Exercise after bariatric surgery: when and what
Walking starts hours after surgery. Resistance training starts at six weeks and matters more than cardio for keeping weight off.
Day one: walking is medicine
Walking within hours of surgery reduces the risk of clots more than any drug. Short, frequent walks around the ward, then 20-30 minutes daily once home. This is the single most important activity of the first fortnight.
Weeks 2-6: build the base
Increase walking distance, add gentle cycling or swimming once wounds have healed at three weeks. Avoid abdominal loading, heavy lifting and anything that strains the incision sites.
From week 6: resistance training
Two or three sessions a week of full-body resistance work preserves muscle during rapid loss. This is what protects metabolic rate, and the patients who do it are the ones who look and feel strongest at year two.
What to expect physically
Energy is low for the first month because intake is low. Strength returns as protein intake normalises. Joint pain typically improves markedly by the time 15-20 kg have gone, which is when many patients start enjoying movement for the first time in years.
The Ones People Actually Ask.
Can I lift weights with a sleeve?
Yes, from six weeks with gradual progression. There is no long-term restriction on lifting once healed.
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What Stands Behind The Plan.
