Exercise
What KathKeb says. Get a real pair of shoes that are designed for a heavy person. Go to a real running shoe store and shell out the ~$100. Make sure they fit. Be gentle on your joints - an injury can be a big problem. Diet is 80% of weight loss, exercise ~20%. I had a similar starting weight a year ago (267 SW, 147CW). I walked until 3 months - my guideline - insides take twice as long to heal as outsides - so go by how your incisions healed. During those 3 months I only walked - longer and faster. At 3 months I added a little elipicycle, but mostly weight training, with a trainer to replace lost muscle mass - which only weight lifting will do, aerobics will not. At 6 months I was down 70+pounds and my risk for injury decreased for all those other things, so I began to branch out.
Here's my understanding of what is happening and why you have to chose your activity early after surgery, and wait until later to do everything that your body wants to:
WLS changes your appetite, but also your set-point. Before our bodies were happy being heavy, in fact when we tried to lose weigh, our bodies often put it right back on to stay at the heavier point. WLS lowers that that place of equilibrium and in the 1-2 years post surgery, your body is just wanting to burn calories in any way that it can to reach your new, lower, equilibrium weight (Hallelujah, I say.) You might find out that you have become a figeter, or you are walking faster, etc. - one doctor calls is the Post-Surgery Swagger, your unconscious is saying - Burn Baby Burn those calories!
We just have to be sensible about how we throw off those excess calories, especially when we are still over 200 pounds - that is lighter than we were, but still a lot of pressure on knees and back. The worst thing is to be injured - either now or with degenerative issues in the future.
It sounds like you are off to a great start and sowing the seeds for long-term success!! Best wishes for continued success.
Sharon 
Batwingsman · 5 replies · 1731 views