If you’ve just come from lap band surgery, let us tell you something:

We’re very proud of you for taking the first step in investing in your health. 

Of course, a new and healthy way of living doesn’t stop there. The next step is to have a complete lifestyle change. And one way of doing that is to start doing exercises.

In this article, we’ll discuss why you need to exercise after post lap band surgery and when you can get started. We’ll also give examples of what exercises you can do. 

Ready? Let’s get started!

 

Why should you exercise after lap band surgery?

Well, as we mentioned above, the reason is that you need a lifestyle change. The lap band procedure helped removed excess weight, definitely. But if you’re not careful, that weight will come back!

Aside from that, you should also exercise to:

• Maintain and build muscle mass/strength
•  Reinforce bone and joint stability
•  Be able to do more of the things you want to do
•  Help manage any existing comorbidities you may have such as high blood pressure or diabetes, etc.

 

When should you start exercising after the lap band surgery?

This is an important reminder: Do not exercise immediately after! 

While we admire the dedication, your body just underwent a lot of stress during the procedure. It needs time to recover. You need time to recover.

Not to worry though: activities can begin as early as a couple of days after surgery. Just make sure it’s nothing too strenuous. 

Actions like walking around the house and doing some light chores are good places to start. These activities help get your blood flowing, promoting healing and improving your stamina. This will also help introduce movement into your daily routine.

Focus on building a simple routine you can do as your body heals and adjusts to the lap band. It’s also best to start slow and just increase the intensity and/or duration of your exercise gradually. This way you can stay injury-free and keep on the path to a fitter, healthier you.

 

When can you increase the intensity of your exercises?

A month after surgery, you can slowly start to incorporate aerobics, yoga, and other similar exercises into the routine. The increased activity will help build endurance and burn calories.

Remember that after lap band surgery, your stomach will feel full early. This means you need to manage your water and food intake alongside your exercise. You have to make sure you are properly fueled for the exercise.

Two months after your surgery, you can introduce weighted exercises. Weighted exercises are needed for building muscle which helps burn even more calories.

There’s no need to lift heavy immediately. Begin with light weights and/or bodyweight exercises.

In six months, thirty minutes of exercise a day, for three to five days per week, can be done. It’s best to pick an exercise activity you enjoy so that you won’t feel that it’s a chore that needs to be done daily. This will not only maintain your weight loss but also help you to feel better overall.

 

What are examples of exercises you can do after lap band surgery?

Before we get into it, make sure that you consult with your surgeon or general physician about any exercise programs. If you feel any discomfort, make sure to stop! There’s no need to push yourself if you really can’t do it.

Do take note that this is not a definitive guide by any means. But this can help you can ease into a consistent exercise routine, especially if you have no idea what to do.

 

Walking

 Walking is the most common and simple exercise you can do after lap band surgery. It can be walking around the house, or if you can manage to, walking outside the house.

You also don’t need a lot of recovery time after walking. It pretty much has a low impact on your endurance.

You can start walking around a few days after the surgery. As we already mentioned, just try walking around your house first, for safety purposes. That way, in case you do run out of stamina, you’re just at home.

Once you get used to it, you can consider taking walks around your neighborhood.  

Eventually, you can incorporate it even more as you go about your daily routine. For example, take the stairs or park away from a store’s entrance to get more steps in. This way, you get the benefit of exercise while accomplishing your tasks.

 

More active exercises like biking, swimming, and aerobics

Now that you’re lighter, you might be considering doing these exercises that involve you being more active. These are definitely more intense, but they’re also easy on the joints. 

For example, you get more support with swimming since you’re under the water. The same goes for cycling – it’s a low-impact sport. For aerobics, we recommend finding knee-friendly routines to reduce the risk of injury.

We also recommend doing these particular activities a month after your surgery. Again, there’s no need to go intense or do it for a long time immediately.

 

Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi

These three are more low-impact activities that emphasize improving your balance and core strength. These exercises are also great for building flexibility and strength, as well as promoting overall relaxation.

One great thing also about these is that they can be performed by anyone, no matter the age or health level. 

 

Weightlifting or bodyweight exercises

For these, we recommend two months after your surgery. Again, if you feel like you can do them earlier, we recommend you talk to your doctor to be safe.

These activities are great for building strength, cardio, and stamina. And of course, if you stick to them, it won’t hurt that it will result in your body looking really amazing!

To start, we recommend using light weights, then working your way up. We also recommend to distribute lifting days and not overworking muscles. For example, work on your chest, triceps, and shoulders on Monday, work on your legs, back, and biceps on Tuesday, then just rest on Wednesday.

Of course, it’s still best to get the services of a trainer, especially if it’s your first time. That way, you’ll get a routine that is perfect for your body goals.

If you have limited access to a gym, you can try doing bodyweight exercises instead. For example, instead of doing a bench press, you can do pushups. The benefits will be the same.

 

Exercise is an important part of a changed lifestyle.

To summarize, exercise is a must after you undergo lap band surgery. The procedure alone will not be enough to ensure that you will keep your weight off. You need to completely change your lifestyle.

Again, gradually incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Make sure to get the guidance of a doctor, and make sure not to do anything intense immediately.

Remember, the road to a healthier life is not a race, but a lifelong journey. 

If you need further assistance post-surgery, feel free to contact us at Davtyan Medical Weight Loss and Wellness. We’ll gladly help you out.