Starting a Fitness Journey After WLS

After bariatric surgery, one of the most important things you can do is start a fitness routine. Exercise is a critical piece of the journey that we often times forget about. Many people think that the surgery will do everything, but that is far from the truth. There are other components to this journey that must not be forgotten.

One of those components is exercise.

Starting a fitness routine will help with the weight loss, but it will also help with your overall health in general.

I like to look at the surgery as a jump start. It is not a fix all, but it is something to help you get started to your new healthy lifestyle. As a bariatric patient, you have a responsibility to hold up to your end of the deal. If you want to be successful long-term, you must train your brain to start eating healthier and working out. You do not have to start big. It might take you awhile to get the energy and determination to start working out, but you can make healthy changes right away.

The easiest thing to do is just to start walking more. If you notice yourself sitting at a desk for too long, get up and walk around your house. Start taking the stairs more and park farther away from places. These tiny steps will make a huge impact on your health.

As you start walking more and losing more weight, you will be in better shape to start adding more fitness into your daily life. Be patient with your body. Right now, I am in the process of adding fitness back into my life, and I will tell you, it has not been easy. I am extremely out of shape and it has made the process really frustrating. I took a bootcamp class and felt like I was dying. I was embarrassed because I could barely do any of the exercises. I could not believe that I could not hold myself up in a push up position anymore. I felt weak. However, I was proud of myself because even though it was so hard, I was there. I was making the effort. I was burning calories. I was getting healthier. I realized that I had to start somewhere. I also realized that no one cared what I was doing and therefore I did not need to feel embarrassed. People were actually really supportive and pushed me to keep going.

So, if you are in a position where you are just now getting started with your fitness routine, do not give up. Keep pushing. It will get easier over time and you will start to love working out. The endorphins you get from exercise will help keep you on track and make you remember why you started on this journey. Remember that your body is not used to moving this much, so you will more than likely be sore. I like to tell myself that those pains mean my body is breaking down and forming a new foundation. It is a work in progress and I do not think we will ever be done on this journey, but we will continue to move forward and become healthier versions of ourselves.

One day you will look back on this and smile because of how far you have come. Do not stop fighting. Start swimming, go for a walk, take a bike ride or enjoy a hike. No matter what you choose, just get moving. It might not be fun at first, but I promise you if you keep going, it will get more enjoyable. You got this!