After undergoing gastric sleeve surgery, you must take care of your body to ensure the best possible results. What is great about this bariatric surgery option is that it allows you to lose weight quickly, safely, and keep that weight off.
A big player in keeping your body strong and healthy after a sleeve gastrectomy is to pack on some healthy muscles. Here are some tips for increasing muscle mass and using it vigorously after sleeve operation.
The Importance of Building Muscle After Weight Loss Surgery?
It is necessary to gain and keep muscle after gastric sleeve surgery because it boosts your weight loss, increases elasticity in your skin which can help prevent saggy skin, and increase mobility.
Exercise increases your metabolism, which turns your body into a calorie-burning machine. When your body has more muscle to maintain, it burns more calories per day.
6 Steps to Building Muscle After Gastric Sleeve
As a bariatric patient you need to follow a different set up rules when it comes to lifting weight, healthy eating habits, and water intake. Make sure you take it slow and don’t over-exert yourself. If your body gives signs that your exhausted or dehydrated, take it’s advice and give your body what it needs to thrive.
1. Sufficient Protein
A diet balanced with protein helps to grow muscle efficiently. At first, when following the post-op diet, patients can go with protein drinks or high protein soups.
Once you are tolerant of solid foods, sources of protein such as chicken and beef can be introduced again. Mindful care must be taken when transitioning back to solid foods. You want to be careful not to cause any issues with the stitching and staple line coming out of surgery.
Eat lean protein such as:
- Skinless chicken or turkey
- 93% lean ground beef
- Pork loin
- Beans and lentils
- Eggs or even just the whites
- Low or nonfat dairy
- Fish and shellfish
- Nuts, nut butter, and seeds
- Protein shakes
A nutritionist can guide you better regarding how much protein you should take based on your personal needs.
Learn more: Here is 9 lean proteins you should be eating
2. Measure Your Macros
Measuring macros is a good way of ensuring greater success in your dietary goals. Macronutrients consist of;
- Protein
- Fat
- Carbs
By calculating what percentage of your daily calorie intake comes from carbs, fat, and protein, you can ensure that your body is getting enough protein and not too many carbohydrates or too much fat. A healthy balance of the three is ideal for maintaining steady muscle growth.
Macronutrient Goals
After bariatric surgery, your goal macro-ratio is based on a 1000-1200 cal. daily diet. This may be adjusted depending on your exercise and muscle-building physical activity. Talk to your nutritionist to find the best macronutrient goal for you.
- Calories: 1000-1200
- Protein: 75-105 grams (35%)
- Carbs: < 100g (25%)
- Fats: 30-45g (40%)
- Sugars: < 25 grams
- Fiber: > 20 grams
3. Exercise
The key component to gaining good muscle mass after gastric sleeve surgery is to get into a regular exercise routine. Exercises patients should incorporate into their routine include:
- Cardio (2 to 3 days a week)
- Flexibility/stretches
- Compound movements
- Strength training
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- Yoga
It is important to consult with your doctor and start off slowly and ease into an exercise routine. As your body recovers from the surgery, patients will need to take baby steps just as they will with your diet.
The wait time before starting to exercise is six weeks. Incorporating even 10 minutes of strength or resistance training daily will make a difference. After a workout, allow enough time for the muscles to recover plays a big part in growth fully.
Learn More: Great Exercises You Should Be Doing After Weight Loss Surgery
4. Get Adequate Sleep
Sleep plays a significant role in muscle recovery and protein synthesis. It’s nice to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night to ensure optimal recovery and muscle growth. Without the proper amount of sleep, those hours of weight lifting can go to waste.
Eating close to bedtime or even when one wakes in the middle of the night can also aid in reducing muscle loss as it provides proteins that the body needs during sleep.
5. Drink Enough Water
Water plays a vital part in protein synthesis as muscle cells, in fact, contain water. So if a patient wants to reduce the breakdown of those muscles, they need to keep themselves well hydrated.
The recommendation is a minimum of 64 ounces, then an additional 12 ounces for every 20 minutes of exercise.
Learn More: Avoid Dehydration After Gastric Sleeve
6. Be Consistent
It takes time and consistency to build and maintain muscle mass. So it is crucial to establish a routine you can stick to and be consistent with managing your diet, training, as well as sleep.
Aaron G – Feb 2021
Grateful to Mexico Bariatric Center. If you’re in this group and are considering the procedure, I can’t recommend them enough.
Little over 4 months out and down 101lbs! Zero complications.
Not a paid promotion, just happy with my decision!
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