Why Does it Take Surgery to Kick in the Exercising Mojo?

I have noticed from reading several posts that people do an extraordinary amount of exercising after surgery, even within a month of having the surgery. You can't even say that it is due to weight loss because many people initiate rigorous exercise routines as soon as 2 weeks post-op when there is not a significant amount of weight loss. Some routines I've read include walking miles a day, and aerobics. I even have a co-worker who stays at the gym, she started really working out hard 3 weeks after her lap-band but she wouldn't even go walk around the park before her procedure. My question is, if you can do that much activity then why was surgery an option? If that amount of exercise was done prior to surgery there would have been weight loss. I, personally have issues with mobility due to arthritis so I will have to lose a nice amount of weight to comfortably initiate a good work-out plan. For those *****ally didn't have to lose a lot of weight before initiating a work-out plan, why did it take surgery to get your exercise mojo going? I'm just curious because I wish I had that kind of energy and dedication prior to my surgery. 

For me I realized this was my second chance and I was not going to blow it.  I also think that we are driven by progress.  Beginning an exercise routine when you're heavy you're not going to see the progress you would see after you have WLS.  You're already seeing the progress and I think your brain starts thinking about even more progress you could see if you added exercise into the mix.  Also just getting off small amounts of weight can definitely make it easier to get around the gym or making walk much easier.  Surgery is kind of like a rebirth so it makes sense you would try to start some new habits as soon after surgery as you could to really make the lifestyle changes. 

For many, it does not take a large loss to make a huge difference.  I had no joint issues or any other physical problems, but weighing 440 lbs meant my back hurt just walking 100 yds and I would get out of breath and not a lot of motivation.

After surgery, I was down 36 lbs in 2 weeks.  That is the equivalent of dropping a concrete cinder block that you have been carrying around for years.  Since it was a huge drop in such a short period of time, my back did not hurt walking any more, I could breath easier.  I actually waited till I was about 6 weeks post op (when I was cleared for all forms of exercise) before I really started going at it.

But exercise is not the main ingredient for WL, that is mainly to help you strengthen your heart and to build muscle and generally be healthier.  Cutting back calories is the main part of WL, so that is why many of us had surgery, to help with that aspect and we also want to get healthier, so we have added in exercise.

Having dropped over 90 lbs now, it is even easier.

I'm 9 months out and I don't do a ton of exercising, but I find that I actually want to move more.  I'll actually feel kind of antsy in the evening and take the dog out for a walk.  Before, when I had 114 extra pounds, moving around didn't feel good and I wanted to do it as little as possible.  As I lost weight, moving around got easier and I didn't feel terrible, so I want to do it more.  :D  I'm not spending hours at the gym, but I'm getting back on my bike and doing a lot more walking.

Jen

For me, it was a a new beginning, a second chance that I considered a gift.  Plus, after I healed from surgery, I felt better physically so I wanted to move more.  With the opportunity of WLS, I had a new lease on life. 

I lost all of my weight without one step of formal "exercise" after my DS.  I was more active as I lost weight and started enjoying the world around me, but formal exercise bores me to tears.

It's great that you know what would and wouldn't have caused weight loss for everyone... 

I, on the other hand, know that exercise is only about 10% of the equation and that it fails most people because they tend to "reward" their exercise with food, thus negating any caloric deficit earned.  

For me, exercise is for being fit and for the health of my body.  Diet is for weight loss.  The sleeve fixes the diet side of the equation.  I exercised quite a bit before surgery since I've enjoyed exercise for quite a while, even when morbidly obese.  And I was still morbidly obese.  

I didn't claim to know what would and wouldn't cause weight loss. And NOONE knows what would cause weight loss for EVERYONE. That's why I asked the question. And I got some great responses that gave me great insight. Thanks for your response.

You said, "If that amount of exercise was done prior to surgery there would have been weight loss."  To me that reads as "you would have lost weight if you had done this exercise prior to surgery."  If I misinterpreted, I apologize.  

Many people DON'T suddenly become exercise fans or gym rats after surgery.  So there isn't anything about surgery that causes someone to automatically have a desire to exercise.  Just wanted to point that out, since the original post seems to assume that MOST people do, when in my experience the vast majority of people are more active once the weight comes off, but they don't do any formal exercise.  Or maybe I just know a lot of slugs, LOL.

As long as we are slugs who keep our weight off, I don't care which it is... and so far (7 years next month) , so good.

Lora