Why is exercise important after bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery is a treatment method that causes weight loss by reducing the volume of the stomach or intestine, and changing the digestive system. This surgery may cause incremental changes in your lifestyle, including how you eat and exercise.

Exercise after bariatric surgery is an important part of your treatment process and has many health benefits. Exercise can help you:

 

Make your muscles stronger.
Make your joints and bones stronger and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and arthritis.
Reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Increase your confidence.
Improve your cardiovascular health. Exercise helps strengthen the heart and blood vessels. This can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Improve your mood. Exercise helps increase energy levels, improve mood, and reduce stress. This can help improve your quality of life.
Maintain or lose weight. Regular exercise helps burn calories and lose weight. This can help you maintain your lost weight and prevent weight gain again.
Reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Exercise helps control blood sugar. This can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
 

Important issues and challenges of exercise after bariatric surgery
But exercising after bariatric surgery may also have its own challenges. you must:

Consult your doctor to find out what type and amount of exercise is right for you
Listen to your body and take seriously any signs of pain, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, palpitations, labored breathing, muscle cramps, open wounds, skin infections, sore throat, cough, fever, chills, or other adverse symptoms.
Gradually and patiently increase your activity and avoid putting too much pressure on yourself.
Pay attention to the balance between exercise and rest, or recovery after exercise, and give yourself time to enjoy your activities.
Do not forget to warm up and cool down before and after exercise. Warming up helps prepare your body for exercise. Cooling down helps your body get back to normal.
Adapt your exercise program to your health conditions. If you have a specific medical condition, you may need to adjust your exercise program accordingly. For example, if you have arthritis, you should avoid sports that put a lot of stress on your joints.
 

 

What kind of exercise is right for you after weight loss surgery?
The type and amount of exercise you can do after bariatric surgery depends on several factors, including:

 

The type of bariatric surgery you have done, including sleeve, classic bypass or mini gastric bypass.
Your starting weight.
Your health status before and after the operation.
Your physical activity level before surgery.
Your goals for your ideal weight and health.
 

In general, you should start with lighter activities, such as walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, pilates, stretching, or stretching. These activities help you to:

 

Improve blood supply to treated tissues.
Reduce the risk of blood clots.
Maintain or strengthen your muscles.
Increase your flexibility.
Reduce pain and inflammation.
 

After a few weeks or months, you can add moderate- or high-impact activities, such as running, jumping rope, Zumba, skiing, tennis, soccer, basketball, or weightlifting. These activities help you to:

 

Increase your metabolism.
Reduce your body fat.
Build your muscles.
Make your bones stronger.
Increase your strength and endurance.