Fiddleman

oh AMEN (carbs are not evil)!!!!!
as a nurse i'll tell you that carbs are essential for brain function, organ function, metabolic cycle, and more. we need SOME.
the diet that i ate once upon a time, 1/2 a pizza, or a whole box of mac and cheese, or 3 sandwiches, well that's not SOME. that's a HUGE OVERDOSE!
i agree whole heartedly with others. my nut/surgeon actually have built a long standing and successful program and encourage small amounts of healthy carb (whole grain, high Fiber pasta) at the soft stage in limited amounts.
i appreciate this thread!

The 50-60% statistic is just that, a statistic. It is also a way for the medical industry to separate itself from liability by under promising. Standard good practice in business. It is the personal decision of each individual whether they want to be a stat or not. I did not. I just followed the standard rules about post op eating, drinking and exercise. Maybe I ate a little more low carb then most or made a decision to go above and beyond the basics as soon as I was able to whether that be Water, Protein, exercise, sleep, etc. Didn't go crazy, but did a little extra. With doing these simple things, I lost over 100% of excess weight in 7 months. Started at 380# (5'11") and ended at 172# after 7 months. A little low for me and my muscles and strength were MIA . I spent the next 16 month working on building a new body with weight stabilized between 180-185. It takes a disciplined approach to diet, exercise and lifestyle to maintain, but totally worth it. I love being able to push myself athletically now almost daily. I set new goals all the time for myself. Moral of story - choose not to be a stat and you can achieve anything.

I love yoga but found that unless I did Bikram (hot yoga), it didn't really increase my fitness. It is a great transition to moving more and that's really what this is all about. If you find a trainer that you like and that motivates you- it is so worth it. I remember when I thought I would pass out using 5# dumbbells, now I use 20# dumbbells and get excited each time I progress to heavier weights. Here's an inspiration photo for you!

I guess we guys have a little codification as well in our clothing.
"casual" and "Big and Tall" mean extra large for us. Could be 2x - 6 x. "Long" and "Wide" are also for larger men usually applied to button dress shirts and shoes, respectively. By the way, the only place I have seen sizes greater then 4 x have been at Hilo Hatie in Kauai, HI.
1x is still deemed socially normal for men. Lol. Not fair right? You will find 1x and maybe even 2x in almost any store as these are socially still regular sizes for men. Not sure I agree with this regular size treatment of 1x and 2x size any longer. I am now getting an appreciation for the regular men's size of S-L.
Maybe my mindset is shifting and I am on the other side now. That being said, I do have empathy for those that struggle with weight when I see them in public. I try not to treat them any differently and often go out of my way to brighten their day with a smile.

Hi - I am 38 and been obese for most of my life. I carried my weight mostly in stomach region so it is of no surprise that is where I have some lose skin. Not a lot. It is about 1/4 inch and not a big deal, but does separate me mentally from achieving complete success. I have done a lot of strength related things since post op 7 months from cross fit to p90 x to body weight workouts at home. I have a good definition in my arms and legs from working out, not lose skin there at all. No lose skin on my back or chest either, but I have done a lot of push-up and pull-up variations over time. That probably helped a lot. I drink a lot of Water and go overboard on Protein every day. The former helps with encouraging skin elasticity and the latter encourages muscle growth (after I thoroughly beat them up). I eat a lot of carbs that are usually in the form of quinoa, steel oats, Fiber one and bananas. Carbs are needed for the body to effectively synthesize protein. Building muscle really helps in filling out any loose skin with definition. Mentally, I am more about strength, fitness and health then I am about body building, but that is just me. One step at a time. I too have been through the new op struggles, but am here to say that it gets easier after 6 months, after one year and so on. I could not successfully eat a lot of vegetable types until after reaching goal. They just would not process right. However, being two years out now, I can eat any vegetable without uncomfortable consequence. Keep at it everyone!

Hi - I am 38 and been obese for most of my life. I carried my weight mostly in stomach region so it is of no surprise that is where I have some lose skin. Not a lot. It is about 1/4 inch and not a big deal, but does separate me mentally from achieving complete success. I have done a lot of strength related things since post op 7 months from cross fit to p90 x to body weight workouts at home. I have a good definition in my arms and legs from working out, not lose skin there at all. No lose skin on my back or chest either, but I have done a lot of push-up and pull-up variations over time. That probably helped a lot. I drink a lot of Water and go overboard on Protein every day. The former helps with encouraging skin elasticity and the latter encourages muscle growth (after I thoroughly beat them up). I eat a lot of carbs that are usually in the form of quinoa, steel oats, Fiber one and bananas. Carbs are needed for the body to effectively synthesize protein. Building muscle really helps in filling out any loose skin with definition. Mentally, I am more about strength, fitness and health then I am about body building, but that is just me. One step at a time. I too have been through the new op struggles, but am here to say that it gets easier after 6 months, after one year and so on. I could not successfully eat a lot of vegetable types until after reaching goal. They just would not process right. However, being two years out now, I can eat any vegetable without uncomfortable consequence. Keep at it everyone!

Hi - I am 38 and been obese for most of my life. I carried my weight mostly in stomach region so it is of no surprise that is where I have some lose skin. Not a lot. It is about 1/4 inch and not a big deal, but does separate me mentally from achieving complete success. I have done a lot of strength related things since post op 7 months from cross fit to p90 x to body weight workouts at home. I have a good definition in my arms and legs from working out, not lose skin there at all. No lose skin on my back or chest either, but I have done a lot of push-up and pull-up variations over time. That probably helped a lot. I drink a lot of Water and go overboard on Protein every day. The former helps with encouraging skin elasticity and the latter encourages muscle growth (after I thoroughly beat them up). I eat a lot of carbs that are usually in the form of quinoa, steel oats, Fiber one and bananas. Carbs are needed for the body to effectively synthesize protein. Building muscle really helps in filling out any loose skin with definition. Mentally, I am more about strength, fitness and health then I am about body building, but that is just me. One step at a time. I too have been through the new op struggles, but am here to say that it gets easier after 6 months, after one year and so on. I could not successfully eat a lot of vegetable types until after reaching goal. They just would not process right. However, being two years out now, I can eat any vegetable without uncomfortable consequence. Keep at it everyone!

The 50-60% statistic is just that, a statistic. It is also a way for the medical industry to separate itself from liability by under promising. Standard good practice in business. It is the personal decision of each individual whether they want to be a stat or not. I did not. I just followed the standard rules about post op eating, drinking and exercise. Maybe I ate a little more low carb then most or made a decision to go above and beyond the basics as soon as I was able to whether that be Water, Protein, exercise, sleep, etc. Didn't go crazy, but did a little extra. With doing these simple things, I lost over 100% of excess weight in 7 months. Started at 380# (5'11") and ended at 172# after 7 months. A little low for me and my muscles and strength were MIA . I spent the next 16 month working on building a new body with weight stabilized between 180-185. It takes a disciplined approach to diet, exercise and lifestyle to maintain, but totally worth it. I love being able to push myself athletically now almost daily. I set new goals all the time for myself. Moral of story - choose not to be a stat and you can achieve anything.

Hi - I am 38 and been obese for most of my life. I carried my weight mostly in stomach region so it is of no surprise that is where I have some lose skin. Not a lot. It is about 1/4 inch and not a big deal, but does separate me mentally from achieving complete success. I have done a lot of strength related things since post op 7 months from cross fit to p90 x to body weight workouts at home. I have a good definition in my arms and legs from working out, not lose skin there at all. No lose skin on my back or chest either, but I have done a lot of push-up and pull-up variations over time. That probably helped a lot. I drink a lot of Water and go overboard on Protein every day. The former helps with encouraging skin elasticity and the latter encourages muscle growth (after I thoroughly beat them up). I eat a lot of carbs that are usually in the form of quinoa, steel oats, Fiber one and bananas. Carbs are needed for the body to effectively synthesize protein. Building muscle really helps in filling out any loose skin with definition. Mentally, I am more about strength, fitness and health then I am about body building, but that is just me. One step at a time. I too have been through the new op struggles, but am here to say that it gets easier after 6 months, after one year and so on. I could not successfully eat a lot of vegetable types until after reaching goal. They just would not process right. However, being two years out now, I can eat any vegetable without uncomfortable consequence. Keep at it everyone!

The 50-60% statistic is just that, a statistic. It is also a way for the medical industry to separate itself from liability by under promising. Standard good practice in business. It is the personal decision of each individual whether they want to be a stat or not. I did not. I just followed the standard rules about post op eating, drinking and exercise. Maybe I ate a little more low carb then most or made a decision to go above and beyond the basics as soon as I was able to whether that be Water, Protein, exercise, sleep, etc. Didn't go crazy, but did a little extra. With doing these simple things, I lost over 100% of excess weight in 7 months. Started at 380# (5'11") and ended at 172# after 7 months. A little low for me and my muscles and strength were MIA . I spent the next 16 month working on building a new body with weight stabilized between 180-185. It takes a disciplined approach to diet, exercise and lifestyle to maintain, but totally worth it. I love being able to push myself athletically now almost daily. I set new goals all the time for myself. Moral of story - choose not to be a stat and you can achieve anything.

I went in with a BMI of 37 in September with about 90-100 pounds to lose. I was sleeved in October with a BMI of 35.6. Since then I've lost 87 pounds, (I count from September to get count the pre-op weight loss which was about 13 pounds). So I'm 3 pounds from my first goal in under a year. I wear a size 4 at 5'6", so I'm told I look "tiny", though I tend to see a size 8ish-10ish staring back in the mirror. Body image is a funny thing.
I'll admit, I eat a bit more than many others, (about 1200 calories per day). I subscribe to the "nothing is forbidden", "I am not on a diet", diet. I work out hard 5 days per week and work the things I like into my day to make it work. So for me, at 10 months out, I'm going to get there. I'll probably go past my goal at the rate I'm going which is fine to a point. I think it is a very individual thing, how fast, how much you lose. I've been intentional in the higher calories as I believe I've had the opportunity to reset my metabolism and I want it to reset as high as possible while I still have adequate weight loss results. This is what worked for me when I had about 100 pounds to lose. Others, especially those with a greater percentage of weight to lose may have a different experience.

I am 5 days post op but I am signed ip for the Diva Dash in September and a Sparta Race on my 40th bday in Boston Fenway.

I'll start training next month. Just signed up for this race to raise $ to help end human trafficking.
Event name- Run for Courage
Date- Sept 27, 2014
Location- Folsom, Ca
If anyone wants to donate or volunteer: www.runforcourage.org.

Competed in the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games this past Saturday and had a blast! It has been a long time (couple years) since I've thrown in any Scottish highland games, but pretty well satisfied....finished middle of the pack.

The 50-60% statistic is just that, a statistic. It is also a way for the medical industry to separate itself from liability by under promising. Standard good practice in business. It is the personal decision of each individual whether they want to be a stat or not. I did not. I just followed the standard rules about post op eating, drinking and exercise. Maybe I ate a little more low carb then most or made a decision to go above and beyond the basics as soon as I was able to whether that be Water, Protein, exercise, sleep, etc. Didn't go crazy, but did a little extra. With doing these simple things, I lost over 100% of excess weight in 7 months. Started at 380# (5'11") and ended at 172# after 7 months. A little low for me and my muscles and strength were MIA . I spent the next 16 month working on building a new body with weight stabilized between 180-185. It takes a disciplined approach to diet, exercise and lifestyle to maintain, but totally worth it. I love being able to push myself athletically now almost daily. I set new goals all the time for myself. Moral of story - choose not to be a stat and you can achieve anything.

The 50-60% statistic is just that, a statistic. It is also a way for the medical industry to separate itself from liability by under promising. Standard good practice in business. It is the personal decision of each individual whether they want to be a stat or not. I did not. I just followed the standard rules about post op eating, drinking and exercise. Maybe I ate a little more low carb then most or made a decision to go above and beyond the basics as soon as I was able to whether that be Water, Protein, exercise, sleep, etc. Didn't go crazy, but did a little extra. With doing these simple things, I lost over 100% of excess weight in 7 months. Started at 380# (5'11") and ended at 172# after 7 months. A little low for me and my muscles and strength were MIA . I spent the next 16 month working on building a new body with weight stabilized between 180-185. It takes a disciplined approach to diet, exercise and lifestyle to maintain, but totally worth it. I love being able to push myself athletically now almost daily. I set new goals all the time for myself. Moral of story - choose not to be a stat and you can achieve anything.

The 50-60% statistic is just that, a statistic. It is also a way for the medical industry to separate itself from liability by under promising. Standard good practice in business. It is the personal decision of each individual whether they want to be a stat or not. I did not. I just followed the standard rules about post op eating, drinking and exercise. Maybe I ate a little more low carb then most or made a decision to go above and beyond the basics as soon as I was able to whether that be Water, Protein, exercise, sleep, etc. Didn't go crazy, but did a little extra. With doing these simple things, I lost over 100% of excess weight in 7 months. Started at 380# (5'11") and ended at 172# after 7 months. A little low for me and my muscles and strength were MIA . I spent the next 16 month working on building a new body with weight stabilized between 180-185. It takes a disciplined approach to diet, exercise and lifestyle to maintain, but totally worth it. I love being able to push myself athletically now almost daily. I set new goals all the time for myself. Moral of story - choose not to be a stat and you can achieve anything.

Thanks proud Grammy. You have stated some pragmatic suggestions, and for that, I am pleased. I think what helps me is to pull my belly button towards my spine, pull my shoulders back, relax the traps and relax the rhomboids. I do lots of yoga stretches. I mean alot! I focus on squaring up my shoulders and eliminating tightness from between shoulder blades. My lower back is naturally concave, but I will be darned if that is helping or hurting. Superman's, bananas and boats are helping to strengthen core. I think I have so many issues with my upper back because my core is not strong enough, not providing the right type of support. So the little muscles in the upper back work way to hard and get really stressed and tight. I do try and stand like a marine (tall, chest puffed out), if you know what I mean.

I do not know how long these muscle balance issues will last. I am almost of the opinion they will not fix themselves and we must work on re-training the mind/body psychosomatic connections. I did physical therapy for months and it did not really help. That being said, I am starting to feel what it means to have a more relaxed back. I still have a lot of muscle imbalances to work on. I have found exercises that force good ligament alignments are helping with some very tight muscles. It will take time for new muscle configurations to develop and become natural. I still have to think about my upper back and shoulders constantly or they get seriously tight and very uncomfortable.

I just wrote a check for my first 5K. It's in September and I am ridiculously excited. I will probably be walking much of it and that's fine with me (there are other walkers) but just the whole idea of being able to participate in something like this has me walking on air. I keep thinking, who is this woman who wakes up planning exercise instead of thinking about food? It's me! The new healthy me. So happy! Oh, and I got a bicycle. We are putting a basket on it now. It's one of those upright old-lady style bikes and I love it.

The 50-60% statistic is just that, a statistic. It is also a way for the medical industry to separate itself from liability by under promising. Standard good practice in business. It is the personal decision of each individual whether they want to be a stat or not. I did not. I just followed the standard rules about post op eating, drinking and exercise. Maybe I ate a little more low carb then most or made a decision to go above and beyond the basics as soon as I was able to whether that be Water, Protein, exercise, sleep, etc. Didn't go crazy, but did a little extra. With doing these simple things, I lost over 100% of excess weight in 7 months. Started at 380# (5'11") and ended at 172# after 7 months. A little low for me and my muscles and strength were MIA . I spent the next 16 month working on building a new body with weight stabilized between 180-185. It takes a disciplined approach to diet, exercise and lifestyle to maintain, but totally worth it. I love being able to push myself athletically now almost daily. I set new goals all the time for myself. Moral of story - choose not to be a stat and you can achieve anything.

Interesting indeed but I was told by my surgeon in the very beginning, this requires a lifestyle change. Not a temporary one but forever to be successful. And I whole heatedly believe this to be true.

Ok ...
as someone who has friends and myself who like to push each other to our limits (and what we define as limits are definitely NOT in the same realm as others), I don't have but so much right to talk. That being said, we don't do these types of work outs that he is describing all the time. When the month long, national swim challenge happened last year, I pushed it. 2 ER visits and I'm still looking forward to doing it again another year. However! I took it easier after that. Then revved up again. I never swam or anything like that on a consistent basis. Nor does any one I know. They do big things, settle down.
I think that is where I have a bit of an issue. No one who really pushes themselves, does it permanently. He doesn't describe tapers or anything else. That is what I find scary.
I can easily deal with doing a tough workout but not every time you hit the gym because we're talking almost every day you should be doing something. If that is not people's cup of tea, I have no problem with that. Different strokes, different folks.

From personal experience, I know that I hold onto weight when I eat high glycemic foods - breads, Pasta, rice - even apples, grapes and pineapple will do it to me. As long as I stick to a diet of about 75% Protein and 25% low glycemic foods (lentils, Beans, salads, eggplant, squash) I can lose weight.

"Latido"....did you have any complications from your surgery? I'm thinking at nearly 2 weeks post op, you should be feeling good enough to walk and move around. Have you gone back for a follow up just to make sure everything is ok?
"Karen82"....like "erp" stated, just gradually build up. Your body will eventually learn to adapt and you can increase intensity and duration little by little. You certainly don't want to dive right in if you don't have much experience with exercise. So find some kind of activity you like and gradually build up and motivate yourself and you'll stick with it.