Keeping Fit After a Tummy Tuck

By Jerome Edelstein, MD

In order to maintain the results of a tummy tuck and for overall health, patients must be willing to work at controlling their weight. Once the surgeon has given the go ahead to begin exercising again, specific activities and nutritional guidelines can help to make the benefits of the procedure last well into the future.CONSIDER WHAT YOU EAT FIRSTDespite differing opinions on what constitutes the best possible weight maintenance regimen, all dieticians agree that a balanced diet can be achieved by dividing various foods into two distinct groups. These groups include important, everyday foods and others that should only be eaten occasionally. For example, everyday foods include whole grains, low-fat but high protein sources (e.g. eggs), vegetables and legumes. Vitamins and nutrients are abundant in vegetables (preferably fresh or steamed to preserve their dietary benefits), and because they’re low in calories and will keep you feeling satiated for a longer time, feel free to load up your plate with them.

Foods you should eat only occasionally include refined sugar and refined white flour. In fact, other than to perhaps satisfy a craving now and then, it’s probably better not to eat these at all as they facilitate weight gain (and can reverse the results of your tummy tuck).

While the minimum number of calories a person needs to healthily function varies depending on such factors as age, weight and lifestyle, the average person should aim to eat anywhere from 1600-2400 calories per day. Please speak to your doctor to find out what your ideal daily caloric intake is.
EXERCISEAfter your tummy tuck surgery Toronto, the goal of your exercise routine should be to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and this includes remaining physically active through exercises that promote cardiovascular fitness and the improvement of muscle tone.

Exercises tailored toward cardiovascular fitness include running, cycling and aerobics. Start off at a very easy pace after your surgeon gives you the green light to hit the gym. Increase intensity slowly with each session.

For strength training, it is imperative that you keep any abdominal exercises to a reasonable amount. Although many patients believe that these exercises will help keep their stomachs flat and firm, it can actually cause the opposite to occur. Over exerting abdominal muscles that have been treated during a tummy tuck can cause them to stretch apart, as they were before surgery. Perform any abdominal exercises with this in mind. For this reason, the majority of your workout routine should be “cardio”.