need advice how to get back to workouts after plastic surgery

I just recently had an extended tummy tuck after losing 120lbs. I am very active lift weights and fell in love with running two to three morning a week. my question is how long should it take to get back to my normal routine. My plastic surgeon said no lifting for 3 months I am really worried about losing all the work I have done and gaining weight back.

Any advise or words of encouragemnet would be helpful. I want to listen to my dr. but at the same time I am having a hard time staying too still. I walk a lot now but am told to be careful.

thanks.

I have the same question. I too I'm worried about having to start over.

Julie

I'm not an expert by any means, but going more than a few months without weight training will cause a loss of muscle mass. The good news is that your muscles now have the muscle memory that will make it easier to get back in shape when you are able to return to working out. Follow the advice of your PS, so that you don't risk hurting yourself. Walking should be okay, since most docs encourage walking after surgery.

I plan on plastics and this is also a concern that I have.

Gail

I went 2 months without training -- and by not training I mean not doing ANYTHING -- no running, no biking, no water aerobics, no swimming, no strength training, no walks at lunch time -- and then went out and ran a HM. It wasn't pretty but I could still do a 2 hour run after not training for that amount of time. (It only got ugly after the 2 hour mark.)

Now, at the time I stopped training, I had built up to the point where I was running 20 hours a week and felt prepared to run a marathon so obviously I did lose fitness. But not ALL of my fitness. And part of my issues in the HM were from an injury and not so much from fitness problems.

It's now been 3.5 months and at this point I have lost significant fitness but it took 3.5 months of doing *absolutely* nothing to do it. And I'm still not back to the point I was when I first started working out. So I still haven't lost it all.

Most people who have PS report getting back into the aerobic stuff at around 6 weeks. In 6 weeks, you will not have lost much fitness at all. Also, a lot of people have PS and it gives their metabolism a little kick start so that they actually lose some weight. It's pretty rare to gain it after PS even with the resting, which is necessary to heal properly and not get an insissional hernia.

thank you for the words of encouragement. I am walking a lot and I am back to work as a preschool teacher right now I do a lot of bending (from the knees) and sitting and standing. I plan this week coming to walk about half hour three to four days before i go back to dr. I am watching what I eat and upping protien intake so to avoid snacking on carbs.  It is good to know I am not going to lose everything.

thanks  April

I had my third revision to my plastic surgery (Breast lift) in the past year.  Everytime i have been able to go back sooner and sooner.  This morning...I did a very very light walk on the treadmill for 30 mins...bouncy still hurts...but I know the pain of starting the rountine again, that and I just spent the weekend at a crossfit competition and I am now dying to practice my double unders.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

Stacey

thank you

I took 12 weeks off from doing anything except walking after extended tummy tuck, pubic lift, hernia repair, and chest reconstruction. 4 Months later I ran in an ULTRA marathon and got 38 miles in 8 hours. The next month I ran 76 Miles in about 19 hours, and the month after that completed IRONMAN Arizona with MacMadam up there ^^^. Yeah, you might lose a little fitness, but the freedom you gain from Plastics and not carrying around all the skin is worth it. Take recovery VERY seriously and let your body heel. You have a whole lifetime to be fit and active and lifting, what's a couple extra weeks of rest and recovery going to mean in the grand scheme of things?

thank you for that insight I needed to here that right now all I am doing is walking and working I am a preschool teacher doing lots of bending and sitting in little chairs.  That should be enough I guess. for awhile my three month mark is  april 20th but I will have the summer to get back in shape.

You guys are so uplifting and insightful with one another.  I'm glad I decided to sign in today.  I've done nothing to help myself along this journey other they have the surgery almost 3 years ago.  I know now it doesn't matter when I start but just as long as I start.  Thanks again.