Fitness will need to become an essential part of your life after bariatric surgery in Frisco, Denton or Lubbock, but starting a workout routine isn’t always easy. If exercise wasn’t a priority for you before bariatric surgery, you may not know where to begin, and this can complicate your efforts to build a healthy body.
In any fitness routine, a slow, cautious start should be a priority. Be patient with yourself as you adjust to exercise—you’ll need to gradually build your strength to be capable of more strenuous activities, but results will come with time and dedication.
To get started with your fitness routine, you’ll need to:
Know Your Starting Point
Your bariatric surgeon has likely already told you what your body can handle and it’s important to keep your body’s limitations in mind. You don’t want to push yourself too hard too fast—wait until your body has recovered from surgery to start exercising and take baby steps to improve your fitness every day.
You should wait for your bariatric surgeon’s OK before starting to exercise, but assessing your fitness on your own can help you notice the improvements provided by your workout program. As you start your workout routine, try writing down the amount of time it takes you to walk a mile and your pulse rate before and after doing so. If you continue collecting data like this, it will be easy to see how far you’ve come.
Think Through Every Detail
Planning out your exercise routine in depth can help you make fitness an indispensable habit. Before you start, you should plot out things like:
- The workouts you’ll be doing. At first, low-impact activities like walking and swimming may be the best bets, but you should work to incorporate many different exercises that work a variety of muscle groups as you continue to improve your fitness.
- The equipment you’ll need. Do you have decent workout clothes and a reliable pair of athletic shoes? What about a notebook, planner or spreadsheet to track your schedule and progress?
- Your schedule. When will be the best time to fit in workouts? Remember: you don’t have to tackle exercise in 30-minute chunks—think about any time of day that will be available for a quick workout when you need it.
- You recovery periods. Don’t be overzealous about starting your exercise routine. You’ll need to give your muscles time to bounce back, especially after a particularly strenuous workout. Listen to your body and take a break if you need to.
These tips can help you start designing a fitness program after bariatric surgery, but it’s important to go at your own pace. Pay close attention to your bariatric surgeon’s advice and remember that true change will take time.
