I am a newbie and wanted some information

Hi my name is Tammy and I am on the waiting list for Gastric Bypass (RNY)  there is one person ahead of me and the nurse called and said that my sugery will be in July and she will call me in a couple of weeks with a date!!  I am soooo excited!!  I am not a very active person, but I have always wanted to be, but my weight seemed to limit me.  I have heard people that have had RNY say that after having the surgery that they felt better and wanted to workout and became more active.  I just wanted to know what some of your experiences are with this?  thank you all in advance for reading and responding... I am new at this site and I really like it!!

Hello and Welcome to OH.  I was 317lbs prior to the surgery and i had zero energy I weigh 237 now and have been working out for 3 days a week.  I did not initially workout but I started when I got in the 250's.  Hope it wont be long before your surgery!!!

Thank you :)  I am really excited!!  I want to do Zumba so much and I want to be able to run someday!!!  Congrats to you as well!! 

Hi and welcome to the boards! I'm about 21 months post op now and am much more active than I was pre-op. Part of it is that I feel better and the weight isn't holding me back now. The other part of course is the fact that I don't want to go BACK to where I started. I wasn't always heavy, but had a metabolism problem due to PCOS, which made the weight I did gain very hard to try and get rid of. The surgery helped me get rid of the weight, but it's up to me to keep it off. The surger won't automatically make you want to be more active. Many of those who are post op still do not "want" to be more active but some of us "force" ourselves to be. Some of us find we enjoy being more active (including but not limited to working out) others try and maintain by watching what they eat and not necessarily work out much.

If you've always wanted to be more active and only the weight is holding you back then take the opportunity and start walking/be more active now. The more active you can get now, in my opinion, the easier it will be to start after you have the surgery. Congrats on your upcoming surgery!

Thank you:)  I love to walk and I do that pretty often, but not so much since it has gotten hot.  I am a diabetic and have diabetic neuropathy that affects my feet, mainly my toes so I have to be careful when doing a lot of excersizes that I have to use my feet.  I have always wanted to be a runner, but could never hold out more than 20 seconds or so.  I am looking forward to getting the weight off and becoming more healthy. :) 

 Welcome Tammy. I am new myself. I joined the site in 2009 and was just approved last after waiting 4 years. I am scared to have the surgery but who is not scared of surgery. I am also not a very active person but having muscular dystrophy I am limited to the activity and hoping this will get me motivated to do more activities and to push myself until I can't do anymore. Goodluck with your surgery and hope it comes sooner then you think. Mine is scheduled for August 15th. This message board is overwhelming for me at the same time very great for information.

Hi Betty Jo L.  I just wanted to tell you that I am having my RNY on Aug 16th!!!!  I am so excited!!!

This has been one of the biggest changes for me since my surgery, coming up on 2 years ago.

I was very sedentary when I was 258 lbs. - I got out of breath easily, felt too self conscious to go to the gym, and my hands and feet would swell with even a short walk. Other types of exercise were just plain too difficult for me - I didn't have the muscle strength to get started or the endurance to continue very much.

Shortly before my surgery I joined a gym and got started with some gentle water aerobics classes. I think this was a terrific thing for me - because the stronger my core muscles could be at the time of my surgery, the easier it was to move around post op.

About 3 weeks after surgery, I was cleared for water exercise again, and at 6 weeks for all kinds of exercise. Of course, I needed to be walking as soon as possible after surgery - same day, in fact.

Now? I believe strongly that exercise has been a huge asset in my weight loss. Exercise speeds up your metabolism so your body burns calories more efficiently. Exercise tones muscles, so that I didn't get excessively flabby as the weight came off.  (Well, my tummy isn't exactly a work of art, and I do have some extra skin on my arms, but my legs especially are toned and strong, even in my 50's!) Exercise also helps you deal with emotions and stress, which can run rampant with rapid weight loss. As you lose weight and gain strength, exercise becomes very reinforcing as you see that you are able to do more and more each week.

I exercise a minimum of 4 days a week for an hour - this week I will hit 7 hours of workout per week. I still love water aerobics and have found an intense class. I also do aerobics and have just started with Pilates. What's crazy about this? I actually ENJOY it!!!! If you told me I "couldn't" go to the gym for a week, I would rebel!

Welcome Tammy.  I hope you fon OH has helpful and inspiring as I have.  I am 1 yr post op and love my RNY.  I started out at 324lbs.  I started walking about 5 months before surgery and it make things a lot easier.  I exercise 5 days a week, I don't officially exercise on the weekend, but I have 5 teenage boys so I am always on the go. 

I fully believe that exercise is the main reason I have been successsful.  If I get a graving, I exercise.  If I get stressed, I exercise.  My life is totally different.  I have lost over 180lbs and went from a size 30/32 to a size 6.  I haven't been this little since high school. 

Good luck on your journey.  Remember it is not a miracle cure, it is a tool.  To be sucessful long term, you have to work your tool and keep working it to learn healthy habits for life.  There is a spot on the losers bench, just waiting for you.

Christy

Hi-Tammy glad your here on OH there alot of great people on this website,good luck with your surgery and hugs to you