Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

How to build muscle postop



Recommended Posts

Hey everyone.

I'm a bit confused about this. If we're stuck to a 1,200 calorie diet, how will we be able to gain muscle? I'm just wondering. Thanks!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Protein & exercise.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey everyone.

I'm a bit confused about this. If we're stuck to a 1' date='200 calorie diet, how will we be able to gain muscle? I'm just wondering. Thanks![/quote']

It certainly is challenging. Eventually you are going to want to work your calories up to about 2000 a day or near your TDEE. This will take some time as a post op and you should do it gradually after month 6 or whenever you choose to. To eat this amount of calories, you will need to be eating sleeve quantity of as much Protein as you can manage every 2-3 hours. Try and target 40 g a meal as that is the optimal amount the body can process in 2 hours for guys. Your diet should be as clean as possible to support building those muscles combined with hard core training and a lot of Water during the day. It takes plenty of work, but if you align yourself with some good principles, it is possible to build muscle as a VST post op. my exercise of choice right now is cross fit where I get plenty of opportunities to lift to max and to do rep sets that build real strength. I also do workouts at home on non cross fit days. The other recommendation is to supplement with Protein powder as sourcing the calories all from food is hard. Take a high quality whey in the morning and a casein shake right before bed. Probably stuff you know already.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It certainly is challenging. Eventually you are going to want to work your calories up to about 2000 a day or near your TDEE. This will take some time as a post op and you should do it gradually after month 6 or whenever you choose to. To eat this amount of calories, you will need to be eating sleeve quantity of as much Protein as you can manage every 2-3 hours. Try and target 40 g a meal as that is the optimal amount the body can process in 2 hours for guys. Your diet should be as clean as possible to support building those muscles combined with hard core training and a lot of Water during the day. It takes plenty of work, but if you align yourself with some good principles, it is possible to build muscle as a VST post op. my exercise of choice right now is cross fit where I get plenty of opportunities to lift to max and to do rep sets that build real strength. I also do workouts at home on non cross fit days. The other recommendation is to supplement with Protein Powder as sourcing the calories all from food is hard. Take a high quality whey in the morning and a casein shake right before bed. Probably stuff you know already.

Ah, thank you so much. This post was great.

I was really confused because I remember "maintenance" being 1200 calories. I wasn't sure if it was because of our metabolisms slowing or what. Thanks for the advice, man. You cleared a lot up.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Any time!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am curious about this as well. I'm still two months out from pre-op and at the gym almost every day. I really want to get ripped as I lose weight. I'm 6'3" and I have always been pretty strong. I don't want to lose any of the lean mass that's hidden under my gut!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It certainly is challenging. Eventually you are going to want to work your calories up to about 2000 a day or near your TDEE. This will take some time as a post op and you should do it gradually after month 6 or whenever you choose to. To eat this amount of calories, you will need to be eating sleeve quantity of as much Protein as you can manage every 2-3 hours. Try and target 40 g a meal as that is the optimal amount the body can process in 2 hours for guys. Your diet should be as clean as possible to support building those muscles combined with hard core training and a lot of Water during the day. It takes plenty of work, but if you align yourself with some good principles, it is possible to build muscle as a VST post op. my exercise of choice right now is cross fit where I get plenty of opportunities to lift to max and to do rep sets that build real strength. I also do workouts at home on non cross fit days. The other recommendation is to supplement with protein powder as sourcing the calories all from food is hard. Take a high quality whey in the morning and a casein shake right before bed. Probably stuff you know already.

Can women take a casein shake also, dr wants me to put on 2 to 3 lbs of Muscle, I don't know how....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Can women take a casein shake also' date=' dr wants me to put on 2 to 3 lbs of Muscle, I don't know how....[/quote']

Sure - why not? Protein does not discriminate. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

does this apply if your goal is simply to tone and not gain a lot of muscle mass?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Can women take a casein shake also, dr wants me to put on 2 to 3 lbs of Muscle, I don't know how....

Of course. It's a good protein!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Of course. It's a good protein!

Yup. - the casein Protein has really served me well. The only question is whether to try a new flavor or not. I love the Gold Standard double chocolate, but have been mentally toying with the idea of butterscotch or banana if they exist. Definitely eating casein has been nothing short of a win-win for losing weight pre six months and building muscle post six months.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What is the difference in whey Protein powder and Casein? Where do you get the casein, and do you mix with milk or Water?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What is the difference in whey Protein powder and Casein? Where do you get the casein' date=' and do you mix with milk or Water?[/quote']

Whey Protein is fast acting where casein Proteins are slow acting. Casein protein is ideal to take at night because it is slowly converted to energy due to large molecular size and will positively impact protein synthesis over 5-8 hours, depending on dose. Whey protein is converted quickly to energy due to nano molecular size and is ideal to take first thing in the morning and/or after working out when your glycogen stores need to be replenished fast. Your whet based recovery Protein Powder also may contain bcaa and other amino acids which helps with fast protein synthesis. There are other protein powders like synth 6 that are a mixture of different Proteins making it good, but not ideal, to take any time.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fiddleman did you take casein all along or when did you start post op. I don't currently use it but have been kicking around the idea of starting. Just wondering if it's time to v or if I should wait till maintenance.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I started taking it at month 6, one month before I hit my goal. Try it out at night and see if it helps you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Still purging all of the larger clothing. This morning, a shirt that I ADORED wearing ended up on top. Hard to let it go, but it was also hard to let go of those habits that also no longer serve my highest good. Onward and upward!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×