Will I get my muscle mass back?

[Serapis Bey]

Before I had the op, I was able to work out in the gym for an hour and a half. 1 hour cardio and half an hour on the weights. Even though I was very overweight, I had great strength and stamina.

I'm still okay with the cardio, but I've found that I cant lift as heavy as I used to. Its really getting me down, I feel like my muscles have disappeared. I lost weight before on the Atkins diet and I had a great body and so much strength. Please don't get me wrong, I'm happy about my weight loss, I just hope I haven't sacrificed my strength and muscles.

By the way, I eat a lot of protein, ensure that i'm hydrated, take my vits/minerals and an amino acid supplement.

 

[suepat10]

Hi

I may be wrong and more than happy to be shown as such but isn't 4 months after surgery too early to be offing any thing more than a couple of pound?

I would have thought your internal wounds were still a bit 'raw' for that. I've a feeling I saw somewhere that you should allow at least 6 months.

I'm sure once your insides have healed properly then it'll be all systems go.

 

[Serapis Bey]

Hi Suepat,

Thanks for your input.

My surgeon said I could start going to the gym at 6 weeks (light cardio only).
With lighter weights at month 3 and work out at my 'normal level' at month 4 (so long as I omit heavy resistance on my abdomen) - I'm currently 4 and a half months post op.

 

[suepat10]

Ah, right.

It's interesting to know what different teams advise.

When I had my gall bladder surgery (and Caesarian) I remember it taking a long time after my outside wounds healed to get anywhere near back to what I could do before. Maybe it's the same with this surgery.

Apologies if that's a bit of a ramble - only just had first sip of coffee so not quie 'with it' !!

 

[penelope1008]

I'm sure you will get back to the weights you were lofting on time. You've had a long break from weights in physical terms so some of the strength will have gone but as you build your stamina and energy levels back up as you move back up through the weights I am sure you will soon be managing those heavier weights once again. The reduction in protein intake will have reduced the muscle a little so as you build up that intake and the gradual increase in weights you'll be back to it soon.

 

[Very Big Chris]

I know how you feel. My surgeon super glued my site so that with waterproof dressing I was back in the pool after 2 weeks. I am sure that much of my post op weight loss was my muscle mass being consumed by my body as it repaired itself. Immediately post op your body can use 3000 cals a day to repair itself. As you are on sips of water, those cals have got to come from somewhere, and your muscle mass is the easiest place for the body to get them.

If you must go back to the gym, and I understand the drive to do so. I would suggest light weights with style and form and 12 - 15 reps per set. Don't bench or squat or dead lift and don't breath hold!!

I pre load with whey and BCAAs and am holding a light load of Creatine and even with light weights I get a good pump afterwards.

Enjoy the endorphins!!

Chris

 

[Serapis Bey]

Ah, right.

It's interesting to know what different teams advise.

When I had my gall bladder surgery (and Caesarian) I remember it taking a long time after my outside wounds healed to get anywhere near back to what I could do before. Maybe it's the same with this surgery.

Apologies if that's a bit of a ramble - only just had first sip of coffee so not quie 'with it' !!

No problem Sue, we all tend to ramble at times lol.

I just noticed that you're pre-op, good luck with your op, hope you get a date soon.

People tend to have different advice about things like when it best to start exercising, ultimately that's why it's best to seek/follow the advice of a medical professional.

Well my surgeon actually examined me and said it was fine to start exercising at the times I mentioned in the post above. My operation was laprascopic with no problems. I also had no co-morbidites, no kids or previous operations.

IMO recovery times differ depending on the type of operation.

Penelope and Chris,

Thanks for your posts, what you've both said about energy levels, protein and loss of muscle mass due to healing/repairing makes sense. It's good to know that my strength will eventually return

Thanks again

 

[suepat10]

I also had no no kids

I've a 12 year old boy if you want want. I was going to say he's going cheap but he's not. He's going 'mum, can I have. Mum, I'm bored'

 

[phatmomma]

It sounds to me like you were a serious workout person pre op. I'm guessing that as others have said your body is out of the habit and your muscles aren't used to it. Let's face it immediately post op just a short walk leaves us knackered and our legs are our strongest muscles.

Take it easy, follow medical advice, but most of all and please this is the most important bit of all...

Don't expect too much too soon, you will get there in the end xxx

 

[phatmomma]

As a matter of interest what point does having or not had kids bear in this?

Cos personally having pushed three babies all close to or over 10lb in weight i'm guessing i got pretty good stomach muscles lol xx

 

[rainbow27]

hello so your doc said you could go to the gym 6 weeks PO im seeing my surgeon in 2 weeks i cant wait to get back to doing something!! xx

 

[Karlos]

When we lose weight a proportion of it is lean body mass, or muscle tissue. Resistance exercise that stresses the muscle fibres will help to minimise the amount of lean mass we lose and is therefore an important part of our post op exercise regime.
As to whether you will regain your strength and muscle size? well that depends upon how much you stress the muscle fibres and how much you eat. Currently the protein you are eating is being used to repair your body and to fuel it as you will be eating a lower number of calories each day.

Extra protein from shakes will supplement your intake and give you more protein available to feed your broken down muscle fibres, but you have to realise that you are only a few weeks out from some serious surgery and your overall calorie intake is much lower than it would have been pre op. It took me around six months to build my stamina post op.

I'm sure you are aware that to build strength you need low reps with high resistance. 5 reps 5 sets with two minutes between sets. To build size you need more reps with shorter rest periods, so 8 reps three sets one minute rests. High reps with lower weights builds neither strength nor size, a pumped muscle group doesn't mean you've stressed it sufficiently to cause it to repair itself and get bigger to cope with the load.

I'd also split heavy cardio and resistance days. You will simply not have the energy to fuel both types of exercise effectively on the same day.