Do I have to exercise for the rest of my life!!!!

That is a proven "exercise works if you work it" success story if I've ever heard one!  VERY inspirational.  Thanks for sharing.  It's very motivating to hear that it really made a difference for you as well. Kudos for your commitment to this. :)

For me, it helps TREMENDOUSLY with the appearance of my skin and muscle definition too.  More importantly, I have almost rid myself completely of the cellulite on the front of my thighs (which I was told was "impossible" and that it would be there forever because cellulite never goes away.)  They are wrong.  It is gone.  The muscle tone has given my skin a smoother appearance.  Truly amazing.  That is my motivation - not to mention it feels really good to sweat now that it is voluntary lol.

Wow yes you ARE a wonderful success story of exercise and working it into your daily life.  how you can manage to do that after working such long days, I don't know - my 7:30 to 4:00 days wear me out...but I am out at church functions three nights a week...NOT an excuse not to exercise.  hopefully as time moves on my motivation to even just walk around the area and build that up will surface as I do believe it can and does make you feel better and as the article this week in Jean's newsletter (I believe) said, it is essential for maintaining the weight loss for life.

I read an article that exercise is not as much needed to lose weight if you keep a strict regimine but to KEEP the weight off exercise is essential.

I do work out.. often like crazy.. not so much I really found classes I like zumba and now spinning and I try to do those as often as possible. I do Leslie Sansone at home I hate it but it's quick does get the heart rate up .. if your food is in check you not need to work out like crazy but some.

The only exercise I did for the first 7 months was to walk my dogs.

I did walk them a long ways (2 miles) but I didn't start out with 2 miles.  I started out walking to the mailbox at the end of our driveway and back.  Then to a big tree down the street.  Next day past the big tree to a fence line.

Every day I'd add a few more steps. 

Between doing the walking and changing the kinds/amounts of food I was eating, I lost 100lbs in 7 months.

Then the rains came.  My dogs hate walking in the rain.. absolutely hate it.

So I went to a local gym and asked about using their treadmills.  They had a weekly membership plan, so I would buy a week at a time (cheaper than a daily plan) and go in and use their treadmill.

Then one of the trainers started talking to me and offered to help me.  I thought about it for a few days, consulted with my husband and he encouraged me.. said if that's something you want to do.. go for it.  So I did.

Hiring the trainer was one of the best things I ever did for myself besides the band.  She taught me many things I didn't know and encouraged me to stretch my reach.  She never ever made me feel bad that I was so out of shape.  (she did ask me one time how I got to where I was pre-op.. I couldn't really explain it to someone who doesn't have the food issues).

Fast fwd to today.. I now take several different classes at the gym (body pump, rpm, yoga, pilates, zumba, step) and just finished competing in a "biggest loser" bootcamp .. and I won 3rd place!!

I don't know whether you will have to exercise the rest of your life, or even if you want to exercise at all.  I do know that it doesn't have to be miserable.  Chose something you enjoy.. walk, dance, ride a bike.  My sister took ballroom dancing lessons for her exercise.  I'd love to get back into Square Dancing, but my dh refuses.  oh well.

Once you get some of the intial weight off (with gentle movement.. walking, yoga, pilates, swimming) more vigorous movement becomes possible and enjoyable.

You bet your booties you will have to exercise the rest of your life :)

It dont matter how healthy I eat if I dont exercise then I wont lose weight end of story.  I have tried and it just dont work. 

Plus I think because of my exercise I can 90% of the time hit my 10 pounds per month on weight loss expect for this month stupid body lol.

My doc also if you stall and you tell him you are not exercising he wont give you a fill right then. He will say okay exercise for a good two weeks see if that jump starts the weight loss and if it dont then we will get you a fill.  95 % of the time he said when people  execise they lose weight .

I do Zumba 2 times a week for a  hr then I do Curves with Zumba three times a week I think my body is starting to get use to it so I need to find something else to do .

My answer? YES.

But I didn't get excited about exercise until about 6 months post-op. And I had been enjoying my workouts for over a year before I realized that on top of weight, mood and energy management, exercise was increasing my abiity to easily do everyday things like pick something up off the floor or reach for something on a high shelf or lifting a stubborn dog.

My mother never exercised - hated it, ridiculed it. When she was in her early 70's, she began using a cane and her activity and movement became more and more restricted because of her fear of falling and her poor physical condition (though she was in good health, basically). It just got worse and worse and she was more and more helpless as the years go by.

I loved and admired my mother, but I'm damned if I'm going to end up like that, without the strength to wipe my own butt or dress myself. I want to be like one of the women in my morning exercise class who's in her early 70's and able to do anything she wants.

Jean