r u weaker in general post-op?

Summary of me (since I don't come on much at all anymore).
About 3.5 years out here from open RNY. 
Never any complications, etc. 
Maintaining weight loss well (size 4 in most clothing brands).  
Get in all my vitamins every day.
Get in well ABOVE the required amounts of protein and fluids every day.

I cannot deny that I am physically weaker since my WLS.  I'm beginning to think there is something to that phrase "put your weight behind it" when people want you to do something.  Without the weight, I definately AM physically weaker.  My mom had WLS also & says the same thing about herself.  We're just not as strong when we go to lift/move things, etc. 

I know some muscle loss is normal when you lost rapid amounts of weight (one of the many reasons why I never let my protein level fall below 60 grams per day from month 2 onward - month 1 I couldn't get hardly anything down, so I didn't get in but about 40 grams per day for month 1, but after month 1 I stayed above 60 grams per day without fail).  I just wish I didn't actually feel weaker when trying to lift/move things.

I can walk/run/play with the best of them, but anything that requires brute strength is beyond me now!  (And I felt stronger when I was fat.)

Just figured I'd ask if any others out there felt that way. 

Wen

do you exercise?  with strength training in a gym with weights and such you should be able to improve your strength. 

Have you had your labs done?  just because you are taking vitamins doesn't mean they are the right ones;/right amounts and you may need to make some adjustments. 

I have lost some muscle since WLS, but the only time I feel "weaker" is when a task requires having some weight thrown in it and I no longer have enough. 

i don't weight train at all, but its definately an idea

i get my labs done usually every 6 months & have no deficiencies (i researched the bejesus out of vitamins, etc & am positive i am taking the right doses/amounts)

that's the only time i feel weaker too - when i have to do heavy lifting or something - but i do notice that i seem weaker @ those times.  just wondered if mom & i were the only 2 out there that were that way

Look at it this way:

When you were overweight (I'll use my weight for example) at say 234, your leg and back muscles were "weight training" all day long to carry around the extra weight you had. I could easily leg press 350+ because my leg muscles were used to carrying around an extra 100 pounds all day long. Now that you've lost that weight, your legs and back are no longer weight training all day long. They are only carrying a "normal" load on a daily basis, so unless you are weight training to strenghten those muscles you will not be able to lift the amount you were before you had WLS.

If you met a weight lifter one year and he was doing a great job, had won trophies etc. for  strength, and then you met him a year or two or three later and during that whole time he hadn't done ANY working out, would you expect him to be able to do the same amount of lifting? Nope. He wouldn't have any stregth either.

Edited for spelling.

Just before my reccent back surgery, I had come to the realization that my leg muscles were really hating me for the lack of workout. Something about dropping below 150..... now when I walk, no matter how vigorously, my leg muscles say "And? So? Where's the REAL workout?" ..... I began to realize that I had to RUN or something equally horrific to make my leg muscles get the same workout that a brisk walk used to do for them.

At 350 lbs, I was giving my legs a tremendous workout every single day...... sadly my leg muscles know that 200 pounds of their daily workout regimen has gone missing

I am definately weaker and think I lost muscle while I was losing.  I do Curves several times a week and have started weight training.  Hopefully it will help.

For me I know I used my size to move things around.  Since I am half my size I don't have the mass anymore to move stuff around.  I brought this up in my support group meeting and a lot of people said the same thing.  I know I need to do better with weight training to see if this will help, but I think in general just being a smaller size just makes things have less mass behind it. 

Christy

I exercise...and am physically strong for my size.  But when I go to the gorcery strore...pushing a full cart is a chore!  It is because I am nearly 100lbs less and only weigh 115 lbs...there is nothing there to wrestle with cart with!

I never worked out or did any strength training.. I was a very VERY strong woman pre op and definately not as strong postop..... but most things requiring brute strength I have always avoided diong as I have herniated disks in my back that require a life-long of babying.

I have greater stamina though...... I've thrice spent eight hours kayaking and in each case discovered a LOT of enjoyment and far less long-standnig fatigue the next day than pre-op...... hiked mountains, done a lot of endurance type activities that would have had me sore for a week or more pre op but now just leave me a tiny bit sore the next day, and then only noticeable upon waking up... no all-day-muscle agony.