Let's talk about exercise

Alright VSGERS

Let's hear about your daily exercise routines. Do they vary? When did you start doing these exercises after vsg and how long do you do them for. I myself basically slept my first month and a half with only the basic 30 minute walk. After that I've been walking about an hour with some killer inclines. But as my energy is rising and the cold weather approach I'm looking for some new ideas.

Great question! I'm one month out from my surgery and need to start a routine. I just hung up with a gym by my work... going to join and my goal is to work out before I start my day! First hurdle: I am not a gym person!

The best exercise is something you honestly enjoy. I hate running, always have, always will, and tried to force myself into it after I was all healed up. It was a disaster! But I got on my bicycle and realized I LOVED riding it, and it was much easier to keep up with it because I liked having my time alone on wheels in the sunshine.

I'm 2+ years post-op. Before surgery, I started working with a personal trainer to do what I could. We'd work every once every 2-3 weeks and she'd give me assignments. (I joined the local YMCA.) I started by binge watching Breaking Bad on an elliptical bike an hour at a time. It was the only time I'd let myself watch it.

After surgery, I was back at the gym within a week. I was allowed to do anything I felt up to so long as I didn't lift more than 10 pounds in the first two weeks. I was then cleared for full exercise. I went to the gym 4 times a week and walked the other days. I did my trainer's routine. I took classes (yoga, zumba, etc.) I tried everything to see what I liked.

About 7 months after surgery, my younger daughter decided to take a break from fencing (as in en garde) and she had 4 private lessons that were going to expire. I took them because I figured they'd be a good, high-intensity aerobic work out. I had watched what her coach had been doing with her for 2 years. Well, I really liked it.

Fast forward, I'm 2.5 years after surgery. I fence 6-7 hours a week and compete at a national level (I'm ranked 27th among women 50-59 in my weapon.) I do a cross fit type, olympic-lifting class three days a week for an hour. I do an hour of pilates a week and do other agility and weight-lifting.

I'm at the gym every day. I love it. I've joined a really great gym that is supportive. I have amazing coaches.

I'm down about 150 pounds. I'm at about 29% body fat and I'm a 57 year old woman who had 2 kids. I can deadlift 235 pounds and back squat 225.

Try all the classes. Try new gyms. Choose to spend your money on your new life by finding a gym that encourages you to be there every day. EVERY DAY. If i'm not there, someone calls because it's out of the ordinary.

You rock! I love all of this!!!!

Hi!

My method was similar to Knitters.

I was only allowed to walk for the first 6 weeks post-op, so I walked a lot. I did laps of my street, which is .25 miles. I worked up to being able to walk an hour at a time and then, since it was cold, I switched to the treadmill at the gym. I worked on improving my pace and finally got to the point where I thought maybe I could try running a little, and I did. I did, and still do, use walk/run intervals, but I've completed 2 half marathons and countless 5ks at this point. Since I found I actually enjoy running :)

About 2 months post-op I also joined a gym that had a great fitness class schedule and started trying everything that sounded remotely appealing. I forced myself to give every class 4 tries in order to get past the "I'm an uncoordinated whale" phase of fitness classes that I think everyone goes through :) I found that I love pilates, yoga, and tai chi.

I've gone through periods where I've lifted heavy things, but I haven't gotten to the point where I love lifting enough to stick with it yet. I will, some day.

My schedule has changed over the years - normally based on other schedule changes and changes in the fitness class schedule. Right now, my weekly schedule looks like this:

M - intermediate pilates class
Tu - running, yoga at home
W - pilates class, followed by yoga class if I have time, which is rarely these days
Th - running, yoga at home
F - MFR class
Sa - running
Su - yoga at home

I'm looking into joining a martial arts program, I just cant seem to get excited about the gym.

I've been varying my routine a bit in the ~2 years since my VSG. In the 2 weeks right after surgery, it was mostly walking. I started doing elliptical for about 30 minutes in the 2nd week. Within a few weeks, I was doing about an hour 5-6 times per week. I started back at tae kwon do a month after surgery, attending class about 3-4 times per week in addition to doing cardio. Weekends often included a local hike of 5-7 miles.

I kept that program up for awhile, and then I started having some significant lower back pain - specifically after doing extension/jumping kicks in TKD. A friend turned me on to bikram yoga and I've been doing that instead of martial arts for the last 6 months. Totally addicted to it! I try to make it to class 3-4 times per week.

Like a couple others have mentioned - running is anathema to me. I can force myself to do the elliptical machine based on the TV show I have in front of me. Someone said they binged on Breaking Bad; I did Game of Thrones twice in a row, one episode per cardio session. I also would only watch it when on the machine, so it's important for me to have good entertainment lined up so I feel some kind of motivation to get on it.

Something else I would love to be doing is playing racquetball, but it's really difficult to find places to play. It's something I really enjoy, which means I don't feel like I'm exercising.