Questions for my fellow sleevers

[blkndeckher 6]

Hi everyone! I live in Fort Worth Texas and I am in the midst of my pre pre op requirements. Hoping to have my surgery at the end of January or beginning of February! I'm about 301 but my weight fluctuates up to 306 and back down depending on the time of month. I am at my biggest. I've been trying to lose weight for 5 years ever since I met my fiancé at 245lbs. Yep, gained 50+ pounds in 5 years. Depressing. Although I have been the most active I've ever been these last few years and eating fairly well, I still gained. I knew there was an issue so I sought out medical help and found out after blood tests and doctors appointments that I have PCOS. Anyways, my questions are:

1. Has anyone worked out vigorously before having surgery? Did it benefit you post op? I ask because I plan on continuing to work out and I thought it might be beneficial to add on to my muscle and be fairly muscular going in to surgery. I currently play roller derby and I'm on a powerlifting team.

2. Is anyone else "active fat"? I saw that on one of the topics and I was like hmm that's a good way to put it! I hate going to my weight loss appointments and being talked to like I know nothing about nutrition, Protein, working out etc.

3. Does anyone else feel that food isn't really their problem and wonder if the surgery will even work? While I don't binge eat, or drink soda, I can definitely indulge in beer and not so healthy foods, but even if I eat clean or not clean, I still remain the same weight or gain. I feel the surgery may work because the One time I did lose a sufficient amount of weight, I had been prescribed to adderall in college in 2005 and lost 60 pounds due to eating only a hamburger from the dining hall during the day and junk food late night with my roommate.

Lastly, the restrictions of food might make it near impossible to lift and keep my strength. Anyone experience that? I would love to bench what I do now (275lb) at my goal weight of 173. That would be amaze balls lol

[2goldengirl 2,076]

Welcome aboard! Lots of friendly folks here and tons of great info and support.

I think there are fewer really active preop folks here, for a variety of reasons. Having both lean mass and a fit cardiovascular system never hurt anyone having surgery, and you won't be the first. It may make your recovery easier so long as you remember that you HAVE to follow instructions postop. Thinking "I'm fit, I don't need to worry about "X", it doesn't apply to me will get you in trouble every time. That means that if your surgeon says "no lifting until X weeks postop", that means NO lifting. By all means tell your surgeon, your RD, everyone involved in the process about your commitment to fitness.

Second, be prepared to learn things during this process that may be at odds with what you've learned from your life in the gym. You will not be able to keep all your strength during your postop period, because you will of necessity have a layoff. But your fitness should return. Be prepared to learn new ways of thinking about food as fuel and about portion sizes. Keep an open mind. The easiest way to sabotage yourself is by thinking you know more than the person working with you - surgeon, RD, whomever.

If you aren't already tracking your intake, I'd suggest you start doing so now. And I do mean track - measure with measring cups, use a scale, don't just eyeball. Nearly everyone suffers from portion distortion.

The surgey works via two mechanisms: reducing hunger by reducing production of the hunger hormone, and by limiting your intake via physical restriction. It works - if you do. Good luck!

[Hydrogirl 6]

Im a Ft Worth sleever with Dr Bagshahi. Im an active fat tribal/gypsy dancer! I dont binge either but I know that my appetetite is large and my metobolism is junk so I chose to move forward with my sleeve. Im 10 days post op and I do beleive my active status is why I am healing so swiftly and not feeling the fatigue. I dont think your lifting will suffer at all if you stick yo the Protein requirements and add shakes in.

[Smye 695]

Yes, yes, and yes and it absolutely works. I've lost 175 in 10 months with little change to my activity level or which foods I eat, just a volume reduction and massive hormonal shift. The reason I opted to finally have Sx was that all the longitudinal research on 'fit but fat' was that at most you've got 10 years with the BMI I had before even with my diet and exercise the fat starts to seriously tear you up.

Pre-op I was walking 5-8 miles/day, raising 85% of my own calories and not eating anything junky, I also got a lot of junk-advice from nutritionists who actually were giving GREAT advice for someone who eats standard american but terrible for someone with a healthy diet. Which led to my blog here - check it out, I think you'll find it helpful and I'd love to swap ideas.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Smye

[blkndeckher 6]

Welcome aboard! Lots of friendly folks here and tons of great info and support.

I think there are fewer really active preop folks here, for a variety of reasons. Having both lean mass and a fit cardiovascular system never hurt anyone having surgery, and you won't be the first. It may make your recovery easier so long as you remember that you HAVE to follow instructions postop. Thinking "I'm fit, I don't need to worry about "X", it doesn't apply to me will get you in trouble every time. That means that if your surgeon says "no lifting until X weeks postop", that means NO lifting. By all means tell your surgeon, your RD, everyone involved in the process about your commitment to fitness.

Second, be prepared to learn things during this process that may be at odds with what you've learned from your life in the gym. You will not be able to keep all your strength during your postop period, because you will of necessity have a layoff. But your fitness should return. Be prepared to learn new ways of thinking about food as fuel and about portion sizes. Keep an open mind. The easiest way to sabotage yourself is by thinking you know more than the person working with you - surgeon, RD, whomever.

If you aren't already tracking your intake, I'd suggest you start doing so now. And I do mean track - measure with measring cups, use a scale, don't just eyeball. Nearly everyone suffers from portion distortion.

The surgey works via two mechanisms: reducing hunger by reducing production of the hunger hormone, and by limiting your intake via physical restriction. It works - if you do. Good luck!

Thanks for your words! I never thought I knew more though, you may have misunderstood that. What I meant was that I don't like that every bariatric doctor or nurse that I've encountered assumes that since I'm overweight, I do not have any knowledge of fitness, clean eating, Protein or Portion Control. They may know more but I don't think it's fair for them to make assumptions. They could indeed ask what I do know and feed off of that.

I already do portion control. I meal prep on Sunday's and portion out my meals that consist of Protein, complex carbs and veggies.

Thanks

[blkndeckher 6]

Im a Ft Worth sleever with Dr Bagshahi. Im an active fat tribal/gypsy dancer! I dont binge either but I know that my appetetite is large and my metobolism is junk so I chose to move forward with my sleeve. Im 10 days post op and I do beleive my active status is why I am healing so swiftly and not feeling the fatigue. I dont think your lifting will suffer at all if you stick yo the Protein requirements and add shakes in.

Hydro! Awesome that you live in Fort Worth! Congrats on your new sleeve! This is great news about the healing process! We should speak more, message me anytime and I will to you too! It's nice to have a local sleever around!

[blkndeckher 6]

Yes, yes, and yes and it absolutely works. I've lost 175 in 10 months with little change to my activity level or which foods I eat, just a volume reduction and massive hormonal shift. The reason I opted to finally have Sx was that all the longitudinal research on 'fit but fat' was that at most you've got 10 years with the BMI I had before even with my diet and exercise the fat starts to seriously tear you up.

Pre-op I was walking 5-8 miles/day, raising 85% of my own calories and not eating anything junky, I also got a lot of junk-advice from nutritionists who actually were giving GREAT advice for someone who eats standard american but terrible for someone with a healthy diet. Which led to my blog here - check it out, I think you'll find it helpful and I'd love to swap ideas.

Smye! Great site! Will definitely be hitting that up during my process! Thanks for sharing! Good job with your current loss!

[Smye 695]

@@blkndeckher, just keep up posted and congratulations by the way!

[NewReinforcers 1]

Yes, yes, and yes and it absolutely works. I've lost 175 in 10 months with little change to my activity level or which foods I eat, just a volume reduction and massive hormonal shift. The reason I opted to finally have Sx was that all the longitudinal research on 'fit but fat' was that at most you've got 10 years with the BMI I had before even with my diet and exercise the fat starts to seriously tear you up.

Pre-op I was walking 5-8 miles/day, raising 85% of my own calories and not eating anything junky, I also got a lot of junk-advice from nutritionists who actually were giving GREAT advice for someone who eats standard american but terrible for someone with a healthy diet. Which led to my blog here - check it out, I think you'll find it helpful and I'd love to swap ideas.

Smye thank you for the link to your blog ... I am in the beginning stages of seeking the sleeve surgery, but your blog is exactly what I ve been looking for!

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Hi everyone! I live in Fort Worth Texas and I am in the midst of my pre pre op requirements. Hoping to have my surgery at the end of January or beginning of February! I'm about 301 but my weight fluctuates up to 306 and back down depending on the time of month. I am at my biggest. I've been trying to lose weight for 5 years ever since I met my fiancé at 245lbs. Yep, gained 50+ pounds in 5 years. Depressing. Although I have been the most active I've ever been these last few years and eating fairly well, I still gained. I knew there was an issue so I sought out medical help and found out after blood tests and doctors appointments that I have PCOS. Anyways, my questions are:

1. Has anyone worked out vigorously before having surgery? Did it benefit you post op? I ask because I plan on continuing to work out and I thought it might be beneficial to add on to my muscle and be fairly muscular going in to surgery. I currently play roller derby and I'm on a powerlifting team.

2. Is anyone else "active fat"? I saw that on one of the topics and I was like hmm that's a good way to put it! I hate going to my weight loss appointments and being talked to like I know nothing about nutrition, Protein, working out etc.

3. Does anyone else feel that food isn't really their problem and wonder if the surgery will even work? While I don't binge eat, or drink soda, I can definitely indulge in beer and not so healthy foods, but even if I eat clean or not clean, I still remain the same weight or gain. I feel the surgery may work because the One time I did lose a sufficient amount of weight, I had been prescribed to adderall in college in 2005 and lost 60 pounds due to eating only a hamburger from the dining hall during the day and junk food late night with my roommate.

Lastly, the restrictions of food might make it near impossible to lift and keep my strength. Anyone experience that? I would love to bench what I do now (275lb) at my goal weight of 173. That would be amaze balls lol

Sounds like me.

I worked out pre-op. I swear having a stronger core made recuperating easier. I felt sore, but not in any real pain. I was able to get out of the bed to use the bathroom in recovery.

I was an "active fat" I did Water aerobics 4 -5 days a week pre-op. Returned to the pool on week 3.

I was and am a vegetarian. Eat clean a good 80 - 90% of the time. Can't do artificial sugars or food dyes and don't drink sodas or a lot of highly processed foods. Yes I was still fat. In part to to hormonal issues, in part due to health conditions (pituitary tumor), in part due to meds that make weight loss a challenge and in part to disordered eating/skipping meals/not eating enough one day, too much another day.

I'm not a weight lifter, but I have made great effort to increase my Protein. For the first year I supplemented. My goal this year is to have supplements decrease to no more than 10% of my daily intake. I will say as long as I met my Fluid and protein goals I never felt weak or tired.

One thing I will say is key; find a program that meets your needs. That includes post op life. Part of what I liked with my program is they listened to me. Once my nutritionist understood I knew what I was talking about, her manner of speaking to me changed. I like feeling I can approach them with questions and get answers. They tend start at a low, basic level because that's where most people are. I like feeling that there is more of a give and take in the discussions.

[Smye 695]

@@NewReinforcers, glad to help and congratulations on your process! Keep me posted on your process!