Matthew

My swing speed has gotten faster with the weight loss....but my balance is all over the place. I"m hitting fat and thin like crazy.....but if I slow my tempo and back off the swing, I can find my balance better at the cost of length. Hopefully once the weight loss levels out...so will my swing. Keep strikin 'em all.

Hello guys. No intent on being stereotypical.....but hey, most men love a cold beer. Problem is...good old American lager is way on the fizzy side and bloats our new stomachs. I know some people with a sleeve can drink lager beer or soda pop just fine post-op...but I cannot. It painfully bloats me and I have to drink ridiculously slow/small sips of beer or soda. I've never been a huge soda pop fan anyway....but I do enjoy an occasional beer. So, I've discovered the joy of English Ales/Stouts when I was on vacation in London last month. "Cream" style some call it. The bonus....no fizz...very little to no carbonation=no bloat. A few I can recommend we can buy here in the states: Tetley's Ale, Guinness Draught, London Pride Ale, and Boddingtons. I'm sure there are lots of other beers in this style...these are just a few I've had lately. These come in cans with a "Nitro" tab inside that makes froth...not fizz. Also, for you calorie conscious types....Guinness Draught (not the Stout version) has only 126 calories in a 15 oz can...for comparison a Bud Light has 110 calories in a 12 oz can. Cheers and drink in good health/moderation.

Would love to help. Let me know. (Android 0S version 4.2)

Ketosis breath is typically "sweet" smelling.....similar to juicy fruit gum, oddly enough. If you truly have ketosis breath....eat some carbs, you really shouldn't be in ketosis if you're getting 20g of carbs a day. This isn't the Atkins diet we're doing here. However....I see you're recently sleeved and your body is going to be in upheaval..."Cleaning house" so to speak...it's common to have a bit more bacteria living in the oral region than usual causing some rank breath. Try a tongue brush and attempt to get waaaay back on your tongue without gagging yourself....you'd be amazed by how much gunk can live back there....also, a good mouthwash swish and gargle will help. This too shall pass...hang in there and best of luck.

Could be a lot of things....You're dropping weight fairly quick, so your body my be retaliating a bit. Are you lifting weights? One tried and true way of boosting testosterone levels are heavy, explosive large muscle group exercises....e.g. squats, dead-lifts, power cleans, clean and jerk just to name a few. Give them a shot. I know in my past extreme weight loss experiences when I just wasted away to nothing on too much cardio my libido went down the tubes. Best of luck.....and give it some time too...you're still pretty early in the game.

Alright fellow lifters. What kind of splits are you seeing the most gains in strength/muscle (2 different animals I know, but just throwing it out there)? I know some swear by splitting up the body...others use compound movements. 3/4/5 day splits for each target. What have you all had luck with? I started compound + supersets on a 4 day split at first but never fully healed and weights did not change much. Now, I lift intensely only 1 day/week splitting the lower and upper body....it's a looooooong workout. But, I've seen great improvements in strength and my weight loss has been steady. One thing I've hypothesized is a slowing of healing due to the inability to eat/absorb the copious amounts of protein I could preop, hence a need to allow for more heal time. I'd love your hear your all's insight and experiences. Thanks.

mmmmm....Optifast...or I prefer calling it Optifamine. I did not perform preop, but this was one of my many yoyo diets I did a couple times for several months each. Lost 85 lbs in 3 months the first time...and 72 the second time. Put it all back and then some. It's really an uber restrictive diet where you feel like crap for the first 3 weeks or so.....but since you are only doing it as a preop prep I would suggest adding soft consistency foods to augment things. Such as yogurt, eggs, pudding, etc.....any of the things you will be eating postop on the soft diet. You're not going to hurt anything by doing this....just watch your portions. Best of luck.

I can't stomach protein bars (no pun intended) like I used to preop. I've stuck to the shakes postop because they're easier on my stomach (no ton of lead feeling) and I get extra fluid that way.

Excellent insight...thanks.

NSAIDs are just plain bad for your stomach...whether you have a sleeve, bypass, or your original stomach. For us, it's a question of surface area....bypass has much less than a sleeve...normal stomach has the most. Regardless, when a NSAID comes in contact with the lining of your stomach there is a risk for ulcer creation (I'll spare you the pathophysiology, just take my word from seeing patients in critical care environments). NSAIDs are one of the most common culprits for upper GI bleeding. Does this happen to everyone? No...some are more predisposed than others. The FDA would pull them off the shelf if it was happening all the time. So.....it depends on how you look at it. There is a risk regardless...but it is higher due to the lower surface area of your new stomach if you are sleeved. Basically, take with food if you must take an NSAID and try not to take them often. Also, there are other NSAID products that can be taken in routes other than orally....talk with your provider about options.

The Brooks "Beast" is the most often recommended walking/running support shoe for obese folks. It's ugly as sin, but highly touted.

It's more the pressure...intraabdominal/intrathoracic pressure you'd be concerned about first. If you try to squat or dead lift 100's of pounds to close to post op...you may have a problem. Interestingly, my provider was more worried about playing golf to soon over the weight lifting...the torque from a full swing can push/pull on the stomach creating shearing forces. But, you're correct...the generic standard I've seen on the forum is 6 weeks....give yourself time though. It's a new stomach for the rest of your life....not just around the 6 week mark. Best of luck.

Joints popping is often indicative of range of motion issues or a lack of strength where the ligaments connect the joint or tendons insert......stretching/yoga would likely help. Those ligaments are going to remodel slower than you're going to put muscle on....so listen to your body...it is a process. Take care.

I've struggled a bit trying to figure out the best means to add muscle. Not the exercise aspect, but diet. It's very tough trying to maintain the positive nitrogen balance necessary for muscle building while having such a small stomach. Muscle Milk has been a helpful supplement for me....getting very expensive, but helpful. However, one advantage being a smaller framed women is you don't need the higher amounts of protein a larger framed male needs to maintain/build muscle. Sounds like you have a good handle on the nutritional aspect. Regarding supplements....I'm not a fan of any except a good balanced absorbed whey protein. You'll hear amazing stories and read many unscientific studies supporting a ridiculous variety of "muscle supplements".....it's all sheer marketing and some not so pleasant side effects to boot. Diet, hard work, and time is all that's really necessary. Lift intensely, not immensely and get plenty of sleep. I'm sure you'll do great...you're well on your way already. Keep us posted.

Getting sick + higher weights/reps will zap your glucose stores quicker. I've passed out enough times in the gym to vouch for low blood sugar being to blame...and I'm not a diabetic. In addition, hydration (as always) is important for metabolism and blood pressure regulation. Lastly, if it's after an intense workout...your muscles, joints, and nerves sending signals are in a state of shock. This is a good thing, as you must stress the body for any physical restructuring to occur, but can also be a sign of "I did too much."....the healing process is what makes us stronger/faster and you must allow time between workouts for that to occur. My advice....stay hydrated, juice or fruit prior and after the workout (it doesn't take much), back off the intensity/duration/frequency if you're constantly having muscle/shakiness issues, and avoid workouts when ill...you'll do more harm than good in the short term. My 2 cents.

Nothing beats gravity. Whether it's your body weight or free weights. Also consider some isometric exercises too. They are highly under utilized in many people's workout routines. For those without access to a spotter or training partner (such as myself)....Dumbbells, kettlebells, power racks/cages, and isometrics are your best friends.

I've choked down isopure in the past....it's a bit rough and I typically have the constitution of a siberian yak. Usually requires some mixing of fruit or some other carb ladened item to get down, thus negating the reason why you bought the isopure...0 carbs. Just sharing my personal experience. Others swear by it though.

Try many different brands and styles on. I cannot take Sacconey, Asics, or NB's....my heel just feels like it's flat on the ground in all of these brands. Surprisingly, good old nikes have fit me the best for years. Any decent walking/running shop will let you test drive shoes before you buy. However, if you are very heavy and need a stability shoe (overpronater)...the best, and ugliest, shoe to buy is the Brooks Beast....they've made them for years, but bigger runners/walkers swear buy them. Best of luck.

We all built different...and caloric intake is different. I have done nothing but weight lifting for size and strength....which is a cardio effort if you put in the hours and weights. However, I have done no cardio specific exercises since surgery. I'd prefer a slow burn and maintain...and hopefully grow muscle. It has worked well for me, as I've seen steady gains in weight loss and strength increase. This may change down the line, but I don't want to loss the weight too fast. It will come from the caloric restriction. Likely, when I finally plateau for a while I'll change to a cross fit routine to shock my body a bit. But as I said...we all have different needs and goals. Best of luck to you.

I started full activities and lifting heaving after 3 months out. Really depends on how well you've healed from surgery.

This ketone fad is scary. Snake oil. Ask a diabetic about natural ketones effect on the body.....it's not pretty.

Yup...squats, dead lifts, and lunges for the glutes. Try one legged squats with your non-squatting leg resting on a bench.....very good even without dumbbells. Remember to push from the heals and not the balls of your feet too. As for lower back, I'll do stiff legged deadlifts....but also supermans and kickbacks to level out the low back extensors or supporting muscles. Always mix it up a bit...best of luck.

Everything in moderation. I enjoy an occasional cigar too. Unless you're at Mark Twain levels of cigar consumption, I wouldn't sweat it too much.

​ Brilliant marketing they are....useful for people with neurologic disorders or vestibular problems....but honestly about as productive as this with regard to weight loss:

I always get the hiccups when i eat too much....nice alarm clock for me However, I can eat more sometimes and less others. I'm sure this is common for many.