Developing good exercise habits starts before surgery: Here’s how to do it
You want your toned abs back, you want a flat stomach, and you want to see the contour of your abdominal muscles so you make the decision to get a tummy tuck or mommy make over. Good for you, but you cannot expect the surgeon to do all the work. For optimal results, YOU have to prepare for the big day and put the work in beforehand as well. This means making adjustments in your diet and your exercise program. Adding in some supplements may also help to support your effort and success. Most aesthetic surgeons recommend that their patients start a regular exercise program at least three months before their surgery date, but ideally 6 months is best. Not only does it take time to tone your body, but developing new habits take about two months. Exercise takes some getting used to if you are not used to working out. It can be challenging at first to get motivated to work out…and sometimes, even harder to stick with it.
The trick is knowing that if you do stick with it, it becomes routine. And therefore, it is far less difficult to exercise 3-5 times per week once it is a habit. The key takeaway is to develop healthy exercise habits several months before your tummy tuck or mommy makeover to ensure you get used to the habit of exercise. That way, you can resume a familiar exercise program once you have healed from surgery. Working out becomes fun the more you get used to it, and even more fun once you start seeing the incredible results.
If you have not hit the gym much before, that’s okay, you don’t have to. I have developed different workout strategies that you can choose from to fit your unique lifestyle. You can workout at home, at the gym or, for best results, work with me one-on-one for truly personalized exercise plans. The decision is up to you. Don’t be intimidated! Aim to start slow initially, perhaps just 10 minutes, 1-2 times per week over the first few weeks. From there, increase exercise to 2-4 times per week. Once you have established the habit of working out, you can increase the amount you do leading up to surgery day.
You’ll also need to do the same with your diet. We can tailor design your personalized eating plans months before surgery so you can create healthy eating habits to first lose the weight, and then to maintain your success and beautiful new look post-op.
There is nothing more important than having support when making these lifestyle changes. Getting help from a personal trainer and nutritional counselor can help your surgeon achieve the most optimal result you are hoping for!
Your House of Shape Coach, Angela