Fear of returning to exercise

This is my last week on exercise restriction and I'm at the point where I really miss exercise but the idea of starting again terrifies me. Will I be able to forward fold in yoga? Will I be able to raise my arms in Tai Chi? And Pilates?! I have to roll on my side to get out of bed still and Pilates is like ALL abdomen. How will that work?! And the idea of running and the bouncing?? AAAAAAAAAAH.

So, um, any advice?

I plan to talk to my instructors about my surgeries/limitations and they're all very experienced/educated in their topics so I trust them to give me modifications. But I'm nervous that I'll go into autopilot with what I used to be able to do and damage myself.

It's just scary.

And then I start thinking "is it even worth it when you're just going to have to stop in 4 more weeks for the next surgery?" Which is NOT the mindset I want to get into because that's the mindset that kept me from exercising for the first 30+ years of my life.

Have you thought about just walking until you are fully recovered?

What do you mean by "fully recovered" in this case? My surgeon seems to think I'll be ready to start exercising again at the 6 week mark.

Oh, I can't even imagine exercise right now, but I'm only 3 weeks out. It's funny, my hubby and I signed up a few months ago for a 5k this weekend, being hosted by Bell's Brewery, it's called the Oberun (a play on the beer Oberon). I don't drink beer, but my hubby is a beer snob, so he really wanted to do the run. I can't even imagine walking the 5k at this point. Hubby still wants to do it, but I'm going to wait for him at the finish line.

I do plan on taking up yoga when my doctor releases me, but I will use it for stretching and getting back to normal.

I hope you find a way to get back to a routine that feels good for your body and for your mind.

Aaah! Are you in Kzoo?! I don't think I knew that. Awesome. My bff from college had Oberon on tap at her wedding. The beer drinkers were all very happy :)

I'm not, I'm in Ypsilanti, which is right outside Ann Arbor, but for some reason they are having the5k like 10 minutes from my house.

http://www.runoberun5k.com

You will have to ease your way back into it, for sure. Yoga and pilates are wonderful and you will get back to them 100% but please do not rush anything. Yes, exercise, but go back as if you were a newbie/beginner, unfit person. Just like people underestimate how tired they will be for weeks/months after surgery or how much help they may need beyond Week 1, you need to let your body, not brain, set the limits for exercise. You will get tired quickly when exercising too. Might only be able to do 15-20 mins to start. totally normal.

I'm recovering from surgery myself and am annoyed at how fast I get tired even when walking in my neighborhood but know that it's helping my body get stronger while it heals. Still, I know I'm exercising and doing my body a solid and not taking energy away from the ongoing healing process.

If it feels like too much, it is. And you may not be 100% there before the next surgery and that's OK. You're still active, still working on stretching and moving around. That's key. Walking is amazing and a good interim exercise. Add speed to it and swing the arms a bit, even bent, if you can (I call it the Weigh****cher walk). Keeping your body limber before the next surgery is a good goal. And go easy on the areas of surgery like abdomen and arms. Think limber and loose. Do as much as you can but not more than you should.

all the best!

I'm definitely going to need to work back up to things, for sure. I figure I'll start out with run/walking the same way I did when I originally started - I might just get to progress slightly faster! I just don't want to be completely sedentary between surgeries because that'll make it even harder to get back to where I was when I'm all finished. (And, in theory, I want to run a half marathon in March.)

Thank you for the advice!

Gwen, I had Arms and brests lifts with the wonderful Dr M last year.(and fat transfer from saddlebag thighs to breasts) Knock on wood, but so far, I have EXCELLENT scar results. I did not return to exercising per se for 9 monhts. I wore my compression sleeves for 6 months. I am a teacher and used my arms alot in my job and I could see swelling (esp at the elbow) when I took them off after 3 monhts. I bought a second pair so I could air dry one while wearing the other. I teach on the third floor of a school with no elevator so someways I did 20-30 flights fo stairs without even trying. So I was not exactly sedentary. So, I stayed mobile but did not stress my arms. Also, after 10 days I went for am easy stoll and my legs swelled up, So I was waiting a good long time to exercise because that was awful.

I took a more conservation track that Dr M, so really make sure he knows what execising you will be doing. And ask him on how sweating will impact your healing.

Yesterday, I had phase 2 with him and I am doing well. Good luck - be in good physical condition for your second surgery all the same post-op rules apply. Up and walking to prevent blood clots, etc.

Yup! He definitely knows what I do for exercise. And part of my looking forward to exercising once I can is so that I can be in good physical condition for my next two surgeries. :) Only 34 days to go until my UBL and mastopexy!

I'm glad your surgery went well today!