6 Month Surgiversary & Question re: Exercise/Muscle Weight

Hi All,

It's six months since my surgery and I'm celebrating my decision to go with the VSG and my great surgeon, Dr. Robert Berger in Flagstaff.

While the process is a little slower than I expected, my WL is fairly constant (except a 3-wk "stall") and I'm feeling fine. So far I'm down 57 lbs. and 30 inches ....and "the girls" are begging for new bras! (Why is it that we lose first in the last place we want to lose, LOL!?)

Despite the thinning hair (expected) and tiny appetite, this was a decision and a lifestyle I believe my DS and I can live with long term. In fact, he's lost about 25 of the 40 lbs. he needed to lose, just from portion control and limited carbs.

One of the best things that happened is getting into a habit of regular exercise. I do Zumba twice a week, a water resistance class twice a week, and am starting with a personal trainer once a week for strength training. Was wondering if the 5x per week training is why my weight loss seems slower. The body shape is definitely changing, but the weight loss is slower. Is it likely that this is the old "muscle weighs more than fat" thing coming into play?

Thanks for all your support to me and the others on this forum!

-Pat

It takes a lot of concentrated effort for a woman to gain enough muscle in a few weeks of working out to impact weight loss. What's probably happening is some water retention, especially if you are sore.

What you have right now is the perfect opportunity to do a DEXA body composition scan! Do one now to see what your body fat and muscle mass are at and then another in six or so months to see how your body composition has changed with your workouts.

I've been working with a trainer for a bit over a year and my body shape has definitely changed. Good for you!

Jen

Thanks, Jen. I've been working out regularly for three months, so I thought it might have had an impact.

The scan is a great idea! I didn't know that the DEXA scan gives that info...I had one about a year ago, and thought it just measured bone density. I will check into it.

A medical DEXA scan, the sort that insurance covers, normally only gives bone density information. But there are consumer DEXA scan providers that give additional body composition information, they tend to not be covered by insurance, but it's useful information to have.

Highly unlikely that it's a muscle vs. fat thing.

What are you eating? Do you eat more on days you exercise?

Hmmm..I need to consider that...and start better tracking! I usually eat something more "carby" before exercise (like 1/2 c. non-sugared "healthy" cereal with Fairlife milk) and half of a protein bar immediately after exercise because a trainer told me that it's important to have carbs before and protein soon after exercise.

I'm afraid that your trainer is wrong and leading you down a bad path. "Eating back" calories from exercise will not help your weight loss, but is a common trap. It IS good to get protein in after exercise, but this shouldn't be an additional meal - just schedule your normal meals so one of them comes after exercise.

It's also totally irresponsible (and in some jurisdictions illegal) for your trainer to give you nutritional advice because this is outside the scope of practice for most trainers.

If you exercise in the morning, there's no reason not to exercise fasted.

Ok! I actually feel better not eating before exercise....need to listen to my body more!

My fitness schedule looks like this:

Tu - running, yoga stretching
W - pilates class, yoga class
Th - running, yoga stretching
F - zenga class, tai chi class, pilates class
Sa or Su - running, yoga stretching

Then I try to do yoga on the days I have nothing else.

All of these things happen between 7:30-noon and I drink my breakfast protein shake once I'm finished. Before, all I do is hydrate. For my long runs (since I sometimes run for 2+ hours because I'm training for a half marathon) I will eat one Clif Blok every 30-45 minutes for fuel. Otherwise, just hydration.

Increased exercise results in water weight gain. Its not muscle, not at a large caloric deficit.