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Hi everyone, I had gastric bypass on February 27 of this year and I am down 53 pounds. My goal is to lose 100-120 pounds. While I am happy with the weight loss, I am losing muscle just as fast. I started going to the gym and hitting the weights this week. Of course I’m not as strong as I was before (I used to lift weights 10 years ago). I’m concerned that I won’t be able to get the nutrition/protein I need daily to start growing muscle again. Anybody on here bodybuilding months or years after surgery? Any tips or suggestions? Thanks

Did you go with a company/ nhs hospital in the UK ? I am surprised to hear you are getting no help if that's the case. If your surgery was abroad then you need to tell them if they don't respond to your questions then you will be leaving them a truthful bad review. People are really searching these sites for honest feedback and will take note of yours. If its a UK company you need to email the hospital director and ask why you are getting no help. No one can do this without the help of a team, its a huge change for all of us to master, both body and mind. I am maintaining now on 1500 calories a day which I log every meal. I lost weight on anything around 1200 - 1400 calories a day building in 60 grams of protein a day. To loose now you may struggle because your hunger is back. I would imagine that it will be hard to go back to protein and vegetables when you are hungry, leaving the filling carbs off your plate. Keep us posted, you are not alone.

My maximum weight was 303 lbs. I am currently 133lbs. I got my gastric by pass on May 7th 2019 in Pennsylvania. Since then I have had so many issues and I do not know where to turn to anymore. I feel the dr and I have gone through every option there is to go through and it is still not enough. Immediately after surgery I was having issues with eating. I followed all the rules took all the vitamins and meds I was supposed to. Still could not keep food down. I ended up having to take my gallbladder out in Oct of 2019. I was with a horrible person and she left me because of my issues with my stomach. I moved back to my home town of Peoria Il. I had to go on a search to find a new Dr. that would take me as a patient. I found this to be a rather horrible task as some Drs do not like to do that because they don't know all that the previous Dr did with the surgery. I finally found one and he is a great Dr. He has kept me alive. After the gallbladder surg. I was still having issues with keeping food down. This started in February 2020. The only thing i could tolerate was broth. At this point I had to take all my meds in a liquid form. Finally The dr. sent me to a gastrologist for an endoscopy. It was shown that I had some scar tissue covering the entrance to my stomach so they did a dilation. There was also an ulcer found. I was put on 2 diff acid reducing meds to get rid of it along with nausea meds. To prevent a tear they had to do this several times. I had dropped down to 118lbs. very malnourished. My health was becoming a huge concern. One of the times that they went in to dilate the Dr ended up putting a hole in my intestine. I had to have an emergency surgery for repair. I spent 2 weeks in the hosp. When I woke up in recovery i had a wound vac, drains and a feeding tube. i went home with the feeding tube. This is now Sept 2020. My new Gastric bypass dr was trying to get me healthy enough to do a revision to help me tolerate food. I had a revision scheduled for Dec. 2020. Since this was during covid I had to be tested before surgery. Yes I tested positive. The surgery was postponed until Feb. Finally i had my surgery and was hoping that this was going to be the last and all would be good. The feeding tube was removed and I had to start over from scratch with eating. Clear liquid on up. At this point I am weak and thinking the worst that it is all over for me. I kept up the fight and it kept kicking me back. I was able to eat a little better for a few months after surgery. Then it all started over again. Every time I tried to eat i threw up. I called the dr. He said probably more scar tissue and that meant more dilation like before. So that was the plan more endoscopies. There was also another ulcer found. Upped the intake of the acid reducers and still not going away. I just kept dealing with this and eating what I could. I put up with this for a long time. Then in Oct. of 2022 it got really bad again. I was in and out of the ER for pain so many times I lost track. The dr. went in to check things out and the ulcer was back. There was no Rhyme or reason for this to keep coming back. I was referred to a Thoracic Surgeon in 2023. I finally was able to get in to see him. He scheduled me for a surgery to have my vagus nerve removed. (vagus nerves produce the acid in our stomach and mine was producing to much there fore causing the ulcer to never heal. When i came home I was still not able to eat food it made me sick. I wasn't in anymore pain but still could not tolerate food except for soft foods. Then it would be next to nothing. Somedays i could eat a bit more than others. I was released to go back to work on 4*12*24. I have been to the er once again for pain and not keeping food down. I was given a gi cocktail and felt better. I called the Dr and was told when it hurts drink Mylanta. I am now to the present day and have no answers. Please tell me there is solution for this. I cannot do this forever. I don't wish this on anyone but I hope someone else has been through this and can help.

A protein shake is really a meal replacement so you are having more than a meal or two. And no, don’t load up on junky snacks or empty calories. Look too foods that will add additional nutrients: fruit, complex carbs i.e. whole/multi grains, good fats like avocado & nuts, boiled egg, cheese stick, etc. Keep the deli/luncheon/charcuterie meats intake low too - highly processed, high salt & high fat, lower protein. Better to buy a bbq/rotisserie chicken& package it up in single serves & eat that. Give your body time to settle. It takes time for your body to work out what it needs to function effectively & for you to physically be able to eat appropriate sized portions & meals. My hunger didn’t really come back until about a year so after I reached goal at 6 months & it played a part in my continued weight loss. And it took a while to work out the calories I needed. When my weight first stabilised at around 18 months I was eating 1300 odd calories - it took me all that time to eat that much. At 4 years I was eating 1500/1600 & still maintaining much the same weight so it took that long for my body to work out what it really needed. Your lowest weight may not be your final weight either. There’s the quite common 5-10lb bounce back regain around the 2 or 3 year mark. Or lifestyle choices may mean you settle a little higher. And finally, your goal weight might not be your body’s goal weight (your new set point). My new set point was 11kg/24lbs less than my goal.

I only drink water, body armor, and ensure protein shakes, so no not really drinking a lot of calories. I've been having pretzel crackers with cheese and eating a lot cheese but just unlucky in it adding any weight...

If I have bread with a meal, it not very big, maybe a half to quarter piece. Rice and pasta, about a quarter cup. I like brown rice and whole wheat (or protein pasta) pasta for the extra nutrition. Are you drinking a lot of calories? Maybe that's contributing to not eating more than 2 meals. Whatever you eat, just get in your protein goals and fiber, and make sure to stay at your calorie goal.

I've been unable to do rice (which is a shame since in my culture 90% of our food is rice based) and maybe because I ate too fast before but sandwiches have been a bit tough but I'll try again. Haven't tried pasta since the surgery. And I'm trying with the protein through bars and shakes; haven't tried making porkchops and steaks, although I do luncheon/charcuterie meat, korean short ribs, bbq (as slow cooked/smoked meat has been easy to digest) but I still get full and don't feel like eating more than that for the rest of the day (which again, only eat two meals a day at most).

Don't get back into junk and empty calories... that'll snowball fast. Compensate with healthy fats complex carbs, and the occasional treat. I like to add the occasional bread, pasta,or rice to a meal if I want more. But that's after I eat my healthy stuff first. If you're going to the gym, maybe more protein.

I never lost my hunger. Not with the sleeve and not with the revision to bypass. I just have more of a hard stop now that can't be ignored. My big thing has always been training my head. It's HARD, but very necessary. I always made sure I had 3 meals and 2 snack and a TON of fluids. And by a ton, I do mean A TON. My head told me I needed to eat, even when I knew I didn't. And that can manifest into physical hunger. I put myself on a schedule. Breakfast between this time and this time, snack here, lunch around this time, snack here, dinner between this time and this time. And then DRINK, DRINK, DRINK. Eventually my head and stomach learned when it's time to eat and when it's not. I only really run into trouble if I miss those times by a lot. THEN I'm in a minefield. Focus on protein as your #1 with food and snacks. That fills you up and keeps you full longer. Veggies are 2nd. Then carbs and HEALTHY fats. Sometimes at night, I'll have a sugar free popsicle if I really can't ignore the 3rd snack craving. I don't do it often, but the tropical ones are my favorite and they hit the spot. Make sure you're getting enough calories. Don't starve yourself, but also don't over eat. It's all about balance and training your brain. It takes a lot of time, patience, and effort. But I promise it's worth it.

Hi! I have only spoken to them once since my surgery as I told them I was not losing weight and kept having issues with low blood sugar after surgery which I never had before. they advised I upped my protein and then stopped responding. im 5’5. Daily calories unknown I eat whatever I want whenever I want as it makes no difference to the scale and hasn’t for over a year. I calorie counted back in January this year, I track everything down to oils when cooking , weighing out everything etc I was between 1600-1800. Would still be hungry on these calories aswell. before surgery when dieting previous years I was on 1800 and lost 5 stone in 4 months. Now no matter what I do or track or eat nothing works?!

Saturday 6th april and i am finally home !! So excited to be in my own bed tonight i could not get comfy in hospital … i barely made it through 1.5 hours without waking up each night. I can’t wait to finally get some rest. I picked up all my meds and a nurse will be coming twice daily to change bandages and administer injections but i feel pretty good. Trying to get into the swing of drinking and eating but it feels like i can’t do both right now. I’ve had 500ml of water by 3pm but one managed to eat like 70g of food all day. Hoping it gets easier each day because today got me worried about the lack of calories i’m getting in … going to work on making lower volume higher cal and higher protein purées so it’s less quantity but better quality food So glad to be home ! Everything feels so much more manageable being in a comfortable environment 😊

Start by adding more non-starchy veggies to every meal. At least, this is my plan for further down the road. I think the temptation is to increase portions size across the plate when we're hungry, but if you have been getting your 60-80g protein per day already, you don't need more. So keep the meat and starch or carb servings the same as your plan suggests but add a baby spinach salad or more cooked veg to your plate. It will fill you up but not cause your body to increase your set point the way processed food and simple carbs would.

I unfortunately only spent a few months following surgery without being overly hungry, but after about the three month mark it came back with a vengeance, so I decided to do some research. I now consume Non digestive or Resistant meladextrin. Its a corn fiber that your body can't digest so; no calories, good fiber and probiotics purported to help with the following: Resistant maltodextrin is believed to enhance gut health by [19, 29, 30]: Promoting the growth of good gut bacteria Improving stool weight, consistency, and bowel movements According to some researchers, resistant maltodextrin has potential against obesity, diabetes, and heart disease because, in various studies, it has [31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39]: Reduced belly fat and body weight Decreased food intake Increased satiety hormones (glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY) Lowered the production of the “hunger” hormone (ghrelin) Reduced blood sugar levels and insulin resistance Blocking the growth of cancer cells and tumors ** hasn't been proven** Decreasing endotoxins, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers (TNF-a, IFN gamma, MDA) Increasing protective antibodies and anti-inflammatory substances (IgA, butyrate, IL-10) In clinical studies of over 200 people, resistant maltodextrin enhanced the growth of good gut bacteria, including [19, 29, 44, 47, 48]: Bifidobacterium Ruminococcus Eubacterium Lactobacillus Lachnospiraceae Bacteroides Holdemania Faecalibacterium As a resistant starch, this type of maltodextrin will help keep your blood sugar level stable after meals. In a meta-analysis of over 900 people, resistant maltodextrin blocked the increase of blood sugar after meals (postprandial glycemia) [37]. resistant maltodextrin decreased blood glucose and insulin levels. It increased a weight-loss protein called adiponectin that blocks glucose production. 3) Obesity In several clinical studies of over 300 overweight people, resistant maltodextrin reduced body weight, body mass index (BMI), and body fat. In one 12-week clinical study of 30 people with metabolic syndrome, it decreased waist circumference and belly fat [31, 55, 35]. In clinical studies of over 160 overweight men, resistant maltodextrin decreased feelings of hunger, increased satiety, and reduced and food intake. In another study on 32 healthy people, it decreased levels of the “hunger” hormone (ghrelin), lowered feelings of hunger and improved satiety [31, 32, 33, 34]. In rats, resistant maltodextrin reduced body weight, belly fat, and suppressed excess food intake [56, 6, 50 I found numerous research studies that pretty much said the same things above..so I figured I'd give it a try. It has no flavor and desolved completely so I just add it to my water plus it has no calories and helps regulate Ghrelin (hunger hormone). It really seems to help! I just make sure its non GMO etc etc. Perhaps it can help you, I figured it couldn't hurt and I do feel less hungry...still by try but less.

Its all about muscle memory, you've eaten a certain way far longer than your "militant" way. Plus, eating very strict structured ways isn't easy to maintain - be easy on yourself. Being constantly vigilant can't be done, our brains aren't able to maintain that at all times, slip ups occur. You need to retrain yourself, which is what the prediet is supposed to start you doing - changing your muscle memory and making new ones, but it took years to develop your old bad habits, it will take some time to reprogram yourself! I eat very structured and pretty much the same food all the time and boy does my mind rebel! Its human nature to want what we can't have and to want a variety that tastes good (no matter how many times my dietician says celery and faux noodles taste good - they don't! Take that Jennifer!) You know what and how you should be eating, instead of berating yourself leading to self anger and hatred of the "failures" take baby steps. You know you've done it before! I still don't get my required H20 in and I'm six months PO. Just don't compare yourself to others on here that say they do get all their requirements in, you do what you can do. Its too daunting looking at going from a small amount to I'll do my full required water ounces tomorrow. Looking at the full amount knowing you haven't done it - sets you up for being angry at yourself. Just add a few more ounces each day than you did the last day, same for protein goals. Celebrate each addition as a victory! Lastly, I never had the honeymoon period people talk about, my hunger came back quick (and no it wasn't "mind hunger" despite what ppl told me). I seldom feel full, I just eat the mandated size limits and stick to it knowing I'll just have to be hungry. Is it tough? Heck yeah, but I tell myself being hungry is better than being fat and I didn't go through all this to not do it. Remember, we are all different and walk our own paths on this journey - you just have to walk yours as best you can from day to day, take baby steps before you run! Try different food combos on your pureed phase to keep it interesting, count your liquids in your soups and protein drinks - they count and add up. Add protein powder to everything like I do to get your protein in. You've got this!

Since my surgery in 2017 I've lost my weight loss powers. I'm a mere mortal when it comes to weight loss. That being said I do the following: 1- Weekly weigh in and log it in 2- Stop eating at 7PM and start again at 7AM (I usually go to 9AM) 3- Eat the same thing every day. For me, Breakfast greek yogurt and hard boiled egg, cup of coffee Lunch, tuna fish, sardines or salmon from a can (no additives such as mayo) dinner broiled or baked seafood with a salad. I will also eat a costco protein bar if I need it. 4-Excercise, for me 3x at gym nothing too strenous just 30-45 on treadmill 5 degree incline with a brisk 3.5 mile speed walk Very Very difficult to stay within 5-10 pounds of goal weight then try to get back down. Vigilance and sorry to say obsession are my keys. It's a struggle every day.

HIYA!! So, I am 11 weeks out, and I did not realize how bad my poor relationship with food, until I started to get to week 6 and I was super stressed out and just wanted to eat a burrito. I knew in my head I couldn't, so I got a salad from chipotle figured surely I can eat AT LEAST half. I threw up after 1/4 because it just was wayyyy too much food. Then once I did that I felt so pissed that I couldn't eat because I wanted to and it "helped" with my stress. That's how I used to cope, I would shove my face before I got home so my husband and kids didn't know then I would eat dinner with them still. In the beginning about where you are at, I journaled and I walked a lot. I tried to keep myself busy. My program says no caffeine for life and honestly last week I started to make iced coffees with latte premier protein and black decaf cold brew that I make at home. That has helped my energy A LOT! I have been a sloth up until maybe last week. This is allll so normal, speak to your dietician, try to distract yourself, remember your why. I have to remind myself that this surgery is not a cure all, the cravings will be there but this is an amazing tool. Its helping us become a healthier version of ourselves. You got this!!! and We are here for you and your journey!

@NovelTee Of course It is definitely interesting to see how other people's Drs advise! I'll admit, it is a bit of strange one that you are on the liquid stage for 3 weeks, but then again they may just be over-cautious! Either way, I am sure they have their reasons haha. It seems like they are keeping up good communication though, which is always a plus I was looking to maybe try protein water for to hit those protein goals during my liquid phase...but we shall see! Thank you so much! How are you recovering?

My first poop was a doozy. I woke from surgery with terrible diarrhoea. After that I didn't go for 15 days. I really struggled with that one and had to manually help myself go. The protein in the protein products make me terribly constipated. I only have them when I really need too now. It took me an age to work out what was causing it. Now I can eat fruit and veg it is easier.

Thanks for this! I fully intend to follow the guidance, it was just a curiosity as to how they determine their guidance. I just think it's really interesting to basically still be on full liquid to week three post-surgery. Maybe yours is tailored and mine is just sort of a set rubric? The food guidance I have isn't tailored to me––it's a PDF that's given to every bariatric patient in our medical group. My assigned nutritionist shared with me that her department always receives random updates to the diet directly from the bariatric department when the issue the new PDFs (we went through two updates while I was waiting for my surgery to be scheduled. When I have update calls with my nutritionist, she just asks me if I'm getting in my fluids and proteins and following the PDF for guidance on what I'm allowed to have. Either way, really interesting! Hope your surgery goes smoothly!!

I am similar timeframe and similar stall so to read the two above posts is reassuring. I am still only eating about 900 calories a day which is about 90g carbs and 70-100g protein. I do aqua aerobics once a week and light training three days a week plus try to get a 20 minute walk in most days and I have been stuck at the 78/77kg (171/169 lb) for a few weeks now. I am going to give it a bit more time as I think I have another follow up appointment with my surgery team in a month and can discuss then, especially as the surgeon told me in January that he would be happy with me getting to 75kg this year - I just didn't think it would take this long to get there.

Pho broth saved me in those first few weeks post op! My local place was happy to sell me a container of broth only. It was a nice change from the powdered broths and protein drinks. I’m almost 5 years PO now and have pho from time to time, mostly just the broth, meat, and veggies with a couple bites of noodles at the end of my meal if I still have any room.

Life just throws it all at you some times & I’m sorry you’ve been through a lot. Unfortunately the pouch reset is a fairy story/old wives’ tale. What needs to be reset is not your tummy but your head. Remember all that head work we had to do in the beginning? The stress, emotions & changes you’ve been experiencing has likely meant those old bad habits have snuck in again & you’ve been turning to food to comfort yourself. It’s easy to become complacent too. All completely understandable. Don’t know if you were a food tracker or not, but tracking even for a couple of weeks like @Spinoza suggested will help you identify what you may need to adjust - food choices, protein & fluid goals, portion sizes, nutrition. Then start by making one or two changes & another one or two a couple of weeks later. Small changes are easier to adopt & adapt to. Probably aim to get back to about where you were when your weight stabilised & how you initially maintained. Maybe contact your nut/dietician to help you get back in the right mindset. Therapy may help you manage & better cope with the stress you’ve been experiencing too so you don’t turn to food. You’ve been successful for ten years. You can do it again. All the best.

There are quite a few rx options to get you to go. Once you do go I recommend taking a soluble fiber daily to prevent this from happening again. They sell a generic for benefiber at Walmart and you just mix a spoonful into a drink. You may want to run by your team to see if they agree but it worked for me to prevent constipation. .

OK I am not a vet so feel free to ignore. Someone with much more experience will be along shortly and I too will be reading with interest. If you could track what you're eating now, in an app of your choosing, then that might help A LOT. Know thine enemy and all that. If I was in your shoes (and I may well be in a few years' time) then I think I would go back to protein first at most meals. Loads of veggies first at at least one meal a day too - raw or cooked. Track all of your macros. Ditch ultra processed foods and refined carbs *completely* - they are nobody's friends. For my own info please may I ask how long you maintained for following your sleeve and how quickly you regained when things got stressful?

Hello! Lately I’ve been having insane cravings for pho and ramen. I recently ordered a protein noodle ramen and was wondering about pho or alternatives to it. Any suggestions?