Exercise Benefit #1: The Right Kind of Weight Loss
Exercise can help you lose more weight and keep it off after surgery. A study of gastric bypass patients showed that those who exercised lost at least 10-15 pounds more than those who did not.
But when you’re losing weight, it’s also important to lose the right kind of weight. Exercise helps you burn fat while keeping your lean muscle. When you lose weight, your body will naturally eliminate both fat and muscle. It’s important to exercise after bariatric surgery so you can preserve your lean muscle. That way, you’ll keep enough muscle to stay healthy!
Exercise Benefit #2: Helps You Feel Good
Exercise can also help you have more energy and feel better. Many of our clients say they don’t just want to lose weight; they want to be able to hike with their family, or run 5ks, or play with their grandchildren. Exercising regularly after weight loss surgery can help you get to your goals.
Regular exercise can strengthen your heart and bones, improve your blood sugar, enhance your immune system so you’re less likely to get sick, and make it easier to do everyday activities like shopping.
Exercise Benefit #3: Mental Health
Exercise produces endorphins that help you combat anxiety and depression. The time after your surgery can be tough for many clients. Lots of people look down on you if you suffer from obesity, and that can leave emotional scars. Some people feel alone after surgery, because so many Americans think (wrongly) that bariatric surgery is the “easy way out.”
Exercise creates more blood flow to the brain, breaks the brain’s downward spirals into depression and anxiety, and produces endorphins that help to regulate and improve your mood.
