Bum Gallbladder...Too Little Fat in Diet to Gain Weight?

[mikiekimi]

I haven't come across this specifically asked in my context, so thought it might be of value for someone else.

Looking over my log, 7 years ago I was at a BW of 200, DL 365x5, SQ 315x5x3, BP 245x5 (TM), PR 147.5x3x3. Tore my rotator cuff screwing around with a 275 single attempt on bench...dumb. Everything was moving smoothly until that point.

This time last year I was 187 ...I was screwing around with 2 x week training and ramping to a top set of 3-5 (no DL, SQ 250x5, PR 105x5, BP 175x5). Wife wanted to lose some weight so I went along. Incorporated lots of cardio (60 min x 3 days per week) and stayed w/maintenance weights on DL/SQ/BP/PR. Got down to a bodyweight of 170 which I have stayed at since last August...my lipid profile is happy, as is my blood pressure, but after years of yo-yo dieting (in part due to 20 years of military PT tests) my gallbladder is not. We are set to part ways at the end of May. .7cm stone near the gallbladder neck.

Right now I am doing the program (BBL RX 2C) 3 x week w/15:00 of conditioning 1 day/week (air dyne 1:00 work / 1:00 rest). Nowhere near PRs, but with good form, I am currently at DL 255x5, SQ 240x5x3, PR 117.5x5x3. Those weights are getting tough, but I have some reps left in the tank. I record every rep and check form. Bench is just being reintroduced and I'm working slowly due to shoulder issues, 135x5x3 (weight is easy).

Trying to put weight back on, but am having a tough go of it. To keep my gallbladder happy I find that my sweet spot for fat is ~10 grams per meal, spread over 6 smaller meals throughout the day. My daily goal is 3000 calories (200pro/375carb/70fat), and I've hit that goal every day this week minus one day (fasted blood work). I'd say I may have put on maybe 1/2 pound during the past 2 weeks, the trend line is moving in the right direction, it just seems very slow. In the very recent past, I could gain 5lbs in a week by just thinking about it, albeit without regards to fat calories. Needing to eat 'clean' with <70 fat gm per day, combined with any fat malabsorption issues due to compromised bile release (if that's a thing), is what I suspect is contributing to the slow go. I tried eating 2 x 1/4 hamburgers last Sunday (back to back meals) and my GB was pissed off for several days. I'm stuck with chicken breast, FF yogurt, FF / 2% milk, salmon seems okay, as does <1 tbsp of olive oil in some homemade salad dressing every few days.

Questions are:

Is it possible to consume too little fat to effectively gain weight?
Do you have any experience with this type of scenario and what would you change regarding my approach?

[Robert Santana]

Bulletpoints please. This stream of conciousness is not helpful.

1) How strong are you?

2) What program are you on? No acronyms please.

3) What are your calories and macros?

4) Are you progressing on your current program/have you missed reps?

5) What is the issue.

[mikiekimi]

Sorry for the long winded question. 53, 5'7" at a body weight of 173

Deadlift 260x5, Squat 245x5x3, Bench Press 155x5x3, Press 117.5 x 4,4,4,3 (last workout). Deadlift is still pretty easy, squat is just starting to get tough, bench is low due to rotator cuff issues (working it back in slowly). I just missed reps on the press.

Day 1:
Squat x5x3
Press x 5x3
Chins x45 total

Day 2:
Squat x5x3
Deadlift x5
Bench x 5x3

Training 3 times per week Sat/Mon/Wed. HITT x 15:00 on Thurs (airdyne)

Macros are cals/pro/carb/fat/fiber: 3000/225/375/60/45

TLDR: Is there a minimum amount of fat required to gain weight either as a percentage of calories or # of grams per day? Also, have you coached anyone awaiting gallbladder surgery that has to limit their amount of fat while trying to put on a few pounds?

[Robert Santana]

Your macro breakdown is fine but plan to scale the fat up for additional calories the next time you bump up.

That being said, what in the fuck is going on with that deadlift? You are either squatting high or you've misapplied the programming instructions somewhere along the way.

[mikiekimi]

Been on the boards since 2010 and I recall an 80g of fat number as being some sort of minimum recommended amount, hence the question.

I just resumed deadlifts two weeks ago. Felt a pretty good pop three years ago and could hardly walk for a few days afterwards so I abandoned it, and the program. Partially a COVID thing, partially a "tired of injuries" thing. 20 years in the military had me pretty beat up.

I just re-read your article on artificially weak deadlifts and I'm guilty of keeping the load unnecessarily low while I reincorporate it, same with bench press.

[Robert Santana]

There is a very good chance that the deadlift injury resulted from issues arising in the squat. Very common thing that happens when the program is being done unsupervised with shit technique. Have you had eyes on your lifts?

[mikiekimi]

Not in years...I had our local SSC (Phil Meggers) give me a form check and squat and deadlift were good at that time. I recall very few tweaks were required. IIRC it was pre rotator cuff surgery so I know my grip width has changed as a result.

I started recording all sets a few weeks ago because I suspected I was not hitting depth on squat, I was indeed high...and what you say makes sense. I lost the 'feeling' of proper squat position after years away from SS and any coaching.

I'll be shooting Phil a note to see if I can get in for some coaching before surgery (or at least afterwards). I only have a few weeks before my gallbladder and I part ways.

[Robert Santana]

We all get form creep of some sort and what your in person coach sees the first time may not be what you do months later. I had a coach watch me my first year running SS after tearing an adductor. He fixed me, I ran the loads up, added another 40 lb to the squat and then tore the other adductor. Form creep, knee slide came back, I assumed I was moving the same way I was months back with lighter weight but I was not. The longer you do this and the stronger you get the less this happens obviously but I will say i've been filming my lifts for 9 years now and worked with other coaches regularly for the first 4 or so years I was doing this.

[mikiekimi]

I posted a form video on the Facebook page and was educated quite nicely on just how crappy and high my squats were. I've since re-read the book and re-watched the SS videos and sorted it out. Knees out and hip drahve were the issues

1 week out from surgery so I'll have to get in with a coach in June to make sure I get things going properly again. On a positive note...gained 5 lbs in three weeks...all low-fat. Eating has been a chore at times, but I need to put some weight back on. Listened to your Nutritional LP again and it is a great resource.