Month 1: Gentle Beginnings

Weeks 1–2

• Walking was our lifeline: 5–10 minutes, 2–3 times a day, very slow pace.
• Breathing exercises to keep lungs open and reduce post-op discomfort.
• Light stretching (arms, legs, neck) held for 10–15 seconds – nothing painful.
• For me (James), even deep breathing was difficult at times, given residual pain and general weakness.

Weeks 3–4

• We increased walks to 15–20 minutes, 2–3 times daily.
• Light household tasks like dusting or folding laundry helped keep movement constant without strain.
• Seated exercises: leg lifts, arm circles – simple, low impact, focused on circulation.

By the end of this first month, Kirsten reported small improvements in energy. I felt worse sometimes because of my ambition pushing too far, too fast.

Month 2: Slowly Building Strength

Weeks 5–6

• Walks became 20–30 minutes once or twice per day, at a gentle “brisk enough to feel it” pace.
• Introduced gentle yoga / stretching – very low intensity, listening to discomfort.
• Bodyweight exercises like wall push-ups, seated marches – 1–2 sets of 10–15 reps.

Weeks 7–8

• Continued walks daily; added slight incline or varied route.
• Light resistance work introduced: resistance bands or small dumbbells (1–2 kg), 1–2 sets of 10–15 reps (bicep curls, overhead presses, seated leg lifts).
• Balance & core drills (standing on one leg, stability ball) – held for short intervals.

Throughout, the biggest lesson was not forcing progression. Some days felt easy; others felt like too much. We leaned hard on the “listen to your body” rule.

Month 3: Walking Becomes the Base

Weeks 9–10

• Gradually increased steps from ~1,000/day to ~6,000/day. We split into three walks (morning, lunch break, evening).
• For me, maintaining this while returning to work and daily tasks tested pacing and rest strategies.

Weeks 11–12

• Goal: ~10,000 steps per day.
• We logged our steps and adjusted when fatigue, joint soreness, or digestive demands intervened.
• Still no gym or heavy strength work – walking was our primary anchor.

Months 4 & 5: Step Focus, Light Strength

Month 4

• Pushed step goal toward 15,000 daily, where possible.
• On holiday or travel days, we sometimes hit 20,000 steps depending on our schedule.
• Continued rhythm: morning + mid + evening walks.
• No heavy gym sessions yet – walking was sufficient stimulus while the body healed.

Month 5

• Began light dumbbell work (for me, at least): bicep curls, shoulder press, tricep extensions, lateral raises, chest press, dumbbell rows.
• Sets and reps gradually ramped: 2 sets initially, moving to 3 as tolerable, with ~10 repetitions each.
• Emphasis was on lifting extremely light weights, proper form, and listening to the body’s signals.

Lessons Learned: When Pushing Hard Backfires

I made a classic “go big or go home” mistake. At one point in this recovery phase, I was attempting to train hard while consuming only ≈ 350–400 calories per day. That deficit, combined with muscle demand, caused a severe crash. My body simply couldn’t keep up.

The result? Burnout, mental fog, fatigue, and a performance setback that took months to recover from.

The lesson is simple: slow down. Even if on paper you “should be able to do it,” if your body says no – listen. The will to push through may feel noble, but sometimes it’s your body’s warning bell.

Kirsten avoided this by staying on the walking path and limiting gym attempts until her foundation was stronger. That steadier, consistent approach proved more sustainable for her in the long run.

Current Reality (October 2025)

• We’re roughly 18 months post-op now.
• Kirsten has faced additional health challenges: she’s been largely bed-ridden from August 2024 through July 2025 due to Metastatic Crohn’s disease. She began antibiotics in July and plans to start biologics in November. (You can read more about her journey here.)
• We expect, if all goes well, to return to the gym as a couple around April 2026 – once she’s fully healed and sufficiently strong.
• Until then, her recovery takes priority, and I’ve shifted my focus to maintenance walking, light resistance, and steady rebuild rather than ambitious goals.

What We’d Do Differently

• Respect gradualness. If you’re told you “can” do something – that doesn’t mean you should do it – especially when energy and nutrient reserves are limited.
• Prioritise rest over rush. Overtraining while underfuelled set me back much longer than pausing would have.
• Set individual paths, not shared pressure. My drive pushed us both; in retrospect, separating goals based on healing status would have been healthier.
• Track, but don’t obsess. Steps, strength, progress – helpful. But don’t let metrics override how your body feels.

That said, looking back, the progress we made – step by step, walk by walk – is something I’m proud of. It’s not perfect. But it’s ours.

This page is based on our lived experience after gastric sleeve surgery. It’s not medical advice. Always consult your GP or physical therapist, and tailor any exercise plan to your health, nutrition, and recovery status.

For more on post-surgery care and safe exercise guidelines, see:

• NHS: Physical Activity After Weight-Loss Surgery
• British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society