Hi everyone!!

I know it has been a while since I have posted. I have been reading everyones posts though and am glad to hear how great we all are doing!! Well my lap band program fee included a pre op fitness evaluation and two post op meetings with a trainer who shows you how to exercise. It is all done at a fitness center run by the hospital where I had my surgery. The place is pretty much like a medically supervised Bally's. Anyway , I went for my first post op training session yesterday and boy do my arms hurt today!! I have worked out in the gym before, but this session was an hour and a half long. Granted, part of the time the trainer was teaching me to properly use the equiptment so I was not working out the entire time.... But I did many laps walking fast around the track, walked the treadmill, did the recumbant bike, the elyptical, and then hit the weight circuit. We skipped the abs because I wanted to ask my surgeon first if I can do abs yet. It has been almost 5 weeks since my surgery and I can sleep on my stomach and everything just fine, I still baby my abdominal muscles a little though. I have another meeting to go to with the trainer at the hospital center and then I have to stay motivated to go on my own at the recreational centers that are closer to my house. The hospital center is like a 45 minute drive. This kinda stinks because I like the center and the trainer and my surgeons office even has a program you can join there that costs only $30 a month and only gastric gypass and lapband patients can attend and we all work out together. You also have free run of the fitness center while you are there. The class meets a couple different times a week and you can go to as many as you want. I really wish it was not such a drive because I think the support from the other post op patients would be awesome. How is everyone else doing with exercise???? I was walking everyday before I went back to work. Now I am so tired after those 12 hour L&D shifts I use my days off to clean the house and recouperate. But since I have lost some weight I am finding I have more energy than I used to. Sorry such a long post!! Feels like I have been off the chats for a while!! Twyla

:faint:I haave been dying to get back on the weights because I had made such progress prior to surgery that I don't want ot lose it all do to inactivity. However my doctor said only lift 5 pounds the first week and add five pounds a week after that. I lift pretty heavy so I am afraid I may hurt something. How did you feel after the weights. I think I will go back to the weights after 4 weeks out. I am jusst over 2 weeks out and only useing the treadmill. I would be interested to heaar from others who are using wweights soon after surgery.

My "self pay" plan included 16 weeks at a local gym. After surgery we were advised to only do some cardio: treadmill, eliptical, etc. At 6-weeks postop I have an appt with the personal trainer to get me set up on weight machines.

I think the I have just lost my flipping mind.

I am pretty sure I just agreed to play on an Indoor Soccer team starting on the 20th........Guess that's one way to get moving!

Wish me luck!

I just started back doing floor pilates haven't used my machine. If anyone has Comcast they have a fitness part on the ON-Demand section that has exercise channels from Cardio to Yoga I think even I saw belly dancing. If you can't affort a gym or aren't sure about going yet its a good place to start. I noticed from doing the pilates my clothes fit a lot better scale didn't move.

an increased sense of restriction when you finish exercising? I am only using the treadmill for cardio and to burn calories, since I am only three weeks post-op. When I get done with my 40 or 45 minutes on the treadmil I feel as though water will make me sick, my stomach just feels so tight. Not an adversion to water, just that's usuall what I drink during/after aworkout. I have never been able to eat anything right after a workout since being banded. Anyone else get thatt way.:hungry:

Ben, you're so lucky!! Your doc must have put a little fill in your band during surgery or something, because you have some unexplained restriction. I'm green with envy!

After I work out, I can't get enough Water. I'm guzzling it without nausea, pain or any feeling that it fills me up.

By the way ...... I'm realizing how the pieces all fall into place when you start "working the rules"......... working up a good sweat during a workout really makes you thristy and crave that 64 oz of water - what a concept! Before I worked out regularly I just couldn't figure out how everyone managed to drink that much water. Now after I finish a workout I drink about 32 oz just in the next hour alone.

Back in the saddle again! It felt good to go back to horse back riding lessons. I am so new to it (just started this summer) that it really is a good workout. I was to wait 6 weeks but I went back on Monday. Now if I could just talk myself into using my gym membership that I pay monthly for, I will really get somewhere. This week for sure I am going to go!!!