Exercise Tips - Work Smarter Not Harder After WLS

Physical activity is essential for good health and for weight management and yet so many people struggle in this area. In today’s video, Amber will be looking at how to make physical activity really work for you even if it hasn’t in the past. 

You probably know that to get the best results after your surgery, and to achieve a good level of health, you’re going to need to move regularly. The reality for most people however is that they lead busy lives and find it a struggle to find the time to fit regular "exercise sessions" into their schedule. Lots of people also find the idea of "exercise" very unappealing and when they think of physical activity they think of going to a loud, sweaty gym, running for hours on a pavement or going to a bootcamp class where they’re shouted at.

Now some people like those kinds of physical activity and that’s great for them because a big part of an effective program is finding a form of activity that you enjoy. The reality is though that you don’t need that kind of physical activity to get great results. You don’t need a “no pain, no gain” philosophy – in fact this type of philosophy often just leads to injury, to people dropping out or to rewarding themselves with food that undoes all of the hard work. In this video, Amber shares a smarter, more enjoyable way to move where you ‘work in’ before you ‘work out’, so that you get great results and most importantly so that you sustain it.

Sample Exercises

You can see sample ‘work in’ exercises here.

You can read the transcript for this video below:

Hi, it’s Amber here and today I want to talk to you about the importance of physical movement and how to make it really work for you after your surgery.

I’m sure that you already know that to get the best results after your surgery, and to achieve a good level of health, you’re going to need to move your body regularly. 

The reality for most of us though is that we lead busy lives and find it a struggle to find the time to fit regular movement into our weeks. Lots of people also find the idea of “exercise” very unappealing and when they think about it they often associate it with pain and discomfort and struggle- they think of having to go to a loud, sweaty gym, running on a pavement or going to a bootcamp class where they’re shouted at. 

Now some people like those kinds of exercise and that’s great for them because a big part of effective movement is finding something you enjoy. The reality is though that you don’t need that kind of activity to get great health results. You don’t need a “no pain, no gain” philosophy, and in fact this type of philosophy often just leads to injury, to people giving up on their exercise intentions or to rewarding or comforting themselves with food that undoes all of their hard work. So if you notice that you feel fear or dread or stress or instantly overwhelmed and exhuasted  when you think of physical activity, then I want to help you to change the way you see being active and moving your body. 

I want to share with you a smarter, more enjoyable way to move, so that you get great results, are able to sustain your movement habit and your results and  most importantly so that you can live more fully and with more mobility.  

In this video I’m going to talk firstly about the importance of movement and then specifically the right kind of movement for you that takes into account your health and stress levels and I’m going to look at some of the best options available. I’m also going to talk to you about some practical tips that will help you translate your best movement intentions into action.

So stick with me for this session because today is going to help you make movement an enjoyable part of your life,  so that you get the incredible health benefits that come with moving your body more; and so that you also receive all the other positive benefits of movement that will then flow into the other areas of your life as well – your work, your relationships, your personal development and so on. 

Here’s why this is important - If you don’t make regular movement part of your life, you’ll never, ever achieve the long term results that you want after WLS. In fact it’s almost impossible to maintain an ideal body weight and great health and wellbeing long term without being active in some way.

Before I get into the movement principles that I want to share I want to really emphasise that physical activity is a form of stress and it can be a good stress or a bad stress depending on your health and the type of movement you do. 

So you must, must consult with your medical practitioner before starting any physical activity and movement program. I’m also not going to give you an exercise program because I don't know your individual health circumstances –so instead  I’m going to be talking about lots of options. They may not all be appropriate for you depending on your health so you must work with your medical practitioners to work out what’s right for you – especially if you have an injury or a medical condition.

Now, If you’re not moving your body regularly in some way, then you really must, even if you have to adjust because you have an injury. I’m not just talking about your weight; I’m talking about your health, and not just your physical health but also your mental and emotional health. 

Humans are designed to move. It’s estimated that our hunter- gatherer ancestors would do at least 3.5 hours of physical movement of various intensities each day and this went on for thousands, and thousands, and thousands of years. Our bodies have literally adapted to this regular movement and there are a number of very important functions in the body that require movement in order to work properly. 

At a very basic level, when we move, water, blood and oxygen are pumped throughout the body by the contraction and relaxation of muscles and we need a certain level of movement to keep our bodily functions working properly:

Movement brings so many health benefits:

• It's essential to keep up our energy levels as it helps bring nutrition and oxygen to the cells in our body and also removes waste from those cells. 
• Movement helps us manage our blood sugar levels and strengthens our immune system.
• Movement helps repair our muscles and joints and keeps our bones strong.
• Regular movement (at the right intensity) also helps lower stress and helps you sleep better.
• Movement is essential for a strong, healthy heart and helps balance our hormones, mood and mental health and once again this can help reduce emotional eating.
• Finally, Movement also helps us maintain a healthy body weight. As well as the energy that we expend or use as we move, the movement we do also helps us develop muscles that keep our metabolism up. This means that we use more energy even when we’re resting and not moving.  Without enough movement, our metabolism slows and and this means our bodies are more likely to store excess energy as body fat. It’s really important to be aware though that if you exercise too hard then this can over-stimulate your appetite and you can eat too much and undo all that hard work. 

So clearly it’s really essential to make sure that we get enough movement in our daily lives and stay active in some way, regardless of our age or mobility. It’s important however to also make sure that we get the right kind of movement. 

Health experts from around the world recommend a minimum daily amount of movement of somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 steps and this can be easily measured with a pedometer or a smart phone or watch. In Australia, the average was shown recently to be just 4,500 steps each day. Now this lack of movement has absolutely nothing to do with people being lazy. We are in a very unique situation in the history of humans where most of us don’t need to move that much at all -  we don’t need to hunt, gather or grow our own food – for most of us our jobs and lifestyles are mostly sedentary, we can easily get food at a supermarket and we have cars to travel around in. This means that most of us have to go out of our way to add movement into our lives – it doesn’t just happen naturally.

So what we are missing is lots of general, low intensity  movement that’s a necessary part of our lives. And this is incredibly healthy for the body. 

The problem however is that rather than focusing on this lower intensity movement we have been conditioned to think that for movement to count then it has to be intense, hard exercise – there’s a no pain, no gain philosophy that has probably done us more harm than good.

As I said earlier, movement is a form of stress on the body and it can also be a good stress or a bad stress. If you move your body too intensely, you add stress to a body that may already be stressed from other life elements like work, relationships, travel, late nights or illness.

How well you’ll recover depends on what is called your ‘allostatic load’ — This is how much total stress you’re under at any given moment.

In other words, on those days when you were late for work and your boss yelled at you and you spilt food on your favorite shirt or you were up all night caring for a sick child, or simply not being able to sleep well, oryou had an argument with a friend or family member, or you were ill — and then you tried to push yourself hard with exercise? Well, You’d better plan for some serious recovery time. On the other hand, if you slept well, had a nourishing breakfast, and feel resilient and well with things to look forward to, and you’re in great health then your body will likely recover faster and better from your physical activity. 

It’s all about the right amount of movement, at the right intensity, and at the right time.

The right amount of movement, at the right intensity, and the right time means that we’ll get healthier and stronger.

Too much intense movement, too often will lead to strain and stress and we’ll shut down and break down.  A ‘work out’ can literally work resources right out from your body – so an intense movement session may be doing you more harm than good. 

So in simple terms, the more stress that you’re under in general, then the more dangerous working out intensely is for you! 

Now you probably have a good idea of how much stress you’re under already but in case you’re not sure, I want to talk about the symptoms of stress:

Symptoms of stress include poor digestion, constipation, anxiety, increased breathing and heart rates, poor sleep quality and night sweats, a low sex drive, waking up feeling unrested, increased muscle tension, frequent colds, increased appetite and cravings, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, headaches and weight gain. 

So the more of these symptoms that you’re experiencing the more this probably means that you’re under a lot of stress and that you will see far better results from what we call a “Work In” program rather than a “Work Out” program.

Work-in exercises reduce your stress levels rather than raising them and help you rest and recover.  These lower intensity exercises help your body pump nutrients more efficiently around the body and are designed to counter all the effects of living an inactive, stressful lifestyle. 

So if the idea of working out makes you feel tired just thinking about it then you are getting an important message from your body and I encourage you to listen to this. If you don’t have the energy to workout, the chances are that your body just isn’t ready for stress of that kind. When your body sends you a message telling you not to work out though, your body is probably sending you a message to work IN!

So what do I mean by working in? 

Working in exercises are exercises that are at an intensity that allows you to breathe normally when performing them. 

Working in exercises should also help you digest food. So if you did do the movements straight after eating then you would feel better.

Working in exercises should help your mind relax and lower your stress levels.

So what are some examples of working-in?

Slow walking is one of the best examples of a work-in. Simply walking in a relaxed manner for 20-30 minutes each day will really really benefit you and you can build this up to an hour or more. It’s a great opportunity to clear the mind and you can listen to relaxing music for a more calm experience, or something more upbeat or an inspiring or funny or thought-provoking podcast if you want a different  experience. Walking in nature makes it even more relaxing and beneficial. 

Easy bike riding, easy swimming or water exercise can also have a very similar effect. 

Stretching is another great form of working-in. Stretching is a great way to balance the body and improve posture while at the same time raising your energy levels. When you stretch the tight muscles of your body, it immediately starts to improve your posture. When we have proper posture and our muscles are balanced, energy moves efficiently through our body.

Tai Chi or Qigong are both ancient forms of exercise that have been shown to be very effective at lowering stress levels and increasing the vitality in your body.

Yoga is another form of ancient movement that is very effective at reducing stress and raising energy. Some forms of yoga are more intense than others though so make sure you find a good yoga instructor who can individualise positions and sessions to meet the needs of your body.

Pilates, the Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais are more modern forms of gentle exercise that also help improve your posture and boost your energy levels. 

Gardening is another great way to work-in. Moving your body in nature and breathing fresh air. Just make sure that the work you do is easy and enjoyable.

Finally, we’ve put together some simple movements and actions that you can do at home that are also designed to energise you and you can see these using the link below this video.

We highly recommend a daily commitment to 20-30 minutes of working-in. This doesn’t have to be done in one go - you can split it up throughout the day.

As you work-in, you’ll notice one or more of the following happening:

- your body feels better and better day after day

- your body weight improves

- your energy improves

- your blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate all generally start to  lower if they’re currently high

- your mood levels out and you feel better emotionally

- your sleep deepens and becomes more restful

- you feel more alert 

- and you start looking younger!

When your body feels good and you have fewer symptoms of stress, you’ll have a natural desire to go to the next level and most importantly if you don’t have any health issues then you can progress to working out. That doesn’t mean that you should give up on working-in altogether though. Working-in exercises are designed to help you rest and recover so they’re a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle and you should balance working-out with working-in to help you avoid excess stress, fatigue, pain and injury.

So what do we mean by working out? This is more intense movement that raises your heart and breathing rates. This is the type of exercise that you would not want to do straight after eating because it would make you feel uncomfortable. This is what you will typically think of when you think of “exercise” – lifting weights, power walking or running, bike riding, playing sports and so on. 

So what are some great suggestions for working out:

- Firstly, Resistance training or weight training is one of the best ways to workout at any age and especially when we’re older. This is because on average your body loses about half a kilo of muscle every year after the age of 40 as your body’s ability to produce certain hormones begins to slow down. Resistance training sessions of around 30-40 minutes three times per week can do amazing things for your body and mind. You can put muscle mass on, helping to keep your weight down by stimulating your metabolism, and when  one properly, resistance training also helps bone strength and joint stability, tones your muscles, improves your posture, boosts your immune system and  helps with skin elasticity. Resistance training after the age of 40 also helps balance your hormones, which is especially important for women who are menopausal or perimenopausal. 

Circuit training, where you carry out a series of exercises one after the other, is a great way to do resistance training because as well as training your muscles, you’re also training your heart and lungs. It’s really important however to work with an Exercise Physiologist or experienced Personal Trainer who can help put together a personalised program for you that takes into account your body’s needs. 

It’s also essential to train using movements that help improve your day to day function and mobility. In daily life we need to be able to push and pull things, twist to the side and bend, squat and lunge to pick objects off the floor. It’s a great idea to work with a skilled professional to perfect these basic movement patterns to really take your health and body functionality to the next level.

As for other examples of working out…

-  Taking up a sporting activity such as netball, soccer, golf, tennis or anything that requires a regular commitment can be a great way of working out.
- Choosing to do some hard physical work like more intense physical gardening or landscaping can be a great way to work out. 

- Walking briskly for 20-40 minutes several times per week can be also be another fantastic  option for working out. If you want to take this even further, walking on trails in nature is best because natural settings give your body more variety and stimulation. Adding in some stairs or some steep slopes is another great way to increase the intensity.

- Bike riding is another option. Alternating fast bursts of sprinting on the bike with slower recoveries of gentle pedalling can stimulate the body similar to resistance training which will improve your fitness, metabolism and your hormone function.

- More intense style of pilates and yoga are also good forms of working out, and other good options include swimming, kayaking and dancing.

Each of these forms of workout will build muscle, pump nutrients around the body and improve fitness. It’s important to remember though that workouts will deplete the body of energy so they must be balanced by eating nutritious foods, drinking water, getting lots of sleep, working-in regularly and taking time to relax and enjoy life.

Finally, I want to end by talking about how to  make sure that you actually move regularly so that you can get all the benefits and can live fully.

As I mentioned earlier, we’re in a very unique situation in the history of humans where most of us don’t need to move that much at all because of modern technology.  

This means that most of us have to go out of our way to add movement into our lives – it doesn’t just happen naturally. There is even evidence to suggest that humans are naturally wired to try and save our energy for when it’s needed and not to move unnecessarily. So how do we make movement a necessary part of our lives and make it more likely to happen? We talk about this much more in other videos about movement and creating habits but there are some simple practical steps that you can take:

• One great strategy is to put your exercise clothes out the night before, so that when you wake up in the morning, you’re prompted to put them on first thing and go out and move.
• Scheduling movement into your calendar with reminders is another great way to help it happen.
• Organising to move with a friend will add social pressure that helps you show up.
• Joining a group or hiring a personal trainer will also add in some extra accountability.
• Signing up for an event or an active holiday that requires you to train will also help motivate you; and finally
• Posting your physical activity online can work as a motivator for some people,  so that others can see what you’re doing 

Another key principle to making movement happen is to remember that the best movement program in the world is not necessarily weight training or yoga or walking or stretching. The best movement program in the world is the one that you will actually do regularly! As we’ve already seen, movement is one of the most powerful ways of improving your health, both physically and mentally. To get the benefit though, you need to be moving regularly, and to do it regulalrly you must enjoy it, or at least not hate it! If you really don’t enjoy it then you will never ever sustain it, no matter how disciplined you think you are. 

There are a number of ways to make movement more fun, or at least less un-fun!

• Be social and move with friends or a group of people you like.
• Listen to music, podcasts or books or watch a movie at the same time.
• Call a friend or family member when you’re moving.
• Move outside in a beautiful environment.
• Dance or play sports or games.
• Add some variety by trying new things and mixing it up.

So focus on moving in a way that is enjoyable for you and do whatever you need to do to make it more likely to happen. Start small and build slowly and remember that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!

That’s it from me today. I trust you found this useful and we look forward to sharing another lifestyle resource with you soon.