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Has Anyone Prepped For Sleeve By Exercising Months Pre-Op?



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Hi Everyone:

I have been going to exercise classes 2x a week in preparation for my sleeve next month. I also try to do something extra like workout at home whether it's Zumba Exilerate, Just Dance II, III, Gold's Gym Cardio Wii workout, use my shake weight, weights and exercise ball while watching tv, go bike riding, etc. I noticed not many people from my support group stay for exercise class and it's ashame. I am not looking forward to loose skin that's what motivates me. I know I will need surgery afterwards in my belly area, but as far as my arms and legs, I am tight already and will continue to exercise even harder the next 3 wks until surgery. I also believe exercising now will help me during the recovery stage. Why do people wait to exercise afterwards? Some people rely on the surgery alone and it is just a tool, the rest is up to you to stay active and get moving to lose the rest... HELLLLOOOOOOOOOO!!! I don't like to exercise but I know it is a package deal along with the sleeve. Is anyone listening to the doctors and nutritionists? Does anyone think like me or am I alone in this exercise/weight loss journey?!?!

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Hi I have done the surgery 3 month ago and I didn't do any kind of exercise I was 96 kg on the day of surgery now I am 74 kg : ))))))) good luck

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Nope you are not alone. I am currently working out well before I considered wls. Post my decision to do wls I am actually using that as motivation to work out even harder. I take dance classes, spin classes, jump rope, etc. (and with all of that you would think I should be skinny!). IMO I think it helps with getting in a routine now, starting healthier habits now, finding what types of exercise you like now to help us become more successful post op. I'm already cringing at not being able to do a normal work out for at least 6 weeks post op. :)

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Hi Everyone:

I have been going to exercise classes 2x a week in preparation for my sleeve next month. I also try to do something extra like workout at home whether it's Zumba Exilerate' date=' Just Dance II, III, Gold's Gym Cardio Wii workout, use my shake weight, weights and exercise ball while watching tv, go bike riding, etc. I noticed not many people from my support group stay for exercise class and it's ashame. I am not looking forward to loose skin that's what motivates me. I know I will need surgery afterwards in my belly area, but as far as my arms and legs, I am tight already and will continue to exercise even harder the next 3 wks until surgery. I also believe exercising now will help me during the recovery stage. Why do people wait to exercise afterwards? Some people rely on the surgery alone and it is just a tool, the rest is up to you to stay active and get moving to lose the rest... HELLLLOOOOOOOOOO!!! I don't like to exercise but I know it is a package deal along with the sleeve. Is anyone listening to the doctors and nutritionists? Does anyone think like me or am I alone in this exercise/weight loss journey?!?![/quote']

Hi, does the shake weight really help/work??

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I believe it does. It's equivalent to shaking a five pound weight. My son actually noticed my upper arms shaping up and brought it to my attn. I felt pretty good about that. :)

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I also bought the arm hula hoop. I haven't tried them yet, going to break them out this week... I will keep you posted. ;)

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I don't know if I'd use my money for a shake weight. For $40 I bought a set of weights at wally world that includes 2 each of 3, 5, and 8 pound weights. I use those for my at home workouts, along with my exercise ball, and haven't considered a shake weight. You could just as easily use cans of veggies at the beginning, although I did buy 2 pound weights at the thrift store immediately post op. I used those until I could do 100 reps of biceps curls, triceps kickbacks, and skull crushers easily...then I dropped the 2 pounders in the car. When I'm driving a lot, which is most days, I will do biceps curls with them.

Any exercise you do preop will pay benefits in more ways than just better muscle tone, though. Being stronger also means that your metabolism runs faster, because muscle burns more energy than fat does at any time. Building muscle through exercise also helps to save your most essential muscle, the heart, while you're losing weight rapidly, and the cardiac benefits of cardiovascular fitness cannot be measured! My EKG from this year looks TONS better than my preop EKG, which made my pulmonary doctor blurt out "That's the sexiest thing I've ever seen" after the second EKG.

According to the body fat machine at my surgeon's office, I'm within .01% of the amount of muscle I should have in my body, which translates to "Even though I lost over 100 pounds very fast, I didn't lose essential heart muscle". That's AWESOME, IMO.

Improving your cardiac fitness also will help with your recovery from anesthesia and from surgery and will, hopefully, help prevent blood clots because your blood isn't pooled up anywhere from inactivity. Better cardiac health will help you get up and moving and heal faster after surgery, too.

I'm a gym rat these days, but I see nothing but positive to exercising pre-op!! :)

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I walked 2 miles a day, every day for 3 months up to my surgery and lost 30 pounds pre-surgery. My sleeve was done on Aug. 21st and I have lost another 27 pounds since! I am also back to walking 2 miles every day. I have my 30 day check up this week and then I plan on hitting the gym!

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I'm not exercising (I have pretty severe asthma that is just starting to get under control but not quite controlled enough to do anything strenous yet), but I decided to start my pre-op diet early to get a jump start on weight loss and a friend of mine who had bypass several years ago just about read me the riot act. I told her that I've already done my final weigh in and my biggest reason for this is my inability to keep weight off due to an uncooperative thryroid and I don't want to weight on the insurance to start getting healthy, but she insisted that I was crazy till I asked her to agree to disagree. The thing that made me really sad is that she used to work for a bariatric surgeon.

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I exercise. Its required by my doc. I'm supposed to diet and exercise for three months leading up to my surgery. And afterwards too, of course.

I've exercised off and on since Spring too.. I was trying to lose weight on my own. It didn't work out very well, but exercising does make me feel good.

I lift 5 lb weights too. I really want to tone up my arms... I do not want bat wings! I'll probably still have bat wings because my arms are really fat at the top but I'm trying.

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mom2five, Those batwings will shrink. I still have mine and the plastic surgeon thinks I'll need surgery to fix them completely. I'm thinking that I'll skip that surgery, but I won't know for sure until I get closer to goal... and I'm exercising my arms every other day religiously.

I'm watching the loose skin shrink, though, so maybe I'll get lucky. I'm 46, so we'll see how well the old skin holds up. :)

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I'm not exercising (I have pretty severe asthma that is just starting to get under control but not quite controlled enough to do anything strenous yet), but I decided to start my pre-op diet early to get a jump start on weight loss and a friend of mine who had bypass several years ago just about read me the riot act. I told her that I've already done my final weigh in and my biggest reason for this is my inability to keep weight off due to an uncooperative thryroid and I don't want to weight on the insurance to start getting healthy, but she insisted that I was crazy till I asked her to agree to disagree. The thing that made me really sad is that she used to work for a bariatric surgeon.

I have had so many people tell me I don't need to do this surgery. Although I may not look as heavy as I am and my BMI is in the high 30s, I have plenty of health issues. I want to be off of my meds most of all. Looking cute comes later on my list. Some people don't understand no matter what you tell them but it sucks to be them. It's all about me and my health so I completely understand about agreeing to disagreee. I'm hispanic and my mom can't understand why I can't eat her rice and Beans like before, lol! Oh well. Can't please everyone!

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I believe it does. It's equivalent to shaking a five pound weight. My son actually noticed my upper arms shaping up and brought it to my attn. I felt pretty good about that. :)

Nice! I've been so reluctant to purchase one, but I am definitely going to now.

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Hi Everyone:

I have been going to exercise classes 2x a week in preparation for my sleeve next month. I also try to do something extra like workout at home whether it's Zumba Exilerate' date=' Just Dance II, III, Gold's Gym Cardio Wii workout, use my shake weight, weights and exercise ball while watching tv, go bike riding, etc. I noticed not many people from my support group stay for exercise class and it's ashame. I am not looking forward to loose skin that's what motivates me. I know I will need surgery afterwards in my belly area, but as far as my arms and legs, I am tight already and will continue to exercise even harder the next 3 wks until surgery. I also believe exercising now will help me during the recovery stage. Why do people wait to exercise afterwards? Some people rely on the surgery alone and it is just a tool, the rest is up to you to stay active and get moving to lose the rest... HELLLLOOOOOOOOOO!!! I don't like to exercise but I know it is a package deal along with the sleeve. Is anyone listening to the doctors and nutritionists? Does anyone think like me or am I alone in this exercise/weight loss journey?!?![/quote']

Some people having this surgery can't move very well and are hoping the surgery will fix that problem.

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Some people having this surgery can't move very well and are hoping the surgery will fix that problem.

I understand those that are having problems moving but the class I go to can be done sitting and combination of sitting and standing. Many patients do the bare minimum requirement by the insurance company then after surgery expect a miracle. Not going to happen! There's a lady in my class on oxygen, come on now, if she tries, why can't the others? I've been listening to people who think they are cheating and gettn away with it. Guess what, after the so called honeymoon stage, you aren't losing anymore. I bet you if ins companies make them pay the $ back if they don't lose x amount and keep it off, more people would be successful...

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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