Where Do I Start

I am 4 months Post-Op from a lap RNY.   I have walking about 3 times a week since I came home.  I know I should be doing more.  I have lost 73 lbs. and feel very soft. I am not familiar with work-out plans.  I have no family or friends in the area so I don't have a owrk-out partner either. What are some basics I can start with at home?  What exercises were you doing at 4 months post-op? I am still too timid to go to a gym............I would like to be in better shape before I workout in front of people.   I know.......that is why I should go to the gym........just really wanting to tone up good before I take that first step thru a gym door. Leslie

I would suggest that you walk 5 times a week and make sure you're walking briskly enough you get your heart rate up for 30 minutes.  That's where you get the health benefits.  Also, if you're walking faster, you're toning your muscles better. Another option would be to ride a bike if you have one, and running is also good.  There are tons of couch to 5k types of programs that work you into it easily. Really, anything active that you like to do is great.     I would highly suggest that you check into different gyms now.  You can see the type of environment  at the time of day you'd go and make your choice about where to join.  A good place has people of all ages, shapes, and sizes because they're all interested in doing their own thing and not too concerned about anyone else's.  Good ones also offer a good variety of classes at various time.  I actually belong to a women's gym that I love. Linn

I'm three months post op and I'm doing a beginner running and biking plan right now.  Runner's World has lots of training plans for beginners if you're interested in running at all.  Beginner Triathlete has some good beginner multi sport plans if you like that sort of thing.  For toning you can get a set of resistance tubes or bands and there are websites that give you some great muscle toning exercises to do with those.   I'm not at a gym right now either because I work at a school and summer money is tight.  But when the weather turns cold I imagine I'll be waddling my jiggly butt and thighs into our town's one and only gym, confident that along with the pumped and toned gym rats, I'm also going to find other equally jiggly bottomed people just trying to fight the good fight like me.  But it's mostly like Linn said, people are usually much too interested in doing their own thing to worry much about what the people around them are up to!

Try some DVDs, you can get various ones through the library and try them out before you buy.  Also, I'd echo Linn - walk more often and try to walk faster to really get your heart rate up.  If you are intimidated about a gym, maybe try a place like Curves - it is much less intimidating.  I wouldn't sign up for a whole year though because you will soon progress farther than Curves will probably take you.

Thanks for the encouragment and advice. I am going to start my search today.  I really do want to be healthy and stronger. We have a Curves so I may check that out.  I like the idea of an all woman's facility. Would love to someday run, but I keep having flashbacks of being teased while running.  Maybe once the rest of weight comes off and I get a breast lift I'll feel confident enought to give running a second chance! Leslie

If you would love to run then I think you should do it!  Trust me I am one of the "always picked last in gym class" set too.  Me running is NOT a pretty picture of olympic grace.  The casual observer might be tempted to say "That looks more like vigorous flab bouncing than running to me!" (They would say that except I'm still plenty big enough to do a fair amount of damage if I sat on them)  So far all major news organizations have failed to pick up on the "Obese, Middle Aged Woman Looks Silly While Exercising" story.  Over at runner's world they call folks like us "The Penguins".  I was shocked to find that large waddling peole like me take up running all the time!  We larger running girls are also called "Athenas" (super cool name if you ask me!)  If you truly don't feel comfortable then definitely don't do it but I'd hate to see you postpone something you really wanna do.  If you wanna do it, while you're out there walking why not stick 30 seconds or a minute of running in there every 5 minutes or so.  I bet it'll be over before anyone even has a chance to notice!  Then you can start telling people "Im going out for my run!" and sound really athletic and cool.  (okay well it works for me anyway)  Best of luck and I hope you'll keep us posted!

One other thing, to elaborate on some other posts a well as your own. I started running when I was about 4 months post-op.  At the time, I belonged to a Gold's Gym and at the time I was going, there were lots of women my size working out hard.  Most of the men were in a different spot lifting free weights, but the ones on the treadmills and bikes really were fine.  I never felt like I was being judged harshly for my size, just appreciated for doing what I could.  That truly is the mentality of most people who attend a gym regularly and work hard. I really need a breast lift and tummy tuck because I feel it all bounce.  What I do is run in 2 bras - one a great support bra, the other over it has a shelf bra.  I was VERY busty and now they hang.   I also use lightly compressive garments to keep the tummy skin from bouncing around as much.  Together they do a pretty good job. Remember, there are always more excuses for why not to do something than there will ever be reasons for doing it in the first place.  There really are tons of good workouts for beginners and there are lots of fabulous folks on this board with a wealth of knowledge. Linn