What is the difference? has anyone been to either of these? I keep reading that muscle building and weight lifting are an important part of exercise ( along with a lot of cardio) and I am wondering what types of exercise have what kinds of benefits...

Any exercise that doesnt hurt you is better than none...However I am a big advocate of moderation...you were not a workout fanatic before the band so why would you be now? Go for a walk!

I do bootcamp classes regularly. I absolutely love it! The bootcamp is always something different, and everything is modified to your level, as you progress they push harder. I have also done circuit training, it was a good class but it was set up as timed stations, moving from one to the next, one would be a fast cardio then the next a weight training-

I was always active before lap band and now

I like to do a variety of exercises- I jog, do bootcamp, kickboxing, High intensity, and weight training

Whatever you find that you enjoy, stick with it- good luck

What is the difference? has anyone been to either of these? I keep reading that muscle building and weight lifting are an important part of exercise ( along with a lot of cardio) and I am wondering what types of exercise have what kinds of benefits...

They have a Boot Camp class at the place I go. I though about signing up but I'm afraid of those young ladies kicking my butt! Man they look determined!! (like the previous poster)

If you can afford it, pay for a personal trainer. You only need a few sessions to get a good feel on what's good for you and the proper way to do it.

Thanks all! I think i have a better picture now of what is what. Actually I was pretty into exercising about 10 years ago when I was in the Marines. So when I hear "boot camp" I think about a lot of pushups and a lot of yelling... ugh. These bootcamps sound pretty high energy. Circuit training as I remember it is also very effective, as long as you dont break between stations. Right now... I'm doing mostly elliptical machines and really light weights (lat machine, seated press, etc.) I'm hoping to get up to what used to be able to do in the next 12-18 mos.

Bootcamp is absolutely awesome, and you can do it as a beginner,you just go at ypur pace. The beauty of having ypur "butt kicked", which is really just a desire to keep up, is tgat ypu will get results that far far outstrip walking. Circuit training is a combined cardio/ strength routine where you use big compound moves with usually a combination of body weight exercises and heavy dumbells/barbell/even sandags and such and you move quickly from one exercise to the next -again awesome fast results and true functional strength gains not just big but fairly useless biceps. Most bootcamps will be loosely ased on a t least some circuit training as circuit lends itself so wll to. Group setting.

I started a MMA strength and conditioning class at my gym about three weeks ago. Lots of jogging on your toes, push up, sit up, sumo squats.... etc. I really like it.

I find i do better in group settings. On my own, i tend to cheat myself. In a group, can't, someone is always watching. And it makes you want to push yourself to keep up.

When i first got my band in 2009, i didn't exercise except walking for the first few months. My weight loss really slowed down. Then my husband said, you had this surgery to lose weight, but your not taking full advantage of it by not exercising...... so I started a Zumba class and doing the elliptical..... and the weight started coming off.

What ever you do, be safe and don't cheat your self. You will do great.