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It's best to get clearance from your surgical team before starting any exercise routine. This honestly holds true after any surgery, not just bariatric surgery. Most will give you the okay between 2 and 6 weeks post-op, but it really is up to the surgeon.

I just want to know when is a good time to start exercising and I mean more than walking. I'm three weeks post op and my energy is starting to come back. I've looked up bariatric chair exercises on YouTube and more, but I'm a little concerned if they'll bother my stomach with the knee lifts

I started the surgery process a couple months ago, and just had my second nutrition appointment....and now I'm getting very overwhelmed and having second thoughts. I have my psych appointment next week and my endoscopy in two weeks and I'm thinking about cancelling them cause I feel like this is really rushed and that this is such a big decision I should take some time to think it through and everything. I'm very worried about possible complications and things going wrong. I have had GERD in the past (this was several years ago and I did weigh more then) and have been on pantoprazole for years. I am tapering off, so it might not be an issue, but my doc kinda pushes the sleeve and I'm worried about getting bad heartburn afterwards, even tho he said there's a 50/50 chance. I've read accounts of people getting crazy bad heartburn afterwards, or just being ravenously hungry all the time, which would be absolute torture for me. Also, I'm on depression, anxiety, and ADHD meds and I just learned about possible malabsorption issues, or even the difficulty of taking pills after surgery. I'm worried enough about remembering everything you're supposed to do post-surgery and not getting totally overwhelmed, it will pretty much be impossible if my depression gets worse.... I wish there were less permanent options available, the idea that you can't go back if anything goes wrong is terrifying....I know the chances of something going wrong are low, but I don't want to rush into anything and regret it afterwards.

By your logic we should also call DS & SADI sleeve gastrectomies. Heck, it's even in the name for SADI-S: single anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy. Either way, both surgeries probably have more in common with sleeve than traditional bypass in that they retain the pyloric valve and the bulk of the stomach is removed. Yes, they all bypass a section of the small intestine, but RYGB only bypasses the duodenum whereas traditional DS bypasses the duodenum, jejunum, and proximal ileum. SADI-S sort of splits the difference. Where and how much of the small intestine is bypassed makes a HUGE difference in nutrient absorption since the various parts of the small intestine affect absorption differently. Grouping them all together just because they bypass a part of the small intestine makes as much sense as grouping them in with sleeve gastrectomy since they also are pyloric-sparing surgeries. Aside from the technicalities of the surgeries themselves, In practice DS/SADI are pretty rare, so trying to group them in with RYGB just seems really odd to most of us here. Heck, the name of the surgery specific board here is "Gastric Bypass" not "Roux-en-Y gastric bypass". If that's not enough for you, just do a Google search for "gastric bypass". Pretty much every result you get is going to be one that is using the term interchangeably with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Let's get back to the question at hand and why I called this out. By you grouping all three of these surgeries together and claiming they all need additional supplementation of vitamins ADEK is factually incorrect. Gastric Bypass patients do not need this. For someone that seems concerned about taking vitamins that "aren't needed", please don't spread misinformation about what others need.

Actually, all three are gastric by passes. But RY is the least malabsorption.

Hey guys, brand new here. Halfway through my bariatrics process, and just a general question, hopefully from people who are around my same size? Started this process at 373 pounds. Goal weight to achieve was 345.6 pounds. Im currently at 337 pounds and still dropping, as I cut everything out of my diet first day after consult. Started fasting, portion control, intake control with what I was choosing to eat, and hitting the gym 5 days a week for resistance training. I am 6ft tall. Mainly posting to see what process yall went through in how much expected weight loss. I know all bodies are different, but trying to get a better idea to compensate for loose skin. Still have 3 months to go until im scheduled for surgery due to insurance requirements, and im not stopping now. Im ready for the better side of me I can find. Any information is greatly appreciated! Currently looking at getting the gastric sleeve done.

@SpartanMaker is on point as usual. 😊 Many surgeons initially patients on a fairly general supplement regime to begin usually including a multi vitamin, calcium and iron. There are variations. Some may include vitamin D and/or vitamin Bs as well. However, your regular blood tests, medical history, type of surgery all will influence what supplements you’ll need before surgeon, post surgery or in the long term. Plus some surgeons have restriction on swallowing tablets in the initial weeks post surgery which will dictate how you take the supplement (gummie, patch, …). While sleeve surgery usually does not usually require long term supplementation due to malabsorption you may be someone whose body reacts in a way that means you will need specific supplements. Or it may be discovered you are lacking in a particular vitamin, or your diet is lacking in certain nutrients. Another consideration is if you also have gall removal with your surgery or after as that can result in malabsorption issues in some. For example, I had a sleeve I was required to only take a multivitamin and a Vit D/K. My pre surgical blood work and subsequent 3 monthly tests (actually I was having more as my GP was monitoring them too) showed I wasn’t lacking in anything. At around 8 months my surgeon okayed going off the vitamins. The regular blood tests did eventually historically show I had a drop in vitamin D in winter (when I hibenate and bundle up). Consequently I take a Vit D/K (as a mouth spray) in winter. My gall was removed two years post sleeve and I now have issues absorbing protein and certain medications. Yes supplements are expensive especially if you are taking a lot & taking them long term. Finding a balance between economies and quality can be a challenge. I do recommend looking for a reputable brand (ask for referrals from your doctor, dietician, pharmacist or people here like Alex Brecher) as it is an industry in which quality and standards are not defined nor monitored like with prescribed medications.

Weight will fluctuate but should not be that big of a difference, I would toss the scale you have and try another one. But then again, I don't weigh myself very often, I wait for my post-op weigh-ins because it is the same scale, same place, same lack of dust, etc. If your scale is on wood one day and carpet on another day you will see a different weight too. On the first floor or the 7th floor, it can make a difference, and don't forget with vs. without clothes. These are typical differences. My scale is about 10 pounds off from my doctors office. Remember that there are NSV (non-scale victories) that you should be focused on too, like the size of your clothes, how well you walk now than before, if you measured your waist, thighs, arms and the rest, are they going down in numbers? Celebrate the 43 pounds that you did lose and look for your win that you did have. You should remember that your body is different than others, and your wins will be different than others as well. I know you have other wins you can share from this last week post surgery. Mind work is just as important as physical work.

I had been part time following the pre ops diet and cutting down on my food sizes a few weeks before I got news of my operation date : may 26, the same date 5 years ago I knew I was going to gain weight because of pregnancy complications. So the first two and the half weeks I just did more pre- ops eating (modifast in 4 different flavors) . They are quite tolerable. I usually had a normal (small sizemeal) in the evening with the kids. Now starting last Sunday, (18 may) I am on a full water fast for 5 days. Meaning my fast ends today at 19:20. I have my modifast oatmeal ready should I really need to eat something at that hour. Tomorrow Saturday I shall be on liquid pre ops meals as prescribed. Sunday will be another day on liquid only in preparation for my operation on Monday. I tell you what this is my body and I am determined to get it back. The operation is not a magic pill. It is just a tool in my toolbox. The way I think about food and how and why and when I ingest it- that to me is the magic. I am focusing very much in discovering my cues and knowing what triggers my eating habits. I am learning to say no all together when I am invited to that snack moment at work to eat what so ever what when I truly know I do not need it. - I am learning to say ’No’ and knowing it will be okay. I take it a minute at a time. We shall get through this and we will not turn back. I want to be able to jump into every photo without cringing I want to feel good and run about with my kids without feeling pain, exhausted and above all guilty. I am doing this for my boys and then for myself. We will be alright guys. We got this.

I'm preOP. After reading form the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Manual of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (December 2024) I am confused by the diet supplement recommendations there which are very different than those from my program which they say are from ASMBS (and of course different than the statements of the vitamin sellers). The SAGES Manual of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery says 1 or 2 regular multivitamins, calcium citrate 1200-1500, 2000-3000 IU vitamin D, at least 18 mg of iron, at least 12 mg of B1, and 350-500 mcg B12. I talked to dietician from my program today and she admitted they recommend the bariatric vitamin to everyone to keep things simple and she said it helped with compliance. I kinda feel misled because. The bariatric vitamins are not cheap, and aside from the calcium, Kirkland or Equate multi-vitamins with iron, a B1, and B12 would meet the basic needs per the SAGES Manual. The price of those three pills for a year costs as much as one month of some of the bariatric specific multivitamin supplements (not including Calcium Citrate).

I weighed myself out of curiosity. I wanted to give it an entire week but I couldn't wait! I lost 5.6lbs! I don't think all of it was fat, but my body was so inflamed. I can tell a difference! I am 6lbs away from my pre-op BA surgery!

I'm wearing a new pair of jeans that are a size 14 (uk or size 10us) I have NEVER been a size 14 in my life! When I was a kid, I went from a kids 6 to a juniors 11 to a 16! Even when moving to the UK as a teenager and taking into account size diversions, I've never been this size. I'm not supposed to wear jeans to work, but my manager was so happy for me, she let me today! (I guess also because my last week is next week) but still. It's been an amazing 7 months! Three years ago, I lost my stepfather, two years ago i lost my mother and I was at my lowest point mentally and couldn't imagine light at the end of that tunnel, and now I'm happier and healthier than I thought I could ever be again! Thanks to everyone on this forum as well when I've spiraled and you've kept me inspired.

HOLY ISH! A year already?! Time has flown! I still remember the beginning of your journey and those first posts—wow, you've come so far and done so incredibly well! I'm seriously so proud of you!! I totally agree with @SpartanMaker—maintenance is no joke, and exercise really does make all the difference. Weight lifting has been key for me too. It helps so much with maintaining, even more than cardio sometimes. Build that muscle and you're burning calories just by existing. Cardio is still super important,! I’m still figuring out maintenance myself, but my workouts have been consistent and even through my 2month spat of not being able to get my nutrition in control, making sure I kept up with exercise has been key I have been consistently doing this and its been great: 35–45 minutes of strength training, 5 days a week, At least 30 minutes of cardio daily (treadmill, dog walks, biking—whatever tickles my fancy), 2 lower body days, 2 upper body, 1 full body and one day a week my doggy and I do a 5-mile walk (she gets a walk every day, but that’s our long one). You’ve been so fabulous through this whole process, and I can’t wait to hear about your continued journey!

Today's win ? Returned to weight lifting after what seems like a 200 year hiatus. 🤣 Nothing extreme or crazy....very light weights with lots of reps. Injury avoidance is key concern. Other win is the overall feeling like I have things dialed in and the cruise control is activated. The positive feels from this are so welcome. The last 6 years or more have been chaotic and hellish at times. Things are slowing down and falling into place. Sure the scale is giving lower numbers every week, but the real improvement has been with the pure simplicity of returning to the initial advisements of the professionals at my bariatric center.

I realize this is an older thread...but it is still near the top of page and I suppose the "most recent" of it's type ? A pile of stuff has occurred in my life since I was active here on B,Pals. My 10th year sleeve anniversary is coming up later this year. Lost a ton of unwanted weight as a result of the sleeve. Daily trips to gym were the norm. no longer drank beer, but found that sugar free mixers and high grade tequilas and vodkas made for some FUN fuel for many adventures. Storm clouds loomed heavily over my marriage. Some unresolved issues resurfaced in a big ugly way. It appeared divorce was most probable. The storm finally broke....my ship hadn't crashed on the rocks... my wife still my first mate, ally, friend and lover....marriage was stronger than ever. 6 years ago she received a diagnosis for stage 4 breast cancer. Immediately stopped drinking when that diagnosis was delivered. 4 years ago she succumbed to the evil hell of cancer. She fought it with superhuman strength and courage. I will live the rest of my years in awe of her bravery and grit. It has been an incredibly tough go of it since. Her unshakable faith stoked my own faith. That is what I leaned on heavily....and will continue to do so. Early last month, the anniversary of her death was approaching. I was filled with this feeling of guilt in addition to the ever present loss & grief. The guilt was spurned by the realization that I had taken zero steps towards what she had told me to do...afterwards. She was clear that she wanted me to live. I was going to work every day and that was the extent of it. I'd maintained zero friendships and seldom contact my family, other than our son. The hurricane damage had been repaired on the house, yet I'd done nothing towards moving stuff back into the rooms that were repaired. Was living off take out and drive through garbage because I couldn't bring myself to cook...painful memories of meals made & shared together. ENOUGH. That was the word that hung heavy in the air. I could almost hear it as if she'd spoken it loudly. ENOUGH, GREG...IT IS TIME TO MAN-UP I began taking inventory right then. I vowed to not let another year go by with me still living in a bubble...not treading water, but sinking. I have remained alcohol free since quitting those six years. Clear headed and no monsters to address there. Good. Doctors appointment for annual checkup had revealed several things....top of which was my blood panel looked like trash...precisely because that is what my diet consisted of....pure trash. There had been some weight regain...but nothing that I felt like would be too difficult to lose....if I would get my arse in gear and make the lifestyle changes needed. Things were going okay on my job, simply because I'd let it be my focus...the only thing I rallied for. Spent way too much time there. Immediately scheduled some vacation time off and road tripped to visit family Visited my wife's grave....our gravesite and did so with a different feel....loss and missing her....but, feeling more stable for the first time since losing her. She'd forced me to sit down, months before passing, and listen to her on a certain subject matter that I was avoiding. told me to live...how to live....wanted me to continue on with all aspects of life and was very descriptive. She would make ongoing instruction in the months ahead. I couldn't speak in reply...just nod that I understood. She was so brave that she could accept things and love me enough to coach me how to live....afterwards. I was too much of a coward to discuss it....just sat there and listened and acknowledged. She would KICK my arse if she saw the state of low I'd been to. One day, perhaps, I will be able to show her that I heard her and rallied. That time will be at the end of my days, however. Until then, there is much life to live. RESETTING THE SLEEVE WAS EASY: I simply swapped over to strict keto. After two weeks I felt much better....after a month I no longer wanted the crap foods and I no longer wanted big meals. The smaller meals reset things for me. There is a noticeable restriction and feeling of full that occurs now. I haven't finished a meal in a month...unless it was a 1/2 sized meal. Sipping water all day...cutting off prior to meals and 30 mins after. Zero sugar intake an damn few non-fiber carbs. Supplementing with vitamins, iron, potassium and calcium. Moving more....but still not ready for the gym and all the people. Slowly feeling emotionally more "awake". Keto, with an eye on the overall daily calorie intake is how I live now. I don't see changing that. By the time that 10th surgery anniversary arrives, I suspect I will be at my all time lowest weight since college. The sleeve is still there. It just needed me to treat it right and not override it with trash food.

I had lap band 21 years ago. Through the years I lost 120 lbs. 60 of those the last three years after I retired from teaching. My band has slipped and food is sitting in my esophagus. So it has stretched out, and my reflux is bad and I have to have the band removed. I am freaking out that I will gain the weight back. It has been part of me for so long that I feel funny having it removed. But I also don't want to have esophagus problems and can't keep getting up in the middle of the night with terrible reflux. Has anyone gone through this? Did you gain your weight back? Any hints and suggestions? Thanks. Deanna

Hey everyone! I had my surgery on the 9th! Everything went really well, I’m still a little sore, but it gets easier every day. The biggest challenge has been the protein shakes, while they were good at first, I have begun to have a dislike for them. Tomorrow is mashed potatoes, soups, and creamy peanut butter! Looking forward to that immensely. So far I haven’t experienced any nausea or vomiting. I already feel a change in my weight I’ve lost 25 lbs between my preop and post op diet. Once I start working out the weight should fall off. Thanks to everyone who greeted me and sent their well wishes!

I feel you on the going backwards thing, honestly, I'm at a point where I'm like, I should just start selling feet pics haha, kidding I will work on rewriting my budget and not buy as many protein drinks, the money for the drinks will be used for more solid pick, my friend has a Costco membership, and said she'd take me, I can buy some frozen foods in bulk to keep frozen for easy meals, I will see what recipes I can do and hopefully after a few weeks, I will be in a much better spot, thanks for the food ideas

Thanks for the information. I'm a Gym Rat, but my surgeon told me I had to wait 6 weeks before I go back to swimming and cycling, and I have a personal trainer working with me on strength training so I lift weights well. I'm getting in over 80 grams of protein with my protein water and doing a lot of walking and only 3 days post op now. It has been a wild ride so far, and the surgeon called me last night to see how I was doing and checking my glucose numbers and pain...that was a shocker, who does that? My surgeon does!! He is a people person, that's way cool! Anyway, thanks again for your support, and everyone's support. I'm starting my new life happy.

My 5 penny worth of advice for what its worth - Your stall will eventually break and untill you get used to them they are scary. Do your best to eat as well as you can afford. I dont know if the news is fake or not but I beleive eggs are expensive in the US but a few boiled eggs are always handy in the fridge, eat them like apples or squash them in mayo with tiny melba toast. As @Arabesque said pre cooked chicken is super easy to grab with a small salad. Salmon and tuna is good too. I love a chunk of cheese with a sliced apple and a few grapes with cream cheese is a delicious dippy snack

Unfortunately so many are struggling financially these days all over the world. Cost of living is skyrocketing everywhere & we have to do what we can to survive. I swear I go backwards every week. I am with @SpartanMaker in regards to meal prepping ahead. I love my freezer & my microwave. My freezer is filled with food I have cooked and frozen in single serve portions. I did this from early out from surgery. At most all I have to do is reheat the meal and zap some vegetables or make a quick salad. I can have a nutritiously cooked meal in 5 minutes or so. Easy peasy. As most workplaces have a microwave, grab a meal from the freezer & reheat it at work for lunch. For example pre cook some chicken tenders and freeze, then in the morning grab the chicken tender and pop it in a container with a few cherry tomatoes, some lettuce leaves, a few slices of cucumber, … done. I loved mince dishes because you can add lots of vegetables: meat balls, savoury mince, taco filling, etc. so you can eat as a complete meal or add to a taco shell or wrap if you want/can. And soup is great too for the same reason (protein & vegetables in one). And yes home cooked foods are often less expensive. For example I made pea & ham soup last weekend. I made around 18 portions (I wasn’t interning to make that much but 🤷🏻‍♀️) and it cost me $18.80 Aust (split peas, frozen peas, pearl barley, an onion and a ham hock) so about a $1 a serve.

I mainly rely on shakes because it's much easier, I work 2 jobs and I'm up and out by 6:40am, getting home by 10:30pm/11pm, its just easier to grab a shake while I'm driving to my jobs, I do have a more stable meals during the weekends and if I can, meal prep so I can have some food for my lunch break, I know that I need to eat more but some night I get home so exhausted, I only have enough energy to drag myself to bed, with my budget I can prepare for about 6 days, but those are usually for the work week Maybe not the best explanation, and maybe I could make an effort to cook more but I have 2 jobs for a reason, I'm broke and I budget out all my expenses to the cent

Congrats, you've done an awesome job so far! I'm going to tell you now; transitioning to maintenance is HARD. It's scary to start eating more, it's hard to know how much to eat, and it can be challenging for some to eat all the food they actually should be eating. I would also STRONGLY, STRONGLY encourage to to work up to at least 1 hour of cardio 3 days a week and 1 hour of strength training 2 days a week if you are not already doing this level of exercise or more. The data is crystal clear here. Those individuals that get at least the amount of exercise I listed are significantly more likely to be able to maintain their weight loss. Scientists don't entirely know why this level of exercise is needed (it's almost double what someone that was never obese needs to maintain weight), but the most likely explanation at this point has to do with the fact that exercise affects your body in a couple of ways: Regular exercise changes the way the brain regulates hunger and metabolism. Simply put, most of us got as big as we did pre-surgery because our brains weren't good at telling us when to stop eating. Exercise seems to help change the way your brain understands and interprets these signals. Exercise also lowers stress and systemic inflammation, two huge triggers for overeating. Best of luck!

First, let's differentiate between a stall (what you're going through right now), and a plateau. A stall is just a temporary fluctuation in overall weight and is not indicative of an issue. Stalls are perfectly normal and to be expected. After all, your bodyweight is made up of lots of other stuff besides fat, so fluctuations are to be expected. More than likely, you actually have continued to lose fat the entire time, it's just being masked by a concomitant rise in some other component of your overall body weight. The most likely candidates would be fluid retention, or stool weight. Most of the time for a stall, I wouldn't recommend any adjustments since it's unlikely that there is really any issue with fat loss. A plateau is like a stall, but longer. I typically wouldn't consider it a plateau until you've hit more like 6 to 8 weeks without any loss. In that instance, it would be hard to argue the fat loss was being masked by something else. There are things we can do to work through a plateau, but IMO it's too soon for you to worry about that yet.