Bariatric Exercise Program Benefits
| Date Posted: 1/17/2013 | Author: Mandy McCue
Every health magazine, nutrition nut and fitness guru preach the importance of exercise. People who have signed up for bariatric surgery understand that sometimes you need more help to lose weight than 30 minutes on a treadmill. Bariatric surgery can be a great jump start option for people who are morbidly obese. However, surgery is not the end of a battle, rather it’s the beginning of a new lifestyle; a lifestyle where exercise is important.
Exercise for bariatric patients begins before surgery and continues for life. The FirstHealth bariatric exercise program consists of four important stages. Each stage has its own benefits along with over all benefits of increasing energy and self-esteem, improved body composition, improved blood pressure and decreased stress throughout the program.
The individual stage benefits include the following:
Pre-operative
- Prepares the body for surgery
- Reduces risk for surgical complications
- Strengthens the heart
- Improves circulation and oxygen delivery to tissues
In-Hospital
- Blood clot prevention
- Improves circulation and delivery of oxygen to tissues
- Maintains strength
Post-operative
- Aids recovery
- Increase in muscle mass
- Increase metabolic activity
- Increase fat breakdown
- Maintains circulation
Maintenance
- Maintain strength
- Increase rate of weight loss and/maintenance
- Improved body composition
- Helps prevent relapse
(Source: FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital Bariatric Program handbook)
The FirstHealth’s bariatric exercise program provides a good mix of cardiovascular, strength and flexibility exercises all of which will help any patient quickly return to good health and help maintain it. For more information on FirstHealth’s bariatric program you can visit ncweightlosssurgery.org or you can attend a free bi-monthly weight-loss seminar hosted by FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital. FirstHealth offers treatment and support to patients in the Pinehurst, Raeford, Sanford, Lumberton, Laurinburg, Rockingham, and Troy regions of North Carolina and beyond.
