Patients who have just had bypass always ask me “What do I need to do to make sure that this surgery works for me?” The answer is simple: Follow Directions. It is my experience that the patients who do the best are the ones that tend to follow the guidelines of nutrition, exercise and health that we set before each and every patient prior to surgery. Granted, as time goes by, weight loss becomes harder for everyone but there are some good ways to get off to a good start with your weight loss and keep it going long after surgery. I will go over some of the key points to successful weight loss that I know have benefited many of our gastric bypass patients:
1. Exercise: Just do it!
The hardest part of exercise is getting started. Once you find something that you like to do – whether it is walking, running, biking, swimming or lifting weights – the rest is easy. You don’t need to join a gym – just find something that you like to do and commit to doing it. If you like the gym atmosphere-, which can provide a sense of structure and variety, then go with that. Many gastric bypass patients thrive at Synergy Health and Fitness thanks to the constant encouragement from our trainers and the camaraderie of others.
The benefits of exercise are well documented and cannot be ignored. We all know that exercise helps keep us healthy by promoting weight loss, preventing cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as strengthens our muscles. But did you know exercise also helps make our bones stronger, reduces stress and depression, helps us sleep better, and has even been shown to reduce hot flashes in menopausal women? It is hard to argue with the benefits of something that good for our bodies yet, we all resist it.
Get moving – find the exercise you like and do it every day!
The “Prescription for Exercise” that I give so many patients is to start exercising every day for 15 minutes over 2 weeks. Then, increase that exercise to 20 minutes a day for 2 weeks. After that, increase to 30 minutes a day and keep it going 7 days a week. You can add other activities onto that “routine exercise” but not in place of it. Your body needs to have your heart rate increased on a daily basis for at least 20-30 minutes to truly reap the benefits of exercise.
- Go for extra points – be more active!
- Take the stairs – who wants to wait for the elevator any way?
- Park your car further away in the parking lot– you can reduce door dings also!
- Go for a walk during lunch – fresh air and sunshine can brighten your day!
- Do yard work – this is a great workout plus improves the curb appeal of your home!
- Go for a bike ride, go for a swim, go for a walk – whatever you do, just go, go, go!!
Patients who start exercising and keep active seem to be more successful with their weight loss as well as improving their health. In the long run, exercise can benefit you more than just with weight loss - It can help add years to your life!!