Hey Beginners -- what are you doing for exercise?

It's "something" almost every day.  Some day's are more active than others (like the dancing is more fun, but the boot camp makes me almost pass out! LOL!) -- so I'm hoping that having "something" on most days will at least get me into the habit.

I had never heard of bariatric boot camp either -- the woman who does it here in Baltimore has just started working more closely with GBMC -- but she has clients from all programs.  She is a personal trainer as well -- so maybe google Bariatric Boot Camp or ask your surgeon's office if there are trainers who have experience in bariatric patients -- maybe they will have some ideas!  

It is nice to work out with other bariatric patients and with a trainer who personally lost more than 100 pounds.  

I'm excited to try Keith's suggestions as well in 3-weeks.  I just started exercising after hitting 3 weeks post OP on Monday and all I can manage is 20-30 minutes on the treadmill at 3 MPH with a little incline.  I have to wear the stomach/back brace and my stomach still hurts when I exercise so I'm not pushing it.  My NUT told me to expect this but to walk anyway as long as it isn't super painful and the pain goes away within a short time after exercising. 

I just bought an Eliptical/Recumbent Bike combo machine that I am anxious to use since I get so bored on the treadmill.  Also, my sister has been raving about Body Pump that she does at the gym and tells me I can just get the DVD's and weights to use at home, which I'm planning on doing down the road. 

 

 

I'm one week ahead of you and I'm walking try to get a mile in. I walk with my dog and she keeps me walking along at a good clip, next  week will head to the pool and try some aqua sizes, DR. said would be ok as long as I don't do the jumping up and down ones. Thought I might join curves for muscle toning. I live in a small town and not to much around for a gym.

Great!  Definitely in Austin I'd be exercising inside!  But as you heal, the pain will decrease.  I used to have recumbent bike, but our Sheltie (RIP!) used to chase our feet when we used it, nip at our heels, and try to herd us!  So, that didn't work out so well for me (Great excuse, huh?  The Sheltie barks and nips my heels! -- I've got a million excuses!)

Keep up the good work!

I agree, bariatric boot camp sounds pretty cool. I lived in Baltimore for a couple years - it's where I first heard of the VSG!

Okay, I'll play. I still consider myself a beginner. When I first started, all I did was water aerobics.

I started working with a personal trainer a couple weeks ago and he set up a schedule for me that I have been doing a great job at sticking to so far. I actually challenge myself to do more than what he tells me to do. I'm working on spending at least 5 minutes on the elliptical most days because it is awkward for me and I want to get used to it).

So here is the schedule, with my extras in parentheses.

Sun: 15 minutes stair machine (this week I added 10 minutes on the elliptical, then did an hour of gentle dancing and stretching, then spent hours deep cleaning my apt, so I ended up with a lot of activity)

Mon: 15 minutes rowing machine (this week I added 10 minutes of elliptical, 30 minutes of water aerobics and about 15 minutes of stretching)

Tues: personal training (got about 20 minutes of good stretching afterward)

Wed: 1 hour bellydancing class (I may hit the elliptical first, or do some pool stuff afterward, depending on time and how intense the class was)

Thurs: 15 minutes high intensity intervals on treadmill (if time permits, will add at least 5 minutes of elliptical)

Fri: personal training (this week I have a golf outing at work right before training, so that will be challenging)

Sat: REST :)

I think I'll suggest bellydancing to the Bariatric Boot Camp trainer - -bariatric belly dancing!  I love it.  Sounds like you are working really hard -- it's good to have a fun activity as well.  I started out just in the water as well, and it was weird when I looked at my workouts and there was no water stuff on there -- I'll have to try to get some in as extra cardio.  I loved aqua zumba -- but it got cancelled when the instructor got a job as a dancer!

 

Bariatric bellydancing sounds great! The wonderful thing about bellydance is that people of all shapes and sizes can do it.

I didn't exercise at all before I had surgery in April. It just never felt good, I never got any kind of endorphin rush and I didn't know where to start. It was so much easier to just sit and watch the videos or to stop walking and go back home so that's what I always did. As a child I was a reader, never did any sports and was always the slowest in sprints.  I got a big energy boost after surgery that's still ongoing and now exercise actually feels good but there's still a LOT I don't know.  Right now my routine doesn't feel like I'm doing enough.

Monday - Bridge to 10k, 45 minutes jogging (couch to 5k was the first thing I did once I'd recovered from complications)

Tuesday - Strength Training, working my way up to more sets, right now 30 minutes

Wednesday - Bridge to 10k, 45 minutes jogging

Thursday - Strength training 30 minutes and physical therapy (due to fibromyalgia)

Friday - Bridge to 10k, 45 minutes jogging

I don't do anything particular on the weekends and I guess that's where I'm falling down on the job at this point.

Sounds great -- you need a little rest. You can borrow my Mutt and go for walks on the weekends, if you like!  He's very friendly, and is my Couch 2 5K workout partner.   Strength training really pays off -- it takes more calories to keep those muscles going! I was embarrassed by how little weight I can manage -- so hopefully, I'll catch up!

Keep up the great work!

I have never been so excited to EXERCISE!!! This is my weekly workout schedule.

Monday- Body Pump Class at the gym (strengthening class) 

Tuesday- Body Combat Class at the gym (boxing/kickboxing cadrio class)

Wednesday- Body Pump Class

Thursday- 60min Elliptical

Friday- 60min Elliptical

Saturday- Body Pump Class