Is moving around easier?

o_O

Some people just do NOT think before letting stupid fall out of their mouths.

I was 44, when I had RNY. I was a mother, wife, nurse, etc, etc...busy....busy...busy...and 340 lbs. Looking back, I have no idea how I managed it. I know I hurt, all the time, and wasn't particularly a joy to live with...

After various 5Ks I did my first Half-Marathon, at DisneyWorld, with besties, when I was 52. I have done 2 more, since then. Who would have thunk it?????? Not me!!!!! I didn't come in FIRST, but I wasn't LAST...but THAT would have been okay, too!!

Injury sidelined my long distance running, but I still enjoy power walking and strength training

Thanks for sharing, everyone! It's great to think that the stairs in my house won't make me tempted to use my son's inhaler. :p

HA! You made me remember something else!!

I live in a split-level. I remember holding it so I wouldn't have to climb the stairs to pee... now I run up and down them without even a thought.

It was so hard to move before my surgery that I avoided stairs, as they were such a challenge...it had gotten to the point that I got to work early so I could take the elevator without anyone around. And getting in and out of the car, what a struggle...not fun with all the extra clothing, coat, boots, etc during our 7-month-long winter.

My son and his wife live in a two story and I watch their two girls there while they work. I don't even notice the stairs now but the first week when they moved in I realized it felt like I could just FLOAT up them, it was totally effortless. One of the very best NSVs in my life. And I can hop in and out of the car a dozen times if I have to, No. Big. Deal.

I was 57 when I had my RNY, wish I'd done it much sooner. But now I can run, I bike, hike and swim, I workout at the gym 4x a week, and next up is learning rock climbing.

Good luck reaching your goals, it's worth doing this! :)

Moving around is totally easier :) And, better yet, I enjoy moving around more!

Pre-op I was an elliptical user. I'd go to the gym and do an hour and that was that.

Post-op I did the walking thing for 6 weeks and then started going to fitness classes. I'd try everything that looked remotely interesting and give it 4 weeks before deciding if I wanted to stick with it or not. This would get me past the "omg, I feel stupid, ungainly, and uncoordinated" phase. I fell in love with yoga, pilates, and tai chi, but also do a smattering of other classes here and there as they're available. I basically love fitness classes in general.

I also kept walking and, around 260lb, I started adding running intervals. Seven months post-op I ran my first 5k. (Prior to surgery, I wouldn't have even run way from a bear chasing me. Being eaten would have been superior to running.) Three years post-op I ran my first half marathon.

So... yeah. Moving is way better.

I'm at the point now where the excess skin is a hassle, but even then moving is still better and there's compression gear and I'll be starting reconstructive plastic surgeries in 6.5 weeks.

Oh.. and after that half marathon? I have class on the second floor of one of the campus buildings and I assumed that my first class post-race I'd feel no shame about taking the elevator. Because STAIRS. They're my enemy after running ;)

But you know what? I went up the stairs with no problem. After running 13.1 miles two days before in 20F weather. So how awesome is that? :D

I also used to "work out" when I was 350 lbs. I would walk on the treadmill and occasionally lift weights. I traveled all over the world but I did not know how limited my activity was! Whereas I used to strategically plan how to not walk a ton, now I can walk 10 miles in a day and feel no pain. No aching knees when I wake up. Middle seats on airplanes no longer give me anxiety. Being stuck somewhere and having to borrow a sweatshirt from someone is actually possible. Kneeling down to garden or give someone a bath, easy peasy. Standing at a work conference all day is no problem at all. I can't even count how many things in my life are no longer a challenge, and I regret that they ever were a challenge. Having RNY at age 36 was the best gift I ever could have given myself!

Stairs: I always walked up the 6 flights of stairs to my office, but pre-WLS was huffing and puffing by the top. Now I can run up them easily. In my secondary office I go up 8 flights with NO huffing/puffing.

AND I had extreme foot pain after a trip to NYC a few years ago. They hurt for months afterwards. Now walking long distances is a breeze.

Not to mention, but I couldn't do real sit-up pre-WLS (too much belly fat). I am up to 30 now and working on getting to 50 (don't feel the need to do more).