First Steps
You will be restricted to no strenuous activity for 3 to 6 weeks after the operation.  You may walk and perform light household duties as tolerated upon your return home. Usually frequent walks of short duration are tolerated better than one or two long walks that go to or past the point of fatigue.  Increase the distance that you walk gradually.  By the time of your sixth week office visit you should be walking regularly two miles a day or more unless you have specific problems with your weight bearing joints.  In the later case, water exercises are recommended.  You can start water activities about three weeks after surgery. 

Starting an Exercise Program
In order to receive the maximum benefits
from your surgery, you must incorporate exercise into your daily routine.  If it has been some time since you have exercised regularly, then it is best to start slowly.  Begin with as
little as 5 minutes a day and add 5 more minutes a week until you can stay active for
30 minutes per day.

There are three forms of exercise: cardiovascular, strength building, and flexibility. 

Cardiovascular exercise uses your large muscles and raises your heard rate to a level where you can still talk, but you start to sweat a little.  For example, walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling are cardiovascular activities.  If your goal is to loose weight, you will need to do some form of cardiovascular exercise for 4 or more days a week for 30 to 45 minutes or longer.

Strength-building exercises make your muscles and bones stronger and increase your metabolism.  People who lift weights or use any type of equipment that requires weights are doing strength-building exercise. If you strength train regularly, you will find that your body looks leaner and you will loose fat. Strength building exercises should be performed 2 to 3 times a week for best results.  Always warm up your muscles for 5 to 10 minutes before you begin lifting any type of weight or before performing any resistance exercises. 

Flexibility exercises tone your muscles through stretching and can prevent muscle and joint problems later in life. 

A well-balanced exercise program should include some type of each exercise from each category.   Remember to stretch before and after activity.  Muscles need time to adjust to the demands placed on them.  Rather than hitting the treadmill running, for example, take a few minutes to warm up by walking, build up stamina and then hit your stride. Take a few minutes to also cool down and lower your heart rate and stretch your muscles again to improve flexibility and help prepare the body for your next workout.  Drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout.

The Walking Workout
Walking is the first type of exercise that we recommend both before and after surgery.  If you are new to exercise and you are also recovering from surgery, you can walk ten to 20 minutes four or five days a week.  As you get stronger, you can increase the distance and the speed to your comfort level. 

Water Fitness
You can start water activities about three weeks after surgery.  Water programs are great, since they are non-weight bearing and therefore are gentle to painful joints.  Water fitness can improve strength, flexibility, cardiovascular health, decrease body fat, facilitate rehabilitation after surgery, improve functional living and even enhance other sports skills.  Hospitals usually offer arthritis or heart disease related classes through their physical therapy program and usually will let you join the class with a prescription from your Primary Care Physician. 

Choosing a Personal Trainer
Working with a personal trainer is one of the fastest, easiest, most successful ways to improve your health.  A qualified personal trainer can help you set realistic goals, determine strategies, and provide motivation and the encouragement you need.  Most personal trainers are familiar with the special needs of morbid obesity, arthritis and diabetes.  Your trainer can work with your physician, physical therapist and with Bariatric Program Services to plan a safe, efficient program that will enable you to reach your health goals.

Ten Tricks for Sticking with the Program

1. Look at exercise like a prescription medication.  If you have a condition  that requires a medication every day, you are going to take this medicine every day. Your body needs exercise every day, so you have to give it what it needs.
    
2. Do research.  Find out what types of classes your local gym is offering.  You are going to have a greater likelihood to stick to an exercise that is tailored to your needs and that you enjoy.  Explore new types of exercise.
    
3. Change your routine.  So you love to walk, but you are bored with it.  Sometimes, just changing the direction of your route can make all the difference.
    
4. Find a buddy.  We all need someone to budge us and make us go the extra mile, especially when it comes to exercise. Find a friend, a neighbor and personal trainer to meet you at the gym or in the park.
    
5. Find your rhythm.   Listen to music or books on tape or meditation while you exercise. With the right music to occupy your brain, 30 minutes will not seem so long.
    
6. Participate in group sports.  Participating in a group activity increases the chances that you will stick to it. Choose water exercise, yoga, or stretching classes at places and times where there are other people who are actively involved in exercise.
    
7. Know what makes you give up the program.  If going on vacation throws you off you fitness plan, try incorporating exercise into your vacation. If boredom makes you give up, stay interested by changing types of exercise and times.
    
8. Make a schedule.  If you don’t put exercise into your daily schedule, most likely you will do everything but exercise. Plan in baby-sitters. Schedule specific activities on specific days, like walking 20 minutes on Monday, yoga class on Tuesday, etc…
    
9. Use a workout log.  Write down the exercise you do and see how you have improved. Write down the number of repetitions, the weight used, the length of walk, the time, etc…
    
10. Stay active between workouts.  Walk as much as possible between workouts. Park farther away. Get off the bus a couple of stops early. Always keep a good pair of walking shoes in your car, should you have unexpected time to take a walk.