Sleeved powerlifters?

[Miss Norway 5]

Hi!

My name is Hanne and I am from Norway. I have been considering the gastric sleeve.

I am 34 y/o and weigh around 210 lbs /95 kg. I am overweight but not extremely fat/obese. My struggle is my pcos condition. It is making it so hard for me to lose weight, and even though I have managed to lose a lot of weight a few times, I've obviously never been able to keep it of. I had some issues with anorexia when I was a teenager. Even with an eating disorder I became normal weight, and not looking dangerously underweight as one might associate with anorexic patients. This has made me lose so much hope of ever living in a body that has a normal weight without starving myself. So this is why I am considering surgery even though I really dont have huge amounts of weight to lose. My weight is making me very depressed and is really stopping me from going on dates and stuff like that. I really dont have any confidence, and this body is starting to feel like a prison. I feel like I am always waiting for my life to start, and I would have to be normal weight for that to really happen.

I have always been very active, and I guess that's why I haven't gotten even worse with my weight. However, I should lose around 65 lbs/30 kg to feel okay with myself. I never seem to be able to keep the weight off, and at this age I dont know if I can try it all over again knowing my past struggles.

I am also competing in powerlifting, and my current PR's are squat 265 lbs/ 120 kg, bench 170 lbs/77,5 kg and deadlift 352 lbs/160 kg. I am including these stats because I am curios to see if there are any fellow powerlifters who has gotten the sleeve. I worry about losing a lot of muscle, even though I know it is inevitable in the first period after surgery.

But what will life be like maybe a year after surgery? Will I be able to be a powerlifter still and will I be able to really build muscle after surgery? How has the sleeve affected your training? Are you okay training with belts? Can your body do anything in terms of training now?

I love to go hiking in the mountains, and I worry about my fluids. Will I be able to drink all the Water necessary during a day in the mountains? What about high altitudes, any sleevers have experiences with that? I would love to take a lean body back to the Himalayas, I would imagine the experience to be easier. But you have to drink a lot of water up there. Is it doable with the sleeve?

If i go to a spin class today, I will drink around 1 liter/0,25 gallons of water in an hour. Is that possible with the sleeve? I really worry about not being able to drink/eat enough for me to keep really pushing hard in the gym after surgery.

I would really love to hear if anyone has gotten surgery without being very obese, and whether or not it was worth it for you. If anyone has experience with the sleeve and powerlifting or hiking/altitudes I would be grateful to hear your experiences with the sleeve

Hanne

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

Hi!
My name is Hanne and I am from Norway. I have been considering the gastric sleeve.
I am 34 y/o and weigh around 210 lbs /95 kg. I am overweight but not extremely fat/obese. My struggle is my pcos condition. It is making it so hard for me to lose weight, and even though I have managed to lose a lot of weight a few times, I've obviously never been able to keep it of. I had some issues with anorexia when I was a teenager. Even with an eating disorder I became normal weight, and not looking dangerously underweight as one might associate with anorexic patients. This has made me lose so much hope of ever living in a body that has a normal weight without starving myself. So this is why I am considering surgery even though I really dont have huge amounts of weight to lose. My weight is making me very depressed and is really stopping me from going on dates and stuff like that. I really dont have any confidence, and this body is starting to feel like a prison. I feel like I am always waiting for my life to start, and I would have to be normal weight for that to really happen.
I have always been very active, and I guess that's why I haven't gotten even worse with my weight. However, I should lose around 65 lbs/30 kg to feel okay with myself. I never seem to be able to keep the weight off, and at this age I dont know if I can try it all over again knowing my past struggles.
I am also competing in powerlifting, and my current PR's are squat 265 lbs/ 120 kg, bench 170 lbs/77,5 kg and deadlift 352 lbs/160 kg. I am including these stats because I am curios to see if there are any fellow powerlifters who has gotten the sleeve. I worry about losing a lot of muscle, even though I know it is inevitable in the first period after surgery.
But what will life be like maybe a year after surgery? Will I be able to be a powerlifter still and will I be able to really build muscle after surgery? How has the sleeve affected your training? Are you okay training with belts? Can your body do anything in terms of training now?
I love to go hiking in the mountains, and I worry about my fluids. Will I be able to drink all the Water necessary during a day in the mountains? What about high altitudes, any sleevers have experiences with that? I would love to take a lean body back to the Himalayas, I would imagine the experience to be easier. But you have to drink a lot of Water up there. Is it doable with the sleeve?
If i go to a spin class today, I will drink around 1 liter/0,25 gallons of water in an hour. Is that possible with the sleeve? I really worry about not being able to drink/eat enough for me to keep really pushing hard in the gym after surgery.
I would really love to hear if anyone has gotten surgery without being very obese, and whether or not it was worth it for you. If anyone has experience with the sleeve and powerlifting or hiking/altitudes I would be grateful to hear your experiences with the sleeve [emoji4]

Hanne

I would start by asking your bariatics office an insurance if you would be covered and aproved for surgery with your current weight and co morbitities.

Many patients are athletes. Weightlifting competitions to triathlons.



Sent from my SM-G920T using BariatricPal mobile app

[Miss Norway 5]

I live in Norway so Its not the same with insurance. I already know i have to pay myself, and I have already Met with the surgeon. What i am asking for if is anyone has any experience with powerlifting or hiking in altitudes after the sleeve.

[Miss Norway 5]

I live in Norway so Its not the same with insurance. I already know i have to pay myself, and I have already Met with the surgeon. What i am asking for if is anyone has any experience with powerlifting or hiking in altitudes after the sleeve.

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

2 hours ago, Miss Norway said:

I live in Norway so Its not the same with insurance. I already know i have to pay myself, and I have already Met with the surgeon. What i am asking for if is anyone has any experience with powerlifting or hiking in altitudes after the sleeve.

It was hard to build muscle while in weight loss mode. I managed to retain it by lifting and increasing my Protein goal. I built more after stopped losing weight.

After I lost my weight, I used sports medicine dietitian to dial in my diet. My calorie intake and macronutrients are increased to support distance running. It takes all day eating small meals to fuel your body as an athlete.

I am competing in a half marathon altitude trail race this April. The starting line is at just above 2,500 feet above sea level, and runners reach an elevation of about 4,700 feet above sea level. I've been competing in distance runs for three years now.

Training: My gym sessions are two hours five days a week. In the gym I use a sports bottle with a rubber camelbak bite straw.(I refill it several times) I sip and I don't get air in my stomach. I can't gulp Water.

Hiking, biking and distance runners hydration vests. They have a straw bite ...You can sip slowly on your route. They hold tight to your body. Less bounce than a camelbak system. I use nuun tabs for hydration. they don't upset my sleeve.

Below links to a bodybuilding /powerlifting

https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/393377-starting-training-to-be-a-powerlifter/

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/male-transformation-adam-upton.htm

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/lyss-remaly-from-bariatric-surgery-to-bodybuilding.htm

http://weightlosssurgerychannel.com/success-stories/dino-devita-from-bypass-to-body-building.html/

[BigViffer 3,544]

19 hours ago, Miss Norway said:

I am also competing in powerlifting, and my current PR's are squat 265 lbs/ 120 kg, bench 170 lbs/77,5 kg and deadlift 352 lbs/160 kg. I am including these stats because I am curios to see if there are any fellow powerlifters who has gotten the sleeve. I worry about losing a lot of muscle, even though I know it is inevitable in the first period after surgery.

Those are some impressive stats! I did not get into the main lifts until after getting sleeved, so I have no idea what I would have been capable of before hand. I've had some serious injuries from car accidents and that may be playing a part in preventing me from making gains now. As you know, lifting is not just about strong muscles. Strong bones, good joints, and a healthy nervous system are vital.

That being said, I am only higher than you on my bench. My current PR's are such:

Squat: 205lbs

Deadlift: 260lbs

Bench: 185lbs

Press: 120lbs.

I am able - at best - to eat 3000 calories a day and hitting 200-ish grams of Protein. And that is with supplemental powder. I am 6'1" 225lbs. I was 330lbs prior to surgery. While it was possible for me to add muscle after about a year post op, I find that it is a very slow process. And there is no way in heck I am able to drink a liter of Water while training, much less an entire gallon.

I adhere to the Starting Strength model, well as best as I can, and it is difficult. My gut says that you will not be able to compete at the same level as now. But I do not know if my limitations are because of my previous injuries AND being sleeved now, or just because of being sleeved. Being sleeved does make your recovery phase more difficult to manage.

As for belts, I use mine religiously, so there is no issue with that. The only problem I have is the excess skin getting pinched. Though I doubt you would have that issue since you are not as big as I was. 210 doesn't sound that big, but if you are short, I can see it being more of an issue. What is your height?

Oh, one last thing. I will take being healthy over being obese any day. I know my lifts will never progress to the numbers I once wanted, but I can at least move now. I couldn't even lift my left leg prior to surgery and now I can put 200lbs on my back and squat. Totally worth it.

[Miss Norway 5]

7 hours ago, jenn1 said:

It was hard to build muscle while in weight loss mode. I managed to retain it by lifting and increasing my Protein goal. I built more after stopped losing weight.

After I lost my weight, I used sports medicine dietitian to dial in my diet. My calorie intake and macronutrients are increased to support distance running. It takes all day eating small meals to fuel your body as an athlete.

I am competing in a half marathon altitude trail race this April. The starting line is at just above 2,500 feet above sea level, and runners reach an elevation of about 4,700 feet above sea level. I've been competing in distance runs for three years now.

Training: My gym sessions are two hours five days a week. In the gym I use a sports bottle with a rubber camelbak bite straw.(I refill it several times) I sip and I don't get air in my stomach. I can't gulp Water.

Hiking, biking and distance runners hydration vests. They have a straw bite ...You can sip slowly on your route. They hold tight to your body. Less bounce than a camelbak system. I use nuun tabs for hydration. they don't upset my sleeve.

Below links to a bodybuilding /powerlifting

https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/393377-starting-training-to-be-a-powerlifter/

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/male-transformation-adam-upton.htm

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/lyss-remaly-from-bariatric-surgery-to-bodybuilding.htm

http://weightlosssurgerychannel.com/success-stories/dino-devita-from-bypass-to-body-building.html/

Thank you so much for your reply :-D

I am wondering - how do you feel about "eating all day", does it make you crazy? Or has it just gotten to be a habit? Do you ever miss being able to eat a "normal" portion?

Altitude run - thats so cool! I think the Water - part is kind of hard to imagine. I worry about being very thirsty at the gym and not feeling satiesfied with the smaller sips. But I haven't really seen any of you sleevers mention it as a problem? Do you miss gulping the water or has this just become a habit also?

Thanks for the links to, I will check them out

[Miss Norway 5]

2 hours ago, BigViffer said:

Those are some impressive stats! I did not get into the main lifts until after getting sleeved, so I have no idea what I would have been capable of before hand. I've had some serious injuries from car accidents and that may be playing a part in preventing me from making gains now. As you know, lifting is not just about strong muscles. Strong bones, good joints, and a healthy nervous system are vital.

That being said, I am only higher than you on my bench. My current PR's are such:

Squat: 205lbs

Deadlift: 260lbs

Bench: 185lbs

Press: 120lbs.

I am able - at best - to eat 3000 calories a day and hitting 200-ish grams of Protein. And that is with supplemental powder. I am 6'1" 225lbs. I was 330lbs prior to surgery. While it was possible for me to add muscle after about a year post op, I find that it is a very slow process. And there is no way in heck I am able to drink a liter of Water while training, much less an entire gallon.

I adhere to the Starting Strength model, well as best as I can, and it is difficult. My gut says that you will not be able to compete at the same level as now. But I do not know if my limitations are because of my previous injuries AND being sleeved now, or just because of being sleeved. Being sleeved does make your recovery phase more difficult to manage.

As for belts, I use mine religiously, so there is no issue with that. The only problem I have is the excess skin getting pinched. Though I doubt you would have that issue since you are not as big as I was. 210 doesn't sound that big, but if you are short, I can see it being more of an issue. What is your height?

Oh, one last thing. I will take being healthy over being obese any day. I know my lifts will never progress to the numbers I once wanted, but I can at least move now. I couldn't even lift my left leg prior to surgery and now I can put 200lbs on my back and squat. Totally worth it.

Thanks for your reply :-D

Thats so cool that you have gotten into powerlifting after the sleeve. Its such an amazing feeling to feel strong!
Do you feel like you are really able to release your potential in the gym with the sleeve? Do you think you body can take the same beating now as if you would have lost the weight without surgery?
I mean, if you are able to eat 3000 calories in a day I cant se why you would not be succesful in the gym. That gives me hope But that means you have to eat often? Do you get sick of it, or does it become a habit? You couldn't drink a liter, but do you feel thirsty or are the sips really enough? I do have a love for chugging Water so I can imagine it being a struggle not being able to.

I forgot to include my height, you're right. I am 160 cm/ 5,25 feet. I have always been kind of sturdy buildt, I dont think you would guess my weight is as high as it is by looking at me. But I can sure feel the kg's myself.

I know that my powerlifting PR's will take a serious hit if i lose a lot of weight - but I am wondering if I will be able to stay the same level of strong compared to my new weight. You know, the Wilks and all. Powerlifting is just for fun for me, but I do want to be able to train and still have progress at the new weight.

210 is really not THAT big, but I have always felt overweight, and I really should lose. But having such a hard time with it, kind of giving up on it. Feeling like the sleeve might be an option on some days, other days I am not that certain. Its really helpful to hear your experiences

[BigViffer 3,544]

First off - let me take a moment and tell you how excited I am there is someone on here that is interested in powerlifting, much less competing. Low bar or high bar squats? Sumo or traditional deadlift? There is so much I would love to talk to you about! Do you have any form check or PR videos?

Can my body take a beating in the gym? Honestly, I feel better physically in the gym than anywhere else. I would say I am more resilient now than before. But I was in pretty bad health prior to surgery. So I am not a good person to tell you if you have the same endurance and/or toughness. I know for a fact that I do not have the endurance for long sessions in the gym. Unless I would pack a lunch and eat after squats and before deadlifts! You just use up so much fuel training.

According to Mark Rippetoe, Jon Sullivan, and my coach, a lifter at with my build needs 5000+ calories a day to add more muscle. They however are not thinking about a gastric sleeve patient. When I spoke with Sullivan and my coach, they said that recovery is what is going to hold me back. They told me ways to get more calories, but I don't want to gain the weight. So to me, the numbers on the bar are not as important as the inches on my waist. Maybe if I was 20 years younger.

That's what this is going to come down to for you. Do you want to be as strong as possible or overall healthier? For me, I want to be healthier overall first, and stronger than I was. I have succeeded at that. However, the desire to always get better is what the powerlifting does for me. That is probably why I have been successful keeping the weight off too. I keep meticulous records of my nutritional macros. That 3000 calories I mentioned, that is rare. My average is 2000. And yes, eating all day gets monotonous. I paid attention to my drinking at the gym today, I can gulp no problem, but my stomach cannot take the volume it could before. So two gulps and I'm full for a few minutes.

[Miss Norway 5]

1 hour ago, BigViffer said:

First off - let me take a moment and tell you how excited I am there is someone on here that is interested in powerlifting, much less competing. Low bar or high bar squats? Sumo or traditional deadlift? There is so much I would love to talk to you about! Do you have any form check or PR videos?

Can my body take a beating in the gym? Honestly, I feel better physically in the gym than anywhere else. I would say I am more resilient now than before. But I was in pretty bad health prior to surgery. So I am not a good person to tell you if you have the same endurance and/or toughness. I know for a fact that I do not have the endurance for long sessions in the gym. Unless I would pack a lunch and eat after squats and before deadlifts! You just use up so much fuel training.

According to Mark Rippetoe, Jon Sullivan, and my coach, a lifter at with my build needs 5000+ calories a day to add more muscle. They however are not thinking about a gastric sleeve patient. When I spoke with Sullivan and my coach, they said that recovery is what is going to hold me back. They told me ways to get more calories, but I don't want to gain the weight. So to me, the numbers on the bar are not as important as the inches on my waist. Maybe if I was 20 years younger.

That's what this is going to come down to for you. Do you want to be as strong as possible or overall healthier? For me, I want to be healthier overall first, and stronger than I was. I have succeeded at that. However, the desire to always get better is what the powerlifting does for me. That is probably why I have been successful keeping the weight off too. I keep meticulous records of my nutritional macros. That 3000 calories I mentioned, that is rare. My average is 2000. And yes, eating all day gets monotonous. I paid attention to my drinking at the gym today, I can gulp no problem, but my stomach cannot take the volume it could before. So two gulps and I'm full for a few minutes.

I can talk about powerlifting all you want B-)

I do a high bar. Been trying the low bar lately but I am not really friends with it just yet. I do sumo deadlifts at meets, but i train the classic ones to. If you go to my instagram (hannegartland) and scroll down a bit I do have a few videos, all pr's from last meet is on there. Check it out if you wanna

I think it's kinda scary with all the unceirtanty (spelling?!?!) of life after the operation compared to now. Maybe I will be better of not doing it. I do feel pretty healthy, obviously except from the excess weight. I guess I am "fat fit" as I saw someone on here call it.

Does your nutritional needs change because you are sleeved? And does it vary for you from day to day how much your stomach can handle? or is it just about the time and planning whether or not you reach 3000 kcal? And when you say you are full from the Water, are you just normal full or does it get painful in any way? Can it hit you like a ton of bricks if you chug to much water? I'm thinking to the point where you feel bad and give up the session?

I agree on the numbers on the bar. I am never going to be any kind of powerlifting legend, I basically compete with myself. So I dont really care about losing strength in numbers. But I am worried about losing use of potential. Now I know for sure my body can take any beating needed with the weights, and I am scared to lose that feeling. At the same time I want to buy some dresses and wear a bikini, so the dilemma is real

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

6 hours ago, Miss Norway said:

Thank you so much for your reply :-D

I am wondering - how do you feel about "eating all day", does it make you crazy? Or has it just gotten to be a habit? Do you ever miss being able to eat a "normal" portion?

Altitude run - thats so cool! I think the Water - part is kind of hard to imagine. I worry about being very thirsty at the gym and not feeling satiesfied with the smaller sips. But I haven't really seen any of you sleevers mention it as a problem? Do you miss gulping the Water or has this just become a habit also?

Thanks for the links to, I will check them out

After surgery things become routine and a new normal.

(1) Eating frequently. There are days I am busy and don't get all my calories in. Normal portions..I feel I eat more normal portions now. Like @BigViffer said. It comes down to what your personal goals are. You can lose weight and have a great fitness level. To get the gains you are looking for....Diet is going to come into play.

(2) You see the theme here.....Sipping water all day long. I always have a sports bottle on hand. I get more than enough water in. I don't miss gulping. When you get thirsty, drink! I got dehydrated on run in the summer. I don't recommend it...lol

[BigViffer 3,544]

Damn, you made that squat look easy! I squealed when I saw you vasalva before squatting then go below parallel. You are no pretender, that's for damn sure. And you're stunning! When I think of a powerlifter from Norway, I don't expect a beauty like that. Wow... just wow.

Take this only as a stranger on the internet giving advice; don't get the sleeve. I know nothing about PCOS. I mean, yeah I can read about it, but I can't experience it and none of the women in my life have either. So I cannot comment on how the gastric sleeve may or may not help you in that aspect. What I see is a woman who is healthy enough to put most American men to shame in regards to a barbell. I saw you with mountain pictures and scuba diving. You can and have experienced a physically active life unlike many who here in America have not. You will definitely be able to do all of that post sleeve, but the powerlifting will most likely suffer.

HOWEVER - there are some people that have had gastric surgery that have gone onto bodybuilding. You and I know the difference, but the lay person may not. Hypertrophy is the goal of bodybuilding, not strength. Lyss Remaly is the most famous example I can think of:

http://www.lyssremaly.com/my-story/

She went from 350lbs to 150lbs and looks very healthy, but I don't know how strong.

Sorry, went off on a tangent. Nutritional needs do not change post op. As a lifter, you are probably watching what you eat as far as quality of food. I would imagine you eat clean for the most part. Post op, I find that I will eat my dense Protein and that's eat for that meal. Less than 2 hours later, I will eat some vegetables. Later still I will eat some carbs like oats or figs. I still eat the correct macro mix as anyone should, but I have to break it up in 2 hour increments. So what a normal lifter would have for Breakfast, it takes me all morning to do. Then after my workout, lunch takes me until 5pm. Hitting the 3000 calorie mark is a mix of timing and food choice. High fat foods like avocado or whole milk will make it easier. A sweet potato with real butter and a bit of maple Syrup is another way to get the calories for those days.

When I say full from drinking, it's not painful. Well, I mean it has happened once or twice, but I had that happen pre-surgery too. It is just a feeling f being very full. Have you ever chugged an entire beer? When you are done, you feel that if you could just burp, it will make all the difference? That is the feeling. It goes away fairly quickly though. And no, it has never been bad enough to make me stop a session.

Oh, and since you keep mentioning Water, you should know that many of us cannot stand the taste of water post op. I used to drink it all the time, now it taste... wrong. I just can't explain it. But it is very common for people to have a hard time drinking water post op.

Whatever you decide to do, I am betting you will be successful at it. No one gets to the level you are on by being casual. Deadlifts and squats train the mind to do things that are hard. If you can put 200lbs on your back, you can pretty much do anything in my book. And if you are going to be buying dresses and bikinis, I am going to bookmark your instagram!

[BigViffer 3,544]

Holy moley... there are pictures of you in a dirndl. That's it, it's official. I'm smitten.

[Brik8te 4]

Hi Hanne,

I can relate to so much of what you've written! I'm 11 weeks post op, started at 94.3kgs with PCOS and insulin resistance. I'm 33, turning 34 this year. Everything you wrote about how you felt about your body is what I felt, and our concerns where almost identical!

I'm certainly not as proficient in lifting as you are, but I've been working with a PT for the last 8 months and love our lifting sessions. I also run, do pilates, yoga, and hike. Pre-op I made sure I worked out as much as possible (5 sessions a week) to help my body be in the best shape possible for surgery. My biggest fears were complications from surgery keeping me out of the gym for too long post op, and not being able to drink enough Water during a workout (and just in general!). To my relief, surgery went well and my recovery was (close enough) to a breeze! I was cleared to start working out again 3 weeks post op and have stayed committed to building my strength back up, am just now back to where I was pre-op in terms of my stats. The only difference right now is that I've dropped my workouts back to no more than 45 mins a session (otherwise I'm just to beat, but this will change, I'm sure) and I sip on the water instead of gulping. For the first 2 weeks post op I really had to focus on taking small sips, but that has now become my new 'normal' (and the restricted feeling has eased somewhat as well).

Like you, my PCOS (and insulin resistance) stopped me from losing weight regardless of my good diet and exercise. I literally didn't lose a gram in the 8 months pre-op and it was so frustrating to feel trapped in a body which did not convey how seriously I was focusing on doing all the 'right' things. I lived like this for 10+ years before making the decision to have surgery. I'm losing very slowly compared to most people, am sitting at 15.7kgs down right now and I have hit so many 'stalls' in the last 11 weeks I've lost count. But I don't dwell, I just pack my gym bag and head off for a session!

I look forward to hearing how you go

[Miss Norway 5]

10 hours ago, jenn1 said:

After surgery things become routine and a new normal.

(1) Eating frequently. There are days I am busy and don't get all my calories in. Normal portions..I feel I eat more normal portions now. Like @BigViffer said. It comes down to what your personal goals are. You can lose weight and have a great fitness level. To get the gains you are looking for....Diet is going to come into play.

(2) You see the theme here.....Sipping Water all day long. I always have a sports bottle on hand. I get more than enough water in. I don't miss gulping. When you get thirsty, drink! I got dehydrated on run in the summer. I don't recommend it...lol

Yeah, I've heard many people say that dehydration is really bad, thats kind of scary.

Thanks for your answers, i really appreciate it