Exercise is one of those topics that comes with a lot of noise in the weight loss world. Before and after photos of intense gym sessions. Six-week transformation programmes. The implication that if you’re not working out hard, you’re not working hard enough.
Our approach has been a lot quieter than that — and we think it’s been better for it.
The Early Weeks: Walking Is Enough
In the first weeks after surgery, the goal is recovery. Your body has been through something significant, and the most important thing is healing, not burning calories.
Walking is the recommended starting point, and it’s genuinely underrated as exercise. Starting with short, comfortable walks and gradually extending them as energy returns is a sensible and sustainable beginning.
What We Actually Do
Neither of us has become gym regulars. We’ve tried it, and it’s never really stuck — partly because forcing ourselves to do exercise we don’t enjoy doesn’t tend to create lasting habits, and partly because it turns out you don’t need to be in a gym to be active.
We walk a lot more than we used to. We take stairs. We move more generally throughout the day. We’ve both tried things — swimming, cycling, classes — and kept the ones we actually enjoyed, dropped the ones we didn’t.
The Most Important Thing
Consistency over intensity, every time. Thirty minutes of walking every day for a year will do more for your long-term health than six intense gym sessions followed by three months of nothing.
Find movement you don’t hate. Do it regularly. Don’t make it more complicated than that.
The weight loss after gastric sleeve happens largely through what you eat. Exercise supports it, improves your overall health, builds muscle, and makes you feel better — but it doesn’t need to be punishing to be effective.
Disclaimer: This post is based on our personal experience and is intended for general information only. It should not be taken as medical advice. Every journey is different, and it’s important to speak with a qualified healthcare professional about your own circumstances before making any medical decisions.