I had gastric sleeve Sept 2018 and I’ve done fantastically well - I’m down 90lbs and my current stats are 40 yo, 6’5” and 255lbs. I’ve been lifting weights seriously for the past 6 years. Prior to surgery I was lifting +325lbs in bench press, squats and deadlifts for reps. As I expected in the 5 months after surgery I’ve lost a lot of strength with the weight loss. My weight stabilized to 255lbs about two months ago and I started back with a 5x5 weight lifting program. I’m back up to bench 225lbs, squats 245lbs, deadlifts 265lbs, Overhead press 150lbs and Barbell rows 190lbs in my 5x5.

For the past 2 months I’ve been eating 2000 calories per day and trying to get a minimum of 200g of protein per day. Weight is stable, I’ve put on significant lean mass and strength in my 5x5 program. My goal is to try and get back up to +325lbs for my BP, DL and Squats for no other reason than I really like lifting and I tend to be goal oriented. My goal from day one was lean mass preservation and avoidance of becoming skinny fat. All that said, I’m starting to feel “gassed” as I continue to add weight and I’m showing typical signs of over-training - something I never dealt with in my pre-op calorie excess days.

Speaking to various fitness people has not helped. If I speak to a fitness person at the gym who is not familiar with bariatric surgery the answer is I’m in severe calorie restriction and sure a guy my size lifting what I’m lifting could be eating 3500+ calories per day easily and still maintain weight. If I speak to the bariatric program fitness person I’m like the first person they’ve ever met who has come through the program who has maintained any strength and wants to lift 300+ lbs and for everyone else she’s recommending people do pushups...against the wall. I blew the nutritionist’s mind that I was eating 2000 calories per day and still losing weight at my 6 month. She doesn’t know what to do with me other than to say I look good and if I feel good then it’s good.

So I’m looking for answers that appear to have no data in the literature and no one knows what to do with me. Anyone here doing heavy lifting post-op and consuming 1500 to 2000 calories per day successfully? If so....Anyone experiencing overtraining and if so what have you done? My plan is to schedule “deload” week every 4-6 weeks depending how I’m feeling. I’m reluctant to increase my calories over 2000 per day as this seems to be my maintenance intake to maintain 255lbs - I’m very happy at 255.

Thanks in advance.....

Oh my....finally......i have found my people!!!!!

So... i had surgery in 2016 (sleeve). Went from 356 to 179. At 179 my doc told me to hit the gym (probably 8 months post). I too found the guru that is Jim Stoppani and started following his programs. I started putting on weight and got terrified. I added 30lbs!!! But wait....my waitsline didnt change...WOOHOO!!!

So yes, i doo agree that dieticians and nutritionists have no idea what to do with those of us who train for strength but have a physical nutritional restriction. So thats where we have to help each other! Since surgery i have run over 10 obstacle course races (Spartan, Tough Mudder, etc) of lengths from 3 miles to 13 miles. I also participated in my first half marathon.

But now....I am a powerlifter!!! My lifts currently are bench-215, Squat-315, DL-405. I eat a ton!!! 3000 cal a day. Its a job in and of itself as i probably eat 7 meals a day as well as supplementation with shakes. Its not easy, but to build the size and strength i need, its neccessary.

We should totally start a group for bariatric lifters / bodybuilders.

16 hours ago, NurseMichael said:

Oh my....finally......i have found my people!!!!!

So... i had surgery in 2016 (sleeve). Went from 356 to 179. At 179 my doc told me to hit the gym (probably 8 months post). I too found the guru that is Jim Stoppani and started following his programs. I started putting on weight and got terrified. I added 30lbs!!! But wait....my waitsline didnt change...WOOHOO!!!

So yes, i doo agree that dieticians and nutritionists have no idea what to do with those of us who train for strength but have a physical nutritional restriction. So thats where we have to help each other! Since surgery i have run over 10 obstacle course races (Spartan, Tough Mudder, etc) of lengths from 3 miles to 13 miles. I also participated in my first half marathon.

But now....I am a powerlifter!!! My lifts currently are bench-215, Squat-315, DL-405. I eat a ton!!! 3000 cal a day. Its a job in and of itself as i probably eat 7 meals a day as well as supplementation with shakes. Its not easy, but to build the size and strength i need, its neccessary.

We should totally start a group for bariatric lifters / bodybuilders.

Is so weird to have surgery to restrict eating, to then need to increase eating for training ?? I lifted something easily that weighed more than me the other day, seriously broke out the happy dance, my trainer looked at me sideways lol only a former big person could get how freaky that is.... certainly couldn't lift anything heavier than myself a year ago!!

Thanks for all the replies! Sorry, it's been a little while since I've checked the forum.

I'm at about 2200 calories (2500 on lifting days and 2000 on rest days) and doing ok but really feel like the tank is empty after a heavy lifting day. I have no problem with the actual lifting but later that day and into the next day feeling exhausted. Right now I just power through it but as my working set weights go up I think I'm going to have to increase calorie intake. There is some weird mental block as far as increasing calorie intake...I'm trying to just be logical about it.

The surgery program dietitian has been great. I went for a follow up recently and after the look of total disbelief that I was eating 2000-2500 calories per day (surgeon's recommendation is no more than 1300) she said I'm one of the best looking post-op patients she's ever seen and there's no data on calorie requirements for people like me and to keep doing what I'm doing. She was eager to share my case with the surgeon both for the benefits of lifting heavy and higher caloric intake.

I may bump up to 2500-2800 calories and see what happens.

Just an update. In April I moved from Strong Lifts to Madcow and now I'm doing the Wendler 531 with the four day split and the optional Big But Boring sets. Basically divides lifts into four separate days of overhead press, deadlift, bench and squat. I like this program because you only do each compound lift once per week compared to Strong Lifts and Madcow where you are squatting every workout. The core lifts are not too bad but the Big But Boring (BBB) lifts for squat and deadlift SUCK! You basically go to failure on the last set of the core lift for that day and then deload to a lighter weight but do 5 sets of 10 reps. So for Monday I'll deadlift 330lbs as many times as possible until failure, give myself about 3 mins of rest and then reload to 195lbs and do a 5x10. It's brutal and I just finished the first cycle and I'm on day 6 for a "rest week" before starting the second cycle.

This rest week coincides with vacation and I was starting to feel really run down with some minor but nagging aches and pain (tennis elbow in left elbow and left knee stiffness). Six days in those aches and pains are all gone but man I still feel fatigued and tired. I figured by now I'd be dying to get back to the gym but to be honest I have no desire to go at this point - I'm very surprised by this. I'm also consuming about 3000 cals per day now and I've changed my macros to 230g of protein and 250g of CHOs. Still eating well - mostly Whole Foods and complex carbs. Since April I've put on about 10lbs but my waste size is the same - waste size is basically the only measurement I take on a regular basis.

I've definitely put on significant size in the past 3-months and I'm stronger but I still feel like I'm tippy toeing on the overtraining line and based on this rest week I think I've clearly fallen into overtraining. I really thought by day 6 of this rest week I'd be dying to get back it. The weird thing for me is I have ZERO issues at the gym - I feel strong and motivated when I'm there and bang out these workouts no problem. This is followed by the post-workout euphoria feeling for the rest of the day and it's not until the next day that I feel profound fatigue (some muscle soreness but minor) - drained - empty in my core.

Any guidance is appreciated! I know, I know...reduce volume, reduce intensity or reduce both....

Edited August 24, 20196 yr by PWMDMD