7 Way to Do Physical Activity after Bariatric Surgery

Medically reviewed by Dr. Manish Motwani, Bariatric & Metabolic Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgeon — Curated by Kaushal

Physical Activities and diet both are equally important after a bariatric surgery to regain a healthy lifestyle. For weight loss patients, an active exercise routine and good eating habits go hand in hand. Regular exercise also helps keep muscle loss at bay, which may occur when the body loses weight rapidly. Moreover, it also gives a boost to the metabolism which helps burn calories even when you are at rest.

How and when to start?

Bariatric surgery patients being sedentary are recommended by doctors to start slowly with walking, even before having weight loss surgery. Just a 10 minutes walk a day prior to your procedure will help you develop a habit that you can easily continue once you have surgery.

For best results, you should begin your walking program within a month after surgery. Try to walk for 15 to 20 minutes each day right a week later after the surgery. In the summertime or whenever the weather is hot and humid, walk inside on a treadmill in a climate-controlled environment to avoid dehydration. Gradually increase your walking time until you reach 40 to 60 minutes of activity. With the limited diet that bariatric surgery requires you to eat you will be able to do only walking at first. Begin with a slow pace and increase it accordingly as you feel stronger, also, in order to avoid overexertion, spread your walking times throughout the day, especially in the weeks immediately following surgery.

In the later phase

A successful exercise program following bariatric surgery must be progressive. However, you should wait at least 2-3 weeks before attempting something more vigorous. Add training with light free weights, working with a trainer, if possible. Gentle yoga is also a good element to add. As the weeks and months pass, you will need to keep adding time and other elements to your program to remain successful in your weight loss goals. Slowly add weight training and high intensity exercises to build on the muscles.

Planning your exercise routine

For the best exercises after bariatric surgery finds something that you enjoy and stick with it. A cycling class may burn more calories than walking, but if you don’t do it because you dread it, that’s not the exercise for you. Try aerobics classes, strength classes, dancing, bicycling outside, power walking, whatever suits your fancy. Stick to a routine of at least 45 minutes a day four times a week and you’ll not only lose weight, but also feel stronger and healthier too.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Manish Motwani, Bariatric & Metabolic Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgeon — Curated by Kaushal