Exericise Or No Exercise

[yecats 109]

Just wondering, how many of you did no exercise pre surgery and now exercise? How many did none and still don't? How many hated excericising and now enjoy it, ect?

I am really hoping the reason I do not like it (pre op) is because I am so large it is so painful.

A comment will be much appreciated.

[aroundhky 1,174]

I did a good bit of exercise before the sleeve, mostly lifting weights. I started back with light cardio and weightlifting about 3 weeks after surgery. I do both now as opposed to before surgery whereI did very little if any cardio. A typical week now has me lifting only 2 days a week and doing cardio at least 3 times a week. I'm similar in that I probably didn't like doing cardio before because I did not like it and I would be out of breath as soon as I started. Also, doing exercise helps release those endorphins which makes us feel good, so that's an added bonus. Good luck!

[gracemarie 6]

I have always disliked it and I tried many things. Most of what I bought became quilt holders, (Bikes, tampolines,etc.) I am a little over 2 mos. out, have lost 40 lbs. and lose now about 3-4 lbs a week and no exercise. Would I like to yes, will I, probably not.

[MegInNOLA 531]

I was an athlete as a younger woman, but for the last 25 years or so, I really hated exercise and avoided it whenever possible (go figure). I still hate it and don't do it. I have lost a lot, but I know I would feel so much better and more energetic if I would exercise!! That's my one resolution for this year--to get my butt off this couch and get moving more. I have a "no elevators" clause (except for 6 or more floors up only) and a "park as far away as possible" clause to help me get things moving in the right direction, even if I don't do anything else special to "exercise."

[andersonlj 32]

Before my surgery when I had reached my highest weight I stopped going to the gym not so much because I hated to exercise but because I thought that everyone was looking at me and thinking..."God he is so fat". I have started back since my surgery but I am only walking on the treadmill as I do not want to take any chances on opening up any of the staples and ending up back in the hospital. I will be able to do some situps, weights etc as I get farther out from my surgery. It helps if you have a friend that you can go to the gym with at the same time even if you do not workout together. It gets you there and that will help you lose weight faster, prevent you from losing muscle, improve your attitude and help you become more outgoing if you have been staying at home more and more because of your weight. I feel much better after I have gone to the gym and walked on the treadmill, done some stretching and listened to some music while working out. You can lose weight without exercise but the excerise will do so much for you in the long run.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Well, I have done some sort of activity pretty much all my life. not always intense, but always ***something***

In 2004, i did the Susan B Kommen 3Day walk - 60 miles over 3 days, man that was intense! I weighed about 250 then, fitter then recent years, but still packing alot of pounds around. I have always believed that even fat people feel better and benefit from activity.

I have only lost 30 some pounds and even though i am tired, I am already finding my hilly terrain walks sooo much easier. Just getting rid of some weight just makes it alot more enjoyable.

I think for people who don't like "exercise" finding an "activity" you do enjoy is really beneficial. Walking the dog, raking the leaves, gardening, ballroom dancing, walking along a beautiful beach or whatever rings your bell - that all counts! Sure, being a gym rat is great, but it isn't for everybody.

[luv-a-bull 7]

I had my surgery on December 13th and have lost 35 pounds total (including preop diet). I too hated exercise but I know how beneficial it is so I just started at the gym yesterday. I must say I thought I had no energy to stay awake all day let alone exercise but it is really making me feel better. I have just been power walking for now....don't want to overdo it....but I feel better already! Every pound that I lose makes it easier and more enjoyable to work out.

I also thought everyone was going to be looking a my fat behind jiggling on the treadmill but who cares...the more it juggles now the less it will later

[coops 1,790]

This is a great question yecats.

I have always enjoyed 'sport'; in school it was hockey, late teens early twenties it was swimming, squash, aerobis, step class etc... And I loved every second of it and trained from 5-7 times a week!

As I started to gain weight it became harder... I couldn't work to where I thought I should and then my body hurt. When I was at my highest weight, even a little walk would make me sweat and feel uncomfortable. I would feel embarrassed and ashamed and deep down repulsed by myself, considering how fit I used to be.

One of the reasons I had the sleeve was to get back to my old fit self. I wanted to lose enough weight where my body would actually cooperate. I started slow, worked my way up trying different thing until I found something that I knew I would do and enjoy. I now go to a boxing gym twice a week and can jog on the treadmill for 50mins. I am very near my personal fitness goal, just gotta keep working on my confidence now as I would love to do the 5k Race for Life. I have some great muscle definition now and am started to feel strong again ...

I think if you are interested in getting some exercise, which I think you are as otherwise you wouldn't have posted this? Then try lots of different fun things until you find somethig that you know you will do regularly!

Good luck and let us know what you try out =]

[5DogMa 62]

Muscle burns fat so you bet I'm exercising!

My cousin lost a lot of weight like 150 lbs and didn't exercise. She looks like she melted. She has a hood of skin hanging over her knees from her thighs shrinking, but not much thigh muscle there. Same at her elbows. Looks weird. She hates exercise and refuses do do anything.Yikes!

I'm doing the Les MillsBody Pump classes 3 times a week!!! It's so much fun!

[RickM 1,747]

My wife before her WLS was never an exerciser, and couldn't get along with it pre-op or post-op. She was one of the "lucky" ones who lost all her excess weight despite the minimal exercise (having a DS helped, too) but now is paying the price with overall poor functional strength.

When we first decided that we had to do something about our mutual weight problem, we joined the Y as part of the typical insurance company 6 month roadblock to surgery, and I found that I liked it, - liked getting back into the swimming and like the strength training bits, too - something that I had never done before. Between that and evolving dietary preferences, I lost a good part of my problem and maintained much of that loss, but not enough to be healthy and normalish weight, so I finally went with the VSG to finish the job. My improved strength and overall health certainly made the surgery and recovery easier. Seeing some positive results certainly helps it go down!

As a side note, one of the long term post-ops in my doc's practice is a retired football player - typical retired athete syndrom of continuing to eat like they were still playing full time - who had ballooned up over 500lb. He absolutely hated to work out, but when he was playing professionally, it was part of the job but he swore that he would never do it again when he retired, Of course, he realized that he was wrong and that the workouts needed to be as much a part of his life now as it was when he was playing. He may have gone a bit overboard, getting to a 4%BF level (talk about obsessive-compulsive!) but he realized that that was what it would take for him to make it (he did let up after a while and let himself degrade to a 6%BF level.)

[ILKrista 36]

I started exercising a few years before I had the surgery... this was my last big attempt to lose all the weight without surgery. I went to the gym 3 times a week doing zumba & walking. I imagine most people thought I was on the verge of a heart attack because I would be red, dripping with sweat & ready for collapse... People have no idea how difficult it is to exercise with an extra 150 pounds on your back.

After surgery, I waited 2 months before heading back to the gym. I started doing a couch potato to 5K program. I did it more slowly than the program recommended because I really didn't feel like I was going to be doing my knees and ankles much good running on them when I was so heavy. However, I always do intervals. I would walk slow for a few minutes, then walk fast for a few minutes. I increased the amount of time of fast walking until I was eventually doing the whole time at a fast walk. Then I started adding in a slow jog for a few minutes at a time, etc.

I think the exercise has been the biggest factor in my weight loss. For one thing, if I've just forced myself to work out, I tend to follow my eating plan better because I know how much effort I just put in & don't want to undo all that work. I also think it has increased my muscle mass & bumped up my metabolism a lot.

[yecats 109]

I started exercising a few years before I had the surgery... this was my last big attempt to lose all the weight without surgery. I went to the gym 3 times a week doing zumba & walking. I imagine most people thought I was on the verge of a heart attack because I would be red, dripping with sweat & ready for collapse... People have no idea how difficult it is to exercise with an extra 150 pounds on your back. After surgery, I waited 2 months before heading back to the gym. I started doing a couch potato to 5K program. I did it more slowly than the program recommended because I really didn't feel like I was going to be doing my knees and ankles much good running on them when I was so heavy. However, I always do intervals. I would walk slow for a few minutes, then walk fast for a few minutes. I increased the amount of time of fast walking until I was eventually doing the whole time at a fast walk. Then I started adding in a slow jog for a few minutes at a time, etc. I think the exercise has been the biggest factor in my weight loss. For one thing, if I've just forced myself to work out, I tend to follow my eating plan better because I know how much effort I just put in & don't want to undo all that work. I also think it has increased my muscle mass & bumped up my metabolism a lot.

What a wonderful job you are doing. Very inspiring!!!1

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I started working on my physical fitness and balance about a year and a half before my surgery. Like yecats, it was a last ditch effort to lose the weight once and for all... My knees did not like it, or my feet and ankles.... I could just tell I was going to end up in a wheelchair if didn't claim back my health. After staying the same weight, then starting to gain with new meds, I started looking into WLS. I had been taking dance classes twice a week, and lead a 45 minute walk twice a week with adults with developmental disabilities. I still do this and add in other stuff now and then, gardening, walking the dog and hiking now and then. I picked dance class because I wanted to improve my balance and grace...I also love having a nice group of friends I have made during dance class.

We go out and attend festivals, performances and dance faires. When I started, I felt like I was clunking around and it was hard... but I made a plan to practice for at least 5 years and have at least one public performance. Taking the long view has helped me to stick with it and look for results that only can be seen over the long run. Find something you can get into, that you enjoy the view, or like the competition, or like the isolation... whatever you like. There are lots of ways to get more active.

[Escape_Pod 358]

I think there's a very good chance you'll find something to do for exercise you can enjoy once the pounds begin to drop off. I think one key is to not try to do so much so early that you dread it. Start out slow. But getting some exercise is so important to maintaining muscle mass as you essentially starve your body, so you don't slow down your metabolism! Besides, as the weight starts to come off, you'll have so darned much more energy, you'll want to do something with it!

[101driver 46]

I'm pre-op and have started exercising. Though it's hard to heft around these extra pounds, I still enjoy it. What works best for me is exercising in the Water. Nothing hurts too badly and I have a great time bouncing around. I've found water aerobics and other water fitness classes to be the best. I'm hoping that pre-weight loss toning will help as I loose the pounds. I know I certainly feel stronger in terms of breathing and overall health going in to surgery. I'm really excited to gain stamina, agility, and strength as I loose the weight because -- shockingly -- I'm enjoying the gym!