How to retain muscle when (temporarily) completely sedentary?
3bambi3
Posts: 1,650 Member
Hey dudes. I'm about three weeks into recovery from a surgery that will leave me unable to lift for the next few months. I'm not able to lift anything more than 10 pounds until at least 8 weeks and I am not even supposed to walk for any sustained length of time. I'd really like to minimize my muscle loss over the next couple months so that I don't have to start at zero when I'm back to lifting. My usual protein goal is 100g/day, but I'm assuming I should increase it while recovering?
In addition to that, when I get the green light to do some exercise, do you think a body weight program could be a good transition until I can start real lifting again?
Thanks!
Stats:
36F
150 current
130 goal
Eating at maintenance during recovery ~1700
In addition to that, when I get the green light to do some exercise, do you think a body weight program could be a good transition until I can start real lifting again?
Thanks!
Stats:
36F
150 current
130 goal
Eating at maintenance during recovery ~1700
0
Replies
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1
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Making assumptions, since your restrictions are strict, but relatively vague, that the surgery is abdominal and going to compromise your core during recovery.
The answer is that there's very little you can do until your complete rehab/PT.
Keep pressing until you get there and follow PT/rehab strictly and then start off at least half of what you think you should be. In other words, if you're doing 100 lbs today, 8 weeks will cost you 30-40% of your capacity, so pick up around half of 60 or 30-35 lbs.
Body weight can work, but clear it with your PT.
If possible, get a presurgery appointment with your PT.2 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Making assumptions, since your restrictions are strict, but relatively vague, that the surgery is abdominal and going to compromise your core during recovery.
The answer is that there's very little you can do until your complete rehab/PT.
Keep pressing until you get there and follow PT/rehab strictly and then start off at least half of what you think you should be. In other words, if you're doing 100 lbs today, 8 weeks will cost you 30-40% of your capacity, so pick up around half of 60 or 30-35 lbs.
Body weight can work, but clear it with your PT.
If possible, get a presurgery appointment with your PT.
My surgery was a total hysterectomy and salpingectomy. It was laparoscopic, so my core muscles aren't as severely affected. I just have a lot of internal stitches that need to heal before I can do anything even a little strenuous.4 -
Have you talked to your doctor/surgeon about what excercise you can do and when? Not knowing what kind of surgery you had, I hesitate to make any suggestions other than talk to the drs.0
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Have you talked to your doctor/surgeon about what excercise you can do and when? Not knowing what kind of surgery you had, I hesitate to make any suggestions other than talk to the drs.
I did, but it's not really her area of expertise. She just told me not to lift anything more than 10lb and nixed the walking until week 4.1 -
Take care of yourself. That is major surgery you had. If you do happen to lose muscle it will be minimal and you will build it back fast. You don't want to compromise your healing!!1
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Perhaps you could do some seated work with light dumbells to keep your hand in0
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tinkerbellang83 wrote: »Perhaps you could do some seated work with light dumbells to keep your hand in
Like the old Sit and Be Fit show! I like it
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There you go then. Dr's orders. Hang in there. I had a ventral hernia repair and also had to do a similar no lift and take it easy order. Not fun. Hugs.0
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tinkerbellang83 wrote: »Perhaps you could do some seated work with light dumbells to keep your hand in
Like the old Sit and Be Fit show! I like it
Had to google that, it's a little before my time
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Following because my situation is somewhat similar
Went from 230-280 because of tearing ankle up and then depression from said incident.
Got down to current ( 265) but noticing I'm losing muscle mass ( and barely any weight )
Have to drop back to 220 so they can avoid surgery and just focus on physio ( less weight for body to handle ) or get surgery done and be bed ridden + rehab + physio ( I'd much rather prefer option 1 )
Busted shoulder so I can't lift for a while either
For now I'm honestly just trying to eat a decent caloric intake a day ( 1900 in my case with 30 min of walking (fight the pain!) each day)
If that doesn't work by april ( I just started watching my caloric intake Jan 9 ) then I'll see what my other options are.
Until then hang in there, eat healthy and smart and (if you live in Canada or another place where there's a ton of snow ) use this as a fantastic scape goat to escape shoveling at 5 am
Cheers!0 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Making assumptions, since your restrictions are strict, but relatively vague, that the surgery is abdominal and going to compromise your core during recovery.
The answer is that there's very little you can do until your complete rehab/PT.
Keep pressing until you get there and follow PT/rehab strictly and then start off at least half of what you think you should be. In other words, if you're doing 100 lbs today, 8 weeks will cost you 30-40% of your capacity, so pick up around half of 60 or 30-35 lbs.
Body weight can work, but clear it with your PT.
If possible, get a presurgery appointment with your PT.
My surgery was a total hysterectomy and salpingectomy. It was laparoscopic, so my core muscles aren't as severely affected. I just have a lot of internal stitches that need to heal before I can do anything even a little strenuous.
You might be able to do isolation leg exercises and curls, in order to maintain some capacity.
The problem is getting onto any equipment that allows you to do isolation leg or arm exercises. Leg extension/curls and Preacher curls is going to put stress on your abdomen both in effort and in ROM.1 -
Focus on healing, eat at maintenance calories and when you're fully recovered you'll soon get back any strength you've lost when you get back to training again.1
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RunRutheeRun wrote: »Focus on healing, eat at maintenance calories and when you're fully recovered you'll soon get back any strength you've lost when you get back to training again.
Sigh, I know this is probably what needs to happen. I just feel so lazy and bored sitting around all the time. There is now a butt divot in my couch cushion where I've been parked for the past few weeks.
On the up side, I've caught up on all of my terrible tv shows...2 -
@3bambi3 I get that, I know I would feel the same, but this is only going to be temporary. Keep busy doing less active things while you recover and then before you know it you'll be back being an bada$$ again
Wishing you a speedy recovery.1 -
Thanks, all. I'll continue to rest and I think I'll set up an appointment with a PT.
Any input on protein intake? Is my 100g sufficient or should I shoot for more?2 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Making assumptions, since your restrictions are strict, but relatively vague, that the surgery is abdominal and going to compromise your core during recovery.
The answer is that there's very little you can do until your complete rehab/PT.
Keep pressing until you get there and follow PT/rehab strictly and then start off at least half of what you think you should be. In other words, if you're doing 100 lbs today, 8 weeks will cost you 30-40% of your capacity, so pick up around half of 60 or 30-35 lbs.
Body weight can work, but clear it with your PT.
If possible, get a presurgery appointment with your PT.
My surgery was a total hysterectomy and salpingectomy. It was laparoscopic, so my core muscles aren't as severely affected. I just have a lot of internal stitches that need to heal before I can do anything even a little strenuous.
I had the same surgery several years ago. Same weight restriction, but my doc said I could do as much walking as I wanted/was able to do. I was back on the treadmill-much more slowly than before--two weeks post op.2 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Making assumptions, since your restrictions are strict, but relatively vague, that the surgery is abdominal and going to compromise your core during recovery.
The answer is that there's very little you can do until your complete rehab/PT.
Keep pressing until you get there and follow PT/rehab strictly and then start off at least half of what you think you should be. In other words, if you're doing 100 lbs today, 8 weeks will cost you 30-40% of your capacity, so pick up around half of 60 or 30-35 lbs.
Body weight can work, but clear it with your PT.
If possible, get a presurgery appointment with your PT.
My surgery was a total hysterectomy and salpingectomy. It was laparoscopic, so my core muscles aren't as severely affected. I just have a lot of internal stitches that need to heal before I can do anything even a little strenuous.
I had the same surgery several years ago. Same weight restriction, but my doc said I could do as much walking as I wanted/was able to do. I was back on the treadmill-much more slowly than before--two weeks post op.
My doc told me I am not even supposed to walk the 2 blocks to get coffee in the morning until week 4
But! Week 4 is next week so at that point I'm going to go slow on my treadmill and see how I feel.
How long until you were fully recovered? At this point I'm still puffy/bloated and can't wear real pants...0 -
I can relate. I’m almost done with a wound healing journey/process involving bedrest that gave me debilitating depression (that, along with something my then-doctor said, with his glass-half-empty self!). For the longest time, my orders were “complete bedrest, no bathroom privileges, don’t even blink (basically nothing but breathing, yet even that was limited to basically one big breath a day since my wound needed that energy to heal)” Now that I’m nearly healed, I’m okay to do light/moderate calisthenics from bed. In the meantime, I’ve been encouraged to maintain/relatively aggressively (but not whole-hog) lose weight-though I prefer trying to lose because I don’t know my maintenance calories, considering the fact that my loss number is (one that I can’t mention here due to terms of service/use, but was given by my registered dietitian).0
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https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/announcements/new-book-optimal-nutrition-for-injury-recovery.html/ This has a ton of useful information in it for recovery from injury (and surgical procedures "count"). Edited to add: Lyle McDonald is the author, and if you're not familiar with him, I heartily recommend the website and its contents.1
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Hey dudes. I'm about three weeks into recovery from a surgery that will leave me unable to lift for the next few months. I'm not able to lift anything more than 10 pounds until at least 8 weeks and I am not even supposed to walk for any sustained length of time. I'd really like to minimize my muscle loss over the next couple months so that I don't have to start at zero when I'm back to lifting. My usual protein goal is 100g/day, but I'm assuming I should increase it while recovering?
In addition to that, when I get the green light to do some exercise, do you think a body weight program could be a good transition until I can start real lifting again?
Thanks!
Stats:
36F
150 current
130 goal
Eating at maintenance during recovery ~1700
Do make an appointment with a PT.
Ask them about a bodyweight program, but my thought is no - you have lots of flexibility with reducing the weight of weights, but your body weight is your body weight.0 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Making assumptions, since your restrictions are strict, but relatively vague, that the surgery is abdominal and going to compromise your core during recovery.
The answer is that there's very little you can do until your complete rehab/PT.
Keep pressing until you get there and follow PT/rehab strictly and then start off at least half of what you think you should be. In other words, if you're doing 100 lbs today, 8 weeks will cost you 30-40% of your capacity, so pick up around half of 60 or 30-35 lbs.
Body weight can work, but clear it with your PT.
If possible, get a presurgery appointment with your PT.
My surgery was a total hysterectomy and salpingectomy. It was laparoscopic, so my core muscles aren't as severely affected. I just have a lot of internal stitches that need to heal before I can do anything even a little strenuous.
I had the same surgery several years ago. Same weight restriction, but my doc said I could do as much walking as I wanted/was able to do. I was back on the treadmill-much more slowly than before--two weeks post op.
My doc told me I am not even supposed to walk the 2 blocks to get coffee in the morning until week 4 But! Week 4 is next week so at that point I'm going to go slow on my treadmill and see how I feel.
How long until you were fully recovered? At this point I'm still puffy/bloated and can't wear real pants...
It probably took 2-3 weeks for the swelling to go down--my toes were like sausages and I could wear only a couple of pairs of shoes. It was somewhere in the range of 6-8 weeks before I felt like my old self again and at 8 weeks I got the okay to SLOWLY start back with weight training--no more than 20 pounds for 2 weeks, and then no more restrictions0
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