Hi guys,

I have not exercised in many many years (my bad ) how am I j supposed to jump in and start after surgery. Any suggestions on what I could start on, when I am feeling better? But I have to be totally honest, I have enjoyed being a couch potato over the years so I am looking for realistic solutions. I know I am not going to 1) feel like it or 2) feel like it. What is realistic... really???

Hi guys,

I have not exercised in many many years (my bad ) how am I j supposed to jump in and start after surgery. Any suggestions on what I could start on, when I am feeling better? But I have to be totally honest, I have enjoyed being a couch potato over the years so I am looking for realistic solutions. I know I am not going to 1) feel like it or 2) feel like it. What is realistic... really???

Just walk! that's the easiest exercise to start off with. Start off with walking 20-30 minutes, then build up to 35-40 minutes, then 45. At minimum we need to exercise 3-4 days a week.

It's that simple.

Let me second what MsJeanetteA said, "walk"! I have had back surgery and I have spinal stenosis so I cannot do extreme exercises. Because of this I lose more slowly than some, but the more weight I lose the farther and longer I am able to walk. Do you have an iPod? Do you like music? Or maybe you prefer a book on iPod. Whatever your preference, walking is easy when you aren't thinking about it. When I have an appointment I park far, far away (sometimes a mile away) and walk - making sure to give myself enough time to get there, of course. I see a therapist twice a month, an obesity specialist, to help with "emotional eating". Her office is in the marina so I park a mile away, put on my "walking" playlist on my iPod and enjoy the beauty of the area. Give it a try ... when you see the weight start to drop it will be motivation to continue and do more. I went from a size 26 to ... a size 14/16! YAY! And still losing!

All the best to you on your journey.

I agree with above, but if you haven't exercised for a long time start small. Park you car one row from where you normally would and, each day a bit further away. Two 5 minute walks a day slowly increasing. I was walking 1 block to start with and now i am walking for 30 to 40 minutes. As the weight drops the further you can go and the quicker you can walk. I shop more now as my back doesn't hurt and i can walk for longer. I use to do my walks in the shopping centre because i could walk, then sit, and then walk a bit further, but i didn't do much shopping as i couldn't stand in line at the check out without my back hurting.

I also did things to motivate me as i am not that keen on exercise either. I would take the kids to the zoo or the park, anywhere i would have to walk but that was fun or interesting. Start small.

walking is great... and when I'm home alone I like to play some of my favorite music and dance like a teenager while I'm doing housework.

Two years ago I finally broke down and saw a doctor about severe knee problems that I was having. The problem with being overweight is that you have trouble exercising because literally you are carrying around 1-3 people (in my case 3 people). Because of the severe knee pain; I could barely walk into work never mind walk for exercise! My doctor recommended swimming because it's easy on your joints.

So, prior to starting the Lap Band journey I had already started exercising. I know, I know. Swimming? Seriously? In public? Yes. Okay so I was 364 pounds. I bought a fat lady swimsuit (with the little skirt), snorkle (swimming is a lot easier when you don't have to worry about the breathing), and a Water proof MP3 player (look on Amazon.com, yes they are about $100 bucks but I use it every day so it pays for itself very quickly). Swimming is something that you can do for longer periods than say walking (as long as you know how to swim); because you of the support of the water. You could also consider water areobics (not my thing but hey.)

I swim every day an hour a day. If I don't go really and truely I miss it. Hard to believe but true. You need to find something that you like. If you dont' like it you will find reasons not to go. The last time I decided to get in shape (lost well over 100 pounds); every saturday I did 30 minutes on the stair climber. Horrible, nightmareish machine. I had to do it every Sat. Why? I HATED it. Looking back I don't know why I did that. Now I do stuff I like.

I agree with everyone else, you just need to start out walking. It's the easiest exercise and it takes off weight well (at least in my case)

I'm with the whole crew on walking. When I first got my band, I had had 2 back surgeries with a fusion and I have a disease in my feet that makes them swell about 3 sizes bigger than they should be. But I started out walking just a little at a time and now 11 weeks later I'm up to 2 - 3 miles about 4 times a week. When I can't walk outside I have a dvd by Leslie Sansone on "Walking with Leslie Sansone" and you do it all in front of your TV. There are 3 levels and I'm up to level 2 but hopefully soon I can get to Level 3. It's really not that hard and pretty darn convenient. Good Luck!

I *detest* exercising but about 2 months ago I finally started walking. I'll be honest and say I still *detest* exercising and walking, but have to admit that 10 minutes into a walk I am feeling a lot better and have more energy at the end of that hour walk.

Remember Susan Powter? She started by walking to the end of the drive. Then to the end of the block and back. She kept increasing her distance. Forget about making it a cardio activity. Don't worry about whether it's 'brisk'...just move.

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Walking is all I do as far as exercise goes and I am down 165 pounds.

I hated it at first but my feet also used to hurt when I walked 10 feet. Now I can walk for more than an hour.

It's really quite interesting to see the things in your area or neighbors in your neighborhood that you never knew existed.

It's really quite interesting to see the things in your area or neighbors in your neighborhood that you never knew existed.

Yeah...like my *feet*!

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Hi guys,

I have not exercised in many many years (my bad ) how am I j supposed to jump in and start after surgery. Any suggestions on what I could start on, when I am feeling better? But I have to be totally honest, I have enjoyed being a couch potato over the years so I am looking for realistic solutions. I know I am not going to 1) feel like it or 2) feel like it. What is realistic... really???

I ve been banded since 10/09. I was a non mover also due mostly to weight and arthritis related issues. I tried to do something that I was physicaly capable of (walking Laps in a POOL) 48 laps=1 mile I know it by heart now. I joined the YMCA near my office and exercise 2 -3 times a week early in the morning because thats just me. Someone once told me it takes doing something 28 times to develop a habit. I can sware to that , it bothers me terriably to miss my newly developed habit almost like something I ve been doing all my life not just for a year. So my advise just do it 28 TIMES and see how you feel............

I love walking so much!! Definitely a great way to start exercising. To me, walking doesn't feel like exercising - it just feels relaxing. And it gives me the opportunity to clear my mind. I'm so glad that I started walking. Its getting freezing cold out - so I'm either going to have to bundle up really tightly or start walking in the mall, but I love walking. Give it a try!

I bought a fat lady swimsuit (with the little skirt), snorkle (swimming is a lot easier when you don't have to worry about the breathing), and a Water proof MP3 player (look on Amazon.com, yes they are about $100 bucks but I use it every day so it pays for itself very quickly).

I would like to swim with a snorkel but I would feel silly at the Bally's fitness. God knows I already feel silly there as it is--being fat and out of shape and having chronic fatigue syndrome. I need to just butch it up.

It could be the gym I attend but there are a lot of people, regardless of size, who I think look really silly so I don't think I look any worse. FYI I had a woman come up to me in the changing room who said she told her mother that someone at the gym used a snorkle and now her elderly mother feels comfortable swimming using one. I'd had several people ask about the MP3 player and one who told me that it had been the best exercise advice she had ever received (crazy huh). When I started swimming my pool was hosting extra high school swim teams (the other local pool was under repair; I would walk out of the changing room and there would be 50 parents watching practice. I would walk by them and get in the open lane. I figure people can't judge me for being fat and then judge me because I look funny when I excerise.