How hard did you work out once you were cleared?

On Wed was 3 weeks from the surgery and I was told I could go back to the gym. But I'm curious how hard can I push it? Yesterday I sort of did a little too much at home, but only 15 minutes.

Curious about if anyone began ab work right away or at what stage you started running and doing more than just walking?

Thanks

I could not wait to get released to get back to the gym.....

I had a post-op appointment with my Surgeon exactly one week after surgery, to check incisions, etc....

It was then he cleared me to go back to the gym and "Knock myself Out".....as I was walking out the door he shouted..."Don't over do it on the heavy lifting for another few weeks"

But I went right back and did my Cardio workout....

BTW, I was also cleared after one week to soak, and/or swim....including the whirl pool...

Here is roughly my activity plan post op. My starting weight was 360 and my current weight is 180 with roughly at 16% body fat.

Week 1-6 : walking up to 3x a day. Started walking a block first day home and progressed to 1-2 hour walks with my dog. I did one hike @ week 3, but I serious regret doing it because it nearly sent me to er from dehydration.

Month 1-4: more walking and ellyptical for up to 45 min.

Month 5-7: started running on my treadmill. Worked up to 20 miles a week. Did different types of running like distance, speed and HIIT every week. I was able to do a 18 minute 5 k and a 37 minute 10 k at my fastest. I averaged 22 minute 5 k and 55 min 10 k. Rarely did more then 10 k in a single run, but z few times did 15-20 miles. Long endurance running is not really my interest. All the power to those that enjoy running 1/2 marathons and marathons.

Month 8-14: personal training cross fit 2x a week, a video series called "you are your own gym" (completed 2x from beginner to advanced). Continued to do some 5k and 10 k running, but focus switched to sprinting shorter distances up to 1 mile at a time. My best mile time is 4:55. I average 5:30 mile when I run for time now. Started my first weight training at this time.

Month 9-18: open gym cross fit 5-6 days a week. Started with 3x a week and now do 5-6x a week. I do Olympic and power lifting daily and also a high intensity metabolic conditioning workout that pushes you to the wall like nothing else. These types of workouts keep me fit and mentally interested. There is also the social aspect of working out with friends on a daily basis that I enjoy. It is how I socialize currently.

You can see my activity levels are definitely following a progressive pattern. This is the ideal way to do it, to grow a little every day by doing more and becoming more skilled.

The reason why I started cross fit at month 8 is because pure cardio was wasting away my muscles. That simply would not do for a guy of my age. Today I am not only at my ideal weight, but have an athletic body fat percentage and build. It was not until I started open gym at cross fit that I was able to achieve this.

Listen to your body and fuel it with the right food choices, Water and supplementation. The sky and your mind is the limit.

Edited January 11, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

Wow, you could soak after one week? I was told a month because of the drain hole.

Oh just noticed you're a band. I remember thinking I wasn't allowed to work out but I was. I couldn't lift 15 lbs bending over or 30 lbs standing until Wed but now I don't know if I should hit the cardio like crazy or not. Thanks for the response.

Thank you Fiddleman! I really appreciate the detail. I need to walk, I started doing some light upper body weights yesterday but it was just too much.

Walking 3 times a day is great. I'm going to try that. Thanks again.

your body will say when enough is enough or too much....if it hurts, stop..

start slow and work your way up...

ps: refer to your dr about soaking, bathing, hot tub swimming...my dr told me no until my incisions

were completely sealed....just an FYI

Edited January 11, 201412 yr by ☠carolinagirl☠

Yeah I'm not supposed to do any soaking for a month because of the drain incision. Not a big deal for me though. Thanks.

I was really active before surgery. I was also afraid of blood clots. I am a summer sleever, so two days post-op I walked 15minutes. Every two-three days I added 10 minutes. At 2 weeks I started swimming, leisurely (I was cleared but I still used waterproof band aids over incisions.) I did some gardening and just moved my body. Three weeks out I went for a 90minute hike.

I started dancing again at 3 weeks. Only a half hour (versus 60) and at "level one". So if people are turning with arms flying and feet leaving the floor (level 3), I would be side stepping and raising my arms in step. The first day was really hard. I was pushing; still, dancing in a community is my soul food. The next week, week 4 I was released to lift. I started back on machines (which I do not like) but I wanted the structure you don't have when your weak and using free weights. Lol. I did that for week.

By six weeks I was training 5 days a week 45-60 minutes. At 8 weeks I was unlimited.

I went back through MFP. Kinda fun to review it.

@CBT - Wow, that's awesome! Thanks for the details, I want to get into more dancing and weights but was nervous. I've been cleared to do "anything" as long as I'm smart about it, but walking has already been sort of hard for me. Now I do feel inspired by your response. Thanks!

@CBT - Wow, that's awesome! Thanks for the details, I want to get into more dancing and weights but was nervous. I've been cleared to do "anything" as long as I'm smart about it, but walking has already been sort of hard for me. Now I do feel inspired by your response. Thanks!

Go get yet life, dancer