Minor surgery, how to prepare

[cyberpac9]

I am scheduled to have minor surgery on my calf in early Nov. During recovery I'm to do no strenuous work or lifting for 4-6 weeks. I am worried about losing muscle mass and/or gaining fat. So, the questions I have are:
1) What can I do now to best prepare my body for this layoff? Do some cutting to get as lean as I can beforehand, or bulk now to increase as much muscle mass as I can?
2) During recovery, to prevent my concerns above, what type of diet should I follow to maintain what I currently have and prevent fat gains?

Any tips for the extended layoff would be appreciated.

[JimmyJonny]

There isn't anything you can do other than keep your diet in check. IMO, because I'm not a doctor, is that eating like a bodybuilder already should aid in your recovery. It's a rebuilding process that your body is going through. I would like to think it's along the lines of rebuilding muscle after workouts.

You have no stats listed but I always maintained my weight after surgeries. I find myself not so hungry afterwards.

[michail71]

Strength will come back fast once you resume. Don't stress it! 4-6 weeks is nothing as long as it isn't a habit killer.

You could probably keep up some light upper body work in the down time. Perhaps stick to machines to help keeping the legs isolated?

[67fastback]

Follow the doctor's advise.

I pushed a bit too hard too soon. They want your heart rate low for a reason.

Long story short, I ended up in emerg. with a bad infection in my foot, going to the hospital daily for intravenous antibiotics, and subject to strict low level activity for 2 months more! They did not want an elevated heart rate transmitting the infection through the body.

Suggestion; Work on flexibility, stretching (upper body.) When you get back active incorporate the stretching routine into your lifting routine. Good luck!

[cyberpac9]

@JimmyJonny - I'm 6'1", 230lbs, 15%bf.

Doc actually showed me images of folks who pushed it too hard, too quickly and it was not pretty. So I plan on taking the suggested time off. I'll keep my diet in check. At 15%bf (which is higher than I would like it to be right now), I worry about ballooning to 18% or higher! Eek!

[kimm4]

After surgery keep your calories at maintenance. Those extra vitamins, minerals and nutrients are crucial to help with the recovery process and keep your immune system healthy during healing.

4-6 weeks is nothing, you'll be fine.

Best of luck.

[DuracellBunny]

Don't sweat it.

I've got surgery scheduled for October and I will be out for 6 weeks after that. I'll be training normally up until the day before and will eat the same as I normally do for that 6 week period (assuming all goes well).

To put it in simple terms, you didn't gain everything in 6 weeks and you won't lose it all in 6 weeks either.

[djflex]

My only advice is to use this time to research. Read up on some new routines, supplements or whatever. This will keep your mind in the game. When i had surgery years ago, this is what i did. It helped me

[cyberpac9]

Excellent tips folks. I'll stay focused and not sweat the time off.

[anonymous]

Something very close to my heart!

I would say get as lean as possible pre op, because it will help you focus on not pity eating while out of commission. If you look blah going into this you will have less motivation not to go off the deep end with diet while recovering and feeling depressed.

Also being in great condition will likely make the surgery safer and the recovery faster

I overtrained the hell out of my legs up to the day before my operation because I know I won't be able to hit them hard for months and I wanted to "bank" as much as possible.. The first two weeks are recovery and compensation from the workouts, then another two weeks maintaining, then after a month sadly your body will likely say "sorry man, you're not giving me a good enough reason to hold onto this expensive tissue"

Good luck

[angrypenguin54]

Best thing you can do is just to focus on recovery from the surgery as others have stated. Eat at maintenance as your body will need the calories as much as ever.

Just look at it as giving your body a good rest and letting it "de-train" a bit. Your first workouts wont be what they were, but you will gain and progress quickly and its always fun to put more weight on the bar each and every week for a bit.