Working out after bariatric surgery will help you build more muscle mass. Yet there are many other reasons to add in consistent and progressively challenging workouts into your post-bariatric life. You feel and look better, you improve your heart health, and your mental functioning receives a boost as well. Those few benefits are just the tip of the iceberg where the advantages of exercise are concerned.
1 – You get a stronger heart–
By adding in consistent exercise after weight loss surgery will directly reduce your risk for heart attack, stroke, atherosclerosis, hypertension and other dangerous heart conditions.
2 – Your Stress level reduces –
just putting in 30 to 45 minutes of moderate to strenuous exercise 4 times a day can lower your overall stress.
3 – Your Sex Life improves –
Working out after your bariatric surgery will have a positive effect on your libido as well. Indirectly with the reduction of your overall stress level. More directly exercise, especially strength training has shown to improve erectile dysfunction as well as increase the libido in postmenopausal women.
4 – Your Chances of Contracting Bone Disease drops –
Increasing your physical activity shows to reduce the development of osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and other bone density diseases.
5 – You Are Happier–
if you notice that after a challenging workout you have a more positive outlook on life? Well exercise releases “feel good” hormones called endorphins. They help prevent depression, make you feel good after exercise, and deliver a calm, clear, happy state of mind.
6 – Helps your tool to lose more body fat –
It’s been shown in more than a few studies that adding exercise to post bariatric surgery will increase your body fat loss by over 10% than those that don’t exercise. On top of that your chances of gaining that body fat back reduces significantly.
7 – Your Natural Defense System Improves–
A comprehensive review of exercise and the immune system shows that working out consistently after bariatric surgery, both aerobic and anaerobic has a positive effect on your bodies ability to fight infection diseases. After weight loss surgery this gets better and better.
8 – Your Self-Esteem improves –
When you put exercise into life consistently you will notice your stress levels go down, as you notice that daily tasks are becoming easier to do, movement becomes easier. All of this will make you start to feel better about yourself which in turn makes you feel happier.
9 – Your Lung Capacity Increases –
As your physical activity increases after weight loss surgery, so does your ability to breathe properly. As your lungs get stronger that is you are able to draw in more oxygen to your blood stream. The more oxygen you have in your blood the better your muscles are able to work to move you around. This in turn gives you the ability to work harder and move more efficiently with your tasks.
10 – You add Years to Your Life –
How can it not? Just looking back at the 9 points made above should show you that. Stronger heart and lungs to improve oxygen and muscle use. Reduced stress, a more positive outlook on life, a healthy sex drive, a stronger immune system to fight off diseases, less body fat to stress your joints and stronger bones to stave off late life fractures that can compromise your movement.
You probably decided on this weight loss surgery to help improve your health and I’m sure it has. This procedure is very good at that. But why stop there ? This surgery has also given you the opportunity to improve beyond just the weight loss the list above should show that.
If you are ever at a loss as to what to do please feel free to contact me.
Geof has been working with bariatric surgery clients for over a decade. His goal with Coaching For Bariatric Success is to give you the tools to make your weight loss successful for the long term.