How do you lose weight while recovering from a surgery?

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haleyc717
haleyc717 Posts: 20 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi everyone!
I need some help. I've just had foot surgery and I will be completely non-weight-bearing and on crutches for the next 5 weeks. I will be able to do some exercise (modified of course) when my foot is slightly more healed, but after only one week, I already feel like a fat slob and I'm pretty sure i've put on a few pounds. I'm used to exercising regularly, but even then I struggled to lose weight so how in the world can I stop myself from blowing up by 20+ pounds while I'm required to be mostly sedentary?
Thanks!
-Haley

Replies

  • mercurysfire
    mercurysfire Posts: 144 Member
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    unfortunately, you're going to have to take it slow. just try to maintain at this point because you're body is in overdrive trying to heal. let it do that. watch your calories and do the exercises they let you do. eat well, stay hydrated, and do what the docs tell you. if you don't you're going to be much worse off in 5 weeks than you are now.

    that being said- use your arms and core, and what ever you can do with putting weight on that foot. so try floor exercises. the hand bike at the gym can be handy too. after the stitches are out and they ok it, try swimming.

    beyond that, it's patience and discipline and forgiveness. :)
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    This is the second post I've seen today where someone puts their weight loss before their recovery. Follow your doctor's orders. Stay as active as you can (google "chair exercises" if your doctor clears you for them) and focus on getting enough calories and nutrition to allow your body to heal (this probably means no or only a slight deficit).

    You may gain a little weight while you're in recovery. If you're staying within your maintenance calories then it's very likely to be water weight. It will go away quickly once you are cleared to restart your diet and exercise routine. Stay off the scale and try not to stress about it for now.
  • Sedna_51
    Sedna_51 Posts: 277 Member
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    FIRST: I am not a doctor, and you should run any plans by your doc first.
    That said, I'd recommend setting your calories to maintenance or slightly above while you're recovering- at least for the first few weeks. Our bodies consume extra energy while they're healing! It's better to take 4-6 weeks now to allow yourself time to recoup and come back strong, then to struggle along for months feeling horrible because your body didn't have enough time and food energy to heal. And I'd second other people encouraging you to check out chair exercising or other non-weight-bearing exercises, if you're interested- that may be another good thing to ask your doc about.

    FWIW, I had appendicitis in early April. I spent two weeks not even logging what I ate, just eating what my body wanted, and another two weeks eating at or slightly above maintenance. It took another few weeks after that to ease back into an exercise routine, but I got there. It's OK, and probably even good, to ease off for a set period while you heal, then come back.
  • julesg100
    julesg100 Posts: 109 Member
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    I've had bunion surgery on both feet (at different times), so I understand where you're coming from. The first surgery was on my right foot and my x-ray showed that the pins had rotated thus needing a second surgery. That set me back another 2 weeks from the original 8 and I was put on crutches. Please follow the doctor's orders. You don't want to do anything that could compromise the bone healing because you'll be set back even further. You most likely will have to ease in to activity. I couldn't do the elliptical until almost the end of my recovery, so I had to find other things to do. Check with your doctor to see if you can do upper body weights. For cardio, I was able to use a rowing machine and later on, I could do a recumbent stepper type of machine (sorry I forgot name of it), but they had these at the Y I used to belong to.

    Good luck!
  • Ryandecheney314
    Ryandecheney314 Posts: 139 Member
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    You should take the time off and let your body heal. Eat your calories at the maintain level, your body is going to need them during the healing process.
  • BEVERLYSTEEN
    BEVERLYSTEEN Posts: 106 Member
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    My recommendation is to continue to log everything you are eating to be aware of your consumption. I had a double mastectomy in Nov 2013 prior to getting back to MFP and I gained so much weight from eating allot and the wrong stuff. You don't have to be active to loose weight it will just take longer, there are plenty of upper body stretching exercises and look for the arm bicycle it is one of my favorites. Good luck with your recovery.
  • pugloverin
    pugloverin Posts: 7
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    You shouldn't worry about losing weight right now, you need to eat right and do everything your Dr says to expedite your recovery. I know this because I have had five surgeries the past couple years, and yes I gained about 20lbs, that's why I joined mfp, I am having a hard time losing but I'm trying, but you only have five weeks recovery time, don't do anything to hurt yourself.
  • GatorDeb1
    GatorDeb1 Posts: 245 Member
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    I wouldn't. Just maintain for the duration and then hit it hard when you come back. I've gone through various times when I couldn't work out. Last time I got hit by a car while on a bicycle I went on a binge spree and gained 15 lbs (and I'm stuck unable to lose the last 1.5 of the ones I gained, I went from 117.5 to 132.5 and now I'm stuck at 119 yargh lol). I wished I had maintained! I've been working out hard since 6/30 just to get to 1.5 lbs over, if I had maintained I could stayed home and still be lighter ha.
  • bimmerjt9
    bimmerjt9 Posts: 20
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    I had surgery 4 months ago. I couldn't do anything strenuous for exercise for about a month (Doctors orders). It was another month after that before the wound healed enough for me to feel comfortable pushing myself again. It is important that you eat right (not a deficit) while healing. If you don't it will just slow the recovery. I'm a stress eater so I ended up putting on a few lbs but it came off quick enough. Don't push it.

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