Losing After Surgery

mandy_godfree

This is the first time I've tried to get in shape after I had surgery in 2013. I had lower abdominal surgery with a scar line similar to that of a C section. When I first came out of hospital I was petrified of over doing it. I couldn't walk and I was scared I'd pop my stitches. Then of course it all healed up and realised two things initially that made me really depressed about my body. 1. My surgeon had been successful in giving me a pot belly. 2. I have no feeling for about an inch above my scar due to severing the nerves.

I became more unhappy when I also realised I'd piled on nearly a stone whilst recovering and inactive, and also lost my natural fitness I'd always relied on.

Even when I became well enough to exercise, I didn't want to because I didn't want to wear a swimming costume or look like a complete idiot at the Gym. Having surgery can make you really quite depressed. On top of that I was over 40 and so many people tell you how hard it is just "stay" in shape over 40, I had resigned myself to the fact I was now going to be totally unfit and unhappy with my body for the rest of my life.

However, I work for the emergency services which means I have to pass a mandatory fitness test every year, and it's in my contract that I agree to maintain a certain level of fitness. In 2015 I totally failed my fitness test, my back was shot and my shoulder in constant pain. My muscles down my left side were wasted and only my right side was keeping me standing. So I ended up with two years of physio, and have been working hard on a fitness plan with a PTI at work because my work believed in me, and believed I could get back up to fitness. It's amazing how the prospect of losing your job can focus you.

I also decided to return to MFP. I'd used MFP in 2011 before my surgery just to lose weight and had lost 3.5 stone, so knew it worked pre-op. I swallowed my pride and started back at the pool in August 2016 and raised it up in December 2016 with Gym work. It has been really hard work. I've never found it this hard to get into shape before, but I've managed to get to a similar level to when I was aged 22. There were times in the beginning I thought I was simply going to die after just 100 metres in the pool.

So far I've lost 22lbs and gone down a dress size since August 2016. I now do swimming laps on average 3 times per week of between 1.25Km - 1.75Km followed by between another 0.5Km - 0.75Km resistance training. I also try and get on a cross trainer (elliptical) for 30 minutes once per week at level 8. Everything I do has to be non impactive because of my back and shoulder problems which are now maintained but not quite gone away. I have successfully managed to build some muscle back down my left side.

Last week I passed my work fitness test which was a major achievement and am no longer in fear of losing my job.

I still have got to try and lose the pot belly which still gets me down and seems to be the last area on my body I'm losing any weight, but it is slowly shrinking, the flatter I can get my lower abdomen, I think the less I will think about my scar. Ideally I would like to lose another 10lbs - 15lbs, I think that's achievable. As I'm building muscle though, I'm not going to get too hung up on weight, but another dress size down would be nice.

It's been incredibly hard work, harder than I've ever known, but so far has been very rewarding. I am just trying not to get too down about the fact my abdominal fat is the last to shift. I would be more than happy to hear any suggestions to help lose the pot belly?