Weight loss surgery is one of the first steps to reclaiming your health and confidence after obesity. However, in order to truly reap the benefits in your body and mind, exercise is essential. If you have not exercised a great deal before, or are afraid to start after having undergone such a life-altering surgery, consider the following steps to help you take this essential step.Jump Right In
You are perfectly fine to start an exercise program after surgery. We have all of our patients walk 10 minutes every hour while in the hospital after surgery. Within a few days you can get back to low impact exercise such as walking, biking, and arm bike. If you were not physically active before surgery, consider starting out with a daily walk of 10-15 minutes, gradually building up to 30 minutes at least 4 times a week. Getting moderately active can help your body heal by improving circulation and increasing endorphins, which cause you to feel happier and healthier.
Find Something You Love
Exercise can be a welcome activity when you enjoy what you’re doing. A whole hour can go by in a flash when you are kayaking a stunning river or rock climbing at your local gym. If you have never entertained fat-burning fitness goals before now, pick something you think you would enjoy and build up to doing it with small steps, each day. Walking is an excellent start to any fitness program.
Another idea is asking your friends for their support can be a great way to stay committed to moving each day. Exercising with a buddy is one of the best ways to keep motivated and spend time with the people you care about.
Challenge Yourself
Achieving what you thought was impossible can be one of the most satisfying experiences there is. When you approach new levels of fat burning activity with the goal of slimming down healthfully, you are free to experiment and play. You can focus on challenging yourself in a variety of ways, including:
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Pick a set number of reps for each exercise.
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Choose one activity and perform it for as long as you can. This activity may begin as walking and work up to swimming laps or jumping rope. Perform until exhausted, building up to longer periods of time. Start small on this but always know you are stronger than your mind likes to let on!
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Choose an activity and gradually increase the difficulty each time performed. This can be done by adding heavier weights if lifting or increasing the incline on the stairmaster. Any change that makes the activity more difficult will burn more calories.
After each activity, observe how your body feels, and how much weight you lose that week or couple of weeks as a result of the new exercise.