Fellow Sleevers, we all know that the sleeve is only a tool to help us with weight loss. I am 5 months out and although I've dropped 58 pounds since surgery and 72 from my HW, I am starting to see my weight loss is slowing down. I've only worked out doing a little cardio and walking for honestly about a week since my surgery. I'm not complaining and know that I couldn't have loss weight on my own this quick without my sleeve. I'm just wondering if anyone has dropped alot of weight without working out or if exercise is indeed a must? I still have about 50 pounds to go to get to my 1st goal weight of 175 and then will try to aim towards my last goal weight of 150 lbs. I also need to increase my protein and water as well. Need advice please...

Edited May 17, 201412 yr by aNewLife14

Im still lossing but it's slow, I have not been excercise much because of my bad knee, but I'm still lossing and still doing the protien.

I've lost 75 pounds since starting preop and am 3 pounds from my nut's goal. I walked a mile a day on the treadmill for the first 2 weeks just to help with gas and digestion. I did no formal exercise the next 2 1/2 months. I was sick with diarrhea for part of that and very prone to dehydration so I didn't want to do ANYTHING that might make me lose more Fluid. But mostly I was just being lazy. I started riding my recumbent bike at 3 months post op for 20 minutes 3-4 days/week. (While watching Judge Judy ) Pretty minimal exercise, really. At almost 5 months out I continue to lose weight at a rate of 1-2 pounds /week.

I'm a vet tech and have a very active job....basically I'm doing squats and lifting weights all day long and I have very good muscle tone even without a formal exercise regimen. I'm thrilled with my progress because I hate exercising.

When you say your weight loss has slowed down, what rate are you seeing now compared to before? Are you still eating like we should?

Edited May 17, 201412 yr by Kindle

I haven't done any formal exercise in the last year. I will begin soon, to improve my general health and fitness, but it doesn't seem to have affected my weight loss.

I hate exercise too but once I do it regularly for about 2 weeks, I can stick with it. My exercise routine is generally cardio with walking on the treadmill. I also have an elliptical and recumbent bike but my poor knees hurts so bad when I try on either machine within a couple of minutes, so I quit very easily because of the discomfort and pain. The treadmill i can generally walk at a 3.0 speed for 30 to 45 mins with no problem. I've also taken Zumba classes and love it! The overall answer is I hate working out too!

Edited May 17, 201412 yr by aNewLife14

Cardio burns fat and is good for your heart, but strength training is arguably more important for longterm health. As bariatric patients, we tend to lose a lot of our muscle along with our fat, even if we meet our Protein goals. I'd highly recommend finding some way to build muscle. It's crucial for burning more fat when you're resting, helps keep your bones healthy, and gives your skin something to grip on to as your fat burns away. Also, if you have lower body injuries (as I do), weight lifting can be a good way to get in some targeted exercise that won't hurt your weak spots. Oh, and it's good for your heart too -- cardio doesn't have the monopoly on that.

@@WhoKnows I've been looking at Crossfit and has a friend (non- bariatric) who is doing this. She's only lost about 40 pounds but has lost 6 dress sizes along with gaining muscle. I was so against this especially weight lifting but you have help she'd some light on this, Thanks!

I second the strength training idea. We are already pretty programmed for weight loss with the calorie restriction so the cardio isn't as beneficial as some sort of light strength training. I do about 20 minutes for cardio just to help keep my blood pumping and then work a few different body parts each time I work out. Plus I actually like that sore, healing feeling I get the next day after a good workout. Makes me feel like I am working towards the ultimate goal of health!

Cardio burns fat and is good for your heart, but strength training is arguably more important for longterm health. As bariatric patients, we tend to lose a lot of our muscle along with our fat, even if we meet our Protein goals. I'd highly recommend finding some way to build muscle. It's crucial for burning more fat when you're resting, helps keep your bones healthy, and gives your skin something to grip on to as your fat burns away. Also, if you have lower body injuries (as I do), weight lifting can be a good way to get in some targeted exercise that won't hurt your weak spots. Oh, and it's good for your heart too -- cardio doesn't have the monopoly on that.

@@aNewLife14, I'm dying to try Crossfit! My surgery is on May 28th, so it'll be a while until I'm able to work out hard, let alone hold my own in a Crossfit class, but that's definitely a NSV I'm looking forward to! Also, I'm a lot less concerned about losing pounds than I am about wearing smaller clothes and having a low body fat percentage. Here's hoping the sleeve helps me get there!

I am seven weeks after surgery and lost a total of 42 lbs. I can honestly say that I don't exercise, or do it nearly as much as I should; however, I have a very hectic life and I'm on the run constantly. I am pleased with my weight loss so far and I hope that it will continue to happen. As far as what I eat, I am eating more than twice what I used to eat right after surgery, but don't want to push my luck, I only need to watch what I eat.

I once had an executive coach who said to me (and I think it is completely valid):

"How can you not exercise at all and still expect that you will be healthy?"

I once had an executive coach who said to me (and I think it is completely valid): "How can you not exercise at all and still expect that you will be healthy?"

Well said! Eating enough protein isn't the only ingredient when it comes to not losing muscle. With such drastic weight loss, you will lose muscle if you do not work to build it! We don't want to end up "skinny fat," do we?

Hey everyone! well I got sleeved August 6 2014 so today is one month and frankly I haven't done much exercise since the surgery I do walk about 15 minutes a day around the park, I try to make my Protein mark, im at the stage of soft foods so my protein intake is mostly from eggs, fish, Beans Im really having a hard time with the Protein shakes I guess that since I had so much of them it making me sick!

Starting weight 310

day of surgery 297

Don't remember first week post op numbers

2nd week post op 277

Today 4 weeks post op 265

I am also a proponent of strength training. I think my abs (where skin is loose) look much better now. Also, it can be done in such a way that it is also a cardio woorkout.

For those of you that have bad knees - i have those plus a herniated disk. My trainer has designed a program to strengthen the muscles supporting these areas and to stabilize them. Pain has lessened considerably. I amaze myself daily by bending my knees and squatting to pick things off of the floor!

For those of you that have bad knees - i have those plus a herniated disk. My trainer has designed a program to strengthen the muscles supporting these areas and to stabilize them. Pain has lessened considerably. I amaze myself daily by bending my knees and squatting to pick things off of the floor!

Texasmeg, would you mind describing that workout a bit? I have a big knees issue and cannot do lunges or squats.

He started out with "pre-squats". For example (this is hard to describe), squat to row. You stand at a machine with your arms in a Y and hands on handles with weights. You squat (as far as you can with good form) and the weights kind of help. As you stand up, you pull your elbows back in a "row" bringing your shoulder blades together.

He had me doing rear lunges (as far as I could go - didn't need to go all the way).

He also had doing exercises to strengthen my inner thighs on the machines (hamstring machine).

Later, he had me doing side steps with a rubber resistance band and squatting as I stretched the band (it is easier to squat with your legs apart).

Hope this helps!