Did your fitness level impact your recovery?

I've PM'd a few peeps but I'm putting it out for everyone -- did your fitness level impact your LBL recovery? I've heard that yes it will but when I was diggin through some old posts on here, I found a few from ladies who appeared to be gym rats and still detailed unbelievably painful experiences.

I run, lift serious weight, and ab train (plus other cardio and stuff) -- I'm so hoping it's going to help me through the next week...your experience/thoughts?

Yes, I do believe it has. I've been bodybuilding for 12 years and  I was able to get back in the gym to my weightlifting program at 3 weeks post op and was released for cardio at 2 weeks post op.  I had an LBL/BL 9 weeks ago.  As of now, I am back to my full routine and lifting every bit as heavy as before.  I bench pressed 105lbs yesterday...so I'm back to full strength.  I'm expecting to be released for full direct ab training at 3 months.   Same thing happened when I had my WLS 2 years ago...back to full routine very quickly.   I also believe that nutrition plays just as important a role.  I upped my protein to 125 -150gms 4 months pre op and am still keeping it up even now.
As for pain, I can honestly say I had none.  I did have a On Q pain blocker and once that was out there really was very little pain.  I never needed the vicodin and only took ibuprofen for swelling at bed time.  I was literally crawling around on the floor looking for a pair of shoes that were under my bed at about 4 or 5 days out.  (if my Doc knew this he would cringe).  I slept in a regular bed the first night out of the hospital...just propped my legs with pillows and that was it!  The whole experience wasn't 1/8 as bad as I thought it would be.  Good luck!!

Laura

I absolutely think it helps give a very favorable result in recovery, but it doesn't make us immune from complications. I know that I was much better off post op because my cardiovascular system was in such good shape.  

I agree with Shelly - there are still a few things that can still go wrong. It does make recuperation much easier. I had absolutely no pain going up and down stairs or getting in and out of bed/chair etc. post op because of my walking and hiking left my leg muscles powerful enough that I didn't need to use my abdominal muscles. My diet has put me at a lower risk from things like Deep Vein Thrombosis - of course I wore those booties while I was in the hospital and walked the hallways too.

I'm on a completely different diet from all the weight loss surgical patients - mine is a whole foods starch based diet which is low fat (10-15% of my calories are from fat that naturally occur in the food, I don't eat processed oils or high fat food). Unlike everyone else here, I'm not going crazy eating protein - I do exceed the USDA RDA for protein by a small amount. I am healing so well that my Plastic surgeon and his team keep getting confused how many weeks I'm out - they can't believe how quickly I'm healing and how little bruising and swelling I have. I believe that in the rush to get tons of protein in people have forgotten that our body also needs other phyconutrients - which you can only get eating whole food veggies. My advice is don't forget to eat some veggies along with that protein.

I am so glad someone posted this. I am going for my first consult next week and am considering a lower body lift. Currently, I train in Krav Maga 3-4 times per week (intense military hand to hand combat system), I lift 3 times per week as well as run 3 times per week before weights. I currently consume about 120 grams of protein and will increasing it prior to surgery. I'm sure that will help me heal faster.  But anyhow, I was just so worried about not being able to work out for 6 weeks. I will die from withdrawls.

That was my biggest worry, too- not complicaions, or dying in surgery, but not getting to exercise right away. I was actually able to start with cardio 2 wks out from my lbl and ba/bl. He let me gradually build back up until by 6wks out I was almost to my full routine. No direct abs and and to start with only a quarter mile of running, but it kept me sane.

The abs routine is another part of the worry. In class we do a lot of crunches and sit-ups. How long before we can do those again?

If you have muscle repair, my surgeon has us wait 6 months. That includes no push-ups, planks, etc. I just got to start doing them again last week, and it is wonderful.  

I paid good money to have my ps tighten my abs so why should I have to do anything myself.  I never did anything except walk since I had surgery and I had unremarkable recoveries with all my surgeries.  No real need for pain meds or anything.  I had an extended tt with muscle tightening and a neck lift in round one and brachioplasty and a revision to my neck lift in round two.  The first round I was out of work for 12 days before I went back full time, the second round I had surgery on a Wednesday and went back on Sunday.  I am sure your exercised body isn't going to hurt your recovery but I am not convinced it helps at all.  I think alot of it is good surgeon and good luck.