Tips On How to Start Exercising After Having Gastric Bypass Surgery

Gastric bypass surgery is a weight loss surgery in which doctors make small changes to your stomach and small intestine. It restricts the amount of food that your stomach can hold to suppress appetite and promote weight loss. It changes hormones and digestion.

If you’ve just completed, you may be wondering how to start exercising. Exercise is essential to the process of losing weight after gastric bypass surgery because the surgery alone will not work alone. You will need to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine if you want to see results.

A Gradual Journey

Like with most surgeries, doctors recommend easing into exercise after gastric bypass, whether exercise is new to you or you are looking to get back to your regular routine. Taking it slow in the beginning is necessary to help your body heal. Let’s discuss how to start working out after your gastric bypass surgery week by week.

Weeks 1-4

Early on, be careful not to push yourself too hard. At first, you may need to focus on just getting back to your normal daily activities. Once you are ready to do more, try deep breathing and flexibility exercises. These activities will keep your body healthy and prepare you to perform better once you start more intense exercises. Try not to walk for more than 15 minutes at a time during this recovery period. Remember to listen to your body and stop if anything becomes painful or uses too much of your energy. Also, listen to your doctors, as they may recommend a specific workout routine based on your personal needs. Remember that during the first weeks or even months after surgery, you will need to consume fewer calories than average, which means you will only have so much energy to exercise.

Weeks 5-8

After four weeks, your body should be ready to progress to normal exercise goals slowly. Start with low-intensity aerobic exercises. These may include walking, biking, or swimming. Make sure to avoid abdominal exercises at first, especially if you underwent an open procedure. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend doing aerobic activities, paying attention to how your body reacts. As long as your doctor has approved a diet and calorie intake that can sustain regular exercising, aim to work out five days a week with 30 minutes per session by the end of this period. This suggestion is an average doctors’ recommendation for a regular, healthy exercise routine. Yet remember to only push yourself to levels that feel comfortable. If this suggestion is too intense for you, take things slowly and talk to your doctor for a personal recommendation.

After six weeks, you may want to consider adding strength training to your routine. The recommended amount would be at least two days per week. Strength training includes exercises such as lunges, squats, and weight lifting. Just remember to respect your body and its pain threshold. 

After Week 8

By this point in your recovery, you should be able to start or return to a regular amount of exercising without limits or restrictions. Keep in mind that everyone experiences a different recovery, so this is only an average recommendation. Be sure to communicate with your doctor for personalized suggestions and feedback on your recovery. Remember to keep pushing yourself as your body adapts to exercising regularly, but not to the point of pain.

The specialists at Bass Bariatric Surgery Center are experts in gastric bypass surgery. To learn more about the post-operative stage of gastric bypass or to schedule a consultation, contact us today at 925-281-3711.