Sleeved powerlifters?

[Miss Norway 5]

10 hours ago, BigViffer said:

Damn, you made that squat look easy! I squealed when I saw you vasalva before squatting then go below parallel. You are no pretender, that's for damn sure. And you're stunning! When I think of a powerlifter from Norway, I don't expect a beauty like that. Wow... just wow.

Take this only as a stranger on the internet giving advice; don't get the sleeve. I know nothing about PCOS. I mean, yeah I can read about it, but I can't experience it and none of the women in my life have either. So I cannot comment on how the gastric sleeve may or may not help you in that aspect. What I see is a woman who is healthy enough to put most American men to shame in regards to a barbell. I saw you with mountain pictures and scuba diving. You can and have experienced a physically active life unlike many who here in America have not. You will definitely be able to do all of that post sleeve, but the powerlifting will most likely suffer.

HOWEVER - there are some people that have had gastric surgery that have gone onto bodybuilding. You and I know the difference, but the lay person may not. Hypertrophy is the goal of bodybuilding, not strength. Lyss Remaly is the most famous example I can think of:

http://www.lyssremaly.com/my-story/

She went from 350lbs to 150lbs and looks very healthy, but I don't know how strong.

Sorry, went off on a tangent. Nutritional needs do not change post op. As a lifter, you are probably watching what you eat as far as quality of food. I would imagine you eat clean for the most part. Post op, I find that I will eat my dense Protein and that's eat for that meal. Less than 2 hours later, I will eat some vegetables. Later still I will eat some carbs like oats or figs. I still eat the correct macro mix as anyone should, but I have to break it up in 2 hour increments. So what a normal lifter would have for Breakfast, it takes me all morning to do. Then after my workout, lunch takes me until 5pm. Hitting the 3000 calorie mark is a mix of timing and food choice. High fat foods like avocado or whole milk will make it easier. A sweet potato with real butter and a bit of maple Syrup is another way to get the calories for those days.

When I say full from drinking, it's not painful. Well, I mean it has happened once or twice, but I had that happen pre-surgery too. It is just a feeling f being very full. Have you ever chugged an entire beer? When you are done, you feel that if you could just burp, it will make all the difference? That is the feeling. It goes away fairly quickly though. And no, it has never been bad enough to make me stop a session.

Oh, and since you keep mentioning Water, you should know that many of us cannot stand the taste of Water post op. I used to drink it all the time, now it taste... wrong. I just can't explain it. But it is very common for people to have a hard time drinking water post op.

Whatever you decide to do, I am betting you will be successful at it. No one gets to the level you are on by being casual. Deadlifts and squats train the mind to do things that are hard. If you can put 200lbs on your back, you can pretty much do anything in my book. And if you are going to be buying dresses and bikinis, I am going to bookmark your instagram!

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

[Miss Norway 5]

10 hours ago, BigViffer said:

Holy moley... there are pictures of you in a dirndl. That's it, it's official. I'm smitten.

oh, stop it

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

[Miss Norway 5]

9 hours ago, Brik8te said:

I can relate to so much of what you've written! I'm 11 weeks post op, started at 94.3kgs with PCOS and insulin resistance. I'm 33, turning 34 this year. Everything you wrote about how you felt about your body is what I felt, and our concerns where almost identical!

I'm certainly not as proficient in lifting as you are, but I've been working with a PT for the last 8 months and love our lifting sessions. I also run, do pilates, yoga, and hike. Pre-op I made sure I worked out as much as possible (5 sessions a week) to help my body be in the best shape possible for surgery. My biggest fears were complications from surgery keeping me out of the gym for too long post op, and not being able to drink enough Water during a workout (and just in general!). To my relief, surgery went well and my recovery was (close enough) to a breeze! I was cleared to start working out again 3 weeks post op and have stayed committed to building my strength back up, am just now back to where I was pre-op in terms of my stats. The only difference right now is that I've dropped my workouts back to no more than 45 mins a session (otherwise I'm just to beat, but this will change, I'm sure) and I sip on the Water instead of gulping. For the first 2 weeks post op I really had to focus on taking small sips, but that has now become my new 'normal' (and the restricted feeling has eased somewhat as well).

Like you, my PCOS (and insulin resistance) stopped me from losing weight regardless of my good diet and exercise. I literally didn't lose a gram in the 8 months pre-op and it was so frustrating to feel trapped in a body which did not convey how seriously I was focusing on doing all the 'right' things. I lived like this for 10+ years before making the decision to have surgery. I'm losing very slowly compared to most people, am sitting at 15.7kgs down right now and I have hit so many 'stalls' in the last 11 weeks I've lost count. But I don't dwell, I just pack my gym bag and head off for a session!

I look forward to hearing how you go

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

[BigViffer 3,544]

21 minutes ago, Miss Norway said:

I dont know what vasalva means, but yeah. I guess its something I did

Vasalva maneuver is the act of taking a large inhalation of breath and maintaining that with a closed glottis instead of exhaling during exertion. This enables the spine to be supported by a strong core. Basically, you were breathing properly during a lift.

Oh, and they way you set your back on a dead lift was textbook. Just all around impressive to me.

[Miss Norway 5]

1 minute ago, BigViffer said:

Vasalva maneuver is the act of taking a large inhalation of breath and maintaining that with a closed glottis instead of exhaling during exertion. This enables the spine to be supported by a strong core. Basically, you were breathing properly during a lift.

Oh, and they way you set your back on a dead lift was textbook. Just all around impressive to 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?

[Diana_in_Philly 1,426]

Hanne - FWIW, I was an athlete before I gained huge amounts of weight and had my sleeve 16 months ago. I've gone from 271.5 to 165. In the last four months, I've taken my body fat down 4 percentage points, which has been my goal. I recently started lifting to support my true calling - foil fencing. I'm nowhere near your records, but last week did deadlift more than my own bodyweight. (Lifted 175 - just started lifting with my trainer about a month ago.) I fence for 2.5 hours twice a week and am in the gym (lifting, cardio, pilates) another 3-5 hours a week.

On days I work out, I up my calorie intake, but I'm very cautious. It does require more monitoring, but once you are beyond the initial weight loss phase it gets easier. I drink two liters of Water on days I don't train - generally, always have a water bottle with me.

Best of luck on making your decision.

[BigViffer 3,544]

2 hours ago, Miss Norway said:

Do you do competitions as well?

No I do not. Honestly I think I would embarrass myself. A lifter my size should have much higher PR's. I have seen people on the Starting Strength forum start and blow past me within a few months. It is very disheartening. But I do try to keep it in perspective. None of them have the injuries and limitations that I have (that I am aware of) and I know that none of them have had gastric surgery. But to lift such paltry numbers in front of people would be devastating to what little ego I have.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a fragile little snowflake that cannot handle being outclassed. Obviously I have no problem talking to a woman that lifts more than I do and it doesn't affect my self image. But to compare my lifts with people at a competition would only highlight my inability to make significant gains in the weight room.

[BigViffer 3,544]

5 minutes ago, Diana_in_Philly said:

last week did deadlift more than my own bodyweight. (Lifted 175 - just started lifting with my trainer about a month ago.)

Awesome! That is fantastic news.

[Miss Norway 5]

1 hour ago, Diana_in_Philly said:

Hanne - FWIW, I was an athlete before I gained huge amounts of weight and had my sleeve 16 months ago. I've gone from 271.5 to 165. In the last four months, I've taken my body fat down 4 percentage points, which has been my goal. I recently started lifting to support my true calling - foil fencing. I'm nowhere near your records, but last week did deadlift more than my own bodyweight. (Lifted 175 - just started lifting with my trainer about a month ago.) I fence for 2.5 hours twice a week and am in the gym (lifting, cardio, pilates) another 3-5 hours a week.

On days I work out, I up my calorie intake, but I'm very cautious. It does require more monitoring, but once you are beyond the initial weight loss phase it gets easier. I drink two liters of Water on days I don't train - generally, always have a water bottle with me.

Best of luck on making your decision.

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

[Miss Norway 5]

1 hour ago, BigViffer said:

No I do not. Honestly I think I would embarrass myself. A lifter my size should have much higher PR's. I have seen people on the Starting Strength forum start and blow past me within a few months. It is very disheartening. But I do try to keep it in perspective. None of them have the injuries and limitations that I have (that I am aware of) and I know that none of them have had gastric surgery. But to lift such paltry numbers in front of people would be devastating to what little ego I have.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a fragile little snowflake that cannot handle being outclassed. Obviously I have no problem talking to a woman that lifts more than I do and it doesn't affect my self image. But to compare my lifts with people at a competition would only highlight my inability to make significant gains in the weight room.

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

[Brik8te 4]

20 hours ago, Miss Norway said:

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

Hi Hanne,

Yes, I chose the sleeve. It felt right, to be honest I didn't consider the other options. Are you considering others?

I completely agree re this option sounding drastic - I've been very open about my surgery to friends and co-workers and I've been met with a few puzzled looks and responses. It is tiring to have to explain the reasons why, so sometimes I do but if I simply can't be bothered I let them judge, haha. At the end of the day it's my body and my journey and I only have myself to be accountable to. And thankfully this has turned out to work for me so far.

I don't have a goal weight - because I've been disappointed so many times before I was reluctant to work towards one. I'm taking every kilo lost as a blessing! My non-scale goals are the blood results improving (and disappearing) for the insulin resistance and the PCOS reducing (or disappearing!) on the next internal ultra sound I'll have. That for me is the ultimate goal.

To be honest I've not even considered how I will maintain in the future if the conditions don't improve. That sounds incredibly naive but I'm committed and will continue to be committed - it's not in me to give up. So if I go off track a little at times I have faith that I have the knowledge to recognize and catch it, and do something about it. I've been agile year upon year to this point and tried everything available to me, so if I need to do that for my whole life . . hey it sucks, but I got this. WE got this!

I'm so glad you posted as well! I hope your concerns are eased somewhat?

[Miss Norway 5]

3 hours ago, Brik8te said:

Hi Hanne,

Yes, I chose the sleeve. It felt right, to be honest I didn't consider the other options. Are you considering others?

I completely agree re this option sounding drastic - I've been very open about my surgery to friends and co-workers and I've been met with a few puzzled looks and responses. It is tiring to have to explain the reasons why, so sometimes I do but if I simply can't be bothered I let them judge, haha. At the end of the day it's my body and my journey and I only have myself to be accountable to. And thankfully this has turned out to work for me so far.

I don't have a goal weight - because I've been disappointed so many times before I was reluctant to work towards one. I'm taking every kilo lost as a blessing! My non-scale goals are the blood results improving (and disappearing) for the insulin resistance and the PCOS reducing (or disappearing!) on the next internal ultra sound I'll have. That for me is the ultimate goal.

To be honest I've not even considered how I will maintain in the future if the conditions don't improve. That sounds incredibly naive but I'm committed and will continue to be committed - it's not in me to give up. So if I go off track a little at times I have faith that I have the knowledge to recognize and catch it, and do something about it. I've been agile year upon year to this point and tried everything available to me, so if I need to do that for my whole life . . hey it sucks, but I got this. WE got this!

I'm so glad you posted as well! I hope your concerns are eased somewhat?

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

[Brik8te 4]

12 hours ago, Miss Norway said:

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 was on the fence about the decision for a good 12 months prior to surgery, during that time I threw myself into diet and exercise (more than my usual) to ensure I'd honestly exhausted my options (as medication prior to this had also failed). While my physical results were good, the scale, blood tests and hormone levels did not improve and I even developed liver damage (reversible) due to my hormone levels. Just felt like a huge snowballing effect!

Thankfully I didn't have any sleep apnea or similar issues, but I know they're very common.

So I completely understand your concerns re dining out and Water intake - I have an active social life and work in sales, so a lot of my work involves dining out with colleagues and clients (am actually about to jet off for a work trip to Vegas next week). For the first couple of months I stuck to Soups when dining out, but can now handle the soft fish or chicken and steamed vegetable options. I order an entree serve and it's fine, because it takes me a while to eat it I'm done around the same time as those around me eating full size servings. It's really not as bad as what I expected and you get used to it really quickly.

The water intake is fine too, I average 2+ litres a day, but I do have to keep a track on my intake to ensure I'm hitting that. I have also become a huge fan of Protein water (I order from Bodiez Protein Water) which I have 2-3 times a day, at 30g of protein per serve. I find it easier and lighter to drink compared to standard protein powders (and the Bodiez one isn't too sweet). I really understand your concerns on this point, but this is one of this things I was most pleasantly surprised with - thought obviously we all recover differently

[Miss Norway 5]

18 hours ago, Brik8te said:

I was on the fence about the decision for a good 12 months prior to surgery, during that time I threw myself into diet and exercise (more than my usual) to ensure I'd honestly exhausted my options (as medication prior to this had also failed). While my physical results were good, the scale, blood tests and hormone levels did not improve and I even developed liver damage (reversible) due to my hormone levels. Just felt like a huge snowballing effect!

Thankfully I didn't have any sleep apnea or similar issues, but I know they're very common.

So I completely understand your concerns re dining out and Water intake - I have an active social life and work in sales, so a lot of my work involves dining out with colleagues and clients (am actually about to jet off for a work trip to Vegas next week). For the first couple of months I stuck to Soups when dining out, but can now handle the soft fish or chicken and steamed vegetable options. I order an entree serve and it's fine, because it takes me a while to eat it I'm done around the same time as those around me eating full size servings. It's really not as bad as what I expected and you get used to it really quickly.

The Water intake is fine too, I average 2+ litres a day, but I do have to keep a track on my intake to ensure I'm hitting that. I have also become a huge fan of Protein water (I order from Bodiez Protein Water) which I have 2-3 times a day, at 30g of protein per serve. I find it easier and lighter to drink compared to standard protein powders (and the Bodiez one isn't too sweet). I really understand your concerns on this point, but this is one of this things I was most pleasantly surprised with - thought obviously we all recover differently

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

[mille80 62]

Hei @Miss Norway! Sleeveoperert i fra Norge her :-) Jeg har begynt å leke litt med tanken om styrkeløft og hører gjerne fra deg i forhold til gode informasjonskilder her til lands. Prøvde å finne instagramprofilen din men finner bare en lukket "hannegart", er det deg?

Når det gjelder dehydrering - jeg går selv en del i fjellet og gikk 10 dager av Camino de Santiago i Spania i fjor. Lengste dagen var på 32 km. Ingen problemer med vanninntak.

Ellers så har jeg klart å beholde mesteparten av muskelmassen etter operasjon ved å trene mye og regelmessig og ha stort fokus på Protein i kostholdet.