How to Begin Exercising After Gastric Bypass Surgery

Exercise is an important companion to successful weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass or Lap-band surgery. Performed properly under your Michigan physician’s supervision, exercise helps to speed recovery and healing. However, if you were previously unaccustomed to exercise due to excess weight, it may make beginning a post-surgery exercise program more challenging.

Although you should talk to your doctor before beginning your exercise and stretching regime after weight loss surgery, keep these tips in mind to increase your success.

• Commit to exercising daily as part of your after weight loss surgery lifestyle.
• Begin slowly. Start with a few light stretches the day after your surgery, if your doctor approves.
• Walk. Start with a few steps, but increase your steps each day. Don’t attempt steep grades until your doctor says it’s ok.
• Don’t consider abdominal exercises for at least four to six weeks after having weight loss surgery, or until your doctor gives you the green light.
• Include variety. Create a multi-exercise plan to keep you from getting bored; include aerobic, flexibility, stretching, and endurance activities to your workout.
• Add weights to your exercise routine as soon as your doctor says it’s okay. Working with weights will help your body to battle bone loss.
• Participate in water aerobics or swimming. Swimming helps build abdominal muscles, but wait until your physician gives you approval to be in the water.

Because your body will be getting fewer calories after your weight loss surgery, you’ll want to maintain an exercise routine to burn fat instead of muscle. When making an exercise plan make sure to incorporate activities you enjoy, that way you will be more likely to stick with it!