What works best????

I recently rejoined a gym and am now 2 weeks post-op and the Dr. says I can start doing cardio, but keep the weights 10lbs or less for now.

My question is, what kind of cardio is the best??? I'm pretty much pear shaped and carry most of my weight in my hips and thighs. I have been doing the Eliptical because it's easier on my joints, as opposed to the treadmil. Also, what type of exercises are good to get rid of the bat wings...I know there's muscle under there, but it's hard to find at the moment! lol

thanks for any help you can give!
Holly

Hi Holly! I'm not expert but I've been going to the gym since I was about a month post op. I started off doing the ellptical. It seems to target more muscles and burns calories a bit faster. Take it slow though, really. Listen to your body. I am now 7 months post op and I can 45 minutes no problem. I can pu**** to 1 hour sometimes, but I don't do that more than 2x a week it seems. Any bit of cardio helps though really. As far as the bat wings...I wish I knew! So I'll be waiting to hear the answer to this one too! Good luck and keep up the good work. Jen

Hi Holly, The best cardio is the one you'll do. :) Elliptical is great. It doesn't hurt to change it up and maybe walk outside or on the treadmill a couple of days a week or ride a bike or exercise bike. You can even change up in the same workout.  You can get repetitive stress injuries if you do the same things all the time. Bat Wings...it's no real secret that a lot of WLS peps have to get plastic surgery to get rid of them, no matter how hard you workout. I have them. But any Tricep exercise will help fill the void with muscle instead of fat. I believe any tricep exercise with your arms overhead (like French Presses or overhead extensions) or Lying extensions (like skull crusher type exercises) work the long head of the triceps and it has the most potential for growth. Just basic pushups will do amazing things to reduce bat wings. Good luck Earl

I'm in love with the ArcTrainers at the Y. They are kind of like elliptical cycles, but much, much meaner. However, as brutal as they are, they are very, very easy on the joints. I'm up to an hour on the ArcTrainer, and I am pre-op. Back in Jan when I first started, I couldn't do a full minute on a regular elliptical.

I'm working with a trainer right now, and he is reccomending light weights (like three pounds), slow movements and many repetitions for the best possible results with my arms. He acknowledges that post-surgery, there's no way I won't need plastics, but says that we can give the eventual plastic surgeon the best possible set of cir****tances to work with in terms of muscle tone.

Sarah M.