Bariatric Patients Should Stop Making These Five Common Workout Mistakes

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. That is even more true for gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients. Exercise helps to burn calories and promote weight loss while helping to build lean muscle mass. Building lean muscle mass helps your body burn more calories while at rest, which ultimately helps you lose weight and keep it off. Exercise can also help you boost your metabolism, lower your blood sugar, reduce hypertension, improve the quality of your sleep, and boost self esteem. Exercise is good for you, and you should do it. But, you should do it right.

Workout mistakes are common, especially among those who aren’t used to exercising. This is often the case with weight loss surgery patients. For those who are overweight or obese, going into a gym can be daunting. Some people may want to not call attention to themselves by asking questions or seeking help, which can lead to some common mistakes. Hopefully we can help correct several common workout mistakes in this blog. But, Dr. Shillingford would encourage his bariatric surgery patients to seek out someone at their gym who can help guide them to avoid potential injuries and keep them on the path of achieving their weight loss, health, and fitness goals. Here are some common mistakes and how to avoid them:

• Skipping the warm up- The warm up is important to get your muscles a little more flexible. A simple warm up of a few minutes of a repetitive motion (like marching in place or doing arm circles) can get your get your heart pumping blood and oxygen to your muscles. This can make your muscles a little more amenable and can help prevent injury.
• Improper hydration- Hydration is so important to all people, but especially those who have had gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or lap band surgery and have difficulty getting in all of their recommended 64 ounces of water to prevent dehydration. When we work out we usually sweat, which causes us to lose fluid and electrolytes. Fluids help to stabilize your blood pressure and heart rate. Adequate hydration can help prevent dizziness, dehydration, and also muscles cramping.
• Being inconsistent- You really can’t make up for skipping 5 days of workouts by cramming in a huge workout session on the weekend. Exercise, especially when done to promote weight loss, should be done consistently. Pick a schedule that coincides with your busy life and stick with it as best as you can. Consistency is best in order to make exercise a habit or a regular part of your life, including after you’ve hit your weight loss goal.
• Doing too much at one time- You shouldn’t try to go straight to bench pressing 100 pounds or running a 10K. To prevent injury, it’s best to start small and work your way up to your workout goals.
• Not resting your muscle groups- If you spend a strength training session focusing on your legs, your arms, or your core, you should rest them for a day or two before focusing on them again. Resting your muscle groups allows them to recover and rebuild and prevent injury.

This information on workout mistakes is offered by Dr. Shillingford, MD, PA, a Center of Excellence surgeon specializing in gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and gastric band surgery. Dr. Shillingford’s reputation for excellent surgical skills and comfortable bedside manner attract patients from all over Florida, including Miami, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Orlando, and Jacksonville. His bariatric surgery patients receive top notch care during their hospital stay at Northwest Medical Center’s Center for Excellence in Bariatric Surgery, where he proudly serves as Medical Director, and during their follow up care in his Boca Raton office.