Sleeve Myths

[CrazyJaney 775]

Great post! Thank you!

[mike.alvarez 6]

How is everyone doing?

Had doctors appointment today

and down 54 lbs in 1 month 18 days!!!!

It was a great feeling getting on that scale!!!

[Malsr 49]

Most of us DON'T NEED plastic surgery. In my case, even after losing 160# I didn't have skin rash or any medical need for plastics. Heck, Spanx or other decent Shapewear kept things together for me just fine. I wanted plastics because it was important to me to look "normal". I truly believe that it will help me with the mental/emotional aspects of long term maintenance. Plastics were really really hard but I am glad I did it. I would also say that people at the beginning of their journey shouldn't even think about all this.

I completely agree. I have not been sleeved yet, but I lost a significant amount of weight with my band and at 27 and decided to have cosmetic surgery to get a lift and augmentation to make my body look 27. Did I need it for health reasons, of course not. But I did need it for my mental and emotional well being. It definitely made me feel more confident about my new, smaller figure. I know that my skin elasticity is not great (most likely due to the fact that I don't drink nearly enough water), so surgery will be something a choose to do years down the line to complete my journey, but not something I'll have to do.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

The only thing that works for me is 600 calories a day and not exercising. I have tried every permutation of diet and exercise since being sleeved and 600 is the only thing that yields results. Calories in/Energy spent just is not true in my case. I have worked with personal trainers and ate 1400 very clean calories a day, only to lose a mere 4 pounds in a month, not what you expect when still obese. I have done Insanity 5x a week and eaten only 800 cals a day and not lost an ounce.

So now I am in a pickle - I exercise because it feels good, it relieves stress and tension, and makes my a$$ look great, but I stop losing weight when I exercise.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

The only thing that works for me is 600 calories a day and not exercising. I have tried every permutation of diet and exercise since being sleeved and 600 is the only thing that yields results. Calories in/Energy spent just is not true in my case. I have worked with personal trainers and ate 1400 very clean calories a day, only to lose a mere 4 pounds in a month, not what you expect when still obese. I have done Insanity 5x a week and eaten only 800 cals a day and not lost an ounce. So now I am in a pickle - I exercise because it feels good, it relieves stress and tension, and makes my a$$ look great, but I stop losing weight when I exercise.

The thing about p90x or insanity is that you have to eat a certain number of calories in a certain ratio of macros at a certain time of the day for your body to cooperate. Very important.

Nutrition is actually 80% of effort where the workouts are 20%. It is not only enough to eat clean, but also to eat low glycemic carbs and high quality whey for Breakfast and high glycemic carbs and whey Protein after working out (4:1 carb to Protein ratio). None or very little carbs for the rest of the day, except from veggies. Casein protein at night before bed (muscles need it to repair at night). Eat protein 2 hours after working out to begin the muscle building phase that lasts until the next day. It is best to eat 500 calories below a set calorie amount to lose 2-3 # a week and 500 calories above that amount to gain. Eat every 2-3 hours to facilitate building muscle and keeping insulin levels stable.

The macros should be 50% protein, 30% carb and 20% fat during the fat burning phase of the program. For each workout, you do really have to bring it, challenge your muscles with heavier weights when time is right and keep at it for the long term.

And put the scale away.

They (beach body) recommend to not use a scale because it is going to drive you nuts. Scale weight is only one facet of progress, a very small one.

For my height of 5'11" and activity of 650 calories per workout, I have calculated my daily caloric count to be 1800 (there are a number of formulas to come to a calorie amount). I am ideal body weight right now, but want to get shredded beyond what I have already achieved with cross fit. When following a high intensity program like p90x or insanity, your body needs a certain amount of calories to burn and not store in combination with working out. Always eat before working out so you have the energy to bring it hard for the whole workout every day.

I have been tracking calories in MFP in order to track the timing and the type of macros every day. I have never tracked up until now. However, to achieve a specific goal (me: get shredded starting with p90x), you have to be exact on what you are doing. 650 calories per workout assumes I am focused and bring it to every workout 6 days a week. The workouts range between 60 and 90 minutes and alternate between lifting days and cardio days.

I eat a lot of chicken variations, brocolli, steel oats, Fiber one, premier Protein shakes, ON casein and whey gold standard shakes for protein and carb sources. Very little dairy, no extra sugar not in specific foods I am eating, no extra salt, no bread foods, etc. the program is fairly easy to follow and my weight is dropping some, but more importantly, my fat percentage is dropping and muscle definition is coming out.

Try to evaluate what you did in light of these comments during your insanity program. Again, nutrition is way more important than the actual workouts, but do bring it on every workout 6x a week. Be consistent and I know you will achieve your goals.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Fiddleman

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Nutrition is actually 80% of effort where the workouts are 20%. It is not only enough to eat clean, but also to eat low glycemic carbs and high quality whey for Breakfast and high glycemic carbs and whey Protein after working out (4:1 carb to Protein ratio). None or very little carbs for the rest of the day, except from veggies. Casein protein at night before bed (muscles need it to repair at night). Eat protein 2 hours after working out to begin the muscle building phase that lasts until the next day. It is best to eat 500 calories below a set calorie amount to lose 2-3 # a week and 500 calories above that amount to gain. Eat every 2-3 hours to facilitate building muscle and keeping insulin levels stable.

This is exactly what I do, I have eaten precisely like this, to no avail - unless it is vvlc of 600-650.

[Lynne1029 61]

Thanks so much for that info.. !!!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Good list... I would add:

"there is 20 pounds I will never see again"

If you hear this coming out of your mouth, think again. That 20 pounds is around every corner waiting for you to let your guard down. It will hook up with you if you stop being vigilant. The statistically highest time to gain weight back is at 3 years after surgery. Learn what works now and stick with it. Have a bounce range of 2-3 pounds and get back on plan if you go over that. Losing regain is harder than losing it the first time (so I have experienced and have been told by many friends in that boat). Just because you feel like you could NEVER eat enough to gain, guess again... it is quite possible you will feel different about that later. Not a downer, just a fact. You can be successful for the long term, thats what I believe at 3 years out, but it may not look the way it does to you at 1-6 months out....

[Gina1010 86]

Good stuff!