Lookin' for friends! I'm over 50 BMI and new to site

I'm over 50 BMI and looking for friends who can relate to help me through the process!  I just got a surgery date of June 12, 2008 for RNY.  I'm excited to get my BMI under my age!    Any suggestions on exercise.  My mobility is limited so need chair exercises.

Hello, and welcome to the board!!  Congratulations on getting your surgery date!  I remember how excited I was when I got mine :) As for suggestions on exercise, how about swimming or water aerobics?  Its easy on the joints and local rec centers usually have easy access pools.  Also, arm bikes can be used sitting down, and there are a few books for chair tai-chi.  My aunt with MS uses a chair for her tai chi classes when she needs to.  Cardiovascular exercise is probably more what you need right now to improve your condition for surgery, but it also doesn't hurt to get some dumbells and do weight training on your arms.  You will lose muscle as you lose weight after surgery, believe me, so it doesn't hurt to get a good start with your muscles. 

Welcome to you! I love water aerobics.

Welcome to our little corner of the internet - glad you found us.  Congrats on your upcoming surgery - June 12th will be here before you know it!  Jen (Dunnyboctor) made some great suggestions about exercise - any of them would serve you well.  Basically, anything that gets you moving and gets your heart rate up a little bit is good for you!!!   Again, welcome -  Kellie

Welcome to our little world!  I know that Kix started out with the hand bicycle so she'll be a great source of information. Check out your YMCA.  Ours has a silver sneakers program that is designed for people who have mobility issues and is mostly chair based.  They recommend that to me in the beginning, but I choose the personal fitness program that they had instead.  it was tough but now exercise is a habit and I do it 5 days a week.  I started at 371 with a BMI of 58.1.  If I can make it a habit, anyone can! Good luck and we'll save room for you on the losers bench!

Thanks for the encouragement.  Didn't know that about the Y's silver sneakers program.  At my last weigh in I was 370 post-op.  People suggested swimming, but I can't bring myself to suffer the embarrassment of swimwear and the pool.  I've been lifting weights as I can do that in a sitting position but will have to check out my local Y. 

I weighed 374 at my highest, but I didn't let that stop me from wearing a bathing suit.  The YMCA is not filled with skinny little things trying to find a man like at most gyms. These are people doing this for their health. Who cares what you look like in a bathing suit, just remember you won't be this size for long, and your doing this for a better you!

My BMI is very high as well and I am scheduled for surgery on 6/6/08. I have a membership to the YMCA and I to was very self conscience on wearing a bathing suit so I wear a pair of shorts and a big tee shirt int he water and swim and run in place for an hour and a half to two hrs at my own pace and I feel great when I get out. Our YMCA has two pools. One is a smaller one that therapist use during the day with their patients and it is warm water and I love it. I get to winded if I get onthe treadmill or on the other equipment but If I get in the pool I can exercise much longer and not get as tired.

Wow, you're fantastic!  I know I've got to get over this what people think of me.  I'm lifting weights now and this week I'm going to try to stand a little bit at a time.  It's been so long since I moved normally that my muscles don't know what to think! I'm hoping in a month to be able to walk outside a bit. I'm determined to get my mobility back!   Stay tuned and thanks for all the great input!

Hi, welcome to the group.  I'm pretty new myself.  Congratulations on getting a date.  I have to do the six month supervised diet thing for my insurance.  I just finished the first month.    Linda