As You Lose Weight, Stay Productive at the Gym

Posted: Feb 28 in Weight Loss Blog by Staff

Hitting the gym can be a great way to improve your fitness after bariatric surgery, but only if you use your time wisely. For most of us, it’s hard enough to find ways to fit exercise into an already-busy schedule—dilly-dallying and distractions at the gym can rob you of the little time you have.

After sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or gastric band surgery in Ft. Myers or Naples, improving the efficiency of your workouts can help you build your fitness faster and save time every day. To keep yourself on track as you exercise, start by:

• Eliminating distractions. If your cellphone is constantly buzzing or you’re checking your Facebook feed between reps, it’s probably time to turn your exercise routine into a technology-free zone. Leave your phone in a locker or your car, or put it on airplane mode to prevent calls, texts and Internet access. If you find yourself distracted by something or someone else, however, your phone may actually help—pull up a playlist or music streaming app and pop on your headphones to stay focused on the task at hand.
• Minimizing breaks. When you decide to take a breather, keep your eyes on the clock. If the minute-long break you intended to take turns into five minutes of zoning out or socializing, you’re not making the most of your time. Set specific time limits on every break you take, or try adding circuit training to your routine. Circuit training will help you improve efficiency by stringing together exercises that work different muscles without breaks in between. With circuit training, you can jump between short bursts of strength training exercises and cardiovascular exercises, getting a great full-body workout without putting too much stress on one muscle group.
• Picking the perfect time. At the gym, some times of day are far busier than others. If you’re hitting the gym between 8 and 11 a.m., or between 4 and 7 p.m., your workout may be hindered by stiff competition for the equipment. These blocks of time are so popular because they tend to be the most convenient times to exercise, but scheduling around them can result in less time standing around. Most gyms are surprisingly deserted between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., so consider heading to the gym on a long lunch break if you have the opportunity.

Remember: going to the gym won’t do much good if you squander the time you have there. How have you kept your workouts efficient after sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or gastric band in Ft. Myers or Naples? Tell us in the comments below.