Stretched Pouch or Increased Appetite from Exercise?
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kgrubiss
Posts: 8 Member
Hello! I will be 4 months Gastric Bypass post op on Jan. 25, 2015. I am 5'3" and my pre-surgery weight was 301 lbs. I have lost 72.9 lbs as of today, down to 228.1 lbs. I began working out at least 3-4 times a week in early December at Planet Fitness, as well as Zumfit and High Impact Aerobics. I have noticed that I am eating more in a meal that I was before I started exercising. I used this app ridiculously to track everything I put in my mouth and my how many calories I burn when I work out. I realize this app does not adjust for WLS, and I also know it's not going to be completely accurate. My concern is that I have started feeling hungry, which I did not have that sensation in the first 2 months post-op. My portions have sometimes doubled at lunch and dinner - still eating protein first, a lot more of it. I try to maintain 1,000 calories a day, but on days I work out, I sometimes eat up to 1,300 calories, and burn around 400-500. Of course the app says I am starving myself. My question is...did I stretch my pouch and that is why I am able to eat more and feel hunger pains again, is this part of the normal process at this stage in post-op, or is it because I am exercising? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
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Replies
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What surgery did you have? I had the gastric sleeve and my doctor told me I could outeat the sleeve but because he removed all the stretchy, I could not restretch it. He also said I would be able to eat more over time naturally, but not because of restretch. At 3.5 years out I can still only get in 4-5 ounces of meat at one time or one to one and 1/2 cups of food. Lettuce really fills me and a cup of salad with 4 ounces of meat makes me feel really full. As for hunger pains, for all the surgeries most people lose their hunger for the first year or so. Some never get it back. You are kind of early to be hungry again. Maby it's head hunger rather than real hunger. Also, if we don't get enough water we sometimes feel hungry rather than thirsty and mistake it for that.0
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I know this may sound wierd. but are you on or near your monthly? I am post op VSG and I get hunger bad around that time and can oddly eat more than normal. ???0
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@pawoodhull - I had gastric bypass. I can tell when its thirst vs. hunger. My mouth gets very dry if I am not drinking enough water. I am not hungry all the time, but I notice on the days I work out, I feel hungry. Am I supposed to eat more to compensate for my workout to maintain 1000 calories, or is it okay to be under?0
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@Jamielynn_77 - No, I don't think I am pms-y.
LOL I usually don't have one because I have an IUD. The hunger is more so on the days I am working out. Sometimes I am craving meat, which is so weird because I was never a big meat fan, but have been forcing myself to eat it for the protein. I still do everything I am supposed to. I don't drink during or after meals. I eat protein first, then veggies or fruit, rarely starch or carbs. No candy (tried twice, felt like I ate razor blades!) I guess I am curious, what should my portions look like at 4 months post-op? Thank you everyone! 0 -
I am about a week away from 4 months out. I am eating 2-3 ounces of meat/protein plus some veg/starch at dinner. 4-6 ounces meat if that is all I eat. I am generally eating three meals plus one snack during the day. My goals are 100g protein and 900-1000 calories (but I am 6'5", so I stray to the high end of most of the calorie recommendations.).
I am exercising pretty regularly (coaching basketball 3x per week running with 8th grade girls and some visits to the gym) and on days where I am especially active, I don't worry if I eat 11-1200 calories, but I don't make it a special point to eat more unless I am feeling weak or especially hungry.
My suggestion is to add a bunch of friends at all stages of the process. That way, you can look into diaries and see what people are eating. It give me great ideas for new protein dense foods, and allows a more detailed look than my answer here.
Feel free to add me if you like.
Rob0 -
@kgrubiss I had the sleeve 16 months ago. At 6-8 months post op, I began to notice that my "honeymoon" phase was behind me. Actual hunger returned. At 11 months post op, I had to have my gallbladder removed. The surgeon who performed my sleeve was the same surgeon who removed my gallbladder. While he was removing my gallbladder, he checked my sleeve to make sure all was well. He noticed very minimal stretching and said that everything looked great. Please be aware, you can stretch your stomach out. Not to the point that it was before surgery, but you can stretch it to larger than the bougie size that they used for your surgery.
On days that I do a more intense workout, I have noticed that my appetite is greater than on the more normal exercise days. I suggest that on the days you are hungry due to your increased activity level, to immediately follow your workout with a protein drink or bar. I use Syntrax Nectar in a few different flavors. The protein drink helps me post workout to not feel so ravenous as I'm preparing my dinner afterwards and also helps to repair your muscles.
I don't think you should be too concerned. Stay conscious of what you're eating and your activity and you can't go wrong! The fact that you are questioning your body and your urge to eat is a good thing. If you were like me pre-surgery, when you got a signal to eat you would eat without hesitation. So I commend you on your efforts and the success you've already experienced in your HUGE weight loss!!! Keep up the hard work 0 -
@rpyle111 - Thank you! I will add you - and let me know if my diary is completely out of whack...my nutritionist has not been very helpful! Thanks!
MFP adds your exercise calories burned back in at a 100% I hate that because they tend to over estimate IMHO so I don't count the exercise calories. I'm 6 months postoperative and have lost 80 pounds with15 or 20 to go. I'm just now amping up my exercise program. My Dr didn't have me exercising until 3 months and then not to heavy. I've been doing an hour of deep water aerobics 2 days a week. I'll be starting weights in the next few days 3 days a week. I'm ready to start replacing the lost muscle, I know this will make my weight loss look like I have stalled.0 -
@jkern9110 Thank you!!! @ac7nj Thank you!0
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I am four months out and I have been able to eat more that I thought I would be able to after surgery. I also feel more hungry lately especially now with working out each day.0
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I too have heard that in time you can stretch your stomach....to what degree, IDK!
Also, I think that everybodys "honeymoon" phase is different.
Some may never get their true "hunger" sense back but clearly that's not the case for everyone.
Ive seen more & more threads & posts where people are expressing the same things as kgrubiss, so this is not a unique or new situation!0 -
Wow! Congrats you are doing great!! I am scheduled for the Sleeve on Feb 16th! Even though I cannot speak from experience yet I have a couple of friends who have had the procedure. Sounds like you are doing all the right things. I was told I be able to eat a little more as time goes by and that some people do get a sense of hunger back. As far a stretching your stomach goes, I have a colleague who also had this procedure and unfortunately felt the guidelines set up by the nutritionist did not apply to her. Less than a 2 years out she was back in surgery with a hernia and her stomach had stretched to the point of needing to be resized again. It was of course not stretched to full size but enough to require a resizing. Keep in mind that this occurred to blatantly disregarding dietary guidelines. On the other hand I have a friend who is 3 1/2 months post op and is doing great! His portions have increased some. For me the lesson was to change my bad dietary habits first, follow the guidelines and keep asking questions!! I love the Bariatric program at my hospital. I can call my nutritionist with questions anytime. I'm glad I joined this group! Reading everyone's questions and answers has helped me be much more aware of the reality of what's ahead of me! Keep up the good work! Your enthusiasm and dedication inspires me!0
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@lorilbuckner1 Thank you! Good luck on your procedure! I would like to connect and follow you with your journey. 0
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I am almost 8 yrs post op. I had the gastric bypass and 2 weeks ago had an endoscopy to check my pouch, guess what after 8 yrs its still hasn't stretched. Its not that simple to stretch the pouch, especially so early on. Take it from me I lost 119 lbs and had regained almost 84 lbs back due to grazing, binge eating and not listening to my body when it told me it was full, I just was overeating all day thru my pregnancies and afterwards. Now that I am back on track I can eat way over my 1200 daily MFP recommended calories depending on the foods I choose to eat, if they are higher in calories than of course I can even go over. But if I choose healthier and cleaner food than I can stay at goal and even below my goals. OP you need to remember if you are working out your body need extra fuel so you will be hungrier on days you work out. I also noticed that the days I work out I feel hungrier, I don't tend to eat back my calories just because I'm a bit obsessed with having daily low caloric intake to maximize my weight loss but most ppl do eat a least half of them back because the numbers on MFP and the equipment are not 100% accurate. Good luck on your journey.Hello! I will be 4 months Gastric Bypass post op on Jan. 25, 2015. I am 5'3" and my pre-surgery weight was 301 lbs. I have lost 72.9 lbs as of today, down to 228.1 lbs. I began working out at least 3-4 times a week in early December at Planet Fitness, as well as Zumfit and High Impact Aerobics. I have noticed that I am eating more in a meal that I was before I started exercising. I used this app ridiculously to track everything I put in my mouth and my how many calories I burn when I work out. I realize this app does not adjust for WLS, and I also know it's not going to be completely accurate. My concern is that I have started feeling hungry, which I did not have that sensation in the first 2 months post-op. My portions have sometimes doubled at lunch and dinner - still eating protein first, a lot more of it. I try to maintain 1,000 calories a day, but on days I work out, I sometimes eat up to 1,300 calories, and burn around 400-500. Of course the app says I am starving myself. My question is...did I stretch my pouch and that is why I am able to eat more and feel hunger pains again, is this part of the normal process at this stage in post-op, or is it because I am exercising? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
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