Most people assume that bariatric surgery means no more belly exercises, such as crunches, leg drops, flutter kicks, or any other exercise that engages core and abdominal muscles. But it is far from the truth. While you might not do those exercises in the first few weeks, as soon as your wounds heal, you can start including light abdominal exercises in your workout routine. In this video, Dr. Choi shares a few pieces of information about the best time to start spending more time at the gym after bariatric surgery.
When Can You Start Belly Exercises After Bariatric Surgery?
The burning question: When is it safe to start? The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Everybody is different, and every surgery has its recovery timeline. But generally speaking, most surgeons recommend waiting at least four to six weeks before thinking about strenuous abdominal exercises. This period allows your body to heal, to mend the incisions, and to let your newly configured digestive system settle into its role.
While patience is hard, it’s necessary. Your belly, now a more sensitive and tender area, needs time. You don’t want to rush into crunches or planks too soon. The risk of complications like hernias is real, and no one wants to trade their newfound health for another hospital visit.
The First Few Weeks: Healing and Rest
Immediately after bariatric surgery, your body needs time to heal. With its newly made incisions and adjustments, your abdomen is in a sensitive state. The initial four to six weeks post-surgery are crucial for allowing your body to heal. Vigorous activities, including abdominal exercises, are generally not recommended during this period.
Breathing exercises
Breathing exercises are another excellent way to ease into abdominal work. Deep diaphragmatic breathing engages your core muscles and helps you regain control over your body’s movements.
To practice diaphragmatic breathing, sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Place one hand on the center of the chest, where you can feel your heartbeat, and the other on your abdomen, but lightly, to avoid feeling pain. Close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, allowing your belly to expand as you fill your lungs with air. Then, exhale gently and slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly retract as you release the breath. This simple yet powerful exercise can help strengthen your core muscles while also calming your mind, reducing stress, and promoting a sense of relaxation.
Consult With Dr. Choi Before Exercising
Light and gentle movements can be introduced only after Dr. Choi gives you the green light. Start with gentle exercises, like pelvic tilts or seated marches. These movements wake up the muscles without straining them, reminding your body of its potential without pushing too hard. Dr. Choi understands this process intimately. He is the one who stitched your belly back together.
This consultation is a chance to talk openly about how you’ve been feeling, twinges, aches, or worries that have been bubbling under the surface. One of the most important things to remember is that every healing journey is different. Your friend who had surgery might have bounced back in just a few weeks, while you’re still feeling tender and cautious months later.
Why Do You Need Belly Exercises After Bariatric Surgery?
After bariatric surgery, the body undergoes significant changes, and the core muscles, often forgotten, need a gentle awakening. Those deep muscles nestled beneath layers of skin, fat, and tissue, need some attention. Light belly exercises might just be your best friend after bariatric surgery.
Why Your Core Matters
Let’s think of your core as the heart of your physical strength. Every time you lift a grocery bag, reach for something on the top shelf, or bend down to pick up something you dropped, your core is right there, stabilizing you. Post-bariatric surgery, when weight rapidly drops and your body is relearning itself, your core becomes the most sensitive part of your body. It supports your spine, helps with balance, and contributes to posture.
The Role of Belly Exercises in Post-Surgical Recovery
The fat that once cushioned your organs begins to melt away, and the muscles underneath can sometimes feel like they’ve been left behind, lost in the whirlwind of transformation. This is where belly exercises come in, they help rebuild those muscles, tightening and strengthening them so that your body can adjust to its new form.
Gentle Core Exercises: Starting Small
The relationship between your body and mind shifts dramatically after bariatric surgery. Everything feels a little different, and the belly, once a source of discomfort, now becomes an area of focus. The following are the best exercises to kickstart your recovery journey once Dr. Choi has permitted you to do so.
Pelvic Tilts
Your lower abdominal muscles, often neglected, are slowly awakened without overwhelming them. Get ready to picture this: You’re lying on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Your pelvis, once a source of weight, now becomes light, tilting upward in a gentle movement.
How to do it:
- Get comfortable by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Inhale deeply, letting your breath fill your belly, and as you exhale, tilt your pelvis upward. Feel your lower back pressing into the floor.
- Hold this position for 5 seconds before releasing.
- Repeat 10-15 times, each movement smooth and controlled.
Seated Leg Lifts
Seated leg lifts are another gentle exercise that helps engage your lower abs without too much pressure. Sit on a chair with your back straight, and slowly lift one leg at a time, keeping your core engaged.
How to do it:
- Sit on a chair with your back straight, and feet flat on the ground.
- Slowly lift your right leg, keeping your knee bent, until your foot is a few inches off the ground.
- Lift your leg and hold it for 5 seconds, then slowly bring it back down.
- Repeat with your left leg, alternating for 10-15 repetitions on each side.
Modified Plank
The plank is a basic core exercise, but after bariatric surgery, you’ll want to modify it to make it more gentle on your healing body.
How to do it:
- Get ready to start in a hands-and-knee position, with your wrists directly under your shoulders. Let’s get moving!
- Stretch out your legs behind you while keeping your knees on the ground.
- Engage your core, making sure your back is straight, and hold this position for 10-20 seconds.
- Gradually increase the time as your strength improves.
Oblique Twists
This exercise adds a little bit of that delicious twist to your routine, helping to engage the muscles on the sides of your abdomen: Your obliques.
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor. Exten your legs in front of you, where you can see them.
- Place your hands on your knees or by your sides for support.
- Slowly twist your torso to the right, feeling a stretch in your obliques.
- Hold for a few seconds, then twist to the left.
- Repeat 10-15 times on each side, focusing on controlled, smooth movements.
How to Ensure Safety During Belly Exercises
We know that strong abdominal muscles are essential for posture, stability, and overall health. But rushing into them without proper care? That’s just asking for trouble. That’s just asking for trouble. And we don’t want any unpleasant surprises, like pain or injury, interrupting our progress, do we?
It’s tempting to focus on results. You picture those toned abs and flat stomach. Belly exercises can be incredibly effective, but they can also be risky if not performed with care. When you’re lying on that yoga mat, legs raised, or twisting into a plank, it’s essential to recognize the vulnerability of your core muscles. Your abdomen is a complex system, not just made of muscles but also organs and connective tissues that all need to be treated with respect.
Stay Hydrated
Water. It’s the simplest, most overlooked element in your fitness routine. Yet, without it, everything falls apart.
Your abdominal muscles, like every other part of your body, rely on adequate hydration to function optimally.
When you’re dehydrated, your muscles become stiff and prone to injury.
Hydration is key to a successful workout!
Always have a water bottle on hand and sip throughout your session.
Your body will thank you.
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