Exercise after a sleeve: The not so secret key to long term weight loss

A lot of talk after a sleeve is all about diet. You probably know exercise is important, too, but do you know exercise after a sleeve is one of the indicators for long-term success?

That’s right! Studies show that patients who exercise after a sleeve lose more weight than those who don’t. Even more importantly though, are the multitude of other benefits of exercising regularly after surgery. Let’s take a look?

Why should I exercise after a sleeve?

Aside from losing weight and keeping it off, moving regularly has many other physical emotional and social benefits that make it well worth your time. Some of these benefits include:

• Maintaining muscle mass and boosting metabolism (which helps with long term weight loss)
• Reducing the risk of long term diseases like heart disease and some types of cancer
• Increasing insulin sensitivity which helps to reduce the risk of, and control, diabetes
• Promoting bone density, joint stability and reducing aches and pains.
• Improving the ability to perform those tasks you need to get through the day
• Improving skin elasticity
• Elevating mood, reducing stress and anxiety
• Enhancing self-esteem and confidence
• Improving overall health, well-being and mental outlook

Exercise doesn’t have to be a punishment! Any movement is better than no movement so find something you love – anything – and go with it.

When can I start?

Physical activity after weight loss surgery will help you recover more quickly. It will help improve your circulation, reduce the risk of blood clots, promote wound healing and improve your bowel function. The ASMBS suggests you should begin walking while still in the hospital unless instructed otherwise by your surgeon or physiotherapist.

As you heal, begin to increase your exercise time and intensity but don’t start anything too strenuous or that stretches or use your core too much. Usually, at the one-month post-op visit, you’ll get the go-ahead from your surgeon to go back to all exercise (as long as you’re not still in pain). Just please make sure you check with your surgeon before you do anything very intense like running or core work. You’ll also need to wait until your wounds have healed before you get back in the pool (no-one wants a nasty wound infection!).

What type of exercise should I do?

This is a good question! Once you’re back into everything (a couple of months after surgery), it’s important to include cardio, strength and flexibility into your routine for best results long term (see the table below for examples). Variety in the type of exercise after a sleeve really is key here – the more variety the better. Your body gets used to a routine, so mixing it up regularly will keep your body guessing and help with long term weight loss.

How much exercise do I need to do?

Unfortunately, there are no official guidelines yet for exercise after a sleeve (or any bariatric surgery for that matter). However, there are some generally accepted guidelines for weight loss that have been adapted for those with a sleeve.

• Increase daily activity (move more throughout the day – chores, transport, gardening etc)
• Start slow and gradually progress until you’re exercising 60 minutes a day, six days/week.
• If your BMI is greater than 35, try to avoid exercises that create greater stress on your joints. Avoid activities such as jogging, jumping and competitive contact sports. Remember joint pain is not good pain! If the exercise causes pain, modify the exercise to alleviate the pain. Doing exercises seated instead of standing or getting in a pool to alleviate some of the pressure on joints is the way to go.
• The goal is to maintain your lean muscle through the weight-loss phase, not to bulk up., so focus on doing a total body strength training workout one to three times per week (a minimum of once per week). Use light to moderately heavy weights. Leave at least 48 hours between strength training sessions.
• Change up your exercise routine (i.e., flexibility, cardio and strength training) every four to six weeks. (Adapted from the Obesity Coalition)

If you need help to adapt exercise to suit you because of immobility, fitness levels or pain, please see an Exercise Physiologist. The Exercise Right website also has some amazing information on how to incorporate exercise into your life.

What if I never used to exercise before surgery?

If you haven’t exercised or been active in a long time before your weight loss surgery it may be a daunting prospect to start. It can take a while to figure out what works for you. Before you do anything, please get clearance from your GP to make sure you are safe to start. Then, start SLOW! Even just moving for 5 minutes at a time is a good place to start. Then you can build up your movement as you lose weight. When you are feeling a little more confident, ask an Exercise Physiologist for help and guidance to make sure you are safe and making the most of your new exercise routine.

Great resources to help you get started

Exercise is the third pillar of long-term success after surgery. As such, we spent a week talking about exercise in my 6-week Back on Track Course. Download the list of resources from the course that help you get started or mix up your exercise routine and keep things interesting by clicking on the button below!