What Workout?

Whether you had Lap Band, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery, your bariatric surgeon Dr. Taylor has told you the importance of physical activity. A lot of us equate the idea of physical activity with working out at the gym. We are told to get more active, and our minds linger automatically on images of treadmills and hand weights.

A lot of bariatric patients have trouble at the gym. For starters, the equipment is a bit confusing, and even gyms that promise positive attitudes and a welcoming environment can turn out to be a bit intimidating.

After weight loss surgery, the trick with working out is starting small. Increasing your physical activity doesn’t mean you need to become a muscle head. You can become more active by working out during normal activities that are already a part of your day.

Invisible Fitness

It’s true that an office job doesn’t require much physical exertion, but once you are home from work there are countless things to be done around the house that can become a workout. Everything from helping your kids with their homework to doing the laundry can be a fitness endeavor if you are in the right mindset.

Here are a few ways that you can tone muscles and burn calories without even putting on your sneakers.

• Food Store Challenge: You may not break a sweat while grocery shopping after weight loss surgery, but if you are still in charge of shopping for your family’s meals you probably have at least half a dozen grocery bags to carry into the house after a trip to the food store. Instead of calling the kids out to unload the car, take each bag in one at a time and do bicep curls as you walk into the house. Plastic or reusable bags will work best for this exercise, and make sure that the bags are only as full as you can manage to lift. Remember, the more bags there are the more of a workout you are in for!
• Textbook Tournament: Are valuable hours of your day being lost to math problems you thought you outgrew decades ago? Helping your kids with their homework might be emotionally rewarding, but it leaves you sitting at the kitchen table when you could be working out. Make this an active time of the evening by doing textbook lifts with your child’s books. Instead of sitting, stand next to the table and pick up one of their textbooks. Hold the book in front of you with your arms straight, and slowly lift the book until your arms are straight up in the air, then lower your arms until they are once again level with your shoulders. Repeat this activity 10 to 15 times or until your arms are starting to feel sore.

Working out doesn’t need to be intimidating. You can tone muscle and improve your strength in the comfort of your own home while completing regular household duties. For more ideas on how to increase your activity level, talk with Dr. Taylor.