excersize before surgery?

Did most of you "losers" out there have an excersize routine before you had your surgery? I'm currently at a standstill with any activity once I get home from work. The weather is finally improving up here in Wisconsin and I want to get outside and become active again but I feel sooo sluggish with my extra wt. Did any of you get super motivated once you had your surgery to get into an excersize routine? I'm still in the early stages of pre-op and my heart wants one thing but the energy is just not there. I've started taking vitamins hoping that will help get me moving. Any suggestions or stories you can share? thanks, Alice

Welcome Alice, Before surgery it was so difficult to do any significant amount of exercise. Just walking and carrying around 320 pounds of ME was a chore. Instead of a work out routine I did the small things such as park the car farther from a store, take a stroll around the yard, nothing vigorous, but stilll extra movement. After surgery I began slowly. At first it was 2 minnutes of walking, which I increased by 30 - 60 seconds each day. That was all I could manage but it got much easier as the weight came off and my body adapted.  Immediately after surgery the energy level was low and a daily nap was vital. When I returned home from the hospital I set my timer and made certain to get up and walk every hour. Nothing big, just movement. Best wishes to you Annette

I agree with Annette Alice that before surgery any movement was exercise.  I too was very tired after surgery but walked to my mailbox and back every hour and then increased that.  I do pilates now, work out at the gym for cardio and weights and lots of physical activity I couldn't do prior to WLS. Welcome and look forward to more questions, insights and updates from you.

Outside exercise may be limited due to obesity limitation. Before I had my RNY surgery, we had several weeks of a nutrition class that also spoke about the RNY procedure and life after surgery. We had a fitness trainer come in, with a DVD. On the DVD, were "chair exercises" originally developed for geriatric residents in retirement communities. You can get these DVD's for sale online or any any major deparment store.  You basically sit in a straight back chair and do simple exercises, some with 1-2 pound weights, but mostly just body movement. Keeping pace with the instructon on the DVD, the class managed to work up a sweat during a 5-10 minute session with the DVD. This may be a viable alternative. I'd suggest practicing better food choices, drinking more water, taking vitamins, and exercise prior to surgery. It would be good for you to get into the practice of these area, as these are all important to a successful WLS.  Good luck.

Alice, Before WLS, I was pretty lax about exercise, partly because it required so much effort to move that excess weight around.  But after surgery, my surgeon wanted me walking at least 30 min/day to prevent blood clots and increase my activity level.  I could only do 5 min at a time three times a day at first, but gradually worked my way up to the 30 min.  I do it in the morning, outside, even in cold weather, but you could use a treadmill too (walking outside is cheaper and more pleasant to me).  Now that I've lost quite a bit of weight, I've joined a health club where I do weight training and aerobics classes several times a week. I've also tried water aerobics while on vacation recently.  It's easier on your joints than regular aerobics but still a good workout because of the resistance of the water.  I loved it, but there's nowhere to do it in my area. Jean

Thank you so much everyone for your help. I thought that maybe I would be at a disadvantage not having a good excersize routine before surgery but I see that as I heal and begin to lose pounds that my energy level will increase and the desire to "move" will also. I understand that this is a lifestyle change and I want all the info I can gather beforehand. If it weren't for this forum, I probably would not have even considered having wls. I've learned sooo much from everyone.  Thanks again... Alice

Alice, I was okayed for Lapband surgery at Stanford Hospital for June 23rd back in January.  Prior to that I had been exercising two to three times a week for a half hour due to a car accident I was in.  After I was okayed for the surgery I have stepped up my exercise by lengthening my time on the recumbent bicycle in the exercise room in my apartment building and I bought weights which I also use several times a week.  I was using the treadmill but I had to stop that because I hurt a tendon on my left foot.  I also use a Swiss ball.  Currently my weight is at 221.  My surgeon seemed to think all the exercise I can get in prior to surgery is a good thing! Marti in San Jose

Hi Alice. I am not one of "the losers" yet, but am proud to be associated with the folks on this forum -- so informative and supportive. I am using a DVD someone on this site recommended to me, "Weight 2 Win, The Bariatric Workout." It has 3 workouts at progressive levels of "challenge." I am using the first level for now and it has a lot of chair-exercises. It helps me get more motivated to move when someone on the screen is also moving. Best wishes as you move toward your goals. Let us hear how you're getting along. Marilyn W.

Where did you find the DVD?     I could do chair execises.  I need to get more motivated to exercising. Barb

Barb, I purchased the Weigh 2 Win DVD from the store here on OH. It has helped me and hope it helps you. Marilyn W. Weigh2Win DVD - The Bariatric Workout MORE INFO 3 separate workouts all on 1 DVD! Weigh2Win is a support tool designed specifically for you! -candidates awaiting or patients having completed bariatric surgery. Price: 29.95