The Ups and Downs, But I exercise!
So as we have all come to learn this journey does not involve the scale always going down. I know for me it is up and down every week. The funny thing is I am typically up during the week when I exercise the most and lose on weekends when I am out just chilling with my wife and boys.
For those just starting their journey do not be suprised if this happens to you. There are a number of reasons in my situation this happens to me so hopefully recent post ops and pre ops can save themselves some frustration.
1) Exercise takes energy and for your body to use it's fat stores you must consume enough calories so your body is comfortable burning what it has and does not try and retain energy. In other words yes if you eat to few calories you won't lose weight. This for me was very hard to grasp but I am slowly comming to terms with. We go most of our lives with people telling us "Eat Less exercise more to lose weight". Well yes to a point you can't consume 500 calories a day and burn 1000 at the gym and expect to quickly lose weight. You might for a period but eventually it will slow. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn, my typical works expend approx 900-1300 calories while on a day I typically avg 900-1200 calories consumed. What was really difficult is I would gain weight during the week as much as 5 pounds.
2) Exercise with a purpose and mix it up. Jumping on a treadmill and going for a run is good but if you do 4mph for an hour everday after a while your body will be conditioned to easily handle this and won't have to expend extra calories to achieve it as it did while working up to this speed. Add a bit of distance or a bit more speed, or even change your run style where one day you go time another you go distance and a 3rd you go speed.
3) Carb or not to Carb. When it comes to eating and exercising this is a tough decision to make. If you don't carb and you exercise you will probably be a fat burning machine. I was and know a few others that were as well. However the time did come where my workouts required some carbs before in order to fuel me through the entire duration. This is another reason my loss during the week is slow or not at all. I do maybe 40 carbs a day on weekeds where during the week I may be double that based on my workout.
4) Weights! But Muscle weighs more than fat and I want to weigh less! Well sort of, remember 1 pound of muscle weighs the exact same as 1 pound of fat, BUT! muscle is more dense so 1 cubic inch of muscle weighs more than 1 cubic inch of fat. This means you can build muscle, not lose weight or even gain weight and continue to lose inches or maintain your size. The added bonus is that muscle requires more calories and more efficiently uses calories so by increasing your muscle mass you increase your metabolism and the number of calories your body requires to function. Plus we are guys and muscle looks cool and the chics like it!
5) Glycogen. Yeah this is a real technical one and if it could be explained in database code I would try but I can't so maybe someone else can.
So the reason I bring this up this week is it is a lesson that people have been trying to get in to my head for the past few months and this week has just really began to sink in. I still exercise but as I trian for my upcomming Tri I am focusing my workouts on distance rather than calories being able to pedal for 10 miles and not exhaust myself by goin all out, because then I have to run. This approach has seen my total calorie burn per workout cut by about 40%. no longer have I burned every calorie I will consume that day by the time I walk out of the gym. on a typical week I will have gained about 1.5 pounds in the first 2 days of the week, this week I have not gained at this point.
I am psyched to be a member of this group and see the dramatic life changes that everyone is making. Grandpa G runs like a mad man, Jeff and Jim who have learned to push through and focus on the goal and implemented solid plans from the start, Chad as much as he hates to admit it the dude is going to be an awesome runner. The vets such as Scott, Dan, Herc and Nate who have been where we are and demonstrate what the results of hard work will be.
Congrats to everyone on their success!
For those just starting their journey do not be suprised if this happens to you. There are a number of reasons in my situation this happens to me so hopefully recent post ops and pre ops can save themselves some frustration.
1) Exercise takes energy and for your body to use it's fat stores you must consume enough calories so your body is comfortable burning what it has and does not try and retain energy. In other words yes if you eat to few calories you won't lose weight. This for me was very hard to grasp but I am slowly comming to terms with. We go most of our lives with people telling us "Eat Less exercise more to lose weight". Well yes to a point you can't consume 500 calories a day and burn 1000 at the gym and expect to quickly lose weight. You might for a period but eventually it will slow. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn, my typical works expend approx 900-1300 calories while on a day I typically avg 900-1200 calories consumed. What was really difficult is I would gain weight during the week as much as 5 pounds.
2) Exercise with a purpose and mix it up. Jumping on a treadmill and going for a run is good but if you do 4mph for an hour everday after a while your body will be conditioned to easily handle this and won't have to expend extra calories to achieve it as it did while working up to this speed. Add a bit of distance or a bit more speed, or even change your run style where one day you go time another you go distance and a 3rd you go speed.
3) Carb or not to Carb. When it comes to eating and exercising this is a tough decision to make. If you don't carb and you exercise you will probably be a fat burning machine. I was and know a few others that were as well. However the time did come where my workouts required some carbs before in order to fuel me through the entire duration. This is another reason my loss during the week is slow or not at all. I do maybe 40 carbs a day on weekeds where during the week I may be double that based on my workout.
4) Weights! But Muscle weighs more than fat and I want to weigh less! Well sort of, remember 1 pound of muscle weighs the exact same as 1 pound of fat, BUT! muscle is more dense so 1 cubic inch of muscle weighs more than 1 cubic inch of fat. This means you can build muscle, not lose weight or even gain weight and continue to lose inches or maintain your size. The added bonus is that muscle requires more calories and more efficiently uses calories so by increasing your muscle mass you increase your metabolism and the number of calories your body requires to function. Plus we are guys and muscle looks cool and the chics like it!
5) Glycogen. Yeah this is a real technical one and if it could be explained in database code I would try but I can't so maybe someone else can.
So the reason I bring this up this week is it is a lesson that people have been trying to get in to my head for the past few months and this week has just really began to sink in. I still exercise but as I trian for my upcomming Tri I am focusing my workouts on distance rather than calories being able to pedal for 10 miles and not exhaust myself by goin all out, because then I have to run. This approach has seen my total calorie burn per workout cut by about 40%. no longer have I burned every calorie I will consume that day by the time I walk out of the gym. on a typical week I will have gained about 1.5 pounds in the first 2 days of the week, this week I have not gained at this point.
I am psyched to be a member of this group and see the dramatic life changes that everyone is making. Grandpa G runs like a mad man, Jeff and Jim who have learned to push through and focus on the goal and implemented solid plans from the start, Chad as much as he hates to admit it the dude is going to be an awesome runner. The vets such as Scott, Dan, Herc and Nate who have been where we are and demonstrate what the results of hard work will be.
Congrats to everyone on their success!
Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
I am inspired by anyone who exercises. Of course, I have the extreme example with my brother who manages long distance bicycle rides or marathon running depending on the season. He's in top physical condition and I'm at the other extreme.
I'm still trying to get inspired enouth to get out of my recliner and walk the length of the interior of my house when commercials come on TV. Oftentimes I can do it but once in a while I'll have a slight twist in a step and can't walk the rest of the day without a cane. Outside, I always need to walk with a cane or rollator. I've had the rollator for about 10 years and it has been a godsend; it's a rolling walker with a seat which allows me to sit and rest whenever I get tired. And, I really get sore from just standing still so I'm glad to bring my seat with me.
Hopefully I'll be inspired to simply go out and enjoy the area now that the weather is getting nice. There are many flat parks that I can walk at my own pace. Several even have onsite bathrooms ( for those of us who are pushing liquids that's a plus).
So, I encourage you to keep up your training and to post often about any progress or even any set backs. I encourage other men to post here even though I know there is an exercise and fitness forum. Consider the latter forum as the place where you gather with your fellow athletes in training and please post here to encourage the rest of us. Bob
I'm still trying to get inspired enouth to get out of my recliner and walk the length of the interior of my house when commercials come on TV. Oftentimes I can do it but once in a while I'll have a slight twist in a step and can't walk the rest of the day without a cane. Outside, I always need to walk with a cane or rollator. I've had the rollator for about 10 years and it has been a godsend; it's a rolling walker with a seat which allows me to sit and rest whenever I get tired. And, I really get sore from just standing still so I'm glad to bring my seat with me.
Hopefully I'll be inspired to simply go out and enjoy the area now that the weather is getting nice. There are many flat parks that I can walk at my own pace. Several even have onsite bathrooms ( for those of us who are pushing liquids that's a plus).
So, I encourage you to keep up your training and to post often about any progress or even any set backs. I encourage other men to post here even though I know there is an exercise and fitness forum. Consider the latter forum as the place where you gather with your fellow athletes in training and please post here to encourage the rest of us. Bob
Paul - enjoyed your post - keep up the good work. Exercise has considerably more benefits that just losing pounds.
At 65, I've been bringing myself along as the my stamina will allow. After starting with a slow mile, I now walk a brisk 3 mi. EVERY DAY, no exceptions - and that seems to have helped the weight loss continue at a regular and reasonable pace. Also now doing some strength training and hitting golf balls, giving me more flexibility. By god, I'll be walking the golf course this season. I feel stronger and my co-morbidities (diabetes, hi BP, sleep apnea) have vanished. Only down side so far for me is that I've got to work on a whole new golf swing; it's not a problem, it's an opportunity.
Pop-Pop
At 65, I've been bringing myself along as the my stamina will allow. After starting with a slow mile, I now walk a brisk 3 mi. EVERY DAY, no exceptions - and that seems to have helped the weight loss continue at a regular and reasonable pace. Also now doing some strength training and hitting golf balls, giving me more flexibility. By god, I'll be walking the golf course this season. I feel stronger and my co-morbidities (diabetes, hi BP, sleep apnea) have vanished. Only down side so far for me is that I've got to work on a whole new golf swing; it's not a problem, it's an opportunity.
Pop-Pop
Hi Pop-Pop,
I hadn't thought of it but you really have to come up with a whole new golf swing. Does it feel that much different to swing the club without the belly? That is crazy and I hadn't thought of it.
Thanks.
I hadn't thought of it but you really have to come up with a whole new golf swing. Does it feel that much different to swing the club without the belly? That is crazy and I hadn't thought of it.
Thanks.
9/9/09: Highest Weight: 506.5 lbs 9/20/10: Tufts Start Weight: 492.4 lbs
2/7/11: Surgery Wt: 462.5 lbs. 9/16/12: Current Weight: 287.8 lbs.
4/15/12: First 5K - BAA 5K - PR 35:49
Well, the golf swing is better - my natural hook has returned after an absence of several years. But, yes, rebuilding the swing is necessary now that I can see my feet and now that my moobs are substantially smaller. BTW - I'll probably need new golf shoes, too; my 14 EEE's are a bit wobbly these days. Myrtle Beach - last week of March - planning on winning the money this year.
Pop-Pop
Pop-Pop
Loved everything you said... And right back at you for the "inspiration" to keep going and working hard. That's the key benefit to me of this forum - accountability and inspiration from others who are at different stages in the WLS journey...
Speaking of adding variety and changing things up... My club has a "lazy river" with a 2-3 mph current. Enough to force you to keep moving briskly or be swept off your feet. I usually do about 20 minutes in there, working with the current, and come out pretty well "wrung out" - especially since I do it following my 35 minutes on the treadmill and my 40 minutes of weight lifting.
Last night, the place was really empty, so I got my first chance to try going AGAINST the current. WOW! It took a LOT more effort than I had expected, and took me about 5X as long to complete a single lap. I did four laps before people started showing up again, and I had to reverse direction. I tell you, I felt muscles working that I didn't even know I had! When I was done, I could literally feel that workout all the way down into my toes. (Hadn't every really thought about having muscles in my toes, but they are there - and sore today!)
Just to shake things up, about once a week I reverse the order of my workout, and do the weight lifting before the aerobic walking. Doing the walking after all the leg work definitely makes you feel it more, and it seems to affect the muscles differently. The lazy river work always goes last, just because the logistics of "getting wet" work against going back into the gym afterwards...
Speaking of adding variety and changing things up... My club has a "lazy river" with a 2-3 mph current. Enough to force you to keep moving briskly or be swept off your feet. I usually do about 20 minutes in there, working with the current, and come out pretty well "wrung out" - especially since I do it following my 35 minutes on the treadmill and my 40 minutes of weight lifting.
Last night, the place was really empty, so I got my first chance to try going AGAINST the current. WOW! It took a LOT more effort than I had expected, and took me about 5X as long to complete a single lap. I did four laps before people started showing up again, and I had to reverse direction. I tell you, I felt muscles working that I didn't even know I had! When I was done, I could literally feel that workout all the way down into my toes. (Hadn't every really thought about having muscles in my toes, but they are there - and sore today!)
Just to shake things up, about once a week I reverse the order of my workout, and do the weight lifting before the aerobic walking. Doing the walking after all the leg work definitely makes you feel it more, and it seems to affect the muscles differently. The lazy river work always goes last, just because the logistics of "getting wet" work against going back into the gym afterwards...
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