I know people have posted in the past about how they can get started with fitness if they are new to it. I thought this was an interesting article and could be useful because exercise can be a critical help, physically and mentally, before and after WLS. I've followed Hampton on Twitter (hybrid calisthenics) a while because I liked his approach and kindness and although I am a regular exerciser, I've found his modification and process for starting new to me exercises to be useful. Hopefully the article is interesting/useful to others.

What the fitness industry gets wrong

You should definitely look at what they say in your plan - there's a huge amount of variation in the programs -- Some allow spicy food early on, some don't (I don't think of Pace salsa as spicy but some might). It is chunky though so if you're on purees, you may need to puree it.

Definitely focus on getting your fluids in; they should have given you a target for the day and you need to do what you have to in order to meet it; dehydration creates its own issues and makes any other issues worse!

Good luck!

I should say, before surgery I was at 420. The doc said I could have surgery if I got under 400 and I managed it easily. My goal right now, is 200 lbs. I?m 6ft 5 38 years old.

The lack of energy is to be expected, and it will take time to return to normal. My surgeon had me take a month off work. My first week back at work, I would basically come home, eat something, and then sleep for 12 hours until it was time to go to work again! But my second week back I felt pretty good.

Maybe extra sleep would help you feel better? Also, and I'm sure you're sick of hearing this but it's so important: drink more water! I have found that to feel my best, I actually need 2.5 liters of fluids per day. Whenever I feel unexpectedly tired, it's often a sign that I'm dehydrated, so the first thing I do is drink a glass of water.

By the time I was at the two month mark, I felt that my energy level was at about 90% normal.I felt great most of the time, but exhaustion could hit me very suddenly. That gradually improved, but getting all the way to 100% took about 9 months. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

An excellent tip my dietitian gave me regarding protein powders is to try using half the recommended amount. You'll probably find it more palatable, in which case you'll drink more. If you're drinking bottle protein shakes, perhaps you could try thinning them with milk or milk alternative. Or even water.