Muscle "Fears"

  Big Al's  recent episode with angina and heart blockage (as well as a bit of chest pain myself the last few days) has got me "post-op worried" ... &:-/)    I remember reading a study many years ago that men who pack on muscle for the first time after a certain age  (I think it was around 20-25) are many times more likely to suffer heart disease and attacks than men who don't (presumably, those who either don't put on muscle after that age or, if they do, they had substantial muscle on them at some time before that age)  ..  I don't recall if the article stated a reason for that finding or if even one was known ..   Is anybody else familiar with this topic?

  If what is stated in the report is still true, I guess it makes sense that we avoid appreciable muscle gain if we didn't have it as teens ..  (?)

Was not me who had the angina and the heart blockage!  My heart is fine and pumpin' like a mo-fo!!! CF

oops Cards ..  I meant "Big Al" ..    sowy  ...  (dang, all you Triple Century Club members look alike to me!   &;-)  )   btw, wasn't this a.m. when they were supposed to do Big Al's angiogram?   I hope and pray things turn out O.K. for him  < fingers crossed >  

Cards Fan - I think I need to get a picture of myself up like that - standing in one leg of a pair of pre-op 9X Shorts. I haven't heard anything of the sort - but then, I'm not necessarily looking to become Arnold.  My plan is to just get toned up a bit and just maintain my weight loss and stay healthy.   Plus, I had some muscle mass as a teen, though it was padded well with non-muscle mass. Best advice: Ask your doctor.

I don't think it's anything to worry about. Since most men lose muscle after 30 if they don't exercise at all.  Do you really think it's healthier not to exercise?

well,  from what the report said, I don't think the problem is with exercising, per se, just exercise that builds appreciable muscle mass (i.e. isometrics) ..  isotronics or aerobics would generally not have that result ..

I've never heard or read that anywhere, so I am doubtful if it is actually true. I'd be curious to read any articles about it that you can find though.

Paul, OK I've listened to you for the last few months give every reason in the book not to exercise...lol...it's time to get to the gym buddy and work those last few lbs off.  I remember reading and article like that...it  talked about people putting on SERIOUS muscle mass and that not being healthy, and I'm not talking about a 6 pack and a few pecs...i'm talking about arnold swartzeneger at his peak muscle mass.  That kind of work out puts a lot of stress on a persons heart, even a normal person, but I don't remember what the context of the article was in regards to the heart issue (i read it a long time ago). From my recent study, it seems that weight training has a positive effect on heart health, and almost every study out there says that exercise is a way to keep your heart healthy long term. In my opinion, weight training is very important for a post op RNY or DS male, because it not only helps us maintain muslce mass, fight off regain, and just make us look hot.....lol, but it also helps maintain BONE DENSITY, which can be an issue post op with surgeries that cause malabsorbtion. Scott

  Good point, Scott ..   And as the cirtical 18-month post-op period is coming to an end in another month or so for me (during which supposedly exercise does not help us DSers lose any additional weight / body fat%), I admit I need to start full tilt on aerobics ..  esp. if I hope to ever get this last 40-70 lbs. off me ..   Since iit looks like I'm finally ending my 15-year association with the firm I office with as of 2/1, I will have plenty of time on my own schedule to do this (and working off the nerves of being on my own!)   Speaking of bone density, I also need to get a Dexascan done, which I should have done over a year ago to establish a baseline ..    &:-x)    Question though:   I see some of the newest high-tech home weight scales (one is made by Weigh****chers) now not only give you your body fat % and hyrdation level %, but also your bone density % ..   Would this work just as well as having the Dexascan done?

I don't see how a scale can do the same thing as a dex scan....I honestly wouldn't trust a scale to do the same thing either.  A dex scan is very much like a giant ray of your body that checks bone density in all the different parts of your body, it can detect if you have an "issue" in certain parts of your body, not just if you have an overall problem. So go get your base line done !!!!! I had my first one done last year (a year late....but I was still normal) and am due for another one in the next few months. Scott