I had my 4 week appointment yesterday. 4 weeks to the day and was given the all clear to resume normal eating with no restrictions. Of course that doesn’t mean to go back to candy and all that other junk, but i can eat whatever I want. It’s on me to be smart about it.

I started morning of surgery at 275. Four days later I was at 266.6 (8.4lb loss). One week out i was at 259 (16lb loss) and two weeks out I was at 252 (23lb loss). I’m now at 247. Total loss in 4 weeks is 28 pounds so I’m pretty pleased.

1st week was just chicken soup broth, premier protein shakes (Costco), surgar free jello, popscicles, and sugar free pudding.

2nd week, same as week one, but a couple times tried mashed potatoes. Started walking on treadmill few times a week. 15 minutes each.

3rd week, same as 2nd week, but tried meatballs and diced chicken breast. Tried chicken tacos. Chicken, corn tortillas and salsa.

4th week, beginning of the 4th week tried steak quesadilla, chips and salsa. Keep in mind very small portions. That’s where I’m at now. Was also cleared to lift weights which I will be starting next week.

At no time have I been nauseous or thrown up. A few times my stomach would rumble for a second or two, but nothing significant. I’ve probably been a bit aggressive in introducing the foods, but it’s worked out fine and I’m happy with the results. It’s all up to me now how I handle myself going forward.

As far as recommending this surgery, for me it worked out great and was fairly easy. However, that may not be the case for everyone. I made the decision by realizing it was something I needed to do at late 40’s to improve my health and way of life. I chose not to pay too close attention to the negative reviews because as with any surgery everyone handles it differently.

Good Luck

Thank you berry a lady in here the other day tried telling me 400-600 calories A Day was healthy.... I was surprised too cause she was in her 50's... I'm feeling fatigued at 1200 a day.. I want to keep most of my muscle during this post op fast weight loss

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I agree with Tony... you'll absolutely lose muscle, but that will come back quickly once you can eat more calories and hit the gym.

I've read a few articles about people losing weight and gaining muscle. It seems they lose weight first, then start building.

Maybe @BigViffer can help set us on the right path..

The fatigue is because you are only a month postop. I didn't feel 100% for nearly 3 months. I think you should keep your calories where they are so you can get the weight off as quickly as possible.

Viffer has more experience than I, so do what he recommends..

3 hours ago, Berry78 said:

@BigViffer can help set us on the right path..

PArdon my slow wittedness, I am sick and puny right now. Who am I supposed be addressing in regards to retaining/gaining muscle mass? Approach is different depending on the person.

We are talking to Buffalo Bill. He is a month postop.. he has his stats on his profile (other than age).

@BuffaloBill

The best questions to ask yourself are: What are you wanting to get out of going to the gym? Are you wanting weight loss, pretty looking muscles, or strength? There is a difference between all of those food/activity plans.

You cannot have more than one goal at a time. Sure you can try, but you will only make meager gains (or losses) if you divide your focus. In my case, the weights I was lifting were pretty low because I was so weak, but it was necessary to try and maintain as much muscle mass as possible since that is what burns the fat. And fat loss was the goal the first year. During weight loss, 80 grams of protein is sufficient. Attack the cardio while you can. Carbs are not your enemy contrary to what many say on here. Just make sure they are complex. That is good fuel for cardio work.

The second year I went for pretty muscles. Just like so many of us, it was almost intoxicating looking so good after being fat for so long. But I found that what I really wanted was strength. The strength to do things that previously would send me to the doctor. So now I eat what would probably be a boring diet in many peoples opinion. I really don't care what I am eating as long as it fulfills my nutritional needs. The weightlifting is fascinating. I always thought lifters were meatheads. The books I am reading are being written by doctors and mechanical engineers and people far more intelligent than I. I am to the point that I eat 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day. But it is pretty damn clean. The only problem is that I cannot eat enough to break into a larger lift class. oh well, 1st world problems!

So back to your original question

In order to lose weight or burn fat, you have to be in a caloric deficit. That means that you are burning more that you are taking in on AVERAGE. Not daily, but more like weekly. A good estimate of the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) for the average male is 1500 calories. That is why we call the first year post op the honeymoon phase. Over the course of a week, the daily caloric intake is usually far below that so you lose weight. You surgeon probably made a big to-do about maintaining muscle mass during the first year. That is most likely what is happening right now. The existing muscle is living up to it's potential.

Now in order to increase the potential of muscles, we need to grow new muscle tissue. In order to do that, we must stress the muscle and cause many micro tears that heal stronger and bigger than before. In order to heal back bigger and stronger, you need quality proteins (meats and whey are best - do NOT use GenPRO, it is snake oil) and a caloric SURPPLUS. You cannot create new tissue out of nothing, you must have the building blocks available. Fat is not converted to protein, only energy. So it can fuel your activity but it cannot build new musle tissue.

Fat is the most dense energy source for the body, then protein, and lastly carbs. That is why carbs are great for pre-workout. They give us the enegery to complete the workout. Protein will be used as an energy source before fat since it is easier to metabolize. Fat is the last thing your body turns to for fuel. This is why you want to focus on the weight loss the first year. After you reach your goal weight, you will be able to eat more than 1500 calories and the excess will go towards making more muscle tissue.

Weight loss doesn't happen overnight and neither will a strong body. Focus on long term goals for the best chance of success. Slow and steady is the way to win this "race". Incremental gains should be your goal. It's not just your muscles you need to be worried about. They WILL atrophy in the beginning. You WILL lose muscle mass and strength. There is nothing you can do about that. Accept it; but set yourself up for success later. You will also need to focus on calcium and vitamin D and increasing bone density. Your legs should be good since by nature of being overweight they had to become strong to carry us. Unless you have arthritis like me and then it can become an issue.

TLDR - My advice is to lose all the weight you can during the first year. I cannot stress that enough - my advice. Do what you feel is right after talking to your surgeon/doctor. I wouldn't be trying for 1200 calories at 2 month post op. Establish the eating habits that will last you the rest of your life.

[mention=301868]BuffaloBill[/mention]
The best questions to ask yourself are: What are you wanting to get out of going to the gym? Are you wanting weight loss, pretty looking muscles, or strength? There is a difference between all of those food/activity plans.
You cannot have more than one goal at a time. Sure you can try, but you will only make meager gains (or losses) if you divide your focus. In my case, the weights I was lifting were pretty low because I was so weak, but it was necessary to try and maintain as much muscle mass as possible since that is what burns the fat. And fat loss was the goal the first year. During weight loss, 80 grams of protein is sufficient. Attack the cardio while you can. Carbs are not your enemy contrary to what many say on here. Just make sure they are complex. That is good fuel for cardio work.
The second year I went for pretty muscles. Just like so many of us, it was almost intoxicating looking so good after being fat for so long. But I found that what I really wanted was strength. The strength to do things that previously would send me to the doctor. So now I eat what would probably be a boring diet in many peoples opinion. I really don't care what I am eating as long as it fulfills my nutritional needs. The weightlifting is fascinating. I always thought lifters were meatheads. The books I am reading are being written by doctors and mechanical engineers and people far more intelligent than I. I am to the point that I eat 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day. But it is pretty damn clean. The only problem is that I cannot eat enough to break into a larger lift class. oh well, 1st world problems!
So back to your original question
In order to lose weight or burn fat, you have to be in a caloric deficit. That means that you are burning more that you are taking in on AVERAGE. Not daily, but more like weekly. A good estimate of the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) for the average male is 1500 calories. That is why we call the first year post op the honeymoon phase. Over the course of a week, the daily caloric intake is usually far below that so you lose weight. You surgeon probably made a big to-do about maintaining muscle mass during the first year. That is most likely what is happening right now. The existing muscle is living up to it's potential.
Now in order to increase the potential of muscles, we need to grow new muscle tissue. In order to do that, we must stress the muscle and cause many micro tears that heal stronger and bigger than before. In order to heal back bigger and stronger, you need quality proteins (meats and whey are best - do NOT use GenPRO, it is snake oil) and a caloric SURPPLUS. You cannot create new tissue out of nothing, you must have the building blocks available. Fat is not converted to protein, only energy. So it can fuel your activity but it cannot build new musle tissue.
Fat is the most dense energy source for the body, then protein, and lastly carbs. That is why carbs are great for pre-workout. They give us the enegery to complete the workout. Protein will be used as an energy source before fat since it is easier to metabolize. Fat is the last thing your body turns to for fuel. This is why you want to focus on the weight loss the first year. After you reach your goal weight, you will be able to eat more than 1500 calories and the excess will go towards making more muscle tissue.
Weight loss doesn't happen overnight and neither will a strong body. Focus on long term goals for the best chance of success. Slow and steady is the way to win this "race". Incremental gains should be your goal. It's not just your muscles you need to be worried about. They WILL atrophy in the beginning. You WILL lose muscle mass and strength. There is nothing you can do about that. Accept it; but set yourself up for success later. You will also need to focus on calcium and vitamin D and increasing bone density. Your legs should be good since by nature of being overweight they had to become strong to carry us. Unless you have arthritis like me and then it can become an issue.
TLDR - My advice is to lose all the weight you can during the first year. I cannot stress that enough - my advice. Do what you feel is right after talking to your surgeon/doctor. I wouldn't be trying for 1200 calories at 2 month post op. Establish the eating habits that will last you the rest of your life.

Thank you so much..Im a huge gym guy.. I started working out at maybe 16 yrs old... got fat as **** around 32-33 saw my brother in law had the sleeve surgery so I did a ton of research and decided it's perfect for me. I spent a year getting back into decent shape pre-op and lost 40lbs in the 6-8 month period... I started back in the gym on day 8. Recovery was a breeze for me i had no issues. Only health related issues I'm having now is lightheadedness. I had my month post op appointment with my surgeon today and he said I'm looking great and the numbers are fine... I lost 18 lbs in that month. I've been looking for somebody too learn from and you speak exactly what I need to hear. Thank you so much. If u didn't get a chance to look at my numbers they help explain me more so u can get an idea of what I'm working with.. I'm 5'7 36yr old .My HW=280 SW=247 CW=228 GW=170/180 also I'm not a very big numbers guy but my goals are too no 1 look good and be comfortable after that build strength and endurance. Do u have a social media I can follow ?

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No social media. Can't stand it. I see my wife and kids noses buried in it every evening. I pretty much think it will be the downfall of society.

Sent from my phone. Please forgive brevity and spelling.

No social media. Can't stand it. I see my wife and kids noses buried in it every evening. I pretty much think it will be the downfall of society.

Sent from my phone. Please forgive brevity and spelling.

My god me too.. I befriend guys that think like that it's a quality not many have left... It is such a big deal now tho. Being single and 36 I really don't have a choice. So I'm just embracing it. I try to stay off Facebook that is the absolute worst. Youtube is cool for information. And Instagram is just pictures so that's not bad. Twitter is good for news . But yeah I'm about as anti Facebook as someone my age can be.. I could go on and on for days. Well at least I got ya locked in this thread until one of us kicks the bucket. Thanks for the info. I understand everything u explained completely.

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