Exercising After Weight Loss Surgery

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Moderate exercise is considered by many to be the first step in a long-term health plan after a patient undergoes weight loss surgery. In fact, some would say that a solid exercise plan is almost as important to a patient’s continued health and weight loss journey as a healthy diet is.

Exercise is an Important Part of Your Weight Loss Journey
When you develop and maintain a healthy exercise program you are creating a new habit that will help transform the rest of your life. Regular exercise benefits your heart and bone health, helps you to burn calories, develops muscles, increases your metabolic rate and can help to improve your overall mood and relieve stress.

For many, walking is a great place to begin their exercise routine with after undergoing weight loss surgery. You can start walking almost immediately after weight loss surgery. A smart approach might be to Begin with short, 5-10 minute per day walks at a brisk pace and build from there. Increase your walk by one minute every other day, working up to a minimum of 150 minutes total each week —or 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week.

Keep the Weight Off with Regular Exercise
Remember that exercise should be increasing your heart rate, so a day out in the garden may not necessarily qualify. Once you have the hang of a regular exercise routine post weight loss surgery, your doctor may recommend adding in some strength training to help build muscle mass. Joining a gym or exercise club is a great way to slowly introduce strength training. Remember that it is best to start out slowly and build up your stamina over time.

Sticking to an exercise program after weight loss surgery will not only help you to continue to lose weight but it will also help to build your confidence. Just remember that exercise can come in many different forms. From enjoying a night out dancing to taking the dog for a walk, getting regular exercise after weight loss surgery can be easy and fun.

Please be sure to consult your family physician or one here at PSI to ensure you’re ready to begin exercise following any type of weight loss surgery, including gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, sleeve gastrectomy or similar procedures. Also, if you plan to follow up weight loss surgery with aesthetic procedures like a neck lift, breast lift or tummy tuck, be sure to let your physician know, as it will affect the advice

Citations & References:

U.S. National Library of Medicine & Medline Plus
Life After Weight-Loss Surgery: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientinstructions/000350.htm

US National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health: Bariatric Surgery: Risks and Rewards: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2729256/

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Life After Bariatric Surgery: https://asmbs.org/patients/life-after-bariatric-surgery

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric Surgery Misconceptions: https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgery-misconceptions

DrFeiz.com
Risks of Surgery: https://www.drfeiz.com/risks-of-surgery.html