Exercise Regimen

[MrsBurgos 1]

Hi everyone! so I had my 1st post op appt on weds and was cleared to do excercise... I am moving to the mushy stage on saturday.

So for those of you who are fairly recently post op and have been cleared for excercise - what are you doing? what do you plan on doing????

I want to start it out right!!! any tips/ideas would be helpful!

Thanks!:Banane43:

[TKW 501]

I'm further out than that... but I didn't start exercising until 3 months out. (aside from an occassional walk) If I could do it again I'd start way earlier. It makes so much difference in your weight loss. I now go to the gym for and hour and 15 minutes 7 days a week! Much luck to you on your lap band journey!

[AngelaL 0]

Hi - my band was placed on 1/5/2011, and today was the 1st day that I exercised since surgery. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical with a 5 minute cool down and felt totally fine. I Basically I was told that I should try to avoid doing anything that requires a lot of pushing or pulling, but that is all. I am glad I started now - I feel like I have more energy since this morning! Good luck!

[Huggles1951 1]

I was banded on Jan.10th and had my post-op appt.yesterday. I joined the Y in August and have been doing Water aerobics and aqua jog 5 days a week since. Went up to the Fri before surgery. My Dr. told me yesterday I could start up again...YIPEE!!!!. So guess where I was today? In the pool doing aqua jog. Water exercise doesn't stress your joints like land based ones do and I can do a lot more in the water than I'd be able to otherwise. I too am starting the mushy diet now. Did a couple of forkfuls of tuna salad Tues. .... not a good choice..lol. I now know what stuck feels like. Good thing that wasn't a favorite food because I won't be revisiting it anytime soon. Making chili today I figure if it doesn't work too well I can freeze it and try another day. Hope your recovery is easy. Good luck.

[honk 780]

I swam every day prior to surgery and was allowed to get back in the Water at 2 weeks. I highly recommend swimming because it is easy on your joints. I use a water proof MP3 player (check them out on Amazon). If for some reason the pool is closed (high school swim team); I use the elliptical.

[Melissannde 41]

I was terribly out of shape when I was banded. All I did for exercise after I felt good enough to do something ( I was a slow recoverer ) was walk. My schnauzer and I walked every day.. and each day I'd go just a few steps further. I eventually got to where we were walking a mile or two every day. Did that for 7 months (and lost 100lbs ) until the rains drove me to the gym b/c my dog hates walking in the rain.

You don't have to do traditional exercise either.. it can be ballroom dancing, square dancing, bike riding, hanging clothes on the line, cleaning house.. as long as you're moving MORE than you used to move.. it counts. I even sometimes unload the silverware from the dishwasher one fork at a time, so I get extra walking in.

[JAMILLAH E 0]

I love, love,love the Michael Jackson experience game...talk about a workout!

[HeatherinCA 10]

I just took little walks, or just did my errands, nothing big. Then I was cleared for regular exercise after a month.

[Kanary 0]

I was banded on 12/29/10. At 2 weeks post op I started walking 2 miles a day on the treadmill, however i was getting pain at the port site becuase my belly was moving around so much when walking, it was tugging at the internal stiches i think! ha ha. I cant walk slower than a 3 on the treadmill so I started wrapping my belly with an ace bandage to hold it tight. I havent had to do that this week and on Monday even started Zumba! My plan is Zumba Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Treadmill with low weight arm excercizes for the other days. (need to lose that under arm FLAB. I bought a 5 lb weight ball that I toss around with my boys (ages 12 and 14) or even with my husband. Its fun and I am working out too!

The hardest part for me now is i can eat almost much as I want. I dont get my first fill until 2/10. Sucks because i get home from the gym and want to pig out. eeeekkk!

[Jess55 97]

I love, love,love the Michael Jackson experience game...talk about a workout!

You can be my friend...LOL. I am a huge MJ fan, and I LOVE the game, it is a great workout. I have not played in like a week though Gotta get back into it.

As for the OP. The MJ game for my Wii was my first post op workout, started like 5 days post op, not that long though. I then started back at the gym at about 10 days post op, I started with the elliptical (had been going 40 min on it 3-4 times a week pre op), the first day, I only did like 15 minutes, the next I got to 25. Then the next time I went got up to 30. About 4 weeks post op, I added back in the weight machines. I still haven't gone 40 min on the elliptical, usually only 30 -35, but I had a great work out the last 2 days, between the elliptical and the weights. My goal for this week is 5 times at the gym and maybe my Wii the other 2 days. I work evenings 3 days a week, so I do the gym those days and my 2 days off. The thing is when I work mornings (8am - 6pm) usually when I get home I am to tired to do much, so it's either my Wii, a little dancing around the apartment, or nothing. I really don't like to walk, but I really should because I have 2 dogs, but they don't walk well. They stop to pee everywhere and my one is old and going blind so it is hard to walk her

[MrsBurgos 1]

Wow such great responses!!! Thanks!

I am waiting for my 1st fill!!! so nervous and anxious... I am getting hungrier everyday and able to tolerate more and more foods!

I think I am going to start monday and just do the treadmill and see how it goes... I will check back in with you all about this then!

[ChopswyfT 1]

I went back to my Zumba classes 1 week post - op ( and felt fine). I am NOT recommending you do this. I REALLY took it easy and modified quite a bit. I chose the class with the more easy going instructor and felt fine. No jumping, no kicking and no punching or swinging my arms too much.

At my 1st post -op visit , I endulged and told my surgeon what I had been doing. I kind of looked at me side ways and said,

" I rather you just work out on the eliptical machine." I still have't found my way onto that machine, just did Zumba yesterday.

[Swan56 6]

My surgeon told me the day of surgery that after surgery I could do anything as long as it didn't hurt. He is excellent and knows what he is doing. He has been doing general surgery forever but strictly weight loss surgery for 15 years - with lapband for about 7-8. I began walking on the treadmill exactly a week after surgery. I was in pretty good shape before surgery (healthy fat girl) but I was still pretty tired from surgery so I walked slower at less of an incline. I walk daily now and have been known to walk 2.5 miles or more on some days. I also do the elliptical (1.5 weeks post op) and Zumba (3 weeks post op). I began doing light weights on week 2 and now pretty much do what I want with weights - a month post op today. My mom (a nurse) was a little worried about the weights so I didn't do too much at first. Basically the weight training is to help with definition and skin. Everything I have been able to find says that lean muscle is what helps to tighten skin back up. So basically the goal is as little of that excess as possible.. lol. I wish you luck on your journey! Asking for advice here is great but always consult your surgeon as well.