guess my weight is as high as it is by looking at me. But I can sure feel the kg's myself. I know that my powerlifting PR's will take a serious hit if i lose a lot of weight - but I am wondering if I will be able to stay the same level of strong compared to my new weight. You know, the Wilks and all. Powerlifting is just for fun for me, but I do want to be able to train and still have progress at the new weight. 210 is really not THAT big, but I have always felt overweight, and I really should lose. But having such a hard time with it, kind of giving up on it. Feeling like the sleeve might be an option on some days, other days I am not that certain. Its really helpful to hear your experiences

Thank you so much for your reply :-D I am wondering - how do you feel about "eating all day", does it make you crazy? Or has it just gotten to be a habit? Do you ever miss being able to eat a "normal" portion? Altitude run - thats so cool! I think the water - part is kind of hard to imagine. I worry about being very thirsty at the gym and not feeling satiesfied with the smaller sips. But I haven't really seen any of you sleevers mention it as a problem? Do you miss gulping the water or has this just become a habit also? Thanks for the links to, I will check them out

I live in Norway so Its not the same with insurance. I already know i have to pay myself, and I have already Met with the surgeon. What i am asking for if is anyone has any experience with powerlifting or hiking in altitudes after the sleeve.

I live in Norway so Its not the same with insurance. I already know i have to pay myself, and I have already Met with the surgeon. What i am asking for if is anyone has any experience with powerlifting or hiking in altitudes after the sleeve.