Hello!

I am pre op and I'm wondering if exercising before the surgery helps with quicker healing? Does it become easier to exercise after surgery if you started it before surgery? How long after surgery ( I'm getting rny) can you start exercising? And how much of a role does exercising/ weight training help with the excess skin. Thanks!

Anything you can do to change habits before WLS helps after surgery. My nurse had me on the treadmill the day after surgery. I had changed some eating habits pre op and I wish I had started walking before WLS too.

Exercising pre op gets you started on building good habits and will help build stamina. Obviously it will help with weight loss before surgery too which of course is a good thing.

I was immediately walking post surgery (a lot), it helps tremendously get the gas out of your tummy. At 4 weeks I began a more aggressive exercise routine.

Walking daily prior to surgery goes a long way in the healing process. It makes your recovery significantly less painful.

Yes, yes, yes! Move as much as you can. It will make your road easier!

Thank you everyone for your input

Think about it this way. You are not going on a diet, you are embarking on an amazing opportunity to change your life, improve your health, live the life of your dreams. For many of us, that includes the sheer joy of being ABLE to do things others take for granted (fit in airplane seats, ride a roller coaster, hike up a mountain, gallop a horse..whatever). It doesn't happen overnight, but why NOT take the first steps right now (pun intended) and increase activity? It may not help you lose weight, it may not help you heal faster but it WILL make you healthier, stronger, fitter and ready to take on the world... and so why not just start now?

I couldn't agree more. I actually got a pass for the gym at my apartment complex and I am going to the gym tomorrow after work. Wish me luck!

My surgery is tomorrow morning. I will be on the treadmill for an hour tonight as I am every night. If I had time in the morning i would do it right before surgery.

Good luck! :-)

My surgery is tomorrow morning. I will be on the treadmill for an hour tonight as I am every night. If I had time in the morning i would do it right before surgery.

Good luck! :-)

Good luck!!

I found exercising before my surgery helped me so much with my pre-surgery weight loss. It also started me on a routine that I was motivated to continue after surgery.

I started walking a minimum of 45 min per day a couple months prior to surgery and it was a huge help. When the actual surgery came I was back to walking 3 days later and doing an hour walking one week out.

I asked my surgeon when I could exercise post sleeve and he said I had zero restrictions from day one. If I could tolerate the pain, I could do the exercise. I'm almost 6 weeks out now and I credit the exercise with my flawless recovery and rapid weight loss.

You don't need to conquer the world on day one, but pushing yourself a little bit daily feels great. I'm actually turning into one of those freaks who's getting addicted to exercise. Now I just need to keep it up long term.

Good luck

Thanks! Good luck to you too. I actually surprised myself and I could walk 1 mile without getting winded. Now to get up to being able to go for 45 mins!

Thanks! Good luck to you too. I actually surprised myself and I could walk 1 mile without getting winded. Now to get up to being able to go for 45 mins!

Congrats! Remember, we are all starting from different points, and you need to take pride in your accomplishments regardless of what others can do. If you can walk 15 minutes now, that's a perfect starting spot. Tomorrow, maybe try 16 minutes, then 18 a few days later. Any little bit you push yourself today in what builds your foundation on which to grow and flourish. It took years for us to put the weight on get out of shape, it also going to take a very long time to reverse it. That's why diets don't work, because diets are short term. We are making life changes, and those take constant effort and growth.

Good luck.

Edited March 8, 201511 yr by Eli Alexander

Something to look into if you want an easier recovery would be weight training. Walking is great, but building muscle now prior to surgery will make it much easier to maintain that muscle after, when you are struggling to get in enough calories/protein. I was strength training regularly right up until surgery, and started back after as soon as my surgeon allowed it (4 weeks for him, but it varies doctor to doctor). Even so, I noticed some loss in strength, so I couldn't imagine starting out with no muscle conditioning prior to surgery. I also credit my weight training prior to surgery with the negligible amount of loose skin I have now, nearly a year later. Just something to think about.

Hi @@hanna91! It seems like we're kind of in the same boat. I'm meeting with my surgeon on the 30th of this month, doing tests in April and having my Nutrition/Psychological exams on the first of May. Hopefully I'll be approved to have surgery sometime in June.

I'm young, like you, and worried about the excess skin and exercise post-op. From what I hear, younger people generally have an easier time with skin issues because our skin is more elastic. One of my best friends had Gastric surgery about a year and a half ago, she's down about 100 pounds and hasn't had any issues with skin, but she exercises regularly.

Gives me hope!

I'm glad to see someone my age on the same timeline as me. Any idea when you might be having surgery?

Edited March 14, 201511 yr by burtonbn