Introduction
In any weight loss surgery program, the patient has to follow a workout and diet plan after surgery for various reasons. It’s not only important for the general benefits that come with physical activity, like strengthening muscles and bones and improving skin elasticity, it also plays an essential role in preventing post-surgery weight regain. It is proven that many bariatric patients gain their weight back within two years when they don’t follow the diet and exercise plan created for them.
Exercise pre-surgery
But it’s not enough to exercise after bariatric surgery. You will have a more successful surgery if you start exercising before the procedure. Most weight loss surgery programs include a plan of at least two months before the surgery with diet and exercise guidelines. This triggers the patient’s weight loss so that it’s easier for the surgeon to operate but also to make it a smoother transition for the patient into their new healthier lifestyle. Furthermore, following a workout plan pre-surgery will speed up recovery time and make it easier to go back to your daily life.
What kind of exercise should I practice?
The type and intensity of exercise post-surgery depends on several factors, such as the type of weight loss procedure you had, its impact on your body, your fitness level before the surgery, and more. Ultimately, you should always listen to what your doctor -and your body- tell you to know when something doesn’t feel good.
Initially, after surgery, you won’t feel ready to do more than 5 to 10 minutes of light exercise, which is completely normal, so it’s important to be consistent even if it feels like you’re not doing much. You should start with very low-impact exercises and increase the intensity and length of your workouts with time. Below, we have a general timeline to guide you.
First month after surgery
The first month after weight loss surgery is going to be pretty slow when it comes to exercise, so you shouldn’t do anything else other than walk. Try to walk for 10 minutes each day, and eventually, if you can, walk 10 minutes multiple times a day. This is the easiest activity you can do and you don’t need any equipment.
Remember that at this point in your journey, your incisions are too delicate, so even though it’s quite difficult to reopen the wounds, they’re still in the healing stage, so don’t do anything that could damage your cuts, such as abdominal exercises or other efforts.
Second month after surgery
During the second month, you won’t be ready to run but you can start walking faster and longer distances.
Also, you can start doing low-impact exercises like water aerobics and swimming once your wounds are completely healed. It will help you increase your heart rate, burn calories, and improve your cardiovascular health as well as strengthen your muscles.
Other low-intensity exercises you can integrate are yoga and pilates. Both practices will help you improve flexibility and you can focus on specific parts of your body to avoid the abdominal region if it’s still sore.
Third month after weight loss surgery
After three months of weight loss surgery, the amount of sport you practice will depend a lot on how much you feel you can take on. If you feel capable and strong enough to do so, you can start jogging, exercising for a longer time, and even lifting weights. You can also introduce cycling, which will help your cardiovascular health.
Months 4 to 6 after surgery
By months 4 to 6, you should feel comfortable enough to workout for up to 30 minutes a day multiple times a week. Your wounds would be healed and you’d feel good enough to practice almost any sport or workout, so you should add exercises that you feel comfortable with and adjust the intensity and length according to how you feel and what your doctor recommends.
Months 6 to 12 after surgery
At this point, you should aim to do 45-minute workouts from 3 to 5 times per week and focus on resistance training and muscle increase to improve your recovery and continue losing weight.
After one year of your surgery, there shouldn’t be any issues with any type of exercise, but obviously, everybody’s surgery is different. Make sure you listen to your doctor and your body to stop if anything doesn’t feel right.
General Tips
- Avoid exercises that depend on balance during the first 6 months. After weight loss surgery, the amount of weight loss you endure can change your body’s center of balance, so it’s not recommended to practice exercises such as lunges or squats.
- If you don’t feel comfortable undergoing surgery or it poses a risk in your particular case, you might consider a non-surgical gastric balloon, which has higher patient tolerance rates. The balloon is inserted endoscopically and it’s removed after several months. Find a gastric balloon clinic near you to learn more information about this option.
- Try to be realistic about the changes that will happen to your body once the surgery is over, weight-wise and strength-wise. Set achievable goals to avoid getting frustrated if you don’t lose the amount of weight you expect or recover as quickly as you would like.
- Make it as easy as possible. Practice activities that you enjoy, choose the times that work best for you, find a friend to join you to motivate each other, or combine things you love with exercise, like listening to your favorite podcast while jogging.
- The most important tip is to start slow. Increase the time and intensity of your workouts according to what your body tells you, something too intense can cause more harm than good.
Conclusion
The most significant factor in weight loss post-surgery is the support provided by your bariatric doctors after surgery. A great exercise plan will help you recover quicker and keep losing excess weight consistently for as long as you need it.
