Exercise after surgery - when?, what?

[Texgirly 0]

I am sure I will get the answer to this from my surgeon, but I wanted to ask here as well. Here is my mini survey:

• How soon did you start exercising after surgery?
  
• What kinds of activities?
  
• Were you active prior to surgery?

Trying to make some plans. Thanks for the feedback.

[Jachut 487]

About eight weeks prior to surgery, I started going to the gym again and working out on the elliptical for about 40 minutes - quite intensely. I got much fitter in that 8 weeks using Cardio Coach on my MP3.

After surgery, I went for a walk the day I got home and continued to walk about 4kms a day for 3 weeks or so, at which time I went back to the gym and got back on the elliptical.

A month or two after that, I cautiously tried a jog, went 3km in my first session and was hooked from that point on. I run regularly, and its only just now I'm really thinking of heading back into the gym for some fine tuning. I've not really done much in the way of strength training but I can see that now, I'm almost there, I'll see real results fast and that really motivates me to get moving.

[Lillyanne_M 0]

I went back to my Jazzercise class just this past Monday. I was banded on Jan 9th, so it was a little less than a month. I was going pretty regularly before surgery and I LOVE the class, so I was looking forward to going back.

My surgeon said I was cleared for exercise a week after surgery! I felt like I needed more time, so I waited. I haven't had any problems, although I've been taking it easy with the ab routines.

[wombat712 2]

I'm ashamed to say it - so throw the stones softly

I didn't exercise for the first 6 months. I walked a little extra but made no effort to try and get exercise. I had a stupid fear of hurting my port.

My doc said to start walking right away and to do at least 30 min a day. Apparently I don't listen well :regular_smile:

wombat

[mattiesue 0]

Never did anything before. Banded 02-01 and have walked 15 min daily since. Will increase it as I heal. :regular_smile:

[lachica39 0]

How soon did you start exercising after surgery? Day 0ne, walking 5-15

minutes, more for relief.

What kinds of activities? Walking, Walking, Walking. Trying to work in the bands. mmmm that will be my personal goal for Feb.

Were you active prior to surgery? I started walking the day after my seminar. back in Sept.

Jachut, I have a question for you. I will be purchasing a threadmill or elliptical machine. I have seen prices from as low as $300 to over $1000. My question is, do you get a better workout with the elliptical?(my first choice)

[luluc 6]

I started walking immediately, just increased time as I felt stronger & got more calories in, didn't get weights involved till wk 6 postop.

Was not active at all prior - You got a great jumpstart!!

[4jin 0]

I started walking immediately. I did not have a preop diet. So once I was banded I wanted to take advantage of the liquid stage which I still am on and loose as much as possible before my first fill and before mushies. As I have heard people gain some back in the beg of mushies. Its all in what you want. My surgeon recommends 15 to 30 as soon as you are able to after banding.

[LindsayE 0]

How soon did you start exercising after surgery? My surgen had me start 1 week after surgery. I am walking 2 miles a day at 3 mph. This week I notice that I need to kick it up and either walk further or longer.

My surgen is very cautious about exersice, he told me all I could do for 6 weeks post-op (Or until my first fill) is to walk on a tredmill or ride a stationary bike. And not to lift anything over 5 lbs. (Which is hard to follow)

I did start this week working my arms with 5 lbs dumb bells. I can't wait to start going back to Water aerobics and cardio kick boxing.

Good Luck!!

[OH Juli 15]

I started exercising a few months before surgery to lose some weight and be more cardiovascularly fit when I had surgery. Also, the only excuse I had not to get started was I waiting for surgery. That wasn't a valid excuse.

But to answer you, after my surgery I was only permitted to walk or use the elliptical for 6 weeks. No strength training until then. After that point I started strenght training 3 times a week.

I've since got into long distance road cycling and running. I'm running my first 5K on Sunday. Which is amazing, if I do say so myself.

Not that you asked for advice about exercising per se, but I'll give it anyway: What is most important is to have a goal that stretches you. Look for something that you can accomplish in 3 to 4 months. Start thinking of your next goal before you reach your first one.

If it's climbing one more set of stairs every week or staying on the treadmill for an additional 5 minutes...set goals and see that you do meet them.

good luck

[make33 2]

I belong to the Curves and the YMCA--I was able to return to Curves four weeks after surgery with no ill effects (skipped the leg press for a few weeks because of stress on my port.)

At the YMCA I weight train and so I didn't return to the YMCA for seven weeks and I cut back on the weight I had been using before surgery. By now I have returned to my former weight--for everything except (again) the Leg Press and I'm just building up again.

Working out just makes you feel so-o-o terrific--it washes away all the stress of the day and makes you feel invincible!!

[Jachut 487]

Ah, goals!

That's what's so great about running as a sport. It has inbuilt goals if you participate in fun runs. That's what kept me going in the early days. First a 4km. Then a 5km. Then a 7.5. Then a 10. End of march I'm doing a 14.2 and THEN in July I'm heading to the Gold Coast to do a half marathon.

I doubt I'll go beyond a half, too old and crippled, lol, but those races really make running a sport that's easy to get into and stay with. Once you've been in one, they're SO much fun.

If you can find similar challenges for any other exercise, then that's great, it really does help to keep you motivated.

[Lillyanne_M 0]

I went back to my Jazzercise class just this past Monday. I was banded on Jan 9th, so it was a little less than a month. I was going pretty regularly before surgery and I LOVE the class, so I was looking forward to going back.

My surgeon said I was cleared for exercise a week after surgery! I felt like I needed more time, so I waited. I haven't had any problems, although I've been taking it easy with the ab routines.

Went to Jazzercise today and the instructor had us lay on on our stomachs on the floor for stretching. I was only laying on a thin towel and I had to turn over because my port was sticking into my ribs! So, no laying on the floor anymore I guess.

[make33 2]

One fellow asked in a thread whether he'd be able to Bench Press like he'd been doing.

My response was that I have absolutely no issues with my chest area exercises--but the ones that affect my port are the ones I've had to adjust! They say the port is sewn into the abdominal muscles, and I sure know that when I'm over-using them!! (My port sticks out like a big old hernia!)

Maybe someday you'll be able to lay on your towel (stomach) again!! :eek:

[kagoscuba 0]

• How soon did you start exercising after surgery? 4 days after surgery I was doing the elliptical for 20 minutes. A week later I was up to 1/2 hour. 2 weeks after surgery I was doing abdominal exercises. 4 weeks post-op I was cleared for lifting weights and unlimited exercise.
  
• What kinds of activities? Right now I do 6 days a week of cardio on either a treadmill or elliptical for 1/2 hour at lunchtime. On Wednesday I double cardio and do 45 minutes on the elliptical at night. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday I do weight training for 45 minutes to 90 minutes, dependent on the workout for the day. In addition, I do abdominal exercises daily.
  
• Were you active prior to surgery? Not very in the year preceeding surgery.