After weight loss surgery, exercise plays an important role in maintaining a healthy weight in the long term.
It’s no secret that regular exercise contributes to overall mental and general wellbeing, but most of us will agree that it can sometimes be difficult to find the motivation to get moving. If you’re struggling to keep your exercise regime on track, read on for some tips to get going…
Keep your goals in mind
If you have been through weight loss surgery, you have already taken a huge step towards achieving a healthy body weight. Along with diet, regular exercise is an important factor when it comes to maintaining weight loss after the initial weight reduction. Keep this in mind and try to make exercise a part of your daily routine. By putting in the time and effort towards exercise, you are investing in your long-term health and ensuring that the results of your surgery are maintained. And when it comes to setting exercise goals, it’s okay to start small — begin with a 10-minute walk, for example, and build up from there as your fitness increases.
Exercise with a friend
It can be very helpful to exercise with a friend or partner — sharing the experience is likely to make it more fun than doing it alone, plus you’ll be accountable to someone other than yourself. It’s easy to make excuses if no one is relying on you, but if you know someone is waiting, you’re less likely to skip the workout you had planned. Group classes are also a fun (and social) way to exercise. When it comes to exercising and weight loss in general, it’s also important that you try and surround yourself with like-minded people. It can be very supportive and encouraging to engage with others who are on a similar journey or who share your goals.
Try a fitness app
There are so many fitness apps to choose from, and they can be motivating because they give you structure and goals to work with. Choose one that works for your particular exercise of choice, as well as your own personal goals. If you want to make sure you walk enough every day, go for one that counts your steps. If you prefer guided workouts, try one that includes videos for yoga or strength training, for example.
Distract yourself
There will always be days when you just don’t feel like exercising, and that’s completely normal. Try taking your mind off of your workout by listening to a podcast while you exercise. If you have access to a treadmill or other cardio equipment, try watching a TV show while you’re working out — it’ll make the time fly!
How can we help?
At Surgical Weight Loss Centre, we offer a number of weight loss surgeries, including gastric bypass, gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy and SADI surgery. While these procedures are highly effective, we understand that there is so much more to one’s weight loss journey than surgery alone. For this reason, our team provides ongoing support after surgery to help you achieve and maintain a healthy and stable weight. If you are considering surgical weight loss, we encourage you to download our guide so that you can find out more about the process and what it involves.
To find out more about our services, or to make an appointment for a consultation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to welcoming you to our practice and helping you on your weight loss journey.