Gym or no gym, that is the question

[hmills653 365]

My surgeon told me at my 6 week follow up that he wanted me to go to the gym for one hour a day five days a week and add strength training. No matter what I'm doing the nurse always tells me that's not enough. Who knows. I work 12 hr shifts with 40 min drive and I'm not in my 20's anymore so I will only go to the gym on my days off so 4 days a week tops.

[hmills653 365]

*insert newbie pre-surg boilerplate disclaimer*
My take away from Dr. Vs video is a bit different. I feel like he was saying that exercise is not a magic bullet to achieve long term weight loss success. He pointed out that many people use it as an unproductive punishment, rather than a natural evolution of fitness. He said that weight loss after surgery is controlled by diet rather than exercise. And that before we go to the gym, we need to be sure to confirm we have 1) A great post WLS diet in place and 2) We have our head/psychology/stress management in good shape. Then and only then will exercise benefit our long term goal of staying healthy and at a normal weight. I think he makes sense here to some degree. And completely agree that what works for my fluffy ass, isn't going to necessarily be true for anyone else.
(Example: So for instance, I'm fluffy and might think, "Dayum, I'm fluffy cuz I like Dr. Phil too much and I'm not disciplined enough to get to the gym each day." So I try harder to go to the gym, I'm just 2 months post surgery, and eating too few calories to support an intense, extended ass whoopin' at the gymn--barely meeting my Protein requirement. I do my circuit, come home, am exhausted and hungrier after the activity...and I flop down in my easy chair, turn on Dr. Phil, am starving and yet, beat and end up eating more volume/calories or eating off plan with easy slider food (like a whole can of Pringles or falling into a bag of Lay's, cuz my body is demanding more calories, those types of calories don't stretch my pounch and go down SO DAYUM GOOD. I end up undoing all the good of the activity and worse, to the point that I would have been much better off, just staying on my post surg diet, doing something to address my stress levels and processing the headwork that contributed to my fluffy state and not exercising in the first place. Or--I only go the gym 1 time a week cuz it makes me feel like a crap sandwich and so I beat myself up for it for being such a loser which makes me depressed and I end up turning on Dr. Phil, grabbing the can of Pringles, etc--and then find it nearly impossible to force myself back to eating as I KNOW I should. Weight gain/guilt ensue...)
There was a fairly recent study that shows some argument that exercise alone will not help weight loss. But, I do know that doing exercise like slow burn and resistance training absolutely helps improve insulin resistance, which directly affects weight loss and how calories are processed by the liver post workout...so, yeah. Interesting question and love the discussion!!

I can say when I did work out, I eat better bc I don't want to "ruin" what I just busted my @ss for at the gym. It's like no way. I'll eat something healthy, lol.

[FluffyChix 17,415]

For me personally, I have to pursue physical therapy and building my stamina through walking--which is about all I can do right now. So for me, not exercising, would essentially disqualify me from surgery with my current doc. But I do understand Dr. Vs position. I think he's mainly saying, the magic bullet for long term success is getting your food and head right. You know? But what I DON'T know, LOL, is the answer to the question by the OP. Should we or shouldn't we exercise during WL?

[jess9395 5,449]

*insert newbie pre-surg boilerplate disclaimer*
My take away from Dr. Vs video is a bit different. I feel like he was saying that exercise is not a magic bullet to achieve long term weight loss success. He pointed out that many people use it as an unproductive punishment, rather than a natural evolution of fitness. He said that weight loss after surgery is controlled by diet rather than exercise. And that before we go to the gym, we need to be sure to confirm we have 1) A great post WLS diet in place and 2) We have our head/psychology/stress management in good shape. Then and only then will exercise benefit our long term goal of staying healthy and at a normal weight. I think he makes sense here to some degree. And completely agree that what works for my fluffy ass, isn't going to necessarily be true for anyone else.
(Example: So for instance, I'm fluffy and might think, "Dayum, I'm fluffy cuz I like Dr. Phil too much and I'm not disciplined enough to get to the gym each day." So I try harder to go to the gym, I'm just 2 months post surgery, and eating too few calories to support an intense, extended ass whoopin' at the gymn--barely meeting my Protein requirement. I do my circuit, come home, am exhausted and hungrier after the activity...and I flop down in my easy chair, turn on Dr. Phil, am starving and yet, beat and end up eating more volume/calories or eating off plan with easy slider food (like a whole can of Pringles or falling into a bag of Lay's, cuz my body is demanding more calories, those types of calories don't stretch my pounch and go down SO DAYUM GOOD. I end up undoing all the good of the activity and worse, to the point that I would have been much better off, just staying on my post surg diet, doing something to address my stress levels and processing the headwork that contributed to my fluffy state and not exercising in the first place. Or--I only go the gym 1 time a week cuz it makes me feel like a crap sandwich and so I beat myself up for it for being such a loser which makes me depressed and I end up turning on Dr. Phil, grabbing the can of Pringles, etc--and then find it nearly impossible to force myself back to eating as I KNOW I should. Weight gain/guilt ensue...)
There was a fairly recent study that shows some argument that exercise alone will not help weight loss. But, I do know that doing exercise like slow burn and resistance training absolutely helps improve insulin resistance, which directly affects weight loss and how calories are processed by the liver post workout...so, yeah. Interesting question and love the discussion!!

Ah now THIS makes sense.

The way I've heard this is--

You can't outrun your fork.

Or

Weight is lost in the kitchen not the gym.

And I completely concur

[FluffyChix 17,415]

19 minutes ago, jess9395 said:

Ah now THIS makes sense.

The way I've heard this is--

You can't outrun your fork.

Or

Weight is lost in the kitchen not the gym.

And I completely concur

Brilliant! I will be stealing, I mean borrowing this!

[jess9395 5,449]

Brilliant! I will be stealing, I mean borrowing this!

I stole them myself, can't remember where from!

[summerset 5,265]

It's all over various sites about exercise, fitness etc.

[GBLady41 393]

I started couch to 5k at four weeks out and ran my first half marathon at eight months out. Added yoga at three months out and did 4-5 hours per week.

Reached my goal weight at a year out. Lost 136lbs from 271 to 135. Size 20 to size 4. 74% body fat to 17%.

Didn't cause any stalls or hunger for me. I think there is no one answer. We are all different with different genetics and habits and histories and mental process. One day science will know a lot more and know the people for whom exercise will work well off the bat and those if will cause hunger and stalls for.

If I hadn't exercised like I did my lean body mass and musculature would be very different so it was definitely the right thing for me. So I suggest experimenting with your study subject of one--yourself.

I'm like you [mention=194772]jess9395[/mention]. I have been working out basically from week 4 on, increasing it continually, until recently when I decided to change it up from twice a week at the gym to once a week at the gym, only because I wanted to switch the type of weight training I do, and I can do that at home with my hand weights and ankle/wrist weights. Even though it is much less amounts of weights, I still get the same results. From about six weeks post op on, I have been working out 5 days a week, 1 hr on the elliptical, and 35 minutes on the recumbent bike, in addition to weight training at the gym.

I decided early on that I want to not only be healthy but fit. Exercising like that did not cause any stalls or hunger for me too. Also, for me, one of the reasons I got surgery was because I couldn't exercise. And I love exercising. Call it the 'tomboy' in me. I compete with myself and I love it!!

I am still around 800 calories a day at 8 months out. And I have more than enough energy to do whatever I want, all the while my body is burning fat for at least 3 days after I weight train. So...basically all the time. I also have resistance bands I plan on adding in at some point, because when I do travel, I can add a resistance band routine to whatever fitness center the hotel has, so I can continue on my journey to fitness.

I also drink one Protein Shake a day because it helps me get my Protein in and it fits my lifestyle. Working out for me is not an option. It's part of me getting my life back. It's not an obligation. It's a joy. And...my muscles continue to get stronger and leaner. I also make sure to get protein and fluids before and after I workout. And I have much less loose skin than I would have if I wasn't working out.

I am about 16 lbs from goal and I'm so excited!!!

[Apple1 2,572]

2 hours ago, GBLady41 said:

I decided early on that I want to not only be healthy but fit.

I feel the same way. I think you must be fit to truly be healthy.

[heycrystal2052 430]

I love being in the gym, it makes me feel more accomplished and I'm starting to look into Crossfit.

[jess9395 5,449]

It's all over various sites about exercise, fitness etc. [emoji3]

Yes and honestly my OB said the same thing to me when I was pregnant with my daughter in 1998! Basically when I was blaming my excess weight gain on not being able to exercise (had some spotting early on) he didn't pull any punches and laid it on the line for me.

[heidianderson 4]

On ‎8‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 1:51 PM, AZBlackhawk said:

I have been going to the gym a couple of times a week. I'm 5 weeks post RNY. My surgeon gave the green light after 2 weeks (no weights or core exercises) so I've been doing elliptical, huge stair stepper thing, and walking or jogging.

I just watched Dr V.'s video on Why You Should Not go to a gym after WLS. He is taking about the period after surgery for about 6 months. it actually makes sense and he says surgeons and their teams who tell us to go to the gym and workout are wrong.

Dr. V. says it leads to hunger & weight loss stalls, among other things, since we cannot consume enough calories.

So- are you exercising? What are you doing and when did you start?

not sure if I should save money and forego the gym for a while and just go walking around my neighborhood. Thoughts??

I was given the go ahead 4 weeks post-op to return to normal actives including the gym (which was something I really wanted to do). My nutrition told me as well as others weight lifting is a much better approach, and after your work out you should consume a Protein Drink. Reasons it will aid in your weight loss. and weight lifting will add muscle mass and cut increases from your body. So if the scale does not more that is okay because you are cut increases from your body and adding muscle which is better than fat.

[Joann454 1,329]

For real, the amount of conflicting advice and recommendations out there vis a vis this surgery is enough to drive a person completely bonkers.
Crush pills/pills are fine not crushed
Eat this after surgery/don't eat this
Some peopl;e get to eat this/some people get to not eat
Work out/don't work out

Damn, y'all.

Lol! For real! I was so frustrated and then I found myself deciding that I was agreeing with the things I liked VS the things I didn't (like, woohoo I don't have to exercise even though my surgeon said I should). I realized what I was doing and decided I need to do what my surgeon said. It's amazing how it varies from program to program.

[zallykatz16 56]

It is amazing how different programs do things a little bit differently than others only to get the same results. I don't have money for a gym right now but I will have to figure out how to join a gym later.

[heidianderson 4]

33 minutes ago, zallykatz16 said:

It is amazing how different programs do things a little bit differently than others only to get the same results. I don't have money for a gym right now but I will have to figure out how to join a gym later.

Not sure as to what type if health insurance you have. But if you call them and ask if your policy has a gym membership they will be able to help. A lot of insurance companies have gym memberships.