INTENSITY OF WORK OUT???????

HI! IMMA  A  NEWBIE! I'M 4 WEEKS POST -OP RNY GB & IM DOWN 30 LBS. I  AM CURIOUS AS TO HOW INTENSE THE WORKOUTS, CARDIO OR RESISTANCE HAS TO/CAN BE? BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED CALORIES WE TAKE IN DOES OUR HEART RATE HAVE TO STAY BETWEEN A CERTAIN RANGE. (i.e. THE 6 WEEK BODY MAKEOVER) OR CAN WE WORKOUT AT ANY INTENSITY WE LIKE? WHAT GETS/GIVES BETTER RESULTS? THANX IN ADVANCE 4 UR RESPONSES.

Hey there. 30 pounds in 4 weeks is awesome! You'll have those energy dumps for months probably. Everyone is different. It depends on what kind of condition you were in before surgery as far as for your intensity right now. Read Jeremy's article about cardio on this board he talks about the myths on cardio. Personally, I usually recommend walking the first few months. Just walk as much as you can, it's the activity at this point not so much busting a gut (literally) trying to go as fast as you can. You're still recovering internally for months after surgery, long after the incisions on the outside are healed, you'll still be healing on the inside. With the limited calories you'll find it's better to do many shorter walks than 1 long walk everyday. If you can squeeze it in that is. I started with 7 or 8 short walks daily and as the walks got longer in time I cut down on the amount to where I was walking twice a day for 45 minutes to an hour. Walking in the morning and at night also keeps your metabolism jacked up all day and night. The weights or resistance training I usually recommend after 6 to 8 weeks, unless you were doing it before surgery, then maybe 4 weeks if you're careful. Don't do any ab work for the first few months and stay away from crunches. Good luck Earl

THANX!!!!!! YOUR RESPOSE WAS VERY HELPFUL!

Hi Celesti Earl gave the best advice.  I will only add that for now, you should listen to your body and not overdo at all.  After a couple months, you should get to where your energy is better, then begin to challenge yourself. Now is only the time to establish daily exercise! As E says, even 10 minutes, the same time of day and up to several times a day is a great start. While walking, time your self for one minute and count the steps you take. Keep checking every week to see if you're getting in more steps per minute.  That's one way to increase intensity. For now, you are getting a baseline.  later, you can try to get more steps per minute in!

Good luck.

THANX!

I saw my surgeon today for my one month post op and I asked this exact question.  I had LAP RNY on 1/31.  He said that I had no restrictions on what I can do as far as working out or the level of intensity.  

    CONGRATS ON UR WEIGHT LOSS!