After weight loss surgery, you may not feel like exercising, but adopting healthy exercise habits is a key component for long-term success. In addition to helping you lose weight, exercise stimulates the production of the “feel good” hormones called endorphins. Exercise also helps keep your bone tissue dense and strong, increases strength and balance, boosts energy and improves quality of life.
Research has shown that patients who exercise three or more times per week, for a minimum of 30 minutes, lost an additional 12 percent of their excess weight in six months.
If you focus on exercise soon after surgery, you likely find it very rewarding. As the weight falls off, your capacity for exercise improves dramatically, with significant improvements on a week-by-week basis. Here are some tips to help you make a long-term commitment to exercise.