Weight-loss surgery is a tool. What helps your weight loss to continue is centered around what you eat and the amount of exercise you do afterward. You will be sore and need to recover for a few weeks. Once the doctor gives the green light, it is time to start working out.

Remember, the weight wasn’t put on overnight, so it is not going to magically drop off either. The best advice to anyone for postoperative exercise is to start slow. The amazing part about sleeve surgery is that a person will lose weight much faster than with diet and exercise alone, but patients must build their way up to a full workout routine. You certainly don’t want to tear or damage something internal that is still healing.

Pushing Yourself to Reach Your Goals

To many, the concept of physical fitness is a big turn-off. However, to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, it must become your new way of life. Working out helps you to build muscle tone, speeds up the metabolism and improves your blood sugar and circulation levels.

Small Steps to Success

One of the easiest ways to workout is by walking. Right after surgery, the medical team will get you up and walking about. It will not only reduce your chances of a blood clot, but it will also speed up your recovery process. You may start out with a slow-paced walk, but with some effort, soon you will be speed walking and pumping your arms. If you can only do short laps around the house at first, it still counts. Make the distance you walk a little bit longer each day. Soon, you will be getting 10,000 steps or more in. Wear a fitness device that tracks your steps to monitor your progress.

To Thine Own Self Be True

As the weight begins to fall off, you will be enamored by your ability to move more. After you have mastered walking, keep it up, but add other types of exercise to your routine. For instance, if your knees hurt, then you should try a recumbent bike. Swimming is a great exercise because it moves nearly every muscle in the body. If your body aches from the weight, doing aerobics or even walking in water can relieve the pain during exercise. Do you like sports? Basketball, badminton, or even bowling are great options to get the heart pumping.

It really doesn’t matter what you do, the key is that you do something. Most of all, make sure you enjoy your exercise routine. If you don’t like your workout or get any benefits from it, then you probably won’t stick with it. According to the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, you should be exercising at least 150 minutes a week.