How did your exercise regiment progress?

With all thats been happening and on my ,ind, I've forgotten to ask how some of your exercising routine has changed? Im still walking briskly for about an hour and I think I should be doing more harder exercises but my walking totally wipes me out. Somethimes Im surprised I don't just keel over at the end sometimes. How did you start out? In what incrememnts did you step it up? When did you join a gym and wer ethey understanding? Did you get a trainer and have t oexplain to them? I figure I can't stop all the bad feelings and thughts I have over what is past and I cant control, at least asking this will help me handle some things I do have control over.

Alexx its great that you are walking briskly for an hour.  That is a long time.  To begin an exercise regime is also difficult to kick off.  I already had a gym membership at Bally's (half a block from my house) so it made it easier for me to start.  I began with twenty minutes of cardio on the elliptical machine.  Then I progressed to doing the cardio to thirty minutes and incorporated body shaping classes.  That was fun.  Little by little you will see your body change and it will motivate you to exercise more.  You will feel your body begin to get stronger.  I also found that riding a stationary bike helped my cardio vascular so I did not alway get tired fast.  I now am at my weight.  I left bally's because I moved and joined Lucille Roberts and all girls gym.  An all girls gym helps because you don't feel intimated with all those pervy men staring at you in the gym.  I do thirty  minutes of cardio and exercises with dumbell weights.  I use some machines.  I do not take classes anymore because they are not so good at Lucille.  I find that working out first thing in the morning is best.  If I wait until the evening its very easy to just say to myself I'm tired I'll go home and workout tomorrow. I hope all goes well in your excercise routine.  I don't think its necessary to get a trainer for more then a few sessions (unless you can afford it).  The trainer can show you how to use the machines, most definately provide moral support but its so expensive.  I don't think its worth it.  To me trainers are all about the money.  Thats just my opinion.

Alexx: I started prep walking 2 miles daily 7x wk granted they were 20-25 min miles but I DID IT! Then I increased how fast to 15 min miles by a few months postop I went to my treadmill to do it w/ incline of 6 and 4.2 mph, At 7 mo out I joined cuves I had kept the 30 min/2miles walking a day and added curves 3x wk then added curves 6x wk to the 30 min walk, geting in 1 hr 6x wk and sundays when curves was closed zi either did 2 mi or 4 mi walk. I got bored of that after 2 yrs and went to a full service gym and worked up to 10 hrs week to include 6 hrs cardio, ever increasing the intensity and resistance of things treadmill wak/run to full run, recumbant bike and my favorite the elliptical trainer I can do it 60 min full incline and 5-8 resistance burning an awesome 1000 cal in that time, combined w/ lifting free wts to tone, using nautilus machines, I hav added lunges, squats, etc to do interval training, also taking pilastes or yoga classes along the way from adult ed at our local high school cheap too! Keep changing it up to fool body and keep the boredom down. Jamie

... *blink* I think I had a heart attack just reading that. This is what concerns me, I'm worried Im not exercising hard enough. Thats why I mentioned a trainer, because I really don't know how to exercise. I mean I've checked websites, looked up exercises obese people can do. Low impact stuff like wall push ups, walking and such, bu theres not alot to offer and I'm not sure how I regress. I read in "Weight Loss Surgery" for dummies that as you loseweight it can get progressively harder, and sometimes you can even plateau (hit a limit, Im guessing) before you start losing again. Are there any guys ou there with advice or experience? I appreciate whatever I can get, but I can't exactly join a "Curves." I also have no job or income, so I worry about how much trainers and gym would cost. I'd like it if I lost some more weight before I start GED prep classes at Kingsborogh because I know some colleges have big premises and I don't want to be unable to handle the daily back and forth.

Sorry didn't realize your gender when responding. I would say try some exercise videos rent or take out from library if possible they are  a cost friendly idea. Call local Y see if they have scholarships or sliding scales? Maybe 1-2x have a trainer call around for prices to set up a plan u can do at home w a stability ball and or resistance bands.. Congratulate self for all u r doing ok! I was 30 yo when I had RNY, not sure your age but that is a factor as well as other comorbidities.

WOW i'm so impressed by you, that elliptical machine kicks my booty all the time. For some reason i can do about 6 minutes on it before i'm begging for mercy and asking for my mommy! I do try to add a minute each time i go to the gym so I can built up my endurance. Thanks for being my inspiration. ANDI ps. i love yoga, kickboxing, pilates, boot camp workout...i get so red the instructor wont' let me do the really intense parts of the workout but she doesn't realize i'm just a pale faced girls and i get super red all the time with exertion.

Why would  you think you should be doing more if you are exhausted at the end of your walk? You're doing great, don't poopoo what you ARE doing, i'm so proud of you. Each day will get easier for you, you're a newby honey take it slow you're doing awesome. I started out in a gym, I didn't have to tell them anything, i just said i had stomach surgery i need to stay away from the abs, they asked me to stand clear of the abs stuff for 8 weeks even though the surgeon said 6 and I had no problem not making my work out harder in the beginning!  I had a trainer in the beginning then gradually i met people and they showed me how to do and what to do and i've been doing ever since. Three days a week i do the machines and either 2-3 days i take a class,  I can't do both in the same day or else i can barely drive home and hit the couch!   If you want to talk i'll gladly talk with you through the nights, i'm an insomniac so i'm here anyway! Email me through my profile and I'll be here for you. ANDI

Hi Alex, I joined a gym as soon as I was released to exercise. I started with just cardio 3/4 times per week I'd do 30 minutes in the treadmill and 20 minutes on bike - I always work out in my target heart range. I did full cardio for a month. After 1 month I worked out 6 days a week doing a day of cardio then a day of cardio / weight training - again working out in my target heart range. In the begining I could only do 5 minutes on the elliptical now I can do 40 minutes 4.7 / 5.3 mph level 8 !!! That is amazing to me. NOW I work out everyday (sure I miss a day on occassion) I typically do 30 or 40 minutes on the elliptical staying with in my target heart range and then do 30 minutes of weight training alternating upper body and lower body every other day.  most gyms will show you how to use the eqiupment and most offer a free weeks pass. Try that first to see if you like the atmosphere, hours ...so on. good luck! hugs, Britt

I started walking prior to surgery.  After surgery, while still in the hospital, when they came to take my vitals, I would make them take those leg thingies off of me and permit me to walk.  2 days after surgery I was raking my lawn.  3 weeks after surgery I was cleared to go back to CURVES.  Walking will always be part of my fitness!  I suspect once I hit my goal, swimming will be part of my exercise routine!

I started walking like 7 months before my surgery, and I was only able to walk in the hospital after surgery when they finally decided to take me off my IV and analgesic dispenser. I...would love to swim. Its one of the things I dreamed about ahave for a long time. I almost drowned as a kid (thank you cpr) and I've always wanted to learn how, but i was always ashamed of my body. Always wearing a shirt in the pool, I felt like a freak and outcast. So when (I feel like I should say if because I still worry) I lose enough weight I know I wanna join adult swim classes.