Your body will undergo drastic changes as you move from pre-surgery and then shed pounds as you recover and progress. Your exercise abilities and requirements will change as your body does, and it is important that your exercise regime fit your unique abilities and needs.

The Arnot Health Bariatric Surgery Program provides a certified fitness trainer that is available to individualize an exercise program suited for safe weight reduction and prevention of muscle loss. The fitness trainer will meet with you as a post-op patient, devise your program, and help you see it through at the Heart and Vascular Institute Wellness Center at Arnot Health.

The Wellness Center is equipped with a variety of cardiovascular equipment, including treadmills, elliptical machines, and recumbent and stationary bikes suitable for patients at all levels of skill and recovery. Is also has an array of strength training equipment from machines to free-weights.

Many patients opt to start their training before surgery, to be as physically fit as possible and then resume their exercise routine after their surgeon clears them to begin exercising again.

Aqua Aerobics classes are available in the physical therapy pool at the Ivy II Medical Building on the Arnot Ogden Medical Center campus. This class provides an excellence opportunity for the pre- and post-bariatric surgery patient with knee or joint problems that may prevent them from exercising.