Suggestions for starting exercise.

I also use the Samsung Health tracker on my Android phone. I like it a lot.

An hour walk for me at 3 mph is also 6,000 steps, and a bit more if I'm on flat terrain that allows me to walk faster.

I live at 6562 ft, and every direction from my house is downhill and then of course, back up!

I found that the intense fatigue lifted around 11-12 weeks post-op without increasing calories. Remember that your body is still healing! Your energy will improve! Walking is plenty right now. Find small ways to add more movement to your day. Little walks and standing breaks, etc.

The thing that really kicked me into exercise mode was working with a personal trainer. I'm lucky that my surgery center has a program that allows for 4 weeks of free training and gym access, and that's what I needed - someone to be waiting for me at the gym so I felt external pressure to show up.

The other thing that worked for me is to try to find activities that I actually really enjoy. For me that is yoga. I dread getting on the elliptical sometimes, but going to a yoga class excites me. Maybe for you that would be swimming, playing a sport, hiking, etc.

I didn't start working out regularly until 6 months post-op. I beat myself up a bit for that and now I don't know why I felt so rushed or why I was so hard on myself. Focus on you food plan, move a little more, and amp it up once you feel better!

I joined the gym at work about 2 months after surgery. I felt like you where i didn't have a lot of energy but i have a dog and live in the city so i walked a lot. I started lifting weights with a friend and we would do 5 minutes on the elliptical as a warm up and it would about kill my legs! About a year later, I do 30-40 min at least 3 times a week with weights after then yoga once a week. I also strive to get my 10k steps in as many days as possible including those when i don't formally work out. To help relax and regroup mentally, I started taking yoga and was a hot mess when I started but have grown quite a bit (can't do some things) but give it my best effort. It just takes time as I ask myself will i ever look forward to the gym? One day i'm sure lol! As of now, it is a conscious effort to do something 4 times a week. My suggestion is take it month by month. If you are walking 5 blocks this month, increase it to 7 blocks the next month, etc. I would also suggest doing some low weights because that will help too. I frequently tell myself Rome wasn't built in a day so this will take time too! Hang in there...you've got this!

There are a lot of exercise videos you can watch for free on YouTube.

I liked the 'Leslie Sansone walk at home' ones. They are low impact but get you moving and are nice if the weather doesn't permit walking outside.

Good Luck!

10 continuous minutes of walking is enough to see real health benefits. A study of Japanese office workers showed this - significant improvements in health in those whose walking commutes were over 10 minutes compared to others with shorter commutes. (Even more improvements with more time, though the rate of increase slows down over 30 minutes).

My source: a YouTube video called "23 1/2 Hours", where a doctor cites this study (and other stuff) to show why you should get moving for 30 minutes a day in 10-minute-or-greater chunks (that is, sit still for ONLY 23 1/2 hours a day).

My fit bit shows "active minutes" each day. I think it might be 150 steps in a minute, or thereabouts. But it has to be at least ten consecutive minutes, or it counts zero.

A lot of studies show that activity spread out over the day is healthier than someone who goes nuts at the gym, and is sedentary the rest of the day.

My fitbit shows "active minutes" each day. I think it might be 150 steps in a minute, or thereabouts. But it has to be at least ten consecutive minutes, or it counts zero.

A lot of studies show that activity spread out over the day is healthier than someone who goes nuts at the gym, and is sedentary the rest of the day.

Wombat -- I think you're on the right track, literally. Walking at a comfortable pace to start, no matter how fast or slow you go (you'll know what's right for you) is a wonderful post-op exercise.

That's what I did post-op, as it is for many WLS patients, and it was a great get-going approach for me.

You're also on the right track with your idea to start slow, then gradually (at a pace that feels right for you) lengthen your walking distance and the amount of time you walk. But please don't over do it. You'll burn out and possibly injure yourself. However, I do recommend that you walk every day to building the daily habit of moving your body more.

You can vary the locations where you walk. But again, keep things simple.

Here are some tips I've learned that really work when building new habits:

1. Start very small.
2. Do only one change at a time.
3. Be present and enjoy the activity (don't focus on results).
4. Be grateful for every step you take.

These tips are not original with me. :)

You don't have to become an athlete in one month or even one year. You may never consider "become an athlete." But if you develop the daily habit of walking you will benefit in so many ways.

All you have to do is start. And then start anew. And anew.

Best wishes. :)

P.S. And please be kind to yourself. Change isn't easy. But many people here are changing themselves ... day by day.