Is Sleeve Success Possible Without Exercise?

[DanaInNewOrleans 513]

Hi,

I see most people here exercise quite a bit and naturally believe it to be a key to being successful. Is there anyone out there who was successful with only limited exercise? When the weather gets cool/cold I can walk, which I plan to do.

I am limited on my exercise options because of the following: (yes, I'm a train wreck!)

ACL Tear and Meniscus Tear - Left Knee ( my fat a$$ was playing tennis, which I am now forbidden to do by my ortho)

Multiple Sclerosis - I have to avoid getting overheated ( among other reasons) or my symptoms relapse.

Lupus - I have to avoid exposure to sunlight

I would love to lose enough weight to be able to be more active -- bike riding, hiking....etc (in cold weather)

My surgeon and nutritionist are aware of my limitations but did not seem to believe it would affect my ability to lose weight...or maybe they were just being kind and they know I will only have limited success. But a small weight loss is better than no weight loss/gain right?

[ozeedonkee 145]

On my visit to surgeon I was chatting to a lady in a wheel chair. She told me the sleeve was absolutely the best thing she ever did. I didn't get the chance to talk in depth with her - but it must be possible! She looked really great.

Can you do any light weights/resistance? Get In the pool?

[prettysleeved1 173]

To answer your question, yes. There's a lady on YT that is at goal and in maintenance for almost 2 years that admits to not exercising. It's known physiologically that 75-80% of your weight is based on diet anyway. Hence the people on TLC who are 800lbs, can't move, and manage to lose 60 pounds in a month just from being on a 1200 calorie hospital diet.

I had the ACL and Meniscus tear, and Femur break all in one event and I had surgery in 2003 and have resumed full activity. The surgeon described my knee as "debris" before the surgery. I was able to return to full activity after 8 weeks of rehab. Unless you have something else going on with your knee, I don't see why an ACL/Meniscus problem would disqualify you from activity.

The other stuff, I have no experience with.

[DanaInNewOrleans 513]

To answer your question, yes. There's a lady on YT that is at goal and in maintenance for almost 2 years that admits to not exercising. It's known physiologically that 75-80% of your weight is based on diet anyway. Hence the people on TLC who are 800lbs, can't move, and manage to lose 60 pounds in a month just from being on a 1200 calorie hospital diet.

I had the ACL and Meniscus tear, and Femur break all in one event and I had surgery in 2003 and have resumed full activity. The surgeon described my knee as "debris" before the surgery. I was able to return to full activity after 8 weeks of rehab. Unless you have something else going on with your knee, I don't see why an ACL/Meniscus problem would disqualify you from activity.

The other stuff, I have no experience with.

Basically my knee is a "complete mess" per my ortho. I will need a knee replacement but I want to lose weight before the surgery so that I will have an easier recovery and rehab.

[tjmom 200]

Due to all my "train wreck" issues , i started my process in a wheelchair, (motorized chair in house) for the past 4-5 years.

I have had 2 back surgeries and am still in constant pain. I also have arthritis and doctors want to replace 1 hip and both knees. (already had joints in hand fused to try and stop the joint pain). I have asthma, diabetes and depression... so my weight is a contributing factor.

I had the sleeve done on May 2, 2012... my diabetes is now controlled by diet only (i was taking 3 medicines daily).. I no longer use motorized chair in house and with the help of a walker, i am able to weed the flowerbeds for the first time in 15-20 years...

do i exercise? not in the way most people do...but i am able to walk...cook meals...do laundry... All these things bring my heart rate up and make me sweat! So for me, they ARE exercise...

I have gone from 294 to 244 (-50 lbs) and a total of -50 inches... Went from pant size 28 to 16 (stretch jeans) 18 (non-stretch) from top size 4-5x to 1x...

so yes, you can lose weight without exercising... good luck

[prettysleeved1 173]

Basically my knee is a "complete mess" per my ortho. I will need a knee replacement but I want to lose weight before the surgery so that I will have an easier recovery and rehab.

That's too bad that they want to replace it. Are they saying that's the only way?

[Capt Derel 287]

The answer is YES, YES, YES you can lose without exercise. All exercising does is HELP you lose faster and helps fill in the loose skin with added muscle in the long run. Nothing a full tuck cant handle for you. But heres the catch. You must always be aware of what you are eating. You have to keep your diet on point and learn what foods work well with your bodies metabolism.

I am from the Lafayette area myself and I know how we love rice and pastas down here. Thats gone out of my life by choice. I have made some major sacrifices because I am almost in the same boat as you. I am stuck on a boat 80% of the time having to stand Radio watch or driving so my exercising is limited big time especially if were offshore.

So my reply is Yes please dont let your physical situation hinder the best possible thing that you can do for yourself.

From the Heartless Capt

[DanaInNewOrleans 513]

The answer is YES, YES, YES you can lose without exercise. All exercising does is HELP you lose faster and helps fill in the loose skin with added muscle in the long run. Nothing a full tuck cant handle for you. But heres the catch. You must always be aware of what you are eating. You have to keep your diet on point and learn what foods work well with your bodies metabolism.

I am from the Lafayette area myself and I know how we love rice and pastas down here. Thats gone out of my life by choice. I have made some major sacrifices because I am almost in the same boat as you. I am stuck on a boat 80% of the time having to stand Radio watch or driving so my exercising is limited big time especially if were offshore.

So my reply is Yes please dont let your physical situation hinder the best possible thing that you can do for yourself.

From the Heartless Capt

Thank you Derel!!!

[Lissa 2,631]

Dana, Yes, you can lose a significant amount of weight without exercise. But, you should definitely work closely with your nut and doctor(s) to keep your Protein levels high. Rapid weight loss also means muscle loss without exercise and Protein to help protect your muscle, especially your heart, which is a muscle.

You may find that exercise becomes much easier once the weight starts coming off your body. I'm the poster child for no exercise pre-op. I could barely walk. Although my situation didn't involve a wheelchair, I was very close to it. I couldn't walk through Walmart without needing to stop and rest every couple of aisles. I have/had bad knees and was probably a higher BMI than even the charts show because I had little or no muscle. I started out walking up and down the hallway, and progressed from there. I also started out doing 10 reps of 2 pound weights for my arms once a day. Now, I'm basically a gym rat.

I don't think everyone can or should become a gym rat, but even a little exercise makes a huge difference for us. Someone here posted a link to a You Tube video that shows what the benefits of 30 minutes daily of regular mild exercise (walking, bike ride) can be for a sedentary person. It was amazing to hear what the health benefits can be for so little activity! Even better is that there are some new studies that say that breaking up that 30 minutes into 10 minute increments has as much, possibly more, benefit as doing it all in one chunk. So, if you could fit three 10 minute sessions of some activity into your day, you could get the benefits without a formal, rigorous program.

You've got nothing to lose by fitting in some activities that work for you, except weight. TJMom, above, is the perfect example of working slowly towards a goal. She's not doing a formal program, but she's getting phenomenal results from doing what she can do with regard to exercise.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Take up swimming, or even Water aerobics.

[jusstice 103]

I have bad knees and fibomyalgia which limited the type/amount of exercise I could do. The pool is the best place for me. I did Water aerobics and it didn't hurt the knees at all. Also (bonus) the Water weight workouts are awesome for the arms. Even when I couldn't do a class, I would get in the pool and walk around, do weights on my own, or do "laps" with the paddlebaord.

Can't wait to go back to the pool.

[Cookeeeeez 269]

Yes I was going to suggest a therapy pool, but just be careful there is a lot of exercise involved in getting in there and showering after etc, I know because I've had to take my mum there, carry her bag, support her while she showers, wait in line to pay etc...

She also has lupus which causes raynauds so she has trouble doing things with her hands such as weights or using her walker, so this also limits her exercise. But her weight does fluctuate significantly depending on diet, so I think you can get to a healthy comfortable weight without it, but obviously you would be happier (endorphines and all that) if you could find some daily activity that suits your fitness level happy travels

[sassypants 674]

I do very little one of the reasons they agreed to me having the sleeve and not the bypass (which I didn’t want) was because of my back and knee issues, my doctor said its better to have the sleeve if you have mobility problems its not such a drastic op as in after the bypass has a lot more going on with the intestines move so sleeve is better if you can’t be hitting the gym.

My first instructions were just to walk around my house as much as I could without hurting myself.

Then after 8 weeks I was cleared to go swimming once a week, which I do and I have just been re refereed to physiotherapy again to work on my back, right leg and knee the left knee is fine now so that helps lol

I am allowed to lift my 2.5kg hand weights which I do every day for my arms as long as I don’t strain myself or over do it, I do 50 arm curls that’s it I am not allowed to do anything else.

I seem to be doing fine not stalled once (well I don’t weigh myself anyway to know if I did for a week or whatever lol ) always lost weight when the hospital or gps weigh me once a month, 106lbs down at my last weigh in.

I did look up chair exercises but I aint allowed to do things yet till physio says coz my right leg keeps locking and I can hardly move it so I have to wait but you could google see if there is any that works for you.

[Supersweetums 1,164]

My mom has MS, so I can partially understand your situation with that. She also cannot be in the heat and gets tired very easily.

I have never exercised regularly since I have been sleeved. I am active with my 2 young children, housework, and yard work, but I have never went to the gym and I have never made a point of doing regular aerobic exercise. It may have taken me a little longer to reach my goal (18 months), but I reached it, and dropped below it. I have been very careful with what I eat and have made significant changes to my eating habits.

So to answer your question, yes, it can be done without exercise. If you can be active in some way, I encourage you to do that as it does help you feel better not just physically, but emotionally as well. Best of luck with your surgery!

[Finding MeMe 204]

Yes you can lose and maintain without exercise but you will have to restrict your calories and monitor your daily caloric intake. When we exercise it burns the calories that we eat so with our wt. loss surgery, we are losing wt. rapidly in the begining because we are not consuming the calories we need to. Our bodies are surviving on the huge fat levels we have on them now. After awhile when we start eating more calories, for most people it is 9 months, this is when it gets more difficult to lose wt. and we have to fight to lose one lb. We then have to increase our exercise or not eat as much calories to keep losing. Exercises helps so much to maintain our wt. and fat loss because what you eat today will get burned off tomorrow when you exercise. In your case you will have to continue eating lower calorie foods in order not to gain wt if you don't exercise. In addition, exercise can be adjusted because of your bad knees. Try exercising with your body wts. and maybe using a chair to modify your exercise you can work up a sweat or not so sweat by doing dips, shoulder raises, push up's on your knees in the house. Maybe a circuit training routine of your fav exercises or chair aerobics. Exercise is not needed to lose the wt. but think about what it is doing for your heart, lungs and brains, we should all exercise not just to lose wt. but our bodies love to move and exercise. Good luck to you.