Have You Misplaced Your Focus?
email to a friend
printer-friendly version| by Jeremy Gentles, CSCS Exercise is no good for weight loss! Well, not exactly. While there are a number of benefits associated with bariatric surgery independent of weight loss, such as relief from Type II diabetes, loss of excess body weight remains the primary benefit of weight loss surgery. Unfortunately, for many individuals, weight loss is also considered to be the primary benefit of exercise. Why is this unfortunate, you ask? If exercise does significantly contribute to weight loss after bariatric surgery, great; but if it does not, and your focus remains losing weight through exercise, this goal may easily become a barrier to success. Exercise Is No Good for Weight Loss? There is a limited amount of research assessing the impact of exercise on total weight loss after bariatric surgery. However, the data that does exist is similar to what has been seen in individuals on clinically guided low-calorie or very-low-calorie diets. This is reasonable, as bariatric surgery includes anatomical adjustments to help control caloric intake versus the behavior modification and clinical supervision used in clinically guided nutrition and exercise programs. A 2005 study in the journal Obesity Surgery looked at 100 duodenal switch patients preoperatively through 18 months post-operatively. The group was divided into exercise and non-exercise groups: the exercise group reported participating in exercise at least three times a week for no less than 30 minutes per session during the first six months after surgery, while the non-exercise group reported less or no exercise. Eighteen months after the duodenal switch, both groups had lost very similar amounts of total body weight. Yes, that?s right: those who did not exercise lost the same amount of weight as those who did. There was one key difference, of course! The exercise group had significantly higher levels of muscle tissue at the end of the study than those who did not exercise. This means that they also had lower body fat percentages and were stronger, more functional and more prepared for long-term weight-loss maintenance. Did these differences show up on the scale? Of course not, and neither will yours. You must be able to look deeper than the scale. While exercise may not increase the total amount of weight loss during periods of significant caloric restriction, including after bariatric surgery, exercise is consistently a habit of those who achieve long-term success. Regular physical activity is a key component of maintaining weight loss, with or without bariatric surgery. Notice the word ?maintaining??this is extremely important. Exercise will help maintain the weight loss you have achieved through WLS, but most likely will not cause extensive weight loss itself. ?Big deal!? you might say. ?Isn?t this trivial?? Absolutely not, and let me explain. Imagine you are several months post-weight loss surgery. You are satisfied with the amount of consistent weight loss you are achieving, but you feel you can do better, especially if you start exercising more regularly. You begin an exercise program, but several weeks into the program, your rate of weight loss has not significantly increased. For many obese individuals, this scenario is just another in a long list of failed attempts at exercise. Each time you fail, it makes successful long-term participation in an exercise program more difficult to attain. What is the problem here? Is it that exercise does not dramatically increase weight loss after bariatric surgery, or is it the expectations we place upon exercise itself? You must set yourself up for success, not failure. So where do you focus? A Healthy Focus No matter how ingrained it is in our heads that exercise causes weight loss, this is not always the case. However, the numerous benefits of exercise are often independent of weight loss. In other words, even if you never lose another pound in your life, exercise will enhance your health. With weight loss off your mind (right?), you can focus on the other benefits of exercise. Without a doubt, exercise can help you become more functional, control your blood sugar, lower your cholesterol levels, and decrease your blood pressure. Moreover, the greatest decrease in disease risk occurs with moderate levels of physical activity. You don?t need to be able to run 10 miles to see real results. If you regularly mow your lawn (not riding), work in the garden, or walk for 30 minutes, you are well on your way to reaching the most important goal?health! The power of exercise is not demonstrated on the scale, but in the way we feel. When it comes to exercise, a healthy focus is best. Jeremy Gentles, CSCS is ObesityHelp?s staff health and fitness expert. Jeremy studied Exercise Science at East Tennessee State University and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). His experiences include addressing the specific exercise and fitness needs of the obese and those who will undergo or have undergone bariatric surgery. |
Most Active
Recent Topics
