April 2021

Improve Your Energy After Surgery

Here as some tips on improving your energy output after surgery to work towards making exercise and physical activity part of life over the long term. 

Don’t binge exercise, as this will turn you off it and leave you feeling exhausted rather than invigorated – which is the aim overall.

Increase daily incidental activity

EG: wash the dishes until you’re exercising 60 minutes a day, six days/week.
(walking, cycling, weights training)make every effort to avoid exercises that would create greater stress on your joints. Avoid activities such as jogging, jumping and competitive contact sports. By hand, clean the house, park further away, try using the stairs, etc. (this has been proven to improve weight loss better than bouts of exercise followed by sedentary living).Schedule your exerciseto have motivation to regularly do it.

Start slow and gradually progress

Sohow much exercise should you do? Experts suggest that you start slow and continue until you’re exercising60 minutesa day, six days/week.

Do low /moderate intensity exercise

(walking, cycling, weights training) This is best for weight-loss.



If your BMI is greater than 35

make every effort to avoid exercises that would create greater stress on your joints.Avoid activities such as jogging, jumping and competitive contact sports.

Select exercises that work around any physical limitation

Eg – sore knees? Try elliptical trainer or bicycle

Strength training is great for weight loss

Strength training and exercise ha s a huge role after surgery. Remember, the goal is to maintain your lean muscle through the weight-loss phase and exercise can help you achieve this goal.

This keeps your metabolism ticking over = burns more energy / calories.

Always remember that joint pain is not healthy pain

Modify if you need to – always seek professional advice so you are doing good not setting yourself up for injury and set backs

Jacqui Lewis

BHSc Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine



Always change up your exercise routine

(i.e. flexibility, cardio and strength training) every four to six weeks. Revise the intensity as you get fitter so you keep progressing

Always change up your exercise routine

(i.e. flexibility, cardio and strength training) every four to six weeks. Revise the intensity as you get fitter so you keep progressing

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