how much a week out?

I could use some advice.  I had surgery 1 week ago.  I saw my surgeon yesterday and she asked me what kind of exercise I am doing.  I am taking 3 walks a day.  I started around the block.  This week I am upping it to two blocks.  I was going to try to work up to a mile 3 times a day.  I also have a cross country ski machine to use on bad weather days. 

My surgeon said I should be doing more.  I was a bit disheartened, as walking around the block is still a great chore at 288 pounds (lost 9!) and I was expecting to give myself to build more into my routine.  She was talking about weights and "core" exercises.  She asked if I belonged to a gym, but I simply cannot afford that right now. 

So, what should I be doing at this point?  How much?  How often?  I don't mind exercising every day, but I'm confused as to how much is enough, I guess.

jill

Hey Jill, congrats on your surgery and your weight loss thus far. I am 4 months post op. I recall about a week out from surgery I was walking around the house and outside but for not too since I did not have much energy. My body was healing. Before I left the hospital the doctor advised me to walk at an easy pace for about 10 minutes at a time. I did that about twice a day. About 1 month out I got a gym membership and a trainer. I started walking at about 2.5 speed with a 1.0 incline for 30 minutes and once a week I saw my personal trainer. Today I am walking at a 3.6 speed at a 6.0 incline for about an hour. It will take time since your body is healing from a major surgery. Listen to your body and it will let you know how much exercise you can do. I think you are doing great just as long as you get in some of your walks.. ~Diana~

Hi Jill, Your surgeon's a nut. I've never heard of a surgeon advising WLS patients to join a gym 1 week out. My surgeon almost had to chain me down to make sure I didn't do anything for 4 to 6 weeks (gym related). I'd say walking several times a day is a great start. I had 7 weeks off after surgery so I just walked up to 6 or 7 times a day...just a block at first then as I gradually increased the time and distance I cut the number of total walks until I was walking twice a day for 45 minutes to an hour each walk. I added swimming pool exercises like walking in the water and some stretching after my incision wounds healed. That's about all I would advise for 99 % of WLS patients for the first 4 to 6 weeks.  You have to watch the energy dumps so taking several shorter walks every day seems to help with that. If you can walk for 45 minutes a week out...you're better than me. I was walking 2 hours a day before surgery and a week out I was luck to get a couple of blocks. I did do some light Dumbbell and band exercises starting only 2 days out but I had been training for 30 years before surgery anyway. But I didn't strain or do any ab or leg work or anything where I bent over or laid down probably until about 4 weeks out. Even then it took about a year for me to get back to anything close to what I was lifting before surgery. Good luck Earl