Surgery Recovery

[freklz]

Just found out I'm going to have surgery later this month that will put me through a short recovery then no exercise for 6 weeks - aka no exercise from that time til I go to Hawaii!!!

So...any suggestions on foods I should eat during a sick/recovery time? Also, since I can't exercise for 6 weeks....do more of induction eating to still lose weight?

THanks!

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Surgery Recovery

I would just continue with the way you are eating now. You need protein, etc., to heal properly. Depending on how serious the surgery, your body will probably catabolize for a while, and you need a good amount of protein to keep it from consuming muscle. This usually causes weight loss, if you stick to healthy LC eating. At first, you will be swollen from the trauma and because in the I.V's is sodium and glucose. Don't weigh for a while if this will bother you.

This is all from my experience last summer, in the hospital for three weeks on I.V antibiotics and I.V.'s with dextrose and sodium, and then major surgery and another week in the hospital. I absolutely refused to eat off plan for the whole time, but by discharge, I had gained over 20 pounds. After discharge, I went right back to my woe, and over the next 10 days, lost the 20 pounds I gained and 9 more went with it. 29 pounds in 10 days, taking me well into Onederland for the first time in over 10 years. I did feel like I lost a lot of muscle (partially from being bed-bound in the hospital for so long) and only read about needing the protein after the fact.

Sunny!

[Hoping]

Re: Surgery Recovery

Very enlightening, Sunny!

[adreliluc]

Re: Surgery Recovery

I'm in the same boat. I had surgery a few weeks ago and can not work out or even lift anything over 5 lbs for 6 weeks.
I gained a lot due to swelling but finally it's going away some. It's been hard seeing the scale go up. After surgery I gained almost 15 lbs!! lol. of course that went down after a few days but that was discouraging... so like Sunny says - stay off the scale!

I thought I'd change my eating back to induction too but that wasn't such a good idaea. I actually don't know if it was induction or or just my body recovering but I started getting really bad muscle spasms and it didn't help with the fluid retention like I hoped it would. Now I'm back on my rungs and I've been sure to watch my snacking. I have a problem controlling myself with nuts so I haven't been buying any!!
Since I'm not exercising I'm tring to be mindful of my calories but I'm not overly worried about it. My goal is to just not gain right now, I'll worry about losing in a few weeks!!

Take your vitamins and drink your water. Before you know it you'll be back at it.

Sunny - it's very encouraging to read your story!! How quickly you got right back on track... My kinda girl!! lol

(ps... yes I know I can't spell! lol)