1 week post op, how much exercise should I be doing?

[smoggie 11]

Hi I'm a week post bypass and am wondering if I'm doing enough exercise, I'm pottering around the house and taking the dog on short 15 min walks 3 times a day, should I be doing more? Is it safe?

[anaxila 501]

You should be doing as much as you can tolerate, unless your surgeon has given you additional cautions. Walking the dog is a great activity for it, though only if you've got a pooch that walks well and doesn't pull the leash. You shouldn't be using your core muscles at all - just keeping your body moving. You should have been given some sort of weight restriction (10 pounds?) by your doc, and that goes for pushing and pulling as well as lifting.

My surgeon & team harp on 64/60/60: 64 ounces of Water, 60g of Protein, and 60 minutes of exercise every day, no exceptions, starting on day 1. For the first few days, I set my phone alarm for 5 minutes and walked the hallway in my house. That was about all I could tolerate, and I could only do it a few times a day. Yesterday (day 8), I was able to do a full hour of walking/biking/elliptical at the gym. The day before (day 7) I could barely manage 30 minutes and that made me sick. It comes and goes, and you should do what feels achievable each day.

Hope this helps.

[Pepper123 320]

My doc wanted me just to walk until my two weeks check up then i started the gym...

[aelovelady 243]

I think I was walking a half mile once per day, slowly at one week. I concur with the above comments, go until you feel tired. Good luck!

[Susan33 18]

Walking has always been the safest easiest workout for me

[Inizio 32]

At my 1 week appt last week, I was cleared to do the treadmill, elliptical, and bike (not recumbent). My practice wants 30 mins 5x a week for now. No weights.

[wildGoose 207]

I'm 12 weeks out from RNY. For weeks, I've been doing 15 minute walks 3x a week. This was mostly because I had huge pains in my knees. Now I'm about to hit the gym and pump up the tires on my bike. You will know when it is time.