I just do not understand it, guys.

I see it posted by people all the time that "exercise does not help with weight loss". I understand that with being so caloric restrictive with our surgeries, exercise has way less impact.

I just refuse to buy into the fact that "exercise does not help"...

Muscle = burns fat, its your metabolic system. More muscle = more fatloss = better/higher success in maintenance

Muscle = how your body moves and supports itself

Muscle = not being a skinny frail old fart stuck to a chair/walker/Rascal scooter

Muscle = no ass pain when our fat asses (literally, lol) go away and we are left uncomfortable, by building our glutes

Muscle = less body pain due to weakness in joints/etc when our supporting fat is gone (I have to keep my shoulder strong or it hurts from where I had surgery 4 years ago)

I'm not even talking huge amounts of muscle.. I'm talking ANY THING THAT CAN BE HAD FROM EXERCISE...

Am I the only one? I know I "stir the pot", but that, in my opinion, is some of the absolute WORST information/feedback I have ever seen on here.

I agree with you a million percent!  Activity is good for our bodies and prevents so many things from wearing away as we age.  All of the things you said about having some/any muscle is so true.  

I had surgery back in 2009, and in the beginning, I was gung-ho on working out.  I killed myself climbing stairs for like an hour at a time.  I kept having plateaus and though I did get into the 170's like that, I looked awkward.  I had a lot of 'skin' and I just didn't feel proportioned.  I moved overseas and didn't keep up with my exercise because of the different lifestyle.  When I got back home in 2013, I got my butt in gear.  As I watched people at the gym, I started noticing that they were balancing weights and cardio, or even spending more time lifting weights.  I started watching/reading a lot and began the journey of weightlifting.  

Since 2013, I've lost 6 clothing sizes, filled myself out with muscle in places that were all skin.  My body is toned, shapely, healthy, and I actually look younger than I did before.  Aside from the aesthetics of it all, I can only imagine how happy the inside of my body is.  My circulation is much improved, I have energy whereas before I did not, my endurance has much improved, my heart rate is resting at 59-60bpm, my blood pressure is down, etc.  I also get rid of stress and produce endorphins by exercising whereas before I did not.  Inhaling hard work, exhaling the crap that gets me down!  Exercise is a mental reward just as much as it is a physical one.  I also used to physically hurt and have joint pain but I don't anymore because exercise actually helps with that whereas many people say they can't exercise because they have joint pain.  Any movement people can make and then slowly build on it creates a winning situation.  The successes I have experienced by working out have motivated me to change more and more inside and out.  I am thankful for RNY but also for the will to get out there and stay moving.  Great post!

Well said Chris.  Very early after my procedure I tried to start exercise anyway I could. I mixed cardio with strength training but found cardio more joyful. I still do both but generally speaking  I will do cardio most times. I began running and I run distance is a 5K 10K half marathon in a full marathon. I have also completed a sprint triathlon.  I don't know if all of this result in weight loss but I also believe I look better and more importantly feel better! 

Chris you hit it head on.  I lift weights and I lift heavy.  I do HIIT cardio 3x a week plus 2x LISS.  I attribute the muscle definition and the lack of 'you had WLS' look all to this.  When the scale went back up, I upped my workouts and became more strict with my diet.  It's as if folks still want to be lazy after surgery.  My motto is, surgery is a tool not a solution.  

You have a second chance at life.  Get up off your arse and get to moving.  

When I hear/read about folks wanting a revision I just cringe.  I'm like why? Is it because you chose not to make the necessary life and mental modifications? Losing weight isn't rocket science.  When we get to a smaller weight, years out you have to put in the work just like everyone else.  If it was easy, guess what everyone would be doing it.

I hate waking up at 5:30 AM to hit the gym.  I hate, today actually, fighting with my inner fat girl to have a snack bag of cookies.  Although my mind is telling me I want it, I don't need it and I will not give into my inner 'fat girl'.  

I was 385lbs, now I'm sitting at 177 the last I checked. I've put on soo much muscle that folks are asking me to train them. I absolutely REFUSE to go back to where I was.  It was surgery that helped in the beginning, now it's diet and exercise that's helping me maintain.  And if it can help me, it can help anyone.

:) thanks for sharing

Used to live in Buford, miss it up in that area!

Love. This. Post.

You're response is on point I am only 4 weeks post op but I've had long conversations with my surgeon about my desire to exercise. At this point I'm only cleared to walk but before surgery I started weight training and hope to return to it very soon. My surgeon strongly recommends strength training and cardio 2-3x/ week. 

I agree and strongly believe that WLS Is a tool we have been given and we have to put in work to see and maintain long term success. 

I need you on my team just for the motivation!! I am reading through these posts and finding myself remembering why I went through WLS to begin with. I WANT TO AND WILL DO BETTER!! I'm going to get my arse to moving!!

The reason why most people say that exercise doesn't help with weight loss is because exercise in it & of itself doesn't help with weight loss, it doesn't speed up weight loss etc. Dietary changes, like what you eat & how much of it is what gets the weight off, not exercise. There are plenty of people on these boards that have reached a healthy weight & maintained it without a bit of exercise.

The problem is that more & more people on these boards are trying to out run a bad diet. You get the oh I've been doing this or that amount of exercise & my weight hasn't moved, but they've done almost nothing to change their eating habits, or people use the numbers on those machines & try to do some calculations as to how much they think they should eat, usually its more, to make up for all the exercise they're doing.

I emphasize to do exercise because it's healthy for the body, to treat exercise as a lifestyle that you want to do, not force yourself to do. It doesn't have to be hitting weights at the gym or running etc. People have to find what they like to do & excel at that.

For me I like bike riding. I ride to work as often as possible, I sometimes take another ride after work, I ride on my days off, not because I'm forcing myself to do it, but because I like it & I might add in different exercises or use weights to complement my bike riding routine.

Stick around, you'll see many people concentrate on the exercise & slack off on the diet & vice versa. I think finding that balance is what ultimately gets the weight off & keeps it off.

I don't think I really disagree with anything. I would probably say that sim exercise (weight training) does in fact help to lose more weight due to metabolic advantages 

I will be the first to say weight loss for ANYONE not just post op people is at least 95% diet