Pump Weights..Or Not to Pump Weights??

So I have started going to the gym, and I'm 5 months out.  I'm trying to figure out if I should be ok to start building some muscle.  However I haven't lost all that much weight yet.  So I don't know if I should just worry about cardio right now.

How do you know you're ready?  When should you start? 

I am a month out now and just started working out at the gym tonight.  I did not work my abs and probably will wait another month before doing so.  However, I did upper body weight training as well as walked on the Treadmill.  The key for the weight training is to not build your weight on reps.  You should pick a weight that is comfortable for you but makes you use your muscles a little.  Then you need to have high repetitions.  I do 4 sets of 14 repetitions on each machine or weight.  After you have been doing this for a little while it will start to get easier and that is when you will want to bump it up to the next weight.  If you don't want a TON of skin hanging off of you I would definitely start weight lifting now.  You want to tone your muscles before building them up so it takes time.  I used to train people years ago so even though I lost my groove and let myself go to **** I still remember everything that I am supposed to do thank goodness.

Good luck and anytime you need some weight help let me know.

Rebecca

Do both. Muscle uses more energy which means burning more fat. Cardio burns fat also, but the exercise helps your heart and other muscles. Even good bodybuilders do both.

Strength training is as important as the cardio. Cardio builds fitness which is important, but strength training builds muscles that not only help you lose and maintain weightloss but protect your body.  For example, the stronger your 'core' muscles, the less likely you are to injure or re-injure your back.  
I started at 6 weeks postop. I work with a trainer, but gyms will have group finess classes that are less expensive.  I avoid doing single muscle group isolations and do exercises that use multiple muscle groups -- for example combining a squat with a shoulder press or doing walking lunges & curls at the same time. 

I agree with the previous post!  Start your weight training when you feel ready but make sure you begin.  I don't have tons of time for working out so I limit my weight training to 2 sets of 15 reps.  I try to hit the weights 3 times a week but a minimium of 2 days a week.  Cardio is done EVERYDAY!

Always do the weight training first, weight lifting will burn more calories so when you begin the cardio you can hit the fat stores more quickly.  I will also agree that if it has been a while since you have been to a gym get a trainer for a couple of sessions to watch your form.  As for abs or core work, I was not cleared until 2 months post op.

have fun

Start both now.  Just remember that when you are using the weights to increase the reps not the weight, unless you want to build bigger muscles! 
When I started going to the gym I was increasing the weights when they got too easy & then I started gaining weight!  After talking to the doctor & others that workout regularly, I realized my mistake.  I lowered the weights back down to just above what I was doing to start & increased the reps instead.  Now when they start to get too easy, I add more reps. 
Also change up your routine so your muscles don't get too used to what you are doing.
Once I made those changes I started to lose the weight again!
Good luck & I'm happy for you! 

Weights all the way!  You're not going to build much muscle on an extreme calorie deficit, but you will maintain the muscle that you have, which is very important.  It is actually very difficult to "bulk up," especially for women -- actually, with casual weight lifting, it's nearly impossible. 

So far, I have not lost any lean body mass, and I attribute that to working out with both weights and cardio since 6 months pre-op.  If you don't work out while you're losing, you will end up "skinny fat" instead of healthy.  That means your body weight will be normal, but you will have a high body fat percentage.  Muscle burns more energy than fat, even in a resting state, so the more you work out, the more you're going to be able to eat in maintenance. 

I think that I started around 3 months. It will help you burn more calories.You are not going to gain a bunch of weight from muscle unless you are doing some serious training.

My most common strengthening exercises focus on large muscles and using my own body.  Squats on lower body days are a must for me.  Push-ups (modified) on upper body days are also a must.  These two hit several muscles at once. Back, quads, hamstrings, chest, glutes- these are serious calorie burning muscles.

I would encourage you to do both cardio and weights (as many of the above also have).

There was a poster above that said that the more weight you lift, the bulkier you get. This is not the case - it just continues to challenge you appropriately. For me, I love the Les Mills BodyPump class at my local gym...the music and timing of the class works really well with my schedule and motivation 2-3 days a week (do not do weights on back-to-back days). For cardio, I swim the rest of the time, and generally give myself a day or 2 off, spread out during the week, to allow my body for some recovery time.

Good luck!