Your doctors will give you personalised exercise plans to help you lose weight before surgery and to maintain your progress over time after your surgery is over. It’s important to talk with your doctor about your plan, to learn about the activities you will do and how to do them properly. Plus, discussing your current activity level will give you a great base to measure your progress against.
Although we can’t tell you what type of exercise plan is right for you, we can give you these tips for getting the most out of your exercise:
- Follow your doctor’s orders.
- Don’t overexert yourself. Many people have a tendency to do too much too soon. Your doctor has shaped your programme specifically to your needs, so you will build your strength and energy over time.
- Make sure to increase your activity level slowly, and always include a warm-up and cool-down for each workout.
- Stick with it. Even though it may be challenging, it’s important to continue your exercises for the
long haul. Keeping up with your exercise routine is a key part of staying healthy in the long term. - Customise your plan. Having an exercise routine that fits your lifestyle can make it easier to get
around obstacles, such as a busy schedule or frequent travel. - Make sure you talk to your doctor to find the best way for you to fit exercise into your life.
Here are some examples of how to get more daily exercise:
- Park farther away. You’ll get more steps as you walk the rest of the way to your destination.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Even if it’s only one or two trips a day.
- Housework, gardening, or lawn work. Anything from cleaning up kids’ toys to mowing the lawn
counts. - Go for a walk on your lunch break. Take a few minutes to walk around, by yourself or with a coworker.
- Be active with family. Not only will you get to spend time together, you’ll all get more exercise for the day.
- Try water aerobics. This low-impact activity can help you get more physical activity, while being
easy on your joints.
Reference: American Heart Association. Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2007;116:1081-1093.
Nadelen, MD. (2012) Basic Injury Prevention Concepts. American College of Sports Medicine.
Bartels EM, et al. (2007) Aquatic exercise for the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis.
