Fitness Assistance

Hello all - I am 10 1/2 years out from RNY.  I lost about 125 pounds initially after WLS, and had many ups and downs since having babies and complications.  However, exercise and fitness was something I never participated in as part of my weight loss initially. 

Recently, I decided to refocus on getting the excess weight back off - and I have dropped a big portion of what I had - but I still have about 20 pounds to go to be at my bodies happy place (not an 'ideal' weight just a reasonable weight / a weight my WL Dr suggested was good for me).  I decided about a month ago to add exercise into my schedule.  I have to admit - I hate it, but I love how good I feel after I do it so I continue to go.  So-- my question is WTH am I doing - because obviously something isn't right.  I have continued to follow the same dietary things as I have lost about 30 pounds doing (being on track)...however, I have gained weight and by blood sugar is high after I exercise.  I am starting to question that I am not doing myself any good.  I did see a trainer at the gym but his advise was to keep doing the cardio I was doing but to add 30 minutes of strength training in with it alternating legs and arms; I told him I don't want to get bulky / muscular legs and I want to continue to drop weight.

Still not a budge in the scale from the initial gain when I started the gym, I am starting to freak out.  Perhaps you all know more than I do (because I know little).

I am going every other day to the gym; so that equals 3 days one week and 4 days the next week.  I am doing 30 minutes of cardio on either an elliptical alone or part on the elliptical and part of the recumbent bike.  I am sweating like a fool, and feel tired for sure when I am done (not exhausted or so, just like wow that was work tired).  I usually intake about 1200 calories in a day, drink water or other low calorie drinks like crystal light (not soda!).  I get up at 4:30 am to go - so I am not eating before I go, only drinking water on the way there and back and during exercise.  Then I eat when I am ready for work.  I don't know what a good routine on a bike or elliptical is - but I usually do about 2.5 miles if on elliptical if I do 30 minutes, and if I do split time for cardio I get about 1.5 on elliptical and 3-4 miles on the bike. 

Suggestions?  Am I overloading my body with stress hormones from the sudden onset of exercise?  I am not increasing my calories as the food program tells me to because of the exercise, should I be?

Oh - and I am having a major hernia surgery in a few weeks with removal of my excess skin - so I realize I will have recovery limitations coming soon.  I would also like to get a few more pounds off before the surgery.

Thanks in advance!

-Jenn-

Keep working...Muscle weighs more that fat!!  You may be gaining muscle.  Below is something I post a lot on this site.  It deals with glycogen and your body retaining it...

Disregard if you have seen this before.  But for you new people who hit a stall for several weeks and feel frustrated that the scale is not moving the copy and paste below may help you...Brian  

Below is a copy and paste from DX...very knowledgeable man.  It might help.  

Still staying on-track calorie-wise? And the scale shows you stopping? Or Even Gaining?!?!? ----------------------------Re-Post Unsolicitedadvice/info... -------------------------------------- Pull back from your 'daily' charting, and look at a weekly or even monthly. There are up and down spikes each day, But if you 'graph' the highest to the lowest, I'd bet there is still A downward slope over the course of the month. There's an 8 to 10lb. volume of "wiggle room" due to water alone. And it comes into play a lot. This has to do with our bodies using glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, But it is stored in our muscles for quick energy - One pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, And the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, (Like when you drop down to your calorie intake) Your body turns first to stored glycogen, Which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, You also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it Voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of any diet. As you stay in caloric deficit, however, Your body starts to 'realize' that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue And burning fat for energy. But your body also 'realizes'---- (by way of your liver releasing hormones signaling low Cal intake) ---That fat can't be used for short bursts of energy - Like, to outrun a saber-tooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, And rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, (Thus showing negative Calorie load overall) Your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while As you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored. Yes? The whole 'weight-loss' process is not a straight "Slide" down the scale. More like "Stair-Steps," (Down then forward, then down, then forward, etc... As your body cycles fat out of "deep storage" and through the Liver Into the muscles as Glycogen. The muscles and Liver can hold about a 3 weeks supply. This is why many people find that their "Stall" or "Plateau" Breaks when adding a bit of exercise And upping their water intake, or in the case of an "extreme exerciser," The total Calorie or Protein Intake, To signal the liver to let go of more Glycogen. Fear not, many people who are now enjoying life at a normal BMI Once had a few weeks or so of thinking- "...my weight loss has been awfully slow, has it stopped..."? Hope this helps some. You are doing Great! Keep it Up! Best Wishes- Dx

Hey Jen,

My advice is to start strength training. Muscle improves body composition (less fat) and improves your metabolism. Getting bulky really only happens if you are working specifically to get bulky. Start with 3 sets of 12-15 reps, 2-3 times a week. Strength training isn't just about muscle, it's also about bone health. Muscle also helps reduce inflammation and joint pain. Try it, I promise you'll enjoy the benefits/results!

Renee

Thanks for the tips...Sorry it has taken me a while to respond.  I have been recovering from a recent major abdominal surgery - so now I have 6-8 weeks of recovery including lifting restrictions.  I was cleared to walk but then developed a post-operative seroma, so I am resting to recover and waiting for a treatment plan for this darn seroma.  I miss the gym a lot.  I was doing reps of about 10, alternating legs / arms with my cardio. Sounds like I was on the right track.  I can already tell I have taken a month off - feeling uncomfortable with my current idle state.  But I keep telling myself this is only a temporary set back.  Thanks!

-Jenn-