How many of you "muscled up" before surgery?
I'm having my arms done in a a little over 5 weeks and I'm thinking maybe I should do some strength training to get my muscles a little firmer as I assume it will give me an even better result. Then I plan to have a tummy tuck in March and figure it wouldn't hurt to work on those muscles too.
Mickie
Mickie
Hi Mickie 
I'm pre-plastics so I'm not really the best to answer this question; however, from what I have seen it seems that many who have had plastics emphasize the importance of building up your core and leg muscles. Not so much for results post plastics but rather to use to get up and down when your range of motion is limited post op.
I'm having plastics in Jan and Feb and unfortunately my exercise regimen is really taking a back seat to my school/work schedule- this must be remedied!! Good luck!
I'm pre-plastics so I'm not really the best to answer this question; however, from what I have seen it seems that many who have had plastics emphasize the importance of building up your core and leg muscles. Not so much for results post plastics but rather to use to get up and down when your range of motion is limited post op.
I'm having plastics in Jan and Feb and unfortunately my exercise regimen is really taking a back seat to my school/work schedule- this must be remedied!! Good luck!
Christine
Breast Lift/Brachioplasty January 18, 2011
Lower Body Lift March 3, 2011
Inner Thigh Lipo/Lift May 4, 2011
I'm having my LBL on Dec 10th (4 weeks!!) and everyone has been telling me to get moving..thank God, I am extremely active but I have been doing strength training and running in overdrive....I read on a blog that the lower your body fat percentage, the better yield from a tummy tuck so I've been working hard on that, too.
Arms will be next after the LBL but not a huge priority.
Arms will be next after the LBL but not a huge priority.
Be happy.
Aloha HC-
I'm another supporter of being in the best shape possible prior to plastics. This might have more to do with tummies than arms, but my PS tells us this is why he pushes for patients in the best shape possible:
1) Having more muscle built up pre operatively is like having protein in the bank. You need protein to heal- not only skin and muscle incisions, but also for a strong immune system ( antibodies, immunoglobulins, etc) to help keep infection away.
2) You don't feel much like eating afterwards- many people with WLS ( esp VSGs) have no appetite (with a VSG, our grehlin producing portion of the stomach has been removed) - and you really don't feel like pounding the protein intake. An average sized person of normal activity level needs a minimum of 50-60 g protein intake per day just to keep the normal enzyme/body functions at top peak. If you don't feel like eating, your body still needs this proein, but takes it from your muscle stores. I upped my protein when I started weight training ( about 5 months post VSG) but then upped it again 3 weeks prior to plastics and maintained that level ( 125+g/day) for 9 months post plastics. DSers would need to get even MORE protein in becuase they malabsorb 50% of theirs- RNYers likely need to get more in too but I think their protein malabsorption is less ( 20%?).
3) Patients with lower per cent body fat have less subcutaneous fat around their midsection and other areas- so there is less gravity/downward pull on your abdominal incision. Even 10-15 pounds of extra fat tugging down on a fresh incision can prolong healing and lead to wider than expected scarring.
4) More subcutaneous fat could mean more liposuction at the time of surgery, for those opting to do that- more lipo means more pocketing and chance of seromas, as well as more pain ( I've been told the lipo was more painful and bruising than the actual cutting part of a tummy tuck by several people who had both procedures done). The bruising certainly lasts longer.
5) Having strong legs and core means you are more able to get up off the couch, bed, toilet, in/out of the car- hence you are more likely to be moving sooner and more often, decreasing risk of clots, and getting back to feeling normal again. This might have less influence on someone having a brachioplasty, but you won't be wanting to use your arms to pull yourself up- it will all have to be legs and core. I thanked my trainers for all the squats I did pre op!
6) More muscle= faster recovery= shorter inter-operative period- my PS was adamant that he could do second procedures sooner on people in great shape and with more muscle mass than the average patient.
7) You are a better anesthetic candidate with a leaner body mass- most anesthetics and drugs are fat soluble, and hang out there while being metabolized. When anesthetists calculate drug amounts for your pain, anesthesia, etc, they use lean body mass weight to configure that. Otherwise you face prolonged recovery and uneven planes of anesthesia from the drugs being released from your excess fatty tissue. Remember, these are LONG procedures- mine lasted 6.5-7 hours - that's ALOT of anesthetic!
I would definitely start adding in some resistance training now- on arms yes, but also legs and core. You might open up a whole new facet of the exercise world that you never knew existed( I had never lifted weights before in my life and now can't wait to get to the gym !). Remember, resistance training is not just weights- it's elastic bands, Pilates, gravity, cables, mat and yoga work - anything that makes you push/pull against your body weight counts, not just barbells and dumbells.
Good luck to you! XOXOLori
I'm another supporter of being in the best shape possible prior to plastics. This might have more to do with tummies than arms, but my PS tells us this is why he pushes for patients in the best shape possible:
1) Having more muscle built up pre operatively is like having protein in the bank. You need protein to heal- not only skin and muscle incisions, but also for a strong immune system ( antibodies, immunoglobulins, etc) to help keep infection away.
2) You don't feel much like eating afterwards- many people with WLS ( esp VSGs) have no appetite (with a VSG, our grehlin producing portion of the stomach has been removed) - and you really don't feel like pounding the protein intake. An average sized person of normal activity level needs a minimum of 50-60 g protein intake per day just to keep the normal enzyme/body functions at top peak. If you don't feel like eating, your body still needs this proein, but takes it from your muscle stores. I upped my protein when I started weight training ( about 5 months post VSG) but then upped it again 3 weeks prior to plastics and maintained that level ( 125+g/day) for 9 months post plastics. DSers would need to get even MORE protein in becuase they malabsorb 50% of theirs- RNYers likely need to get more in too but I think their protein malabsorption is less ( 20%?).
3) Patients with lower per cent body fat have less subcutaneous fat around their midsection and other areas- so there is less gravity/downward pull on your abdominal incision. Even 10-15 pounds of extra fat tugging down on a fresh incision can prolong healing and lead to wider than expected scarring.
4) More subcutaneous fat could mean more liposuction at the time of surgery, for those opting to do that- more lipo means more pocketing and chance of seromas, as well as more pain ( I've been told the lipo was more painful and bruising than the actual cutting part of a tummy tuck by several people who had both procedures done). The bruising certainly lasts longer.
5) Having strong legs and core means you are more able to get up off the couch, bed, toilet, in/out of the car- hence you are more likely to be moving sooner and more often, decreasing risk of clots, and getting back to feeling normal again. This might have less influence on someone having a brachioplasty, but you won't be wanting to use your arms to pull yourself up- it will all have to be legs and core. I thanked my trainers for all the squats I did pre op!
6) More muscle= faster recovery= shorter inter-operative period- my PS was adamant that he could do second procedures sooner on people in great shape and with more muscle mass than the average patient.
7) You are a better anesthetic candidate with a leaner body mass- most anesthetics and drugs are fat soluble, and hang out there while being metabolized. When anesthetists calculate drug amounts for your pain, anesthesia, etc, they use lean body mass weight to configure that. Otherwise you face prolonged recovery and uneven planes of anesthesia from the drugs being released from your excess fatty tissue. Remember, these are LONG procedures- mine lasted 6.5-7 hours - that's ALOT of anesthetic!
I would definitely start adding in some resistance training now- on arms yes, but also legs and core. You might open up a whole new facet of the exercise world that you never knew existed( I had never lifted weights before in my life and now can't wait to get to the gym !). Remember, resistance training is not just weights- it's elastic bands, Pilates, gravity, cables, mat and yoga work - anything that makes you push/pull against your body weight counts, not just barbells and dumbells.
Good luck to you! XOXOLori
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