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You’re determined to succeed; you didn't come this far to not lose the weight. Choosing to have weight loss surgery was a bold, brave step toward becoming the healthiest person you could become, and you are committed to do everything in your power to let your bariatric surgery be the stepping stone needed to make that happen.

You’ve consulted a nutritionist and have a diet plan in place; you’ve joined a Facebook group of other bariatric surgery patients and feel as though you’ll be well-supported. You’re feeling fairly confident except in one area: exercise. You’ve always struggled with exercise. But the doctor says you need to work out if you want to maximize your weight loss goals and feel physically and mentally strong.

How do you go about starting an exercise program after your surgery?

Immediately after surgery. Start out slowly with easy walks, no more than 15-20 minutes at a time for the first two weeks.

2-4 weeks post-op. If you’re feeling well enough, your walks can now be at a quicker pace and for a longer period of time. At this point, light exercise, including low-impact leg lifts, stretches, etc. can also be incorporated into your exercise routine to increase flexibility. Flexibility training is important to help prevent injuries.

6-8 weeks post-op. If your doctor gives you the go-ahead, this is the time to start adding a little cardio and strength training into your exercise routine. Cardio workouts help you burn more calories, give you more energy, and help you to sleep better; moderate cardio workouts should last around 30 minutes per day, at least five days per week and could include water workouts, cycling, etc. Strength training exercises help you maintain and build your lean muscle mass. And the greater your muscle mass, the more fat you’ll burn and the stronger your bones will be; strength training should take place at least twice a week and could include lifting weights, squats, lunges, etc.

8 weeks and beyond. Going forward, you should try to do at least 30 minutes to an hour of cardio workouts five days per week, two strength training bariatric workouts per week that target different muscle groups, and ongoing flexibility training. Over time, you may need to change up the intensity of your workout, but low-impact exercise routines should serve you well as go forward with your weight loss journey.

Are there any low-impact exercises that you can do from home to help maximize your success?

Walking. Walking at more than just a casual stroll is a great cardio exercise; walking for weight loss can help you maximize your fat-burning success. To burn weight while walking, your walk should be brisk and of moderate intensity--you should be breathing harder than usual, should still be able to speak but not be able to sing. You should try to maintain this intensity for 30 minutes at a time.

If you have enough room in your home, a treadmill is a great way to go. With controls to maintain a constant speed or, if you want, interval training, you can easily stay on top of and track your exercise progress. Unfortunately, at first, not all bariatric patients can use a treadmill since often their weight exceeds the weight limits of the various models. For instance, the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 has a weight limit of 300 pounds. But once the weight starts to melt off, a treadmill is a great addition. The highest-rated treadmills run between $1,500 and $3,599.

Cycling. Cycling, whether indoors or outdoors, is great cardio exercise. At a more moderate rate of 15 miles per hour, riding a bike can help you burn up to 3,000 calories a week by riding just five hours total. And because of its cardio benefits, riding a bike will not only help you burn fat, but it will also strengthen your heart.

If you don’t quite feel comfortable riding outside, there are great indoor cycles to aid in your weight loss. In fact, especially at first until your balance is good, cycling in a controlled environment is ideal.  Although a traditional stationary bike is good, indoor cycling bikes (or spinners) give you the feel of riding outdoors, more options for interval training, and even some added resistance for more lower body strength training. Prices for top spinners run between $1,995 to $2,599.

Swimming and water workouts. Swimming and water workouts are some of the best post-bariatric surgery workouts you can engage in. From the time your incisions are healed and you’re ready for low-impact, low-intensity workouts, and later, when you need more moderate-intensity workouts, and even further down the road when you might want to try higher-intensity workouts, working out in the water through swimming or water walking or water aerobics is the way to go. All of these water exercises offer amazing cardio benefits and, at the same time, strength training and flexibility training (through overall water resistance or using water weights). Not many other types of exercise can boast such far-reaching benefits.

If you don’t have a swimming pool already (and especially if your family has been begging for one for awhile), now’s the time to make everyone happy and get a pool installed in your own backyard. You may have access to a pool somewhere else, but nothing beats being able to exercise from the comfort of your own home. Prices vary according to the type of pool, so check out swimming pool pricing options to find your best fit.

So what do you think? Are you a walker, a cyclist, or a swimmer? Or are you all three? Whatever you choose, there are great workout options to help you make lifestyle changes you can maintain throughout your life. You can do this! This time, you’ll be successful! You’ve made a huge life change, and with your diet in place, support lined up, and a commitment to exercise, you’ll see your weight disappear and your health transformed.

You’re determined to succeed; you didn't come this far to not lose the weight. Choosing to have weight loss surgery was a bold, brave step toward becoming the healthiest person you could become, and you are committed to do everything in your power to let your bariatric surgery be the stepping stone needed to make that happen.

You’ve consulted a nutritionist and have a diet plan in place; you’ve joined a Facebook group of other bariatric surgery patients and feel as though you’ll be well-supported. You’re feeling fairly confident except in one area: exercise. You’ve always struggled with exercise. But the doctor says you need to work out if you want to maximize your weight loss goals and feel physically and mentally strong.

How do you go about starting an exercise program after your surgery?

Immediately after surgery. Start out slowly with easy walks, no more than 15-20 minutes at a time for the first two weeks.

2-4 weeks post-op. If you’re feeling well enough, your walks can now be at a quicker pace and for a longer period of time. At this point, light exercise, including low-impact leg lifts, stretches, etc. can also be incorporated into your exercise routine to increase flexibility. Flexibility training is important to help prevent injuries.

6-8 weeks post-op. If your doctor gives you the go-ahead, this is the time to start adding a little cardio and strength training into your exercise routine. Cardio workouts help you burn more calories, give you more energy, and help you to sleep better; moderate cardio workouts should last around 30 minutes per day, at least five days per week and could include water workouts, cycling, etc. Strength training exercises help you maintain and build your lean muscle mass. And the greater your muscle mass, the more fat you’ll burn and the stronger your bones will be; strength training should take place at least twice a week and could include lifting weights, squats, lunges, etc.

8 weeks and beyond. Going forward, you should try to do at least 30 minutes to an hour of cardio workouts five days per week, two strength training bariatric workouts per week that target different muscle groups, and ongoing flexibility training. Over time, you may need to change up the intensity of your workout, but low-impact exercise routines should serve you well as go forward with your weight loss journey.

Are there any low-impact exercises that you can do from home to help maximize your success?

Walking. Walking at more than just a casual stroll is a great cardio exercise; walking for weight loss can help you maximize your fat-burning success. To burn weight while walking, your walk should be brisk and of moderate intensity--you should be breathing harder than usual, should still be able to speak but not be able to sing. You should try to maintain this intensity for 30 minutes at a time.

If you have enough room in your home, a treadmill is a great way to go. With controls to maintain a constant speed or, if you want, interval training, you can easily stay on top of and track your exercise progress. Unfortunately, at first, not all bariatric patients can use a treadmill since often their weight exceeds the weight limits of the various models. For instance, the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 has a weight limit of 300 pounds. But once the weight starts to melt off, a treadmill is a great addition. The highest-rated treadmills run between $1,500 and $3,599.

Cycling. Cycling, whether indoors or outdoors, is great cardio exercise. At a more moderate rate of 15 miles per hour, riding a bike can help you burn up to 3,000 calories a week by riding just five hours total. And because of its cardio benefits, riding a bike will not only help you burn fat, but it will also strengthen your heart.

If you don’t quite feel comfortable riding outside, there are great indoor cycles to aid in your weight loss. In fact, especially at first until your balance is good, cycling in a controlled environment is ideal.  Although a traditional stationary bike is good, indoor cycling bikes (or spinners) give you the feel of riding outdoors, more options for interval training, and even some added resistance for more lower body strength training. Prices for top spinners run between $1,995 to $2,599.

Swimming and water workouts. Swimming and water workouts are some of the best post-bariatric surgery workouts you can engage in. From the time your incisions are healed and you’re ready for low-impact, low-intensity workouts, and later, when you need more moderate-intensity workouts, and even further down the road when you might want to try higher-intensity workouts, working out in the water through swimming or water walking or water aerobics is the way to go. All of these water exercises offer amazing cardio benefits and, at the same time, strength training and flexibility training (through overall water resistance or using water weights). Not many other types of exercise can boast such far-reaching benefits.

If you don’t have a swimming pool already (and especially if your family has been begging for one for awhile), now’s the time to make everyone happy and get a pool installed in your own backyard. You may have access to a pool somewhere else, but nothing beats being able to exercise from the comfort of your own home. Prices vary according to the type of pool, so check out swimming pool pricing options to find your best fit.

So what do you think? Are you a walker, a cyclist, or a swimmer? Or are you all three? Whatever you choose, there are great workout options to help you make lifestyle changes you can maintain throughout your life. You can do this! This time, you’ll be successful! You’ve made a huge life change, and with your diet in place, support lined up, and a commitment to exercise, you’ll see your weight disappear and your health transformed.

The gastric sleeve bypass, or sleeve gastrectomy is the most popular type of bariatric surgery in the United States. It is used to treat very obese people who struggle to lose their excess weight through dieting, exercise or another non-surgical weight loss system.

During the surgery, the surgeon cuts the stomach in two unequal parts. The functional part of the stomach looks like a sleeve while the rest of the stomach is removed. This reduces the amount the stomach can hold by about 75 percent. Because the stomach has been so drastically reduced, weight loss is rapid. In many cases there's also a resolution of comorbidities such as diabetes, but doctors don't know why this is. A gastric sleeve bypass cannot be reversed.

Sleeve gastrectomy is major abdominal surgery, and like all such surgeries, it has risks. If there are complications from the surgery, many of them appear in the first week after the operation. If a patient notices any of them, they should contact their doctor right away. Here are some of the complications of the operation:

 

Bleeding

This is not the bleeding that might ooze briefly from the surgical wound but bleeding from the incisions where the patient’s stomach has been resected. This is bleeding that the patient won’t see, but they will have symptoms. They’ll become dizzy when they stand up, have shortness of breath and tachycardia. They will be pale or ashen and have little or no urine output. They will eventually notice that there is blood in their stool, which appears within a day or two of the operation.

 

Blood Clots

Clots are rare, but they are dangerous. If they develop in a blood vessel, they can break off and cause a pulmonary embolism. This is a blood clot that is lodged in the lung. Blood clots are prevented by giving the patient blood thinners before their surgery and fitting their legs with compression garments during surgery. But the best way to avoid clots is to make sure the patient leaves the bed soon after the surgery and walks around, even if they do not feel like it.

 

Infection

If the surgical wound becomes infected, it will happen about a week after the operation. It will become warm, red and the skin around it will become puffy. Sometimes it will leak pus, and the patient will be feverish. Some redness and swelling is normal after surgery, and if the patient is not feverish and the wound is not pustulant it should go away after a few days. If the wound is infected, it will need to be opened up and drained, and the patient will be put on a course of antibiotics.

 

Leaking Stomach

Though bleeding and clots are serious, a leaking stomach can be life threatening. This happens when staples in the sleeve do not hold and digestive juices leak into the patient’s abdominal cavity. Because these juices are meant to digest foods, they will start to digest what is in the abdominal cavity. This can lead to an infection that culminates in blood poisoning and septic shock. Septic shock can result in the organs of the body shutting down. Symptoms are a fast, weak pulse; confusion; great anxiety; cold, moist, pale skin;shortness of breath; no urination; crashing blood pressure; fainting and cyanotic lips and nails. Some patients with leaking stomachs have few of these symptoms or the symptoms can be from another reason.

If the surgeon does determine or even suspect that the patient’s stomach is leaking, the patient simply needs to return to the operating room, and the leak must be repaired. This requires open surgery which will require the patient to spend even more time in the hospital, often in intensive care. The only good thing about a leaking stomach is that it is rare.

 

Conclusion

All complications from gastric sleeve surgery are somewhat rare and can be successfully treated if they are seen to in time. Though bariatric surgery does require a change in lifestyle and eating habits, most patients are pleased to lose weight and to lose the health consequences that come with being obese.

Diabetes affects a significant proportion of the world's adult population. Despite cases of diabetes being reported among the young population, its prevalence is relatively low. Without any known cure, diabetes can only be managed. However, without proper management diabetes can present significant challenges that can escalate to fatality levels.

Management of Diabetes: Beyond Diets and Physical Exercise

Over the years, technological developments especially availability of internet services has significantly changed personal health management practices. For diabetes patients, the internet has become a resourceful platform for information on diabetes and its management. However, if you are an internet enthusiast who relies on the internet for almost any information it is advisable to watch out for the information that you consume on diabetes. Without a proper web filter for your online information search, you are likely to be bogged down with irrelevant and misleading information on diabetes management from individuals with nefarious intentions.

The key to finding useful information on diabetes management is understanding that it is a lifelong process that involves more than physical exercise and healthy eating. The lifelong process involves building a mental fortitude that will ensure your psychological well being. This enables diabetes patients to define and take control of their lives with the view of living a normal life as much as possible.

Tips for Positive Living With Diabetes

Effective diabetes management is a product of healthy living and having a positive outlook at life founded on the knowledge that it is a lifelong process.

Avoid stress and depression:

Avoiding stressful and depressing situations is vital diabetes management and care. Stress and depression can lead to social isolation, overeating, sleep deprivation, loss of appetite and poor concentration. Overeating can lead to overweight and obesity and other related conditions such as heart diseases, which may exacerbate the diabetes patient's conditions.

Actively engage in monitoring your health:

With the help of medical services such as Medicare, diabetes patients can visit certified physicians for annual tests and screenings to check for blood sugar levels and eye dilation. Having a hand-held glucose meter, insulin pens and a timer for your insulin pump can go a long way in effectively monitoring and managing your insulin levels.

Create and follow your care plan:

As a lifelong and daily process, having a care plan for diabetes can go a long way in ensuring that you stay healthy. The plan should be customized to meet your wishes and needs when it comes to staying healthy and active. A comprehensive diabetes management and care plan should be developed with the help of a diabetes specialist including an educator. It should include the drugs and a number to call in case of specified occurrences.

Be your own hero:

The single most important individual in diabetes management is the patient. Make a commitment to yourself to live healthily and follow your care plan and follow through on the commitment.

Regular exercises are important:

With a pedometer, make regular, simple and inexpensive exercises part of your daily routine especially early in the morning. Regular and light exercises reduce blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Opt for low-calorie food varieties: This is especially crucial in weight management and related conditions such as obesity and high blood pressure.

Join a support group: Surround yourself with people who can provide moral support and help you accomplish your care plan goals. This can be loved ones or the various support groups in the community and on social media platforms.

Make healthy food choices:

Avoid the temptation to diet. Rather, a variety of healthy foods that suit your lifestyle can do the trick. The key is to avoid fatty and high-calorie foods and others that can lead to obesity.

Always have your medications with you and plan ahead to help in cases of emergencies.

Go beyond your blood sugar level management:

Avoid excessive alcohol, quit smoking and manage your blood pressure to avoid stroke and heart disorders.

In conclusion, proper management can prolong the life of diabetes patients. Diabetes management should be patient-centric. It is informed by the knowledge that it is centered on finding the balance between physical and psychosocial well being of the patient.