I imagine this is a very exciting yet scary, and overwhelming time. You are on a new path with a fresh future, and you know that exercise is a big part of that picture; that can be intimidating. So where do you start to begin to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle and reap the incredible benefits?
First, accept that changes don’t happen overnight. I urge you to start with an activity that you actually enjoy (or at bare minimum, can tolerate). Otherwise, as it gets harder, you will have another reason to avoid it. Did you notice, “as it gets harder”? That’s the second part, and it is so important it warrants its own discussion (stay tuned). Exercise physiologists and strength coaches alike use a fancy term called Progressive Overload to describe this. The human body is incredible, and its ability to adapt is equally impressive. If you want your body to change, with whatever activity you choose, you must constantly challenge yourself. Think of it this way, if your body can already handle an activity (i.e. walking for 20 minutes), it has no need to change to get stronger to overcome the demand. So, you need to challenge yourself and either walk longer, faster, or up steeper hills. The last piece I will only touch on briefly for now. There is a difference between an activity, and exercise. Moreover, some modalities of exercise are much more effective than others. But, in the beginning, when you are creating new habits and altering your lifestyle, stick with what you enjoy. Once you have made exercise a priority in your week (at least three times a week), then we can discuss which types of exercise are actually going to produce results.
Start easy. Try everything and see what you enjoy. If exercise is to be a permanent fixture in your lifestyle, you have to like it. Warning: love/hate relationships with exercise is also a real and common thing, and that’s okay too, but it takes time to get past the hate to the love. Give yourself and your body time. Make exercise a habit, and you will live your own success story!
Where are you in your journey? Are you testing to see what you like and what your body can tolerate? Or is exercise already part of your day and you are ready to challenge the love/hate relationship with something new? #liveyoursuccessstory #bariatricfitnessrx #bariatrics #wls #bariatricexercise #bariatrichealth
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