Tips to Stay Active during Winter After Gastric Sleeve

Short days and cold weather make it easy to stay on the couch. After a gastric sleeve, though, regular movement is one of the habits that matters most, together with how you eat. It helps you keep muscle while you lose weight, lifts your mood and energy, and supports your heart and blood sugar.

The good news: winter gives you plenty of ways to move, indoors and out.

How much to aim for

In the first weeks after surgery, walking is your main activity, and your care team tells you when to add more. Over time, Canadian guidelines suggest that adults build up to at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, plus muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week.

Canadian guidelines for people after bariatric surgery suggest 150 to 300 minutes of activity a week in the long term. Every minute counts, and more can come later.

Tip 1: Layer up

If you go outside, dress in layers: a base layer that pulls sweat away from your skin, a warm middle layer, and an outer layer that blocks wind and water. Take a layer off before you start to sweat, and put it back on when you stop. A hat, gloves, warm socks and a scarf over your nose make a big difference.

Many people feel colder in the months after a sleeve, so you may need one more layer than you used to. If your clothes get wet, change into dry ones as soon as you can.

Tip 2: Keep sipping

It is easy to forget to drink in cold weather, because you may not feel thirsty. Bring a water bottle, or a thermos of warm herbal tea, and sip through your walk. Your daily goal is about 8 cups of fluids, or the amount your dietitian sets, in small sips between meals.

Tip 3: Try something new outside

Winter is a good time to try an activity that feels more like play than a workout. Skating, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or a walk on a trail after fresh snow all count. Many cities, Toronto among them, have outdoor rinks and winter trails. Start gently and pick easy routes until you know how your body feels.

Tip 4: Bring it indoors

On icy or very cold days, move your workout inside.

• Follow a free walking or low-impact workout video at home.
• Try a class at a gym, a community centre or a studio: yoga, cycling, aqua fitness or strength training.
• Use a stationary bike or a treadmill while you listen to a podcast.
• Do simple strength moves with your own body weight, such as standing up from a chair or wall push-ups, once your team says it is time.

Tip 5: Walk the mall

Some malls open their doors early for walkers, and many community centres have indoor tracks. It is warm, dry, flat and well lit. Bring a friend and it becomes a social hour too. Ask your local mall or city recreation centre what they offer.

Tip 6: Take the stairs

Stairs are free exercise in every season. Take them instead of the elevator when you can, or climb a few flights during a break at work or at home. A few minutes at a time adds up over the day.

Stay safe in the cold

• Watch for ice. Wear boots with a good grip, and think about ice cleats for sidewalks and trails.
• Check the wind chill before you go out, and keep outings short on very cold days.
• Skip alcohol before going out in the cold. It makes you feel warm while your body loses heat, and after a sleeve it also affects you faster.
• If you go out alone, tell someone your route and carry your phone.

Move with other people

It is easier to keep going with company. 360 Community holds a Community Walk on the first Sunday of every month, and all paces are welcome. A friend, a walking group or a class can do the same for you.