Calming Workouts After Weight Loss Surgery

Posted: May 22 in Weight Loss Blog by Staff

Getting started with your workout plan after weight loss surgery is an empowering step towards developing a healthier lifestyle. Talk with your weight loss surgeon before you start with any new activities. Remember, you will need to start slow so that you don’t hurt yourself and set back your weight loss efforts while you recover from an injury.

Chances are you have tried dozens of different workout plans. There are high-impact activities like running and kickboxing that are hard to keep up with. There are other low impact exercises like swimming, but who wants to get into their bathing suit every day when they are trying to lose weight? You need to find an activity that is right for you, and ideally one that will help you to manage stress while you burn calories.

Walking, gym classes and strength training with hand weights are all great in their own way, but if you are looking for something new and peaceful to get you excited about your workout again, then consider a few of these calming fitness regimens:

• Trance Dance: You may laugh when you see people lightly swaying in the wind at a concert, but this type of dancing is actually a meditative practice that dates back centuries. Put on some instrumental music and lightly move your arms, neck, back and knees with the beat of the music. Let your mind wander away from your body’s movement and wave your arms and legs around. There are no strict movements to this activity, so you can dance at your own pace for as long as you feel comfortable.
• Tai Chi: This type of activity takes a bit more instruction than trance dance, but the movements are slow and methodical, making it a great option for a lot of bariatric patients. During a tai chi class your body will be constantly in motion, which can help you to build muscle and endurance.
• Restorative Yoga: This type of yoga uses poses that are similar to traditional yoga but each pose is held longer. Instead of constantly moving as you do during tai chi or trance dance, your body will rest as you hold poses that target specific muscles.

If you are still looking for a fun and unique workout to do after bariatric surgery, then you may want to look into a few of these calming workout ideas. Daily moderate activity should become a way of life for you following your operation. As soon as your weight loss surgeon clears you to get moving, find an activity that you enjoy and get going.