Best Exercises

Hi, I wanted to know what is some of the best exercises for toning as I will be heading to the gym tommorow. I would like to set up a workout plan that will tone up all this extra skin. Since I had open bypass in March. Any and all tips and advice is welcomed. Thank you family

Mary, Most health clubs or gyms now have personal trainers that can help you. They can show you around and what would be best for you. When I joined my club, it include two free sessions as part of my membership. Not knowing your experience level, etc it is difficult for anybody to tell you what will work. I would see what your facility has available for you.

I do a combination of cardio and weight training that I got in a free introductory session with my health club's trainer. I went back for one paid session after I'd been doing it for a couple of months and it was worth it. I do the recumbant bike for cardio first, after some stretches, and am working up to 30 minutes. Because I have arthritis, the bike is set at a low level. I do the bike instead of the treadmill because I have bad knees. I then move on to some work on various machines -- which machines and how much weight depends on other medical conditions, your level of strength and so on. It is better to start modestly and gradually increase the weight. I learned in physical therapy that things do not have to be ghastly hard in order for you to get better. What a pleasant surprise. The amount of repetitions should stay basically the same, usually it's 15-20, 3x with 30 seconds in between to rest the muscles. What increases over time is the amount of plates you can set to get resistance. Posture and breathing are important, as is doing it slowly. That's why a good trainer can help you avoid injury and get the most out of it by checking to make sure you are doing it correctly. I've always hated classes, still do, and just love the time to be by myself. I use earphones and music and a couple of the bikes in my gym area attached to TV! This helps me keep going and not focus too much on how out of shape I am. Every two weeks, I go up 5 minutes on the bike and try to get to the gym at least 3 times per week. It was a complete surprise to me that I liked weight training, just did it first because it was part of the health club package and I wanted to get my money's worth. It's great for toning and for your state of mind. Gano

I enjoy swimming. I swim at least 3-4 times per week anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. I try to get a lane and swim laps. I dont use strokes always because it wears me out faster. I do like a frog swim both backwards and forwards alternating. When I get a little tired I stop the laps and do leg lifts and move my arms. I will also go slightly above waist deep and do a brisk walk. It has really made a difference in the last one month. I have lost like 20-30 pounds so fast. I always hated excersing. This really works and it also relieves tension. (I have a stressful job in customer service). It feels like an all over the body message. My doctor also recommended this excercise and said it would help with skin issues. My stomach is looking good as compared to others I have seen in my WLS support group meetings. Good luck! Linda