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Beginning Exercise after Weight Loss Surgery

As soon as you are given the “OK” by your surgeon following weight loss surgery, incorporating exercise into your post-op plan will help not only with weight loss, but also helps to improve cardiovascular health and boost your mood! What is the first step? Taking that first step, literally. Exercise specialist Mo Smith encourages patients to start small. “I ask them to start out with baby steps,” she explains. “The goal is to start with three days a week of walking for 30 minutes total each day throughout the day. For example, you can walk three 10-minute sessions throughout the day. During those sessions, you can break that up into a one-to-one ratio of active movement and recovery.” Mo adds it is important to get in at least ten minutes at a time. “Shorter bursts of activity will not have the same health benefits.”

To get started, think of what you can do at home and work.

At home:

  • Join a walking group in the neighborhood or at the local shopping mall. Recruit a partner for support and encouragement.
  • Push the baby in a stroller.
  • Get the whole family involved — enjoy an afternoon bike ride with your kids.
  • Walk up and down the soccer or softball field sidelines while watching the kids play.
  • Walk the dog — don't just watch the dog walk.
  • Clean the house or wash the car.
  • Walk, skate, or cycle more, and drive less.
  • Do stretches, exercises, or pedal a stationary bike while watching television.
  • Mow the lawn with a push mower.
  • Plant and care for a vegetable or flower garden.
  • Play with the kids — tumble in the leaves, build a snowman, splash in a puddle, or dance to your favorite music.
  • Exercise to a workout video.

At work:

  • Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk or skate the rest of the way.
  • Replace a coffee break with a brisk 10-minute walk. Ask a friend to go with you.
  • Take part in an exercise program at work or a nearby gym.
  • Join the office softball team or walking group.

If you prefer other activities like hiking, yoga, lifting weights, gardening or taking an exercise class, Mo says the best activity is one you enjoy and will do regularly, even if you think you’re too busy. “Fitting activity into a daily routine can be easy — such as taking a brisk 10-minute walk to and from the parking lot, bus stop or subway station.”

Find more exercise tips in these Momentum videos with Mo. Being involved in a support group is another way to help boost your success after surgery. Learn more about our GEAR Support Group Network and monthly meetings open to pre-op and post-op patients here.