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Active at Any Size

A very large person may face special challenges in trying to be active, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying.

Physical activity will help you live longer and protect you from:

• Diabetes
• Heart disease and stroke
• High blood pressure
• Osteoporosis
• Osteoarthritis

Plus, regular activity will:

• Improve your self-image
• Lower your stress
• Boost your mood
• Give you more energy
• Help you move with grace and confidence
• Help you fall asleep at night and sleep well
• Increase your strength

Get Started.

Start slowly. Your body needs time to get used to your new activity.

Warm up. Warm-ups get your body ready for action. Shrug your shoulders, tap your toes, swing your arms, or march in place. Spend a few minutes warming up for any activity — even walking.

Cool down. Slow down little by little. If you have been walking fast, walk slower to cool down. Or stretch for a few minutes. Cooling down may protect your heart, relax your muscles, and keep you from getting hurt.

Set goals. Set short-term and long-term goals. A short-term goal may be to walk 5 minutes at least 3 days for 1 week. A long-term goal may be to walk 30 minutes most days of the week by the end of 6 months.

Track progress. Keep a journal of your activity. You may not feel like you are making progress. But when you look back at where you started, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Include activities as part of your daily life. Plan ahead and try to be active when it works best for you.

Get support. Get a family member or friend to be active with you. It may be more fun, and an exercise buddy can cheer you on.

Have fun! Try different activities to find the one you enjoy.

Weight-bearing or non-weightbearing?

Any activity that gets you moving — even for only a few minutes a day — is a healthy start. Weight-bearing activities involve lifting or pushing your own body weight. Non-weightbearing activities like swimming put less stress on your joints. If your feet or joints hurt when you stand, non-weightbearing activities may be best for you. Among the ones you might try:

Weight-bearing:

• Walking
• Dancing
• Weight training
• Stretching

Non-weight-bearing:

• Dancing (while seated, moving your arms and legs to the music)
• Water workouts
• Weight training
• Bicycling
• Stretching

Safety tips

Stop exercising right away if you:

• Have pain or pressure in the left-chest or mid-chest area, or in the left neck, shoulder or arm
• Feel dizzy or sick
• Break out in a cold sweat
• Have muscle cramps
• Feel pain in your joints, feet, ankles, or legs
• Slow down if you’re out of breath. You should be able to talk while exercising without gasping for breath
• Drink lots of water before, during, and after exercise
• Do not exercise hard for two hours after a big meal; a 10- to 15-minute walk is OK

Wear the right clothes:

• Lightweight, loose-fitting tops
• For women, a good support bra
• Supportive athletic shoes for weight-bearing activities
• Fabrics that absorb sweat and remove it from your skin
• Never wear rubber or plastic suits
• Wear a knit hat to keep you warm when you exercise outside in cold weather. Wear a baseball cap in hot weather to help keep you cool
• Wear sunscreen when you exercise outdoors

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health

For more information about Geisinger’s nationally recognized program, please e-mail us today or call 1-800-275-6401 and ask for bariatric surgery.