Exercise Tips - Work Smarter Not Harder After Weight Loss Surgery

Physical activity is essential for good health and weight management. Yet the environment we live in today doesn’t make this easy to achieve. Let’s look at the importance of physical movement and how to make it really work for you after weight loss surgery.

You already know that to get the best results after weight loss surgery, you’re going to need to regularly move your body. It’s also important to achieve a good level of health overall. The truth is, many of us find it challenging to squeeze in regular movement with such busy lives. Some people also find the thought of ‘exercise’ off-putting. They associate it with discomfort or the daunting environment of a loud, sweaty gym or bootcamp class.

While some people thrive on intense workouts like those, effective movement is based on finding activities you genuinely enjoy. You don’t have to have a “no pain, no gain” philosophy. In fact, this often leads to injury, giving up on exercise altogether, or rewarding or comforting ourselves with food. Instead, focus on activities that bring you joy and avoid undoing your hard work with unhealthy food choices.

If physical activity brings up feelings of fear, dread, or stress, or leaves you overwhelmed and tired, it’s time to shift your perspective. There are smarter, more enjoyable ways to move your body that yield great results and sustain healthy habits. Most importantly, they can enhance your quality of life and mobility.

The Benefits of Physical Activity.

Incorporating regular movement into your life can help you achieve lasting results following weight loss surgery. Maintaining an ideal body weight and overall health long-term is nearly impossible without some level of physical activity.

It’s important to remember that physical activity is a form of stress. It can be a good stress or bad stress, depending on your health and type of movement you do. You should consult with your medical practitioner before starting any physical activity and movement program to make sure it’s right for you.

You should be moving your body regularly. Even if you have to adjust because you have an injury or take it slowly after weight loss surgery, regular physical activity has many benefits. Not just for your weight, but for your physical, mental, and emotional health as well.

Humans are designed to move. It’s estimated that our hunter-gatherer ancestors would do at least 3.5 hours of movement of various intensities each day. This went on for thousands and thousands (and thousands) of years. Our bodies have literally adapted to this regular movement.

Movement brings so many health benefits. Here is an overview of the benefits:

• Maintaining energy levels is crucial for delivering nutrients and oxygen to cells and removing waste.
• Movement helps regulate blood sugar levels and strengthens the immune system.
• Exercise repairs muscles and joints and keeps bones strong.
• Regular, moderate exercise reduces stress and improves sleep.
• Physical activity supports heart health and balances hormones, mood, and mental health, reducing emotional eating.
• Movement allows us to maintain a healthy body weight. It helps us develop muscles that boost our metabolism, causing us to use more energy even when resting. Without enough movement, our metabolism slows, leading to increased body fat storage. But, exercising too intensely can overstimulate your appetite, causing you to eat too much and negate the benefits of your efforts.

It’s important to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine to maintain an active lifestyle, no matter your age or level of mobility. Just as important is making sure you do the right kind of movement. You should consult with your medical practitioner before starting any physical activity and movement program to make sure it’s right for you.

What’s the Right Kind of Movement For Me?

Health experts recommend taking 7,000 to 10,000 steps daily for better health. You can easily track this with a pedometer, smartphone, or watch. In Australia, the average daily step count is just 4,500. This lack of movement isn’t due to laziness but reflects our modern, sedentary lifestyles.

Unlike our ancestors, we don’t need to hunt, gather, or grow our own food. Most jobs today are desk-bound, and conveniences like supermarkets and cars reduce our need to move. As a result, we have to make a conscious effort to include more physical activity in our daily routines. What we’re missing is lots of general, low intensity movement that’s a necessary part of our lives. And this is incredibly healthy for the body.

We’ve grown used to thinking that only vigorous and strenuous workouts are effective. This “no pain, no gain” mentality can do more harm than good, overshadowing the benefits of lower intensity movement. Exercising too intensely can add stress to a body already burdened by work, relationships, travel, late nights, or illness. Too much intense exercise too often can lead to strain and stress, leading to burnout and injury.

Your recovery from exercise depends on your ‘allostatic load,’ or the total stress you’re under. For example, stressful days with issues like being late to work, getting yelled at, caring for a sick child, lack of sleep, arguments, or feeling unwell can all increase your allostatic load. If you exercise under these conditions, you might find it takes longer to recover.

On the other hand, if you slept well, had a nourishing breakfast, have lots of energy, or have things to look forward to, your body will likely recover much faster. It’s all about the right movement, at the right time, at the right amount of intensity. That’s why we refer to it as working smarter, not harder.

So, in simple terms, the more stress you’re under in general, the more dangerous working out intensely is for you!

You probably have a good idea of how much stress you’re already under. But, in case you’re not sure, let’s look at some of the symptoms of stress:

• Poor digestion.
• Constipation.
• Anxiety.
• Increased breathing and heart rate.
• Poor sleep quality and night sweats.
• Low sex drive.
• Waking up feeling unrested.
• Increased muscle tension.
• Frequent colds or sickness.
• Increase appetite and cravings.
• High cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Headaches.
• Weight gain.

The more of these symptoms you experience, the more this means you’re under a lot of stress. If this is you, you’ll benefit more from lower intensity exercises. A great way to think about these types of exercises is as a ‘work in’ rather than a ‘work out’.

Work-in exercises reduce your stress levels rather than raising them, helping you to rest and recover. These lower intensity exercises help your body pump nutrients more efficiently around the body and are designed to counter all the effects of living an inactive, stressful lifestyle.

If the thought alone of working out makes you feel tired, your body is sending an important message—listen to it. If you lack the energy for a workout, your body likely isn’t ready for that stress. Instead of working out (or doing nothing), consider “working in” to replenish your energy.

What Are Working In Exercises?

“Working in” exercises involve moving at a comfortable intensity that allows normal breathing. These exercises help relax your mind, reduce stress, and improve digestion. Using these types of exercises in the early stages of your weight loss journey can be useful to help manage the adjustments your body and mind are going through.

Examples of working in:

• Slow walking is one of the best examples of a work-in. Simply walking in a relaxed manner for 20-30 minutes each day can really benefit you. You can gradually build this up to an hour or more over time. It’s a great opportunity to clear the mind – listen to relaxing music, something upbeat, or a thought-provoking podcast. Walking in nature makes it even more relaxing.
• Easy bike riding, swimming, or water exercises can also have a similar effect.
• Stretching is a great way to balance the body, enhance posture, and boost energy levels. It immediately improves posture by loosening tight muscles. Proper posture and balanced muscles facilitate efficient energy flow throughout the body.
• Tai Chi or Qigong are both ancient forms of exercise that have been shown to be very effective at lowering stress levels and increasing the vitality in your body.
• Yoga is another form of ancient movement that is very effective at reducing stress and increasing energy levels. Find a skilled instructor who can tailor positions and sessions to your body’s needs, as some yoga styles are more intense than others.
• Pilates is a more modern form of gentle exercise that also helps improve your posture and boost your energy levels.
• Gardening is another great way to work-in. Moving your body in nature and breathing fresh air. Just make sure it’s easy and enjoyable!

The Fresh Start team put together some simple movements and actions that you can do at home to feel energised. You can view these exercises here.

We highly recommend a daily commitment to 20-30 minutes of working-in. This doesn’t have to be done in one go – you can split it up throughout the day.

As you regularly continue to work-in, you’ll notice some of the following happening:

• Your body feels better day after day.
• Your body weight improves.
• Your energy improves.
• Your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate all generally start to lower if they’re currently high.
• Your mood levels out and you feel better emotionally.
• You feel more alert.

When your body feels good and stress symptoms decrease, you’ll naturally want to push yourself further. Even as you advance to regular workouts, don’t neglect working-in exercises. They help in rest and recovery, an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Balancing workouts with working-in routines can prevent stress, fatigue, pain, and injury.

Now let’s look at working out after weight loss surgery.

What is Working Out?

This type of movement elevates your heart and breathing rates, making it unsuitable to do right after eating due to potential discomfort. Working out typically involves activities like weightlifting, power walking, running, cycling, or playing sports.

Here are some suggestions for working out:

• Resistance or weight training helps counter muscle loss, which accelerates after 40 due to hormonal changes. Sessions of 30-40 minutes, three times a week, yield significant benefits for body and mind. It promotes muscle gain, boosts metabolism, enhances bone and joint health, tones muscles, improves posture, strengthens the immune system, and enhances skin elasticity. For women in menopause or perimenopause, it helps balance hormones.
• Taking up a sport like netball, soccer, golf, tennis, or anything that requires a regular commitment can be a great way of working out.
• Choosing to do some hard physical work like more intense gardening or landscaping.
• Walking briskly for 20-40 minutes several times a week. Take this further by walking on trails with stairs or steep slopes in nature for more variety, stimulation, and intensity.
• Cycling – alternating fast bursts of sprinting on the bike with slower recoveries of gentle pedalling. This will improve your fitness, metabolism, and hormone function.
• More intense style of Pilates and yoga are also good forms of working out, and other good options include swimming, kayaking and dancing, all of which gets your heart rate up.

Each of these workouts builds muscle, circulates nutrients, and enhances fitness. Remember, workouts deplete energy, so balance them with nutritious eating, hydration, ample sleep, regular working-in, and relaxation for a well-rounded lifestyle.

Here’s how to make movement a natural part of your life and give yourself motivation to exercise after weight loss surgery:

• Lay out your exercise clothes the night before to kickstart morning movement.
• Set reminders in your calendar to schedule some activity.
• Team up with a friend for some social motivation.
• Join a group or get a personal trainer for extra support.
• Sign up for events or active trips to keep you motivated.
• Share your workouts online to stay accountable and inspired.

Remember, the best movement program after weight loss surgery is the one that works for you. Movement is one of the most powerful ways of improving your health, both physically and mentally. If you find something you enjoy doing, you’re more likely to stick to it. Start small and build slowly and remember that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!

The journey to a healthier you is within reach! For further guidance on sustainable physical activity, setting goals, and weight loss surgery, get in touch with our friendly reception team or book an appointment with our team of exercise professionals.

This post originally appeared on Fresh Start Program’s blog: https://freshstartprogram.mykajabi.com/blog/2

Reproduced with permission.