Exercise after WLS..

My friend, Trinity, posted on the main board yesterday and asked some questions for me but didn't get many answers about it. I was wondering how everyone exercised after WLS. I know that walking is always a good thing, and since I love to walk that'll be no problem. Would it be wise of me to get a gym membership? My mom and I want to join one because she has some vanity pounds that she's looking to lose and I thought it would be beneficial after the surgery. Also, how often did you work out? Did it help with extra skin? Thanks for any responses..I've really been wondering about this stuff!

Brandy, I started walking a half mile a day at 3 weeks and I'm 3 months now and walking 2 miles a day. I also do water aerobics 3 nights a week. I am almost 57 years old and let me tell you it has definitely helped this "old" body. I've lost 63 pounds and my behind and legs look better than I had ever dreamed. I'm working on my arms and abs and my doctor says I may be very lucky and have to have very little plastic surgery next year. Naturally I don't want to look 30 but firm would be nice. My doctor did not encourage me to join a gym because thought I might do strenuous of exercising but was very supportive of Curves, walking and the water aerobics. Any exercise of the milder nature would be very beneficial! I love the water aerobics and plan to do it forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glenn Gay lap RNY Springdale

My wife and I had wls and we swim and do water aerobics. We have a public pool indoors. I swim laps and do some aerobics. It works. I now weigh 199, which was my personal goal, not bad for an old man with a bad ticker. Any exercise you like and will do works.

Hey Brandy, Exercise is also going to depend on the type of surgery you have. If you have it Lap, which is least invasive as oppose to open, you will be up to exercising faster. You will be clear to do more phyical exercise quicker as well. Your activity level will also depend on how active you were before surgery as well. I started exercising about two months before surgery. I got up to walking 2 and 1/2 miles a day. A week after surgery I began walking a mile (on an in door track (all flat surface and cool). At three weeks I went back for my check up and was cleared with no retrictions. I began walking my normal 2 1/2 miles in my community (lots of hills). I already belonged to a gym, which I never went too. So I have began going to the gym and doing circuit training, which is suppose to tone you. I really recommend circuit training first ( you go through each machine really fast. Usually there is a light, bell, or music that stops and goes, which indicates when you should switch to the next machine. I know curves has a circuit room, and they play music when it is time to switich. My gym, there is a stop light. Anyway, I do cardio 5 days a week, but on Tue. and Thur. I also do circuit training. Right now I am working with a trainer, so this is the schedule he has me on. I am really loving it. I am full of energy. I am not that far out. I will be 7 weeks on Wed., I have lost 39lbs. I lost 15 before surgery. So a total of 54 lbs. I have lost a whole lot of inches. I have gone from a 28 to a tight 20. So about 4 sizes in 7 weeks. Tweedy

Brandy, Yes Hun exercise is a very,very good Idea. I started out just walking. And at about 3 months out I joined a gym. And I started water aerobics. I have water aerobics 3 day's a week, Which those day's I also do my lower body workout. Which are alot of lower weight training. And 3 day's a week I work my upper body, This is also weight training and free weight training. And I also do ab's 6 day's a week. I love working out. I used to eat when I got mad or upset, Now I exercise. Her are my results I was in a size 4x-5x now I'm a size 6!!!!! I can't believe it. I was 354 pounds now I'm 154 pound's!!! When people see my they think I weigh about 120-125. Thats because of muscle tone. I still have some lose skin, Which will not tighten. But it could be a WHOLE lot worse if I hadn't exercised. Hope this helps hugs Debbie Moya Dr. Baker 9/22/03 354/154/147