Cardio Vs Weightlifting: What’s Better For Weight Loss After Weight Loss Surgery?

23 November 22

Regular exercise is essential to achieve and maintain weight loss following your bariatric surgery.

Along with a healthy diet, exercise will help you achieve your goal weight after a procedure such as the gastric band.

In the months following your bariatric procedure, you’ll notice significant weight loss as you consume controlled portions of food and feel fuller for longer.

However, exercise shouldn’t be overlooked as it helps build muscle and maintain these weight loss results.

In addition to weight loss, exercise has many other advantages, including improving your brain health, reducing your risk of fatal diseases, and strengthening your bones and muscles.

When discussing how to lose weight following a gastric band, our patients often ask whether we encourage cardio workouts or strength training such as weightlifting.

To accurately answer his question, we first need to make sure you understand the difference between cardio and weightlifting and how each contributes to healthy weight loss.

Cardio workouts following a gastric band procedure

Cardio, or cardiovascular exercise, is any exercise that gets your heart rate up and keeps it there for a prolonged period.

After the gastric band procedure, cardio is an excellent way to achieve and maintain weight loss as it burns calories quickly. Examples of cardiovascular activities include:

• Running, walking, jogging
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Water aerobics
• Hiking
• Kickboxing
• Rowing
• Skipping
• Golfing
• Circuit training
• Martial arts

In addition to weight loss, cardio workouts have many other benefits. These include boosting the immune system, preventing blood high pressure, supporting your mental health, and strengthening your respiratory function.

Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity, blood-pumping exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity cardio per week. It would help if you aimed to spread these workouts over five days of the week.

High-intensity interval training

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT workouts, are becoming an increasingly popular form of cardio.

HIIT workouts include short bursts of intense activity followed by recovery periods. This cycle of activity and recovery is repeated anywhere from 3 to 10 times, depending on the workout.

By increasing the intensity of the workout, HIIT exercise routines allow you to burn the same amount of calories as other cardio exercises in a shorter amount of time.

This makes HIIT exercises a great choice for gastric band patients who lead busy lives but are committed to their weight-loss goals.

Weight lifting following a gastric band procedure

Weight training, or weight lifting, is a type of strength training that develops the power and size of your muscles.

Weight lifting might not burn as many calories as other forms of exercise, but it has its advantages.

Building muscle through weight lifting increases your resting metabolism and the number of calories you burn performing normal functions.

This means that while cardio burns calories during your workout, weight training will allow you to continue burning calories even after your workout is finished.

Another significant benefit of weight lifting is its ability to help reduce loose skin following a weight loss procedure.

As weight loss happens rapidly following bariatric surgery, it may result in loose skin being left behind. When you build muscle through weight lifting, it can help fill out this excess skin.

Other benefits of strength training include:

• Decreased stomach fat
• Increased strength
• Lowered risk of injuries
• Leaner appearance
• It helps manage blood sugar levels
• Reduces chances of falls and injuries
• Greater mobility and flexibility

Cardio vs weightlifting following a gastric band procedure

So, let’s answer the question: Is weight lifting or cardio better for weight loss following a gastric band procedure?

Considering the above points, we recommend you incorporate both cardio and weight training into your post-gastric band fitness routine.

The two forms of exercise hold unique advantages regarding weight loss following a bariatric procedure, and cardio and strength training improves your overall health and well-being.

It’s a good idea to create a workout plan that you can begin incorporating into your life once you’ve recovered from your gastric band surgery.

Remember that regular exercise is only one factor in the success of your weight loss surgery.

Even if you’re working out regularly, your surgery won’t be successful unless you focus on your eating habits, portion control, alcohol consumption, sleep, and hydration.

If you want to learn more about how you can lose more weight after your weight-loss procedure, feel free to contact a member of our talented team.

The team at Auralia has years of experience performing bariatric surgery in Ireland and can provide you with the procedure you need to feel more confident about your body.

Book in for a free consultation today with our leading team of Irish cosmetic surgeons.