Post-Bariatric Surgery Exercises

Planning and executing a proper exercise routine after bariatric surgery will help you achieve the body and lifestyle you have been dreaming about. With healthy eating, consistent workouts and discipline, maintaining your new lifestyle post bariatric surgery will become second nature. Benefits of working out include toning your muscles, increasing your energy, tightening loose skin, lowering your blood pressure and ultimately working out will make you feel great!

Recovery

Recovery is very important and does not happen over night. Communication with your doctor is vital and very necessary. It takes effort and a strict diet. After you and your doctor feel like you have fully recovered, you may then begin planning your routines.

Take it Slow

For most patients, working out will be a gradual experience. For the first couple of weeks after the recovery period, patients should begin sitting exercises focusing on legs and arm movements. Exercises include leg lifts, arm rotations, and shoulder rolls. After performing some of these exercises, patients should go for a walk outside or on a treadmill to get a little cardio in. This work out should be done everyday for about 30-45 minutes to condition the body.  

Picking up the Pace

After about a 3-4 weeks (Or more depending on patient), patients should now be ready for more challenging exercises. Implementing cardio and aerobic exercises will help shed some more pounds and tone the areas that need it.  Riding a bike outside or taking cycling classes at the gym are great ways to incorporate cardio into your work out routine. Always remember to go at your on pace when performing these exercises.

Building Strength

By the 3^rd or 4^th month, working out should very much be second nature. It’s all gradual advancement from this point on. To see more results make sure to add some strength training into the mix.  Strength training exercises should be incorporated into your routine at least 3 times a week. Exercises include lunges, squats and the use of dumbbell weights. You may feel some soreness following these exercises. It’s very important to take care of your body afterwards with rest and the right post workout meal or protein shake.

Sources

http://www.blossombariatrics.com/recovering/

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/lose-weight/build-strength/strength-training-for-beginners/

Keeping Your New Year’s Resolution

How many of you have “Stick to my resolution” as one of your 2014 resolutions? If you don’t already, go ahead and add it to the list because we have some helpful tips to help you accomplish your 2014 goals.

1. Plan and Organize

In order to really focus on your goals, you have to stay organized. Create a system to help you stay on your path. Lists are a great way of staying organized.

Write down a series of steps to remind yourself of  what to do, jot down your progress and lastly differentiate your short term and long term goals.

 If you can maintain a system that fits you, stick to it and keep up the hard work.

2. Reward yourself

Every step closer to your goal deserves a round of applause. Whether it’s one huge leap or a series of smaller steps, sit back and reward yourself. This will remind you that you are closer then when you started and giving up CAN’T be an option.

3. Don't Beat Yourself Up

In the beginning, falling off the wagon is very common. For most of the world, one mistake can set a person back indefinitely and there goes another failed New Year’s resolution.

When this happens, accept your mistake, forgive yourself and get back on the wagon and keep pushing towards that goal!

4. Be Social Friendly

We live in an era where we share everything with everyone. Social media has allowed us to connect with people similar to us.

Share you progression with the cyber world. Publicly committing to a goal can bring personal motivation and also welcome in others who may have similar goals.

This way, others can support and motivate you.

5. Smart Phone, Smart Tips

You know that device you glue your face to on a daily basis? The device that started off as a way to merely communicate with others? Yea, your smart phone. Well there are a plethora of apps to help people stick to their goal.

Search for some apps in the app store that you feel can help you. Apps such as Lose It! and Fooducate can help users maintain and track what they eat and what activities they do to reach their ultimate goal.

We hope these tips help you get to where you want to be. Keep reminding yourself how badly you want to reach your goal and how satisfying it will be at the end. Goodluck!

Sources:

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/9-ways-to-keep-your-new-year-s-resolutions-1.aspx
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2013/12/27/keep-new-years-resolutions-goals/4192127/