exercise

Movement is one of the critical keys to success after weight loss surgery. For some of our patients though, exercise (or even walking) can be a challenge.  Once the weight starts coming off however, patients will see a dramatic improvement in weight-bearing joint pain.  Even so, it’s important to start some form of exercise as soon as possible after surgery.  The definition of exercise can vary from patient to patient.  For some just walking out to get the mail and back can be very challenging.  Below are some very low-impact exercise routines that nearly any patient can do.  Just start off slow and start building your tolerance, even before surgery!

All of these workout routines require no special equipment and can be done at home!

Also check out Joyn – it’s a free site with all sorts of options for patients with any kind of mobility issue. There is even have a section for chair exercises!

Apparently there are some people out there that love to exercise, but for me, it has always been a chore.  Well, chore no more since I’ve been introduced to kickboxing by Cincinnati/Hyde Park 9Round Fitness Kickboxing!  9Round is a unique concept that involves 9 stations through which you rotate over a period of 30 minutes.  Some of the stations are pure cardio or strength training, but most incorporate both through the use of various kickboxing techniques.  One station is always with a trainer, which in my opinion is the most fun.  You get to kick and punch your trainer for 3 intense minutes, and believe me they push you hard!

Upon joining 9Round Fitness you receive hand wraps, boxing gloves, and a chest heart rate monitor.  Your heart rate, calories burned, and cardio zone is displayed on a big monitor so that you can see if you are in aerobic or anaerobic metabolism.  They make it easy by color coding it:  blue means you need to be working harder; yellow and green means you are the zones, and red means your heart rate is too high.  You are awarded “pulse points” when you are in the green and yellow zones, and after your workout you get an email with all your stats for that session.  This has been very motivating to me as I always try to beat my last session, especially in the “calories burned” category.

Even though I started off admitting that exercise was always a chore for me, it has been a chore that I have done regularly for the past 10 years or so, and if anyone had asked me I would’ve told them that I was in pretty good shape.  After starting 9Round, however, I realized that my shape was not so good!  The first time around I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it, but I hung in there and finished the full 9 rounds.  Each time I went back though, I could feel myself getting stronger and my cardiovascular conditioning greatly improved.  After 3 months I now feel in control, and I really try to push myself and kick ass on all 9 stations.  Whereas I used to sometimes dread going down into the basement for a BowFlex workout, my wife and I look forward to heading to the gym to “box.”  In fact, we are headed there right now!

Anyone can get a free workout session to check it out, and I would highly encourage my patients at any stage of their journey to do so.  You can find your closest 9Round here or contact owner Matt Arling at:
matthew.arling@9Round.com
513-533-9333
9round.com/CincinnatiOHPaxtonAve

Happy losing!
Dr. Trace Curry
Medical Director
JourneyLite Physicians