Exercise After Weight Loss Surgery

December 16th, 2009

Following your weight loss surgery it is important to incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine. But sometimes exercise can be intimidating, especially if you’ve been living a sedentary lifestyle for many years. The good news is that physical activity doesn’t always have to include the traditional idea of exercise and you can be active no matter what you weigh!

Although you may face challenges, most people, even the morbidly obese, can perform some sort of physical activity. The government recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each day. This can include walking. In fact, when they are first starting out, many patients look for ways to simply increase their steps each day. You can purchase a pedometer at a local sporting goods store to measure your steps and keep track of your progress. At first, 30 minutes may seem like a lot, but consider the following, simple ways you can increase the amount of steps you take each day:

• If you work in an office building, take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Park your car far away from the store’s entrance
• Carry one grocery bag at a time from your car to your house
• Walk a lap around the mall for every store you visit
• Lift weights or walk in place while watching TV

Walking may not be what we think of when we think of “working out” but it is a trusted exercise with many benefits. Walking works your heart, lungs and the large muscle groups in your legs and will help you gradually build up your endurance. Then you can consider including different types of activity into your routine. For example, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports recommends that an exercise program include each of four basic fitness components:

• Cardiorespiratory Endurance – the ability to perform repetitive activities that increase oxygen demand on your heart, lungs and body tissues. Water aerobics and bicycling are two alternatives to walking that will get your heart rate up without putting pressure on your joints.
• Muscular Endurance – the ability to repetitively exert force on a physical object. Lifting hand weights or doing pushups are examples of muscular endurance exercises.
• Muscular Strength – the ability to exert force on a physical object for a brief period of time. As you practice muscular endurance you will be able to lift heavier weights.
• Flexibility – the ability of your joints to move through their full range of motion. Yoga and tai chi are two types of stretching exercises but you can also set aside time to stretch at home or even while sitting at your desk.

More often than not, the toughest part of an exercise routine is not the physical exertion but the ability to stay motivated. Setting goals, tracking your progress and rewarding yourself are great ways to encourage yourself. Set both short-term and long-term goals. A short-term goal may be to go for a walk on your lunch break every day, while a long-term goal maybe to participate in a 5K charity walk. Tracking your progress lets you see how your short-term goals are helping you reach your long-term goals and allows you to see how far you’ve come. Record your goals and keep an exercise journal. Then, when you’ve accomplished one of your goals, give yourself a reward such as new walking shoes, some new music or even an hour of peace and quiet. You deserve it!

Exercise can be an intimidating concept. We often equate “working out” with the extreme, such as marathon runners, body builders, competitive sports etc. Don’t let this stop you. Any post-bariatric physical activity can make you healthier and is important toward an improved lifestyle. Start increasing your activity and logging your success today!

Sources: Weight Control Information Network (WIN). (2007, January). Activity at Any Size. Available at http://win.niddk.nih.gov/Publications/active.htm. Accessed Nov 30, 2009.
The president’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. (2009, November).Fitness Fundamentals: Guidelines for Personal Exercise Programs. Available at http://www.fitness.gov/fitness.htm. Accessed Nov 30, 2009.

Entry Filed under: Exercise, Lap Band, Realize Band, gastric bypass, weight loss surgery