Exercise!

GoDasher

There was a discussion on another thread, thought I would start a thread about working out and exercise post-op.

I started an "Iton Girls" class at the Y a couple of weeks ago. It's 6 women led by a trainer. 3 nights a week for 12 weeks. Afterwards I'm doing 30 minutes of cardio. I made friends with one of the ladies and we are committing to the cardio afterwards.

I'm 4 1/2 months post op

NicoleL874

I love the gym. I try to do five days of weights and 6 to 7 days of cardio. When I can't get weights in (like yesterday, my schedule was screwy, couldn't get there) I do some kind of extra workout at home. I have a 30-day free trial to Daily Burn, so I did their workout at 3:30am! lol I was awake, couldn't sleep, knew I couldn't get to the gym later...so why not?

Daily Burn, great if you don't have a gym membership. It's accessible from anything that can get on the internet. For the basic membership it's $9.95/month. That only gets you access to their daily workout, which is fine if you just want to get up and move. The trainers give you modifications for most of the movements to help as you get started. The complete access membership is $25/month. If you don't have a gym membership this one would be worth it. There's all kinds of programs you can access from True Beginners to Yoga to crazy Core workouts. They do give a free month, which is what I'm using now, I take help from wherever I can get it! lol

YouTube also has a ton of videos. Obviously, you have to be a little more discerning when using YouTube, but it's free. There are also several free apps for both iPhone and Android.

It's great to have a buddy to workout with, but there are so many options nowadays that there's no excuse not to do something! We all had this surgery to help us get healthy, we have to make the time to do the work.

I'm a member of several FB groups related to WLS and have actually met several people local to me. There's a group of six or seven of us that are trying to find a time to all meet up to have our own little support group. There's lots of support/motivation out there. We just have to do the leg work to find it!

GoDasher

Thank you for all your input @NicoleL874. You are an INSPIRATION!!! I really wanted to become a gym rat after this surgery. It has been 4 months (I can't believe that!) and I'm finally doing it.

The Iron Girls group is very supportive. One of the woman and I are committing to doing cardio afterwards. She is young & fit, but still supernice! LOL And we are pushing each other . There are two ladies who somewhat challenge each other. They are a lot stronger than I am, but I get caught up in their challenges sometimes. We were doing bicep and tricep extensions yesterday. They were going up in weight every rep, I went up a little. Then on the triceps one of them basically called me out that I was not doing a high enough weight. But you know, she was right!! And I really didn't realize it until I increased it and then realized what a better work out I was getting. It was all in good fun, but it pushed me to do more.

Too bad you live too far away @Nicole874! I would make you pick me and take me to the gym with you!

NicoleL874

Ha! I am flattered every time someone calls me an inspiration. I was a couch rat for so many years that it's hard to believe I'm a gym rat now! I just keep going, partially because I know I have to and partially because I feel I need it! That's the odd part. There are days I wish I had a gym partner for the cardio...that *kitten* gets so boring and old so quickly. For the first three months I was fine plugging into the TV and watching. I don't have cable or regular TV at home, just streaming, so it was a novelty. That's worn off. I now have music and read the captions for the shows. It's still a chore, lol!

I do 4 days every week of weights. I do that alone because of the way my trainer has built my routines. I'm never standing still. Between sets I'm doing something. He'll have me do triceps, then lunge walk to the bicep machine, the lunge walk to another machine and do a circuit like that. Or, between sets I'll be doing squats and using hand weights or bars, or kettle bells. After the rowing machine I have to do plank ups on the bench. That would be awkward with someone else sitting there.

Doing the weights is nowhere near as boring for me. I enjoy the weights. So I'm glad that the weather should be turning soon. Cardio outside would be way more enjoyable than on the machines! My short days are 10 minutes to warm up, 30 - 45 min of weights, and 20 minute minimum of cardio after. Some days I'm on the machines for up to an hour. Sometimes all one machine, sometimes I get super bored and have to switch machines...but minimally 10 minutes per machine.

I'm going to stress the importance of STRETCHING. I am steal dealing with Achilles insertional tendonitis in my right foot, and it's a *kitten*. Make sure you stretch before and after all exercises. I am now stretching different muscle group periodically throughout the day.

What's everyone else doing???

jcavanna2

I have not had my surgery yet but I have been a gym rat. I love my trainer and we do various things - weights, cardio, etc. I love spinning, and before I injured my shoulder last year I loved my kettle bell class which I will try to get back to post surgery. The one thing I am worried about is being out of the gym post surgery but I plan to walk as much as I can. I definitely recommend spin - great cardio workout, as well as kettle bells and boxing!