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  1. #1
    Gastric Sleeve Member FlowerGalTX's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Wendy
    Surgery date
    11/01/2011
    Surgeon
    Dr. David Kim
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    May 2011
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    Dallas, TX
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    Default Exercise: Walking

    Every day my neighbor Henry walks back and forth along our street in what he describes as his “daily constitutional”. At first, Henry shuffled and his steps were labored but over time he lengthened his stride, his posture improved and the weight visibly began to come off.

    Walking is one of the best exercises for us. As we walk we target visceral fat in our bodies. Visceral fat is the deep fat that hugs our organs and makes us prone to major medical issues. Unlike subcutaneous fat which is the fat we see under our skin when we look in the mirror, visceral fat is the most deadly form of fat and as obese people we have lots of it.

    To most, walking seems like it should be an easy thing to do. All we need to do is lace on some tennis shoes, pick a path and go. Walking is not always that easy for obese people and there are important things to consider.

    1. Mechanics. As we pack on the weight we alter the mechanics or way of movement of our bodies. The joints of the hips, knees and lower back take the most of the burden. Because of the shift in body mechanics, obese people often have a distinct waddle in which the feet advance side by side instead of the stride of a thinner person whose feet create near-perfect “one foot in front of the other" approach and the footsteps form almost a single straight line instead of two. The difference in mechanics is correctable and can improve with weight loss or in the most severe cases with physical therapy to retrain the body to move properly. Until that time obese people need to set realistic goals as too much movement can fatigue the joints which are already strained by the excess weight.

    2. Shoes. The best shoes for walking are tennis shoes designed for walking or running. New Balance, Brooks, Kuru, and Saucony are a few brands of tennis shoes that provide the support we need and the alternate width sizes to offer a great fit for the overweight and obese. If you are able, visit a store and get professional help in sizing. The better fit of the shoe makes walking a better fit of exercise as there is less stress on joints and the feet, especially the plantar fascia which supports the arch of the foot and provides stability while walking.

    3. Insoles. Great advances in walking and running shoe technology make the use of insoles less necessary. However, obese people need more cushion between the feet and the road. Insoles like Dr. Scholl’s or Spenco can provide the needed support. Custom orthotics created by a doctor or specialist like a podiatrist allow for an individualized fit designed to correct or eliminate foot disorders like plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the plantar fascia that causes marked heel pain and impedes walking.

    4. Friends. While walking alone provides opportunity to reflect, walking alone does not give the support to keep going. We are our worst enemy when it comes to exercise. When walking alone we tend to feel the road more and are more likely to stop too soon. Walking with a friend is a great time to socialize and also to keep each other motivated. There is a saying that “two are better than one because they have great return for their labor.” Many areas have walking clubs. Additionally, walking buddies can be found on the trail or in nearby assisted living or senior centers. I met my walking buddy as she literally walked laps around me. I nicknamed her “the little old lady from Pasadena.” She is fast and is almost twice my age. Talk about motivation! Not to be outdone by grandma, she and I motivate each other. I push to do more and she pushes to keep the distance between us.

    5. Water. Petro or gasoline powers cars and water powers us. We need to drink water before, during and after walking. Much of the fatigue that is felt during walking is preventable and is avoided as we keep hydrated.

    6. Path. Most communities have walking paths or neighborhoods conducive to walking. Trails.com is an excellent resource to find places to walk and provides degree of difficulty, course length and information on nearby facilities. If the routine of walking seems boring bring along binoculars for bird watching, a phone or camera to take pictures or utilize a service like Geocaching.com to make walking a “treasure hunt”.

    7. Challenge. We succeed if we have a goal. The goal can be walking around the block, walking a mile, walking five miles or we could adopt the goal of walking as stepping stone to a marathon. C25K.com or FromCouchto5K.com provides great information to get us moving in the right direction to meet all of our walking goals.

    “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” is an old Chinese proverb that emphasizes how greatness is achieved through small precise efforts. A pedometer measures each step and shows us that 2,000 steps is approximately 1 mile and 10,000 steps equal 5 miles. Little effort yields big results. Enjoy the journey.
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    Starting Weight: 284 pounds
    Weight Surgery Day: 274 pounds
    Weight as of 12/3: 224 pounds


  2. Gastric Sleeve Surgery With Weight Loss Agents
  3. #2
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Roberta Morgan
    Surgery date
    06/15/2011
    Surgeon
    Dr. Fisher
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    Apr 2011
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    09-19-2012 12:38 PM
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    You always have great insight Happy 4th



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  5. #3
    Gastric Sleeve Member HappyMe's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Leigh
    Surgery date
    06/29/2011
    Surgeon
    Dr. Marshall
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    12-31-2011 10:29 AM
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    Michigan
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    Nice post. I'm going to wait to start the bigger walks until I have had my post-op appointment next Thursday, but I am ready to get out there. Ironically, it was a walk that probably tripped me into WLS. Last September I went out for a long walk on the beautiful trails near my home. I completely underestimated how out of shape I was and overdid it. Tore my miniscus in my knee, which resulted in me hobbling along for a month and getting cortisone shots. Which ultimately resulted in me favoring my knee, not working out, and gaining the additional 20 pounds over the winter that I needed to be WLS eligible.

    Ironic, huh?

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  7. #4
    Gastric Sleeve Member HappyMe's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Leigh
    Surgery date
    06/29/2011
    Surgeon
    Dr. Marshall
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Last Activity
    12-31-2011 10:29 AM
    Location
    Michigan
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    I did want to say that I see people walking in front of my house faithfully every morning. Older, FIT people It's just part of their daily schedule!

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  8. #5
    Gastric Sleeve Member newjoanie's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Joan
    Surgery date
    06/28/2011
    Surgeon
    Stephen Binenbaum
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    Jun 2011
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    01-14-2012 01:32 PM
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    Lady you are a very talented writer - you should be doing it professionally. Thanks for the little push - I am still in PJs today but walking around the yard is my goal today

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    Notes:

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  10. #6
    Gastric Sleeve Member FlowerGalTX's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Wendy
    Surgery date
    11/01/2011
    Surgeon
    Dr. David Kim
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Dallas, TX
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    Quote Originally Posted by newjoanie View Post
    Lady you are a very talented writer - you should be doing it professionally. Thanks for the little push - I am still in PJs today but walking around the yard is my goal today
    Joan, I do and thank you! =)
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    Starting Weight: 284 pounds
    Weight Surgery Day: 274 pounds
    Weight as of 12/3: 224 pounds

  11. #7
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Susan SanAngelo
    Surgery date
    06/28/2011
    Surgeon
    Dr.Merriman
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    Jun 2011
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    11-07-2011 09:41 AM
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    Bossier City Louisiana
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    Thanks for the great info. I was just actually looking to find out how much I should be walking 5 days post op. I started out walking 5 min. every hour and today I will progress to 7 min. each hour. Is that too much? too little? should I only walk 2 or 3 times a day at a longer time? any help is appreciated!


  12. #8
    Gastric Sleeve Member FlowerGalTX's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Wendy
    Surgery date
    11/01/2011
    Surgeon
    Dr. David Kim
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Posts
    774
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    Susan, my doctor told me that the overall recommendation for obese people is 30 to 60 minutes of walking exercise per day spread out in 10 to 20 minute sessions throughout the day. The target daily goal is 10,000 steps or 5 miles. (This is where a pedometer comes in handy.)

    Having said that, each person is different and their physical abilities are different. I think for you since you are post-op, your plan of steadily building up time is great and look forward to hearing how that works for you. Maybe a good goal would be to add 1-2 minutes of walking time per walking session every week and see how you handle the increase. If you have no pain, add another minute, another lap, or a few more feet, or perhaps 100 more steps.

    Ultimately, determining what is too much or too little is an individual decision.
    <a href="http://lilyslim.com/"><img src="http://swlf.lilyslim.com/nJcum5.png" width="400" height="80" border="0" alt="LilySlim Weight loss tickers" /></a>

    Starting Weight: 284 pounds
    Weight Surgery Day: 274 pounds
    Weight as of 12/3: 224 pounds

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  14. #9
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Surgery date
    06/24/2011
    Surgeon
    Dr. Mario Almanza
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    01-02-2013 04:37 PM
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    Great post FlowerGalTX. I agree. I once lost 60lbs just walking 5 miles a day for 5 days a week in a period of 4 months. Unfortunately, I gained it all back once I stopped. This time it will be a permanent loss.

    Thank you again for the useful info inserted in your post.


  15. #10
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
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    06/01/2011
    Surgeon
    Dr. Michael Thomas
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    ur incredible.



  16. #11
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Surgery date
    08/04/2011
    Surgeon
    Mr Mannur
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    Jul 2011
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    Default Re: Exercise: Walking

    Four years ago i lost six stone through walking. My sons primary school was a 30 minute walk away so having to do that walk four times a day had the weight dropping off. So yeahhhhh, i really rate walking as a weight loss tool.

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