Strength Training

I am 9 weeks post-op VSG and recently had a bad virus and had to be hydrated in the hospital. My surgeon wants me to start strength training so I joined the YMCA and hired a trainer for one session to show me what to do. She cancelled so I have been doing cardio.  I have yet to find another trainer. My surgeon now says no lifting more than 10 lbs. So I really do not know where to start and it was suggested that cardio is not going to tone, etc.  So I feel frustrated, financially not prepared for a permanent trainer, and resentful that I joined the Y here. Perhaps I need to cancel that membership and choose another option.  I have never did any type of weight training. Any suggestions?

If you are new to strength training, and money is a concern, I would suggest you look online for workout videos that are strength training focused.  Then I would invest in a pair of "dial-a-dumbbell" type dumbells where you can easily adjust the weight.  You would be surprised at how much you can do with your body weight (squats, lunges, burpees) plus some dumbbells/hand held weights.  You could easily do that for 2-3 months consistently with the same video and see real results.  Then you can add a box step, and get a step video, etc.

My friend did that and went from a skinny fat to a super toned beast.  It took her six months of the above plus some yoga.

Good luck!

I am definitely going to check into this. Thanks so much. 

I recently started using an app called FitStar and it might suit your desires.  It's all stuff you can do at home and you can get two "customized" training sessions a week for free.  

Thanks. I downloaded it last night. 

Body weight training is awesome there are many ways to get started, some techniques like push ups and pull ups can seem daunting especially for ladies, but there are many progression techniques you can apply that will help you get there. One important thing is you want to have a blueprint for what you would like to achieve with your strength training, so as you get going and get an idea of what you would like to achieve, start setting some goals for yourself.

I have started exercising finally...its been a few months since my surgery but I REALLY want to be all around healthy, not just weight less. So far its only cardio. I feel like I have no idea where to begin when it comes to doing anything with weights. There is a one station type thing in my little gym that I use. You are supposed to be able to do all different exercises with the one machine. It's hard to know where to begin. 

Trainers are good when you start off.  They show you how to do the exercises properly, you need to watch your form etc as bad form can result in injury (I have experience here and it sucks lol)   But they can be really expensive and the quality of trainers really does vary tremendously so if you are going down this route make sure you research your trainer before committing to anything long term. 

There is a ton of information on the internet about getting started at the gym and with weight lifting etc.  You tube has a lot of great videos to show how to do things and what will work best.  Look for some beginner programs and just start off slow.  It takes a while to get into the swing of things and you want to make sure you are doing things you enjoy or it just becomes work and not true lifestyle change.

It took 4 months for me to be cleared to go back to the gym after surgery so be patient on that part if your surgeon has informed you not to lift then don't lift.  No need for unwanted complications.

Even if you just start with doing cardio it all really helps in the long run.  I have only been back to the gym for three weeks now and starting off slow.  Even with that the difference is amazing. 

I know I am no newbie having almost been 10 years since my RNY but I would highly recommend an online trainer. Just be careful who you use and do research. Some of them understand us and help with flexible dieting but honestly if you new just be consistent in whatever you choose. Cardio only will get boring fast and you are right to seek out strength training to try and keep as much muscle as possible as it burns more fat. I have an online trainer that lives 3 hours from me. These are competitors and help you reach goals and you have someone to be accountable if you need that restriction. Learning the proper form and not being afraid in the gym cause we all had to start somewhere. I used to be 325 and now at 160 I am a size 6 and training for powerlifting.  You can do it. When I am never sure of an exercise and how to do it I always check out videos online such as bodybuilding.com. Start slow and build up. The weight will come off and you will get stronger as you lose. We never need to punish ourselves with a ton of cardio but consistency with strength training and cardio in between will help you find a happy place. My best advice is do what ever you can in the first 6 months as this will be where your greatest weightloss will happen and you will be smaller and stronger and burning more calories at rest with the strength training. Some trainers are there in the gyms to show you the ropes and try and get you to sign up for more sessions. Really you just need to know how to do the exercises and change up your program every now and then. Don't be afraid to spend the time with free weights but machines can be helpful for proper form when your getting started. You can do this!!!!

 It's not true that cardio alone won't help you lose weight, but mixing in strength training is beneficial. The stronger your muscles are, the more energy (i.e. fat) your body burns just sitting around. Besides, if you do a ton of cardio, don't do strength training, and lose weight, you'll lose quite a bit of muscle and it could make you look flabby. 

Strength training is any exercise where your body must fight against any type resistance. Weight lifting is the most common type, but other examples include: push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, squats, sprints, pull-ups, etc.