Weight Lifting After Surgery

Just wondering if anyone knows how long we should wait after RNY surgery before beginning a weight lifting program ?

My surgeon cleared me for all activities at my four week post op visit. I didn't really feel much like starting lifting at that point so I stuck with cardio. I also read somewhere to wait a bit to do strenuous core work (like plank) to make sure everything is really well healed. I also found that when I tried running on the treadmill I got a slightly painful pulling sensation in my abdomen, so I haven't really ramped that up yet -- I'm just over three months out.

Thanks Meggles07. So have you been mainly walking for exercise? If so have you found that to be enough to help you with the weight loss.

For the first month or two I walked. I started adding in the elliptical trainer at the gym. About 2-3 weeks ago I started adding in some different weights and stretching. I also have been doing a lot more things around the house like gardening and organizing :) I had been going to the gym before surgery, but I'm doing each exercise like I'm starting over so I don't hurt myself. Even though I could have done more earlier, I didn't feel ready. Now I'm itching to try all kinds of activities!!

I was cleared to increase exercise gradually and to lift more than 10lbs at my 4 week visit.  I was told heavy lifting and any abdominal exercises would have to wait until I was at least 6 months out.  Your centre will tell you when it is ok, it probably depends on your progress healing too.  I weight train and love it so I really missed that for a while.  I just did lighter lifting, recumbent cycling, then elliptical, until I was cleared.  Since I had to wait to do ab stuff I focused on strengthening the other areas.  You should see my thigh muscles at 10 months out today, they are impressive, 1 can do 120lb with them.  Whoa!

I was cleared for swimming at the three week mark (my incisions were well healed), but was told not do start a heavy exercise program until about the two month mark.  At that point, I was cleared to do almost everything else, though was told to make sure I started slowly, and to discontinue anything that might feel uncomfortable.  I would say I started the more hardcore weight training at about 4 or 5 months, and did so with the help of a personal trainer -- didn't want any injuries.

Now, almost three years later, I'm very active (kickboxing, learning Olympic weight-lifting, maximum weight training, etc.), and am loving it!

Have fun!

DD

I am 4 months post op and started going to Good Life Fitness.  I bought some personal training sessions because I want someone to show me how to use the machines properly.  I haven't stepped foot into a gym in 10 years!  I did my first session last week and the next day I was so sore and worried that I overdid it with the ab work.  My next session, I took it easier on the ab exercises (on the machines) because the movement is pulling the muscles apart - I think that's what can cause a hernia.  I am "planking", but I can only hold it for 5 seconds - I gotta start somewhere!

I am the most active that I've been in many years - doing lots of gardening, but my core is very weak, and I need to strengthen it.  I'm starting to get stooped shoulders.    I've heard all the warnings about ab excercises, so I'm taking it easy, starting slowly to build up.  It's a marathon not a race.  At this point, it's not about losing weight, it's about toning and getting my heart rate up.  I figure that this is a marathon, not a race, so I need to learn to pace myself.

Good luck!