The Importance of Exercising After Bariatric Surgery

The National Weight Control Registry (a collection of data from people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for a year or more) has identified regular exercise as one of the behaviors necessary for weight loss success. Surgeons and support groups working with weight loss surgery patients also recognize exercise as a success-building factor. Still, many people who are waiting for or who have had weight loss surgery try to avoid exercise. Some of the most frequent excuses include: I have always been a couch potato; I find activity physically uncomfortable, and I know I will lose weight real quick once I have surgery, so I don’t need to exercise.

The quick weight loss most people experience in the first few months after surgery creates a false sense of weight management mastery.

The truth is that exercise and a more active overall lifestyle not only helps with weight loss, but are essential for weight maintenance and improved overall health.

Many bariatric surgery programs require patients begin an exercise program while they are awaiting surgery and resume exercise as soon as possible afterwards. Even modest increases in exercise can improve flexibility, mobility, and circulation. Exercise can provide immediate benefits after surgery since good circulation improves the body’s ability to heal. Many surgeons suggest that exercise improves the body’s ability to burn fat by protecting the muscles from being broken down and used for energy. It is very important to prevent this type of muscle loss, especially in the first month or so after surgery when people are eating very little.

The amount and type of exercise that you can perform depends on a variety of factors and will change as you lose weight. In the beginning, you may be restricted to a series of 1-2 minute walks. If foot, joint, or back pain limit your ability to stand, you may need to exercise while sitting. You can buy DVDs featuring chair aerobics or your physician may advise you to buy a portable peddler.

Good basic peddlers are available for about $100. You can set a peddler on a table and peddle it by hand to improve upper body circulation and strength. Your peddler can also be placed on the floor in front of your favorite chair where you can peddle by foot to enhance lower body circulation and muscle condition.

If you can stand, but walking seems dull, spice up your routine up with an in-home walking program such as the one created by Leslie Sansone that combines a variety of walking styles with music. Or try dancing! You can purchase dance videos such as those created by weight loss guru Richard Simmons. These walking and dance videos have the advantage of being able to be used at home, which means you can perform these activities any time of day or night and avoid any shyness you may feel about exercising in public. Many users say that the music these DVDs contain tends to lift their spirits, which makes them look forward to exercising in the future.

As the weight peels off and you find it’s easier to be active, seek expert advice on how to build a balanced exercise program. Your bariatric surgeon may be able to refer you to a good fitness program, or check with a YMCA’s Activate America Initiative. The Initiative is an 8-week long program designed to help inactive and newly active people develop a balanced exercise program.

What are the components of a balanced exercise program?

• Aerobic activities like walking and jogging get your heart pumping and burn calories.
• Strength training exercises build muscle mass and strengthen the skeleton. Remember, the more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn-even while resting.
• Stretching exercises keep your muscles lose and flexible. Exercise flexes and shortens muscles. Stretching helps to counterbalance these effects, minimizes soreness and stiffness, and preserves your range of motion.
• Stability exercises establish and maintain balance. Balance is important for everyone, but becomes even more critical as you age. Loss of balance is a key cause of injury. Your center of balance will change as you lose weight. Exercises like yoga, pilates, or balance ball routines help strength core muscles in your back and abdomen and develop good balance.

How do I get motivated to exercise-and stay motivated?

Many bariatric surgery patients say they have started and stopped more exercise programs than they can count during previous weight loss attempts and are worried about their ability to stay motivated to exercise this time. It’s important to recognize that the significant weight loss experienced after bariatric surgery will make it easier to move, which will help you stay committed to exercise.

If you are about to undergo bariatric surgery, you have chosen a dramatic approach to improve your weight and your health. To ensure your success, you need to commit to the entire process, which includes exercise and other lifestyle changes.

Motivation to Move Tips

Make exercise a positive experience. Choose one or more activities you really enjoy. Change it up if you get bored. Tired of a treadmill? Try an elliptical trainer and water aerobics. Participate in different outdoor activities at different times of year. You can bike or walk in fall, winter and spring, and swim in summer. If you live in or visit a snowy location, try snowshoeing or skating.

Make exercise a social affair. Researchers have found that many people who stick with an exercise program do so because it puts them in touch with other people. Join a group or find an exercise buddy.

Still feeling skeptical about your ability to get or stay motivated? Remember the Nike ad slogan: Just Do It! An advisor for Bariatric Support Centers International says the best way to overcome your resistance to physical activity is just to do any small activity. Even a small activity breaks the pattern of being a couch potato. Once you get started, you are more likely to stay active. You can use this trick to get you moving whenever you have fallen out of the exercise habit.

Whether you are preparing for weight loss surgery or have already undergone the procedure, there is no time like the present to commit to an active life! Get up from your chair and be active for the next few minutes. Repeat that activity throughout the day until you build a solid exercise program, and you will be on your way to better health!

The Benefits of Regular Exercise

• Improves weight control by burning calories
• Improves immunity
• Increases flexibility, strength and balance, which reduces stiffness, joint pain, and risk of injury
• Decreases symptoms of stress and depression
• Promotes brain function
• Improves heart health risk factors like blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood cholesterol levels
• Reduces risk of breast and colon cancer
• Reduces risk of diabetes or metabolic syndrome