To start your weight loss surgery journey, attend a free surgery information class.
Regular exercise and physical activity are important after weight loss surgery. Research has shown that regular exercise is one of the best ways to maintain your weight loss long term. Regular exercise:
You will start your exercise program after surgery in the hospital. Your health care team will help you walk several times a day. This will be the start of your exercise program.
Start your exercise routine slowly. Do small bouts of exercise two to three times a day. After a couple of weeks, increase your exercise as you can. Try for 30 to 45 minutes of activity every day.
If walking is difficult, try an exercise video that matches your fitness level or join a health club and use an aerobic fitness machine.
When you no longer have lifting restrictions, you can start strength (resistance) training. With rapid weight loss you are losing muscle weight as well as fat. To maintain muscle, you will need to do strength training. It:
Strength training uses free weights (dumbbells), resistance bands and weight machines. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that people do strength training twice a week. Do not target the same muscle group two days in a row. Muscles need to rest 48 hours.
Before you start strength training, make sure you are doing the exercises correctly. Talk with a certified trainer who has experience with weight loss surgery training.
Following these tips will help you make exercise a daily part of your new lifestyle.