Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. It helps patients lose weight, and it significantly lowers health risks related to hypertension, type 2 diabetes, joint pain, and sleep apnea. Bariatric surgery is known for accomplishing important weight loss, showing astounding results during the first post-operative year. Depending on the surgical intervention, a patient might lose as much as 50% of his body weight after the first year and a half of his surgery. However, bariatric surgery does not accomplish this by itself. In order to get the most out of the surgery’s benefits, the patient has to be fully committed to adopt and maintain wellness behaviors, such as keeping a healthy diet, sleeping 8 hours a day, avoiding stressors, eliminating harmful habits like smoking and drinking, and, specially, being physically active.
Exercise after bariatric surgery is vital to maintaining weight loss and preventing weight regain in the medium and long term. Patients who underwent bariatric surgery can expect a light weight regain at least 2 years after surgery, once the body meets its balance and becomes used to its new way of life. Patients who succeed at losing more than 25% of their body weight 4 years or more after their surgery experience higher health benefits and a higher sense of satisfaction with their treatment. For patients who are having trouble reaching their weight loss goals, exercise may prove to be an important complementary treatment therapy. Furthermore, research has suggested that patients who do reach more than 25% of their body’s weight loss can attribute it, precisely, to higher physical activity and commitment to a low-calorie diet.
At LIMARP International Center of Excellence for Obesity, we offer personalized physical activity plans as part of our integral obesity treatments. We consider your physical activity and daily routines, as well as your body disposition, to plan exercise sequences that will work best for you. If you’re interested in knowing more about our services and obesity treatments, give us a call. We will be very glad to help.
The effect of exercise in weight loss
The effects of exercise by itself are limited when it comes to weight loss. The Physical Activity Guidelines Committee Report states that exercise alone usually results in weight loss of less than 3% of initial body weight, in normal circumstances and in optimal conditions. However, exercise in combination with a low calory diet does result in a more substantive reduction of body weight, even in people dealing with obesity.
Burning energy of 500 calories per day achieves approximately 1 pound of weight loss per week. To lose a pound a week, an individual would need to sustain 1 hour of aerobic exercise a day. Guidelines from the NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative and the US Preventive Services Task Force indicate that 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise, with an expenditure of 2,500 to 3,500 kcal per week, promote weight loss and a reduction of health risks. It has been reported that with over a 12-week period of exercise alone, overweight patients can lose from 2.5% to 8% of their body weight.
More than aiming to become an exercise devotee, people struggling with overweight and obesity should focus in becoming and staying physically active. A physically active person is someone who does moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes 3 days per week. This magic equation makes a huge difference, not only in the results of weight loss, but also in long-term benefits for the metabolic system, the overall physical function, and quality of life.
When it comes to losing weight, the source of weight loss is very important. After bariatric surgery, patients might lose fat free mass like skeletal muscle, bone and organs mass, also known as lean muscle. This is not ideal, as it might affect bone density and general physical function and strength. Exercise and physical activity contribute to burn fat mass instead, and to maintain lean muscle. Resistance exercise will allow you to keep your lean muscle mass and burn more fat, while aerobic exercise will help you burn calories and improve your cardiovascular condition.
The benefits of exercise beyond weight loss
Exercise does a lot more for your body than just getting rid of extra weight. Bariatric surgery patients can greatly benefit from regular physical activity and constant exercise routines. Moderate aerobic exercise after weight loss surgery improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, which helps patients with type 2 diabetes, PCOS, and metabolic syndrome. Exercise has a powerful effect in metabolic health, as it impacts multiple organ systems, like muscles, liver, and pancreas. It also benefits cardiorespiratory fitness, which in turn reduces mortality from cardiovascular diseases.
Exercise does not only provide physical benefits. It also improves mental health. Physical activity helps keep the body and mind energized. Exercise might contribute to reduce depression and anxiety. Physical activity also helps you to think more clearly. Movement, coordination and physical stimulation leads to a boost in focus, concentration, and even academic performance.
Exercise in weight loss surgery patients: A challenge
The fact that regular exercise provides great health benefits is widely accepted, but this doesn’t mean it comes easy. A lot of people face different barriers and limitations for engaging in exercise as a routinely activity. Lack of motivation, guidance, equipment and, specially in people with obesity, limited mobility and health concerns.
Studies have shown that exercise after weight loss surgery comes more as a challenge for patients. A majority of patients that have had bariatric surgery accrue less than 150 minutes of exercise per week, which might limit them in obtaining the best possible benefits from their surgical treatment. A longitudinal study of 2012 showed that between 23% and 29% of 310 bariatric surgery patients were more than 5% less active 1 year after their surgery, compared to how active they were before their surgery.
Some patients might even become demotivated when they engage in intense exercise routines, only to find out they obtained little to no additional weight loss weeks after. It has been found that bariatric surgery patients tend to burn significantly less calories with medium and high intensity exercise than non-surgical patients. However, when it comes to exercise after weight loss surgery, it should be a matter of maintaining weight loss and preventing weight regain, more than actively aspiring for additional weight loss. Even with that setback we just mentioned, exercise after weight loss surgery does correlate with greater postoperative weight loss. Patients that practice exercise after weight loss surgery show approximately 4.2% greater weight loss 12 months after surgery, and even more 24 months after, in comparison with bariatric surgery patients who did not exercise. To get best results, bariatric surgery patients should focus in doing constant and frequent moderate exercise instead of intense and spread apart physical activity sessions.
Exercise before weight loss surgery
The best way to prepare your body and mind for your new and healthier lifestyle is to start doing exercise months before surgery. A head start of 1 year or 6 months before surgery is a strategic way to improve your cardiovascular condition, activate your body, gain stamina, and help you get used to dedicating a time of your day to your physical health. Dancing, walking, yoga, and swimming are great choices. Walking is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to practice exercise and burn calories. 30 minutes to 1 hour walks, either daily or 3 days per week, will do wonders for your body. Most bariatric surgery fitness programs actually do start with walking sessions and progressively transit to more diverse and intense activities.
Exercise after weight loss surgery
Exercise after weight loss surgery should start gradually after 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the type of surgery and if there were any complications. Taking short walks every day is a great start. You should increase the pace and distance of your walk little by little. You should aim for a goal of 10,000 steps daily. This amounts to 8 kilometers or a 1 hour walk.
During the first 6 months, 30 minutes sessions, 3 days a week will be enough to keep you active and working through your weight loss goals.
One year after your surgery, and beyond, you should aim for 45 minutes or 1 hour sessions 3 days a week of more intense and diverse exercises. Biking, jogging, and resistance training are good options.
At LIMARP, your obesity treatment will include a personalized physical activity plan. Our nutrition and fitness team will guide you through different activities you can do to obtain the most out of your surgical procedure. You’ll also receive orientation with personalized nutrition plans. A low calory intake diet is fundamental to obtain the best outcomes possible of your exercise routines, and of course, of your bariatric surgery in the long term.
Contact us
If you would like to know more about exercise after weight loss surgery, or if you would like to know which bariatric surgery is the right fit for you, please call our clinic. Our team of experts will be very glad to answer all of your questions. We are located at Tijuana, Mexico, just 15 minutes away from the International Border Crossing of San Ysidro. Our facilities have been recognized by the Surgical Review Corporation as an International Center of Excellence, being one of the first clinics to obtain this distinction outside the United States. We offer integral obesity programs with surgical and non-surgical interventions. Send us a message to schedule a consultation and to learn more about our treatments.