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Weight Training After The Gastric Sleeve Surgery?



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Hey Alex and welcome. Follow your doctor's orders as far as exercise is concerned. I was allowed to begin cardio 1 month after surgery and weightlifting 1 month after that. If this is your first experience with weightlifting, take it slow. Work out intense but work out smart. Listen to what your body tells you. Mixing cardio into the weightlifting will accelerate the weight loss. I ended up losing my 130 lbs in 7 months using this technique. The other thing to remember is that you must still fuel your body even though you are trying to lose weight. Protein is your friend especially in liquid form...these will pass through the sleeve quickly and absorb rapidly. Dont neglect carbs either, in moderation. Carbs will provide the energy your muscles need to lift those heavy weights and will replenish glycogen stores in the muscle tissue after you've exercised. Best of luck to you and don't quit...ever!

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Found this question fascinating, so I trolled the bodybuilding.com site, which appears to have plenty of topics from guys who had WLS.

The following is brief summary made up from several posts:

1. Quality Carbs before a workout AKA complex carbohydrates.

2. Bananas to keep you from cramping.

2. BCAA supplemented drink just before a workout.

3. Protein to repair muscle after a workout. Don't depend on just liquid proteins: fish, poultry, boiled eggs. The more complicated the food the more your body works digesting it.

4. Shock workouts by alternating whether you do cardio or weights first.

5. Continue to take a quality Bariatric supplement to prevent deficiencies.

From there it gets even more esoteric what people do to build mass.

Here is an inspiration story on how a formerly 370 Lbs castric bypass patient: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/body-transformation-danny-figueredo-sliced-his-weight-in-half.html

Edited by Nikasio

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My dr is huge into resistance training for his male patients. He said don't worry about cardio as long as you walk a lot and I do. I set my phone app on 10000 steps a day and always get it.

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My dr is huge into resistance training for his male patients. He said don't worry about cardio as long as you walk a lot and I do. I set my phone app on 10000 steps a day and always get it.

Found this question fascinating, so I trolled the bodybuilding.com site, which appears to have plenty of topics from guys who had WLS.

The following is brief summary made up from several posts:

1. Quality Carbs before a workout AKA complex carbohydrates.

2. Bananas to keep you from cramping.

2. BCAA supplemented drink just before a workout.

3. Protein to repair muscle after a workout. Don't depend on just liquid proteins: fish, poultry, boiled eggs. The more complicated the food the more your body works digesting it.

4. Shock workouts by alternating whether you do cardio or weights first.

5. Continue to take a quality Bariatric supplement to prevent deficiencies.

From there it gets even more esoteric what people do to build mass.

Here is an inspiration story on how a formerly 370 Lbs castric bypass patient: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/body-transformation-danny-figueredo-sliced-his-weight-in-half.html

Hey Alex and welcome. Follow your doctor's orders as far as exercise is concerned. I was allowed to begin cardio 1 month after surgery and weightlifting 1 month after that. If this is your first experience with weightlifting, take it slow. Work out intense but work out smart. Listen to what your body tells you. Mixing cardio into the weightlifting will accelerate the weight loss. I ended up losing my 130 lbs in 7 months using this technique. The other thing to remember is that you must still fuel your body even though you are trying to lose weight. Protein is your friend especially in liquid form...these will pass through the sleeve quickly and absorb rapidly. Dont neglect carbs either, in moderation. Carbs will provide the energy your muscles need to lift those heavy weights and will replenish glycogen stores in the muscle tissue after you've exercised. Best of luck to you and don't quit...ever!

Welcome Alex & Congrats on the sleeve decision! Best decision I've made to have a healthier lifestyle!

Lots of veteran sleevers on here with good knowledge & happy to help.

Awesome, thanks guys for the responses.. I have my first meet up with the surgeon on July 7th, I can't wait. I've started watching what I eat and doing some cardio and weightlifting. In hopes that this may cut down on the pain lol ( I know, it's dumb) either way it's best to start before.

-Alex

Edited by XxAlexX

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I have posted this on other forums, but I figured I'd get it out there one more time. Are there any firefighters or EMT's who had the sleeve done? I am and I was wondering about the after effects and working out. In our line of work we need to be extremely physically fit (strength and cardio wise). Has or is anyone having problems? Any advice or anything at all i should know or y'all can tell me?

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I had a gastric bypass end of Oct/2015; I just joined a gym 1 month ago and am doing both cardio & weight lifting ; at my 30 day follow up my trainer said I'd lost 3% of my body fat and he said that was largely due to the weight lifting; I've lost 50 lbs since my surgery in Oct (80 # overall to include the 6 mth Doctor supervised pre-op period); I did some research and read the average person loses about 1% body fat per month. Does that sound about right?

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

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Just getting started back with weight training.

It's a bit dicey since I have a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder and a failed abdominal hernia repair.

Anyway.....excuses notwithstanding......here is a pic taken today:

EZp6niA.jpg

This pic taken one day before my sleeve surgery in October 2015:

vP1PzIB.png

Getting there.....in spite of not being able to really blow it out like I want to.

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Just getting started back with weight training.

It's a bit dicey since I have a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder and a failed abdominal hernia repair.

Anyway.....excuses notwithstanding......here is a pic taken today:

EZp6niA.jpg

This pic taken one day before my sleeve surgery in October 2015:

vP1PzIB.png

Getting there.....in spite of not being able to really blow it out like I want to.

I hear ya on that rotator cuff man. Hang in there. Is nearly completely torn? I've been struggling with my workouts the past year due to lots of shoulder weakness, pain and range of motion issues. Found out my labrum was torn, went in for surgery on that and when I came to after surgery, the Dr said my rotator cuff was hanging on my a thread, so he repaired that as well. This was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, so I'm slightly over 3 months shoulder post op. Good news is, I started back lifting two weeks ago and as of now, I'm 90% on my shoulder, which is already way better and more use out of it than I was getting the past year. Hopefully therapy can fix it for you, but if it's a big tear, I'm not sure if therapy would be enough. Anyway, just be careful with the ballistic movements and overhead lifts. Wish you the best!

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I was sleeved 3.5 years ago. I have always been active but work and haits got the best of me. Whenever I worked out pre-sleeve, I just added bulk and got heavier.

In Feb of 2016, I started really working out hard at a local Orange Theory. I also started a very tight and controlled nutritional program. OT offers a 60-minute very high intensity workouts, 1/2 weights, 1/2 cardio. Got down another 10 lbs since my post-sleeve bump to 180 lbs after two months of perfect eating and intense exercise. I wasnt able to get enough clean food with my sleeve and I totally hit a wall. It was impossible for me to get enough nutrition to support the workouts. My strength gains stopped, and its become almost impossible for me to put on muscle. I feel like I hit my ceiling.

I'm now trying to get more calories though shakes, using milk in stead of Water. Adding in creatine. I hope this helps. I definitely leaned up, but I am fatiguing far too quickly, not able to add any size, and not gaining in strength.

Any guys out there that reached a fairly lean weight, but then are now trying to bulk up on muscle?

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As a 52 year old female, I currently have more muscle mass then ever before in my life. I work with a trainer twice a week and do HITT 4 times a week. I know that the increased muscle is due to the amount of Protein I eat which is between 120-150 grams a day.

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Hi Hagen,

How are you getting your calories? shakes or food?

How many calories are the guys getting in after their sleeve. I am estimating I am only able to get in about 1900 calories if I eat clean. Any suggestions?

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I eat about 2000 calories a day which does include 2 shakes and 1 or 2 Protein Bars each day.

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 1 reply
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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