Exercise, sports and leisure activities are pleasurable and fun pastimes. Quite often there is nothing better than a day out in the fresh air or the chance to play hard in a challenging event. Knowing the best way to get fitter, faster, is to do it smarter. Learn some tips from your friends here or share your own hints and tips for getting back on track to excellent fitness. Stronger, better, faster – smarter!
- Take it easy, start out slowly and enjoy the thought of getting back to a normal lifestyle. Don’t do anything too aggressive or strenuous to begin with.
- Before looking at specific sports and fitness activities, it’s important to have a clear understanding of how your own body has responded to your surgery, as everyone is different.
- If an activity causes breathlessness or causes pain anywhere, it might be wise to try another form of exercise, or take a break and return to it later.
- The easiest, gentlest and most effective form of exercise is walking. Walking is great in that it can be started soon after surgery and gradually increased to quite a brisk pace, adding minutes and distance over time.
- Always keep well hydrated as fluid loss from sweat will need replacing. This increase in sweat production may also affect the adhesive on the pouch, so it’s a good idea to check on it from time to time.
- Riding a bike also is an excellent form of low impact exercise that doesn’t put too much strain on the abdomen. Like walking, cycling can be introduced gradually and then increased over time to higher levels.
- If you enjoy prolonged periods in the hot tub, it might be best to investigate pouches that will go the distance in very hot water for longer periods. Or, perhaps indulge a bit less.
- Empty the pouch before starting your activity.
- Be mindful of carrying any excess weight. Being overweight can cause as many issues as being underweight. Balance is best.
- Optimal fitness results from the best possible balance between diet and exercise.
- Competitive sports call for both skill and fitness. So it’s essential to build up to the proper fitness level gradually, before returning to or taking up a strenuous sport following your operation.
- To stay hydrated, pure water is the easiest fluid available. Special rehydrating solutions are available from most pharmacies and supermarkets, and sports drinks can be useful for severe cases of diarrhea.
- We have had a Pedispa that is an automated foot spa you put warm or hot water in and there are a few different settings . There is one setting that makes it vibrate and I have found it very helpful with my circulation in the legs and they are much better . after. I am 78 years old and try to walk instead of using the car. I have ten minutes on the exercise bike then about the same in the foot spa and it feels wonderful
- I found that putting adhesive strips round the flange gave me more confidence when playing bowls as bending puts more pressure on the tummy
As long as there are no complications and the doctor has been consulted, almost any kind of sport or activity can be enjoyed. The key is to follow your doctor’s recommendations.
