EXERCISE Befire and After WLS.....How much before?

Tonight my S.O and I went to hear a a Public Forum on WLS. I had already been , but wanted to have him go to hear it as support for me. With the understanding that WLS is a Tool and that Diet and Exercise are the 2 other major componets........My husband is convinced that I will not potentially be successfull because I do not currently follow an exercise program. How many of you that ahave been successful with your WLS journey that are now including exercise in your lifestyle did so  before surgey.  FYI. My BMI is45. When, it has been lower in the past I was much more active--it was easier........Not an excuse, just the truth. All feedback wanted.  Thanks Jac

My BMI was 48.6 when I had surgery. I've lost 106-108 pounds ( varies by the day) in 16 months. I never did any exercise before the surgery except when I was on the BIG DIET, which was once every 2-3 years. After surgery I bought a treadmill and I use it a few days a week. That's it, and I doubt I will ever do much more. My mother had RNY 30 years ago, and never did any exercise. She lost well over 100 pounds and regained 16 back  over the years. She's 70 and in very good  health. She believes if you exercise and then stop, your body will pile on more weight than if you just never did it to begin with. I have no clue if this is true, but I think you lose more weight if you do some form of exercise. It's also supposed to keep you from losing muscle instead of fat.  Good luck on your journey!

I rarely exercised preop til about 6 weeks prior to surgery.  Once I had decided to go for it , and even before I got my insurancce approval, I started at a gym.  My intention was to get in the best shape possible for surgery so I could recover faster and have less complications by strengthening my heart and lungs for the surgery and my muscles so i could move myself better with an incision in my belly from my sternum to my belly button.  I hired a personal trainer 2 times a week for a month  immediately preop.  my BMI was 53 and execise was quite difficult, but I found a trainer who worked with my limitaions  while challenging me to do more than I thought I could do - and he was right that I could do more than I thought. Of course I had no where to go but up at that point. After, once I was healed - about 8 weeks post op I started back at the gym. My intensity level was low and as I lost and was able I increased my intensity. I could not have possibly done then , at that weight what I do now at my much lower weight. I have exercised regularly taking breaks from the gym after I had subsequent surgeries - hernia repair and plastics, for about 8 weeks after each. I  did do walking around my neighbor hood with in days after each surgery though.  I did not do much with resistance training until I was down to where I needed to be and had my plastics. that really motivated me to work my muscles more to build them a little so I look more toned. Now I try my best to get to the gym at least 5 days a week. and I am studying to be a trainer myself . Big change, huh!   I am not skinny and never will be, I am fairly medium, at 4'11 and 140 pounds ( need to get back to 130-135) and wear an 8-10 and started at a 28-30. I credit exercise for keeping me from regaining a lot of weight. I am currently struggling with 10 pounds I put on over the winter and it is very emotional for me. I do yoga, cardio and weight training.  Let me know how you are doing!  and good luck! HUGS!

My BMI was 59.6 before WLS and truthfully, it was all I could do to make it through a day of work. Now i am more active. I park a mile away from work and thus get 2 miles of walking in 5 times a week at the very least. I do also go to the gym. Increasing my workout time and intensity is addicting. When i first started i couldn't even do 2 minutes on the eliptical and now i am up to 45 minutes. I still hate to go, but love it afterwards....when i stop it is unbelievable at how difficult it is to motivate myself to go again. You just have to do it! My current MBI is26.5 and I started exercising after i had lost the initial 50 lbs. I hope that helps, Melinda

I did not exercise regularly just prior to my WLS.  Over the years, though, I did try to exercise semi-regularly, especially when I was following a DIET PLAN!!!  Truth be told, I was probably a better exerciser when I was heavy than I was immediately following my surgery.  The weight came off so easily after surgery that I guess I rationalized not needing the exercise (other than a little walking to strengthen me and help ward off blood clots).  Really, though I was not a couch potato fat person.  I did walk and participate in bowling, racquetball occasionally, bike riding, just not a "regular" exercise program. Now, having said all that, I will advise you that it's best to get into the habit as soon as you can, and really try to stick with it.  When I started to re-gain weight (about 25 lbs total from my lowest post-WLS weight), I realized that it was time to get more serious about exercising.  So since about January, I have really tried to be faithful and fit in regular exercise as much as I can.  I have a busy schedule and that makes it tough, but I'm doing much better with it.  And I also believe it's what has kept me from gaining any more weight.  Now if I can re-focus on my food intake, I could probably drop a few pounds.  But for now, I'm happy to have halted the gain.

Good luck on your WLS journey!!

Carlita

I have always been an active person but never really followed an "exercise plan" before wls~it was just too hard and I felt like crap! As soon as I was released to exercise after surgery I set up a plan for myself to follow and I truly believe that has been a big factor in me not needing any ps after losing 174-178lbs. I started out walking, set small goals for myself and built up to where I can do any form of exercise today and I actually ENJOY doing it, LOL!!! You can do this! It does take commitment, but its so well worth it in the end! Good LUck to You!

Please know that I am in no way suggesting you follow my example, I am just giving you my honest history.  Preop I spent most of my life around 300 pounds. I was actually 360 date of surgery and probably the most active person you could ever know. I RAN, not walked RAN 3 miles every single day at 360 pounds and loved it. I was never tired, never hungry, no problems that usually go alone with "fat people'' except I was extremely Obese.  Post op & 160 pounds lighter, I have to force myself to exercise and I hate it so much that I actually stopped exercising for about a year. I am always tired , with no explanation because my labs are great. I do exercise regularly now and have been faithfully for a good while. My weight is no different than it was when I stopped exercising and actually I am about to stop again because like before when my body "liked' being at 350, I think it once again "likes" being 200 and wont give me a pound lose no matter what I do. I am not complaining just stating the facts of my life. I do not believe in any way that I could have remained healthy & active at 360 pounds, I was just young and lucky! I do not think I am normal and I do believe we are all so different it is hard to compare Good luck Diana RNY 9/17/03 Dr. Roe 360/200/still aiming at 180.

Pre-op, I was a couch potato.  Once the first 50 lbs came off, I was full of energy.  I joined the gym.  I now consider myself an athlete.  I weight train and have been the number one female weight lifter at the local YMCA for 10 months.  I'm number 3 in the entire gym!  I cardio train 6 days a week and have been number one female total workouts the last 4 months.  I'm a lean mean fighting machine that checks in at 22% body fat.  25-31% is normal and acceptable for women.  20-24% is athelete range for women.   So, it is possible to start from nothing and get there quickly.  Good luck!

My BMI was over 50 prior to surgery.  I started exercising right my initial consult, which was four months before my surgery.  I started out doing very light exercise videos created fro elderly people.  Let me tell you, those old ladies exercised rings around me at that time!!!!! Post-op, I began exercising at about six or eight weeks post op, as soon as my energy levels began to come back.  It took a few months for them to get back to where they were preop. Now, I workout six days per week doing high intensity aerobics, kickboxing, step aerobics, walking, jogging, cardio dance and lots and lots of weight training.  I am in the best shape I have ever been in my entire life.  I am still struggling to get off the last 25 or so pounds, but overall I've lost about 155 pounds from my highest weight.

i only exercised before surgery when I was following a diet p[lan and the exercise always seemed to fall by the way side.  I started to exercise regularly about 3 months after WLS.  It was tough in the beginning but I slowly was able to tolerate exercising for longer periods of time.  I know exercise four times a week.  I do cardio for 40 minutes and do weigh lifting for about half an hour four times a week.  I made a plan that I could realistically stick with.  I knew I wouldn't be able to go to a gym 5-6 times a week.  I have lost 127 pounds and wear a size2-4 from a size 26-28.  I feel much better and look much better.  I just force myself to keep up with my exercise plan.  Good Luck!