A question about exercise and lapband success

AlysonRR · December 2, 2007

Can you be successful losing weight with the lapband if you have difficulty moving? I have fairly significant arthritis in my knees and find walking somewhat difficult. Obviously, losing weight may relieve some of the pain, but since I've had knee problems since I was a slender teen, I'm not expecting it to resolve completely.

Since I've been sedentary for so long, my plan is to start doing physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around my knees, and simultaneously begin a more general weight lifting program to increase my general strength. I'm hoping after a few weeks of this I'll be strong enough to start walking short distances. What I have to avoid is injury - the last time I injured my knee I managed to gain another 50 lb :-(

I'd love to spend time in a pool, but the nearest one is 45 minutes away and doesn't have childcare...

So do you think I can be successful with this plan? Have any of you had similar experiences? Any suggestions or comments are appreciated.

Thanks -

Alyson

Jachut · December 2, 2007

I think you can........but you're facing a bigger battle than others who can be more active.

You hear the statistic that most bandsters lose about 60% of their extra weight, without exercise, you're likely to be one of those that loses that 60%. To lose 100% and KEEP it off you need to make regular hard activity part of your lifestyle, cardio especially.

Can you consider circuit training where a lot of the aerobic benefit comes from doing moderate weights very fast rather than pounding the concrete? Try an elliptical machine? (easier on knees and hips than running). Rebounding classes?

To not have a pool any closer than 45 minutes, that's hard, probably impossible to consider Water based exercise then.

Strengthening muscles sounds like a great idea and cautiously take it from there. I honestly believe where there's a will there's a way and as long as you make the most of what you can do and what's available, then you will enjoy a good degree of success, even if it would be so much easier if you could exercise more easily.

AlysonRR · December 2, 2007

I think you can........but you're facing a bigger battle than others who can be more active.
...

To not have a pool any closer than 45 minutes, that's hard, probably impossible to consider Water based exercise then.

Thanks - I appreciate your input. If I can lose the 60% I'd be low enough to get the knee replacement, and then be able to do more.

The irony about the pool is that we're building a house, and one of my dreams has been to have an Endless Pool. I could pay for a pool if I don't do the surgery, not to mention that my family would enjoy it. But I'm concerned that the weight wouldn't come off with diet and pool exercise; I swam and did Water aerobics 5 days a week two years ago and didn't change my weight at all, though I was more fit - then I had an injury and gained 40 lb...

Lap-band seems more likely to help me lose weight and keep it off, and get me to the point where I can get my knee replaced and be more active without pain. But then I read some people's exercise routines and started getting worried I wouldn't have good results because of my arthritis.

Thanks again for the feedback and encouragement -

Alyson

jc2008 · December 16, 2007

I plan to exercise when I get down a bit of weight so its not so hard to move around.

My sister had the lap band surgery about 3 years ago and she was a bit over 400lbs. She does NOT exercise, she literally sits on her computer all day everyday except when she went to classes at college.

After 3 years she hasnt lost it all but she got below 200lbs this past year and still has another 50 or so to go to goal.

So yes you can do it without exercise, but it will be slower and not as healthy for you.

When you lose a bit of weight exercise should become more possible.

AlysonRR · December 16, 2007

Thanks for sharing your sister's experience - I plan to be more active than that (I don't have much choice - I have two small children!), but it's good to know that the band will still be working for me as I work to regain some level of fitness.