PREPARING YOUR BODY FOR SURGERY
Plastic surgery is a major and exciting decision that can have a significant impact on your appearance and overall health.
Before undergoing any plastic surgery procedure, it is important to prepare yourself physically and mentally.
Exercise and nutrition are two key components of a healthy lifestyle that can help you prepare for plastic surgery and achieve optimal results.
How do I incorporate exercise in my pre and post operative plan?
Exercise is an essential part of any pre-surgery preparation plan. Regular exercise helps to improve blood circulation, strengthen muscles, and increase endurance, which means a quicker and smoother recovery process. A consistent strength training program, 3-5 days a week is a vital component to any healthy lifestyle.
Strengthening the surrounding muscles before suregry becomes crucial for the transition back into everyday physical activities. Engaging in low-impact exercises such as walking, cycling, or swimming can also help maintain a healthy weight, which is important before and after surgery.
Your post surgical plan will depend largely on the procedure & your physician’s recommendation. Your physician will recommend that you avoid swimming immediately following surgery to avoid the risk of infection at your incision sites. In addition you will be given weight and movement restrictions to avoid stress on the body to ensure a seamless healing process. Clearance for additional activity will be provided from your physician at each follow up appointment.
PRO-TIP: Investing in an experienced personal trainer can pay dividends as you slowly work your way back into physical exercise. A trainer who can follow the physician’s instructions to confidently guide you through the exercises with the appropriate technique and weight to ensure proper recovery and injury prevention will be the safest way to return to the gym.
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Is there a recommended diet for optimal recovery?
When it comes to nutrition, you need a healthy and balanced diet low in ultra-processed foods and alcohol. Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help your body heal faster and reduce the risk of complications during and after surgery. Protein consumption will be especially important. While you’re sedentary during recovery, aim for .8-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight to help maintain as much muscle as possible. Proper nutrition also helps to boost your immune system, which can assist in fighting off infections and reducing inflammation.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
Planning ahead with meal prepping or investing in a meal service will be helpful during recovery. After the procedure, you’ll likely not want to spend too much time on your feet preparing delicious meals. Avoid this stress by having frozen meals prepped and ready to go so you’ll just have to add heat before you have a healthy meal in front of you. Some easy go-tos are soups, grain bowls, stir-fries, overnight oats, and roasted vegetables.
In addition to exercise and nutrition, it is important to follow any pre and post surgery instructions provided by your surgeon. This may include avoiding certain medications, stopping smoking, and staying hydrated.
In summary, preparing for plastic surgery involves taking care of your body through exercise and nutrition. By adopting a healthy lifestyle before surgery, you can reduce the risk of complications, speed up the recovery process, and achieve optimal results. Always consult with your surgeon before making any significant changes to your diet or exercise routine, and follow the instructions to ensure a safe and successful surgery.
PRO-TIP: RECOMMENDED PROTEIN INTAKE
Although we are huge advocates for meeting your protein goals with whole foods, we understand this can be difficult. For example, for a 150 pound individual, we’re looking for 120-150 grams of protein a day. Supplementing with a protein powder is an awesome hack to help achieve those numbers. The key is to find one that digests well.
Our favorite is the 100% Grass Fed Bone Broth protein by Paleovalley. The protein is derived from bone broth AKA collagen - which is great for hair, skin, & nails and often digests much better than the popular alternative, whey protein. Additionally, it’s sweetened with monk fruit as opposed to artificial sweeteners which are also widely known culprits for stomach issues.