How do you have the stamina?

For working out and sustaining yourself? I'm at seven weeks postop and started working out about three weeks ago. I still have very little energy. I am trying to run a ten minute mile, then do weight training and various body parts on different days at the gym - usually Friday, Saturday, Sunday. I have karate class on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday. I am good for maybe 20-30 minutes and then I am very weak, shaky, tired, no muscle control. I know its because my calories are limited (700 daily) and of course its all about getting my protein in so very little carbs.

How did you guys combat this? Just suffer through it?

I am MUCH further out than you, and therefore can consume A LOT more calories. It took a lot of trial and error.

I was not doing nearly as much working out as you that early out, and I was exhausted for about 5 months after surgery.

You might want to step down your workouts a notch.  You can't always jump in the deep end, you have to work your way towards it.

7 weeks is still very early out. My doc wouldn't let me do more than walk for the first 8 weeks, and I could barely do a 1/2 mile. When I started the cross trainer, I could go for 3 minutes, then 5, ... So it was slow, but I just listened to my body and let it increase stamina as I kept working out and pushing a little harder each time.

Good luck.
Jan

At 7 weeks out you can't have much energy.

Ditto...At 7 weeks I would try and grab for energy and it just wasn't there.  Listen to your body.  Before you could grab a Snickers Bar or something...Not now!  One week I lost 10 pounds...That really took it's toll early on!!  Also be aware of the signs of dehydration.  Dehydration is the # 1 reason post op WLS people reenter the hospital.  Baby steps and you'll get there...Push yourself too hard early on and you could burn out.  Many of the athletes here took years to get to where they are today.  Push a little...Don't kill.  As you get toward goal the energy should come back as you start to stablize...

Thank you for all your replies.

I was working out regularly prior to the surgery and I've been a karate student for three years with classes 3x weekly and a daily workout of pushups, situps, and running. I just feel like I am losing whatever muscle and stamina I built up prior and I hate it. I did do karate class last night and made it through though I was a bit off balance and woozy at the end. My fluid intake is 80 ounces a day and I am getting in at least 60 to 80 grams of protein. I thought about upping my calories to 800 or 850 as well. We'll just see how it goes. The running is the hardest thing. Seems like a can barely go a half mile and I am DONE.

Until you are able to eat enough to properly fuel your workouts you will have energy issues.  I still battle with getting in enough food on days and it shows during my workouts.  As you can eat more and adjust your diet to fuel your needs then you should see your energy increase.

I'd also add that it's not JUST about the calories... you had MAJOR surgery, and recovery from that takes time.  Time is a big factor in what will give you more stamina.

Please don't over do it, you could fall and hurt yourself!

I guess its a slippery slope. I have figured out that I need to do whatever is the hardest part of the workout for the first twenty minutes, because once that is past I have very little focus and energy. Saving the treadmill and elliptical for the last part of the workout, and at least I am "moving" if not running.

I know you do karate, too. How long after your surgery did you start? Or were you doing it before you had surgery?