Bariatric Surgery Exercise Tips

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Starting Exercise After Bariatric Surgery

After coming home from the hospital post-bariatric surgery, many patients are overwhelmed by all of the lifestyle changes that they must deal with. These changes include dietary limitations and changes, differences in activities and daily routines, and the necessity of incorporating exercise into the new lifestyle. Many people who are not accustomed to exercising can find it difficult to begin, especially when dealing with everything else, but it is important to get started as soon as possible in order to make it a daily part of their lives. Not only will exercise help condition the body and keep the pounds coming off, but it can be an asset to improving mental health, and give people the chance to focus on something positive. To learn more about bariatric surgery, visit http://www.medstarwashington.org/ and get started on the journey.

When to Exercise After Bariatric Surgery

The most important thing about weight loss surgery DC recovery is to listen to your body. People that are new to exercise should understand that their bodies are not the same as those of young healthy individuals; there will be limits and restrictions. Starting slowly will not only allow for the setting of realistic goals, but also for individuals to work at their own pace. By starting slowly, it is possible to exercise safely without becoming discouraged or overly fatigued, and reduce the likelihood of sustaining injuries.

Bariatric surgery patients cannot simply jump into running marathons or lifting weights. They need to start slowly with activities like walking, exercising their arms, and increasing flexibility. Arm and leg exercises, strengthening muscles and slowly increasing the level of activity, will make the body stronger and help to define muscles that didn’t previously get a lot of use. Bariatric surgery is a good tool for improving the health of patients, but it can also be a catalyst for completely changing a lifestyle.

Lifting weights, using exercise balls, and even ropes and elastic bands are essential tools for weight loss surgery Washington DC patients, and for people across the world. It may seem like a hassle and a lot of unnecessary struggle, but beginning these types of routines can set the tone for the rest of a person’s life. Using these implements is not enough to ensure changes in lifestyle, but it is a start - and the best way to help foster routines and ideas that can help to change people’s lives for the duration. Getting started is difficult and staying on track is even more difficult, but weight management Washington DC is not meant to be simple or easy; good health is worth working hard for.

Hip Surgery Information

Do I Need Hip Surgery?

Many people across the world find themselves in the position where they need to consult medical professionals about the condition of their bodies. The ailments that they are experiencing can range from mild things like muscle pain, sprains and broken bones to more severe things like cancer, failing organs, or even the need to receive transplants and replacing body parts. One of the most common of these replacement scenarios has to do with the hips, and problems that arise from weak bones, strained or torn muscles, and constant problems with the hip socket. Hip surgery can either require repair or replacement, and is something that thousands of people need to have done throughout the course of their lives. Hip surgery is not something to fear or worry about, as many patients that undergo the procedure are able to jump right back into their every day activities with an improved quality of life.

Hip Surgery Preparation

While it is a common surgical procedure, hip replacement surgery Washington DC is something that needs to be prepared for and treated as a serious life event. The ultimate goal of the surgery is to make the body strong again and allow you to re-adjust to mobility and the capability to do things like exercise, move, and even dance or participate in sports when you want to. After it is determined that you need the surgery, you’ll have time between scheduling it and having it to get things in order, at least for the time being. Some of the plans that can (and should) be made in order to adequately prepare for hip surgery include the following:

• Find people who will help you recover, if necessary. Walking up and down stairs or even for long distances is discouraged for a few weeks after the surgery is performed, and contingencies need to be in place.
• Adjust your living space to accommodate your temporary new lifestyle. This means moving and sleeping on the main floor of the home, ensuring that a bathroom is within easy reach, and even in some cases thinking ahead and making and freezing meals so that you won’t have to worry about cooking in the beginning stages of your recovery process. This will save time, energy and potential frustration.
• Build a support group of people that have already undergone hip surgery DC or otherwise. These patients can help you to know what to expect, give you advice, and provide support on your tough recovery days. This is a process, not an overnight recovery, and connecting with others (even only through email or message boards) is a constant reminder that you’re not alone, and that things will improve over time.

Living a Normal Life After Bariatric Surgery

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Bariatric Surgery Recovery

Before having bariatric surgery, many people live a lifestyle with very few concerns, especially when it comes to going out and enjoying meals with friends. While they may not always have to stop and consider what, when and where they will be eating, they often have to seriously consider whether or not they are able to go out in the first place. Having weight loss surgery has the potential to change a great many things for severely overweight people, but it all comes down to the ways that people react and respond to the surgery itself. The recovery time can take anywhere from weeks to months, and the weight will continue to come off (and stay off) for the remainder of a patient’s life as long as they observe the recommendations of their doctors, but it is up to the individual when they choose to “reenter” the world and resume normal activities.

Living After Bariatric Surgery

It is entirely possible for people that undergo weight loss surgery DC to return to their normal lives soon after the procedure is done. While it is important to monitor your diet and activity levels carefully, not pushing your limits too much too soon, it is also important to test and establish new limits. In order to live a “normal” life, and to continue spending time out with friends and family members, remember the following:

- It is possible to go out to eat, as long as you carefully count calories and pay attention to what goes into the meals cooked at restaurants. Every calorie counts, especially since the stomach’s size is so much smaller than it was previously. Wasting space on calories in drinks, in junk food and in treats is not going to do any overall good.

- Don’t be afraid to ask restaurant staff for special requests like plain chicken or turkey, removing bread from portions, and using no butter or oil to cook your food with.

- Refrain from drinking liquids with your meals, as this can compact the food, allowing you to eat more and feel uncomfortable after you’ve finished. A good rule of thumb is to wait at least 15 minutes to drink anything while you eat, unless your meal is liquid based like soup or stew.

- There is no such thing as over-chewing your food after having bariatric surgery Washington DC, because your food needs to be digested in an efficient manner. Thoroughly chewing makes your body work more efficiently when digesting your food, and the extended period of time spent chewing will help you to eat less. In addition, smaller chunks of food have less of an opportunity to cause you pain or discomfort.

- Listen to your body. You don’t have to eat simply because it is a meal time; when you’re hungry, you’re hungry, and your body will tell you so. After weight loss surgery, your body isn’t consuming food for pleasure any longer; it is simply using it as fuel.