Exercising post op

[Kriverasmith 1]

So before surgery I was killing it with exercising. I did cardio 3 times a week and strength training 3 times a week as well. I was doing so good that during my bypass surgery, my surgeon said he was shocked at the amount of muscle he had to work through. Which made me feel a little bad ass. So here I am, 13 days after surgery and ready to get back in the gym but I'm wanting to be smart. I started today with 15 minutes on the treadmill and 5 minutes on the bike (which didn't feel great). I feel like I did nothing, didn't even break a sweat. So let me ask you guys, what are you doing? Can I push it harder? Am I being impatient? How do I know what's too much?

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[ChaosUnlimited 559]

13 days out is pretty early, discuss your restrictions with your doc so you don't hurt yourself or bust internal stitches. I found that in the first two months, after I was cleared for exercise, I was taking in so few calories that as much as I wanted to push myself at the gym, I just didn't have the reserve energy. After 30 min or so of a Zumba class I would start to get weak and dizzy. It was all I could do to make it back to my car to go home and lie down. Listen to your body, and consider your intake and ability to re-hydrate when planning exercise. Now at 3 1/2 months out, exercise is much more fun because I can take in more Water, I can eat a little more, and my stamina has returned. Another factor was that I was on BP meds, and my BP was likely getting too low, so now I am off them.

[Kriverasmith 1]

I didn't think about the reserve energy. That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for that info!

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[DropWt4Life 957]

Before surgery, I too was very active. I lifted weights 4X weekly, and did cardio 3X weekly. It was hard to stop that level of activity, but of course, I did.

On day 7 post-op, I started walking 45 minutes every day at a slow-moderate pace. Over the past 5 weeks, I have kept the same routine, but have stepped up the intensity. I started out walking maybe 1-2mph, and now I walk 4mph with a much higher elevation. Next week, I will start light weight training 4days per week, and gradually increase the weight and intensity over time.

The takeaway is that you have to take it slow. Listen to your body. It will tell you when you are ready. It will also tell you if you are prematurely doing too much. Make sure that you are getting in your liquids to avoid dehydration.

[Introversion 1,876]

10 hours ago, Kriverasmith said:

Can I push it harder? Am I being impatient? How do I know what's too much?

You're less than 2 weeks post-op. At this point you should limit your exercise to leisurely walking because the priority is for your stomach to heal.

Also, you aren't eating enough to properly fuel more vigorous levels of physical activity. Undereating combined with strenuous exercise is a perfect recipe for stalls/plateaus.

I did absolutely nothing but occasional walking for the first 3 months post-op. Then I started a walk/jog routine. 2+ years later I run 20+ miles weekly, lift heavy weights 3 times a week, and throw other cardio into the mix such as the stair mill and stationary bicycling.

[MowryRocks 679]

There is a bariatric surgeon online that warns about intense exercise within the first 6 months citing that your body can't possibly take in enough calories to support that kind of activity, I was cleared for walking at a month and basically nothing more until about the 6 month. I wasn't expressly told no, but my surgeon didn't even ask or suggest more intense workouts until that point. Currently, I am almost 11 months out and I work out 6 days a week. My nutritionist has me alternate running for an hour one day, then running 15 minutes, 30 minutes of circuit/weight training, followed by running 15 minutes on the other. He warned me against straight weight training while in the weight loss phase and urged me not to confuse my body with intentionally building muscle. He advised that weight training is likely the reason for long stalls previously.

[Kriverasmith 1]

Am I crazy for being paranoid and weighing myself every day? I think it's why I'm so anxious to workout but after reading the responses I feel better about taking it easy.

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[jess9395 5,449]

Yeah some people argue that you can't get enough calories to support it or it will throw you into a stall....

Can be true for some people, it wasn't for me. I couldn't get more than 600 calories for a number of months and not more than 900 calories for 6-9 months... but I started couch to 5k at four weeks out and yoga shortly after. Did my first 5k at 5 months out and half marathon at 10 months out.

I now run half and full marathons--20-30 miles per week and 4-5 hours of yoga a week.

I reached goal at a year out and now maintain at around 2500 calories per day as a 5'6" 135lb woman.

So try and see what works for you!

[Bhageerah 161]

On 9/13/2017 at 11:58 PM, Kriverasmith said:

So before surgery I was killing it with exercising. I did cardio 3 times a week and strength training 3 times a week as well. I was doing so good that during my bypass surgery, my surgeon said he was shocked at the amount of muscle he had to work through. Which made me feel a little bad ass. So here I am, 13 days after surgery and ready to get back in the gym but I'm wanting to be smart. I started today with 15 minutes on the treadmill and 5 minutes on the bike (which didn't feel great). I feel like I did nothing, didn't even break a sweat. So let me ask you guys, what are you doing? Can I push it harder? Am I being impatient? How do I know what's too much?

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Until I went to my two week post op appointment I was told to limit my exercise to walking or riding a bike, I was unable to do anything that really was cardio or any strength training. Once I had my two week appointment my Dr released me to actually start working out and when I did I started and stopped when my body told me that it was time to stop which was not long at all. I think that with all that you're body is going through it is going to take a bit to get back to "normal" I usually did 2000m on the rowing machine in under 6 minutes, 3 miles on the elliptical and then would start to lift wether it would be upper body or lower body. My first day back in the gym was an actual insult to my pride! I could barely make 500m, and after 10 minutes on the elliptical I called it quits! I am slowly building up my endurance and I think that is something that you will have to just work through like I did! I am in the gym about 5-6 days a week and am trying to build up my endurance before I go back to work. Just be patient and give it time you will be fine!

[Bhageerah 161]

13 hours ago, Kriverasmith said:

Am I crazy for being paranoid and weighing myself every day? I think it's why I'm so anxious to workout but after reading the responses I feel better about taking it easy.

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I do the same thing, I am just happy to see the weight going down on a scale vs going up, its harmless and I am also prepared to see it stay in the same spot for awhile while I work through a stall. Hopefully by the time that hits I will be able to increase the amount that I am working out. One of my personal goals is to be able to do a 5k without having to stop, or slow down, before my weight gain I was doing a 5k in less than 27 minutes, and once I get to that point again this big boy will be doing cartwheels down the street!!!!

[Tiamka 34]

On 9/13/2017 at 11:58 PM, Kriverasmith said:

So let me ask you guys, what are you doing? Can I push it harder? Am I being impatient? How do I know what's too much?

I have been plagued with 'stall and drop' loss ever since my surgery (3.21.17). My weight-loss graph looks like descending steps rather than a smooth ramp. I started working out when I went back to work, two weeks after my surgery. I worked out 3 times a week for 30 mins, along with walking at least 8500 steps every day. All I did was resistance training (small hand weights and bands). I was very careful to stop immediately if something hurt or didn't feel right. I was weight restricted to lifting no more than 15 lbs for the first three months, then I was cleared for whatever I could handle.

Now I work out 5-6 times a week still doing 30 minute resistance training (sometimes longer if I'm alone in my basement) and daily walking. I really just don't care for cardio.

My stalls and plateaus concerned me and although I was losing fat, the scale didn't (doesn't) always move much. When I discussed this with my doctor (my 6 month check-up was last week), he said, after looking at my current status, "Whatever you are doing is good. Keep doing that."

So my advice is two-fold:

1. Always do what your doctor and weight-management team tell you to do, they know you better than we do.
2. Focus on healing! Don't push. You will probably recover much more quickly than I did since I was in rotten shape before my surgery and basically had to start from scratch.

[Anitaa757 0]

On 9/13/2017 at 11:58 PM, Kriverasmith said:

So before surgery I was killing it with exercising. I did cardio 3 times a week and strength training 3 times a week as well. I was doing so good that during my bypass surgery, my surgeon said he was shocked at the amount of muscle he had to work through. Which made me feel a little bad ass. So here I am, 13 days after surgery and ready to get back in the gym but I'm wanting to be smart. I started today with 15 minutes on the treadmill and 5 minutes on the bike (which didn't feel great). I feel like I did nothing, didn't even break a sweat. So let me ask you guys, what are you doing? Can I push it harder? Am I being impatient? How do I know what's too much?

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Take your time,your doing good starting off that way.you have to build yourself back up again

[1234567890 328]

I guess all depends of your Doctor, every doctor has their own recommendations.. in my case I wasn’t allowed to lift anything heavier than 20 lbs first 2 months. The I could do small workouts (stationary bike and jogging). At the fourth month I was allowed to begin weight training (gradually). Better to start slow... Now at my 6th month post OP, I do 3 X week weight training, and 2/3 spin class a week + Leg splits workouts

[TBGoat 5]

I started walking a mile a day, 2 hours after my surgery ended. At my 2 week post-op I told my doctor I was walking over a mile a day, to which he replied it's simply not enough. I need to do an hour of going at least 2.5-3 MPH. There's just no way at my current weight I can do that, even if I was getting enough calories to fuel myself. I'm just too heavy, my back too bad right now. If I was the type of person able to do that, I wouldn't be this big... lol. I did manage to push it to 2.7 mph for over a mile today, just going to take it as I can, I'm losing weight at a good pace my nurses told me.

I was told I have no restrictions, I asked if I can lift a piano, and he said no restrictions.

Edited October 17, 2017 by TBGoat

[jess9395 5,449]

Exercise, don't exercise....weight is lost through diet, heart health through exercise. Don't push it till you're ready.

With that out of the way, I don't understand the oft repeated not getting in enough calories to exercise. I ran a half marathon while eating 600-800 calories a day. And I wasn't a runner ever pre op. Started couch to 5k at a month or so out.

My body... most of our bodies... have plenty of stored calories, we have them stored up. That's what extra weight is. Our bodies will adapt to burning those when we exercise fasted or on low calories. Extended high intensity exercise, like running 45 minutes or more, then we deplete our glycogen stores and may need a boost...but in general, that's what our caloric stores are for, in my humble experience.