Should I stay in a calorie deficit post-surgery ?

RedheadedPrincess14

Okay so I'm 5"8, about 135-138pounds, and I'm eating around 1300 calories and slowly losing (from my high of about 155?.. maybe more idk) down to my happy weight of 125-128. Well, I'm having a general anesthetic for a pretty serious cosmetic procedure and I should be expected to be in bed during the first week, and not totally healed or able to excercise for 6 weeks. I definitely don't want to stop tracking but I'm wondering if I should take a diet break and give myself an extra 300 calories for this time or if I should just stick with my deficit since I'll be very sedentary. Thoughts? Thanks guys!!

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Sounds like a question for your doctor, but: I would eat at about maintenance for a while after the operation (if you can).

spiffychick85

I agree with the above statement...I would eat at maintenance for healing purposes, on the plus side of this you get to test out maintenance calories while being pretty sedentary so you know for future reference what you can eat

RedheadedPrincess14

Okay that's what I was thinking! My surgeon doesn't seem too knowledgeable about it. She knows a lot about recovery but she says she's never had anyone ask if they could diet while recovering lol

Duchy82

Don't diet while in recovery, I've had major surgery on my abdomen in the past, from experience you won't give a monkeys the first 2 weeks after surgery anyways as you will feel so rough.

Eat at maintenance your body will need those calories and nutrients to heal.

RodaRose

Your body uses lots of calories for healing.
Eat at maintenance or a little above for a few weeks.

kgb6days

Protein is needed for tissue healing. As a nurse in ICU, we monitored closely patient's levels and if their levels got low we supplemented quickly or patients didn't do well. I would watch macros closely, and eat accordingly

xchocolategirl

I agree with the others about eating at maintenance and after you're fully recovered increasing your calories from 1300 you are at a healthy weight you can consider either body recomposition or if you're dead set on trying to be 127 pounds changing your goal to lose 0.5 pounds.

nutmegoreo

Take a diet break. One of the major contributors to post op complications is malnourishment, particularly with regards protien. In fact, if you've been in calorie deficit for a while, you might want to start the diet break a bit before the surgery. My opinion, of course, for what it's worth.

itschanelle

I'm a student nurse and we just had lecture on this. Do not continue in a deficit while healing (4-6 weeks) and bump up your protein intake for maximum healing potential.

JaydedMiss

nutmegoreo wrote: »

Take a diet break. One of the major contributors to post op complications is malnourishment, particularly with regards protien. In fact, if you've been in calorie deficit for a while, you might want to start the diet break a bit before the surgery. My opinion, of course, for what it's worth.

This

hollyfoord

Crap. I just had brain surgery a little less than 3 weeks ago & have still been eating at 1200-1300 calories. My hormones and metabolism are affected by the medications I'm on & I'm scared of gaining (lost 108 so far). Am I hurting my recovery by doing this? I'm also getting 10k steps in a day as drs said to be up and moving.

pennygm72

hollyfoord wrote: »

Crap. I just had brain surgery a little less than 3 weeks ago & have still been eating at 1200-1300 calories. My hormones and metabolism are affected by the medications I'm on & I'm scared of gaining (lost 108 so far). Am I hurting my recovery by doing this? I'm also getting 10k steps in a day as drs said to be up and moving.

I think you need to check this out with your doctors, up and moving may not mean doing 10000 steps a day.

TavistockToad

hollyfoord wrote: »

Crap. I just had brain surgery a little less than 3 weeks ago & have still been eating at 1200-1300 calories. My hormones and metabolism are affected by the medications I'm on & I'm scared of gaining (lost 108 so far). Am I hurting my recovery by doing this? I'm also getting 10k steps in a day as drs said to be up and moving.

Eat at maintenance, you won't gain.

RedheadedPrincess14

Okay thanks so much everyone! I'm so glad I asked. Something told me a deficit may not be the best thing for recovery.

Christine_72

I think you should eat at maintenance during recovery, and stay there once you're healed.

pebble4321

This really is something for your doctor to answer - and if they can't answer and don't refer you to someone who can, I'd be questioning their level of expertise and/or professionalism.

RedheadedPrincess14

pebble4321 wrote: »

This really is something for your doctor to answer - and if they can't answer and don't refer you to someone who can, I'd be questioning their level of expertise and/or professionalism.

most doctors receive very little nutritional training. She said to eat at maintained to be safe but that she'd never been asked that question