Surgery recovery update! Great news + Mucho thanks to all who gave me support

[needtogetarmy]

I am back in the gym and getting better every day.

For those that missed it, I has a hernia patch repair from a prior batched hernia surgery. I was hospitalized for about a week and stuck on a saline solution drip for a week. I have a 10 inch incision in my tummy with a polypropylene (WTF!) patch in my stomach that probably measures around 8 inches by 12 or so inches.

Anyway, my doc gave me the FULL GO to hit the gym after my appointment Tuesday which is 5 weeks after the surgery.

I did chest and tris on Wednesday. Legs yesterday and back and bis today. I still have a few problems with doing full sit-ups but I hit 405 on the leg press for 20 reps yesterday (and I can barely walk today) and it felt wonderful. I am also doing abs on the machine.

I didn't realize how much the abs are used with keeping the core stable during pulldowns though. I was doing 70 pounds (and that is it) today for back but I know in time I'll be back up to 200 once the wound and scar tissue completely heals. The damn pulldowns kicked my ass because the abdominal cavity gets stretched.

Thanks to all who sent K and PMs during this mess. I wanted to wait to post this just see if I could hang a few days. I really didn't think it would heal this quick.

 

[WhistleBritches]

Awsome

you had a rough spell there!

now its all gravy!

 

[chris302001]

Glad your full steam ahead!!!!!!

 

[EnderJE]

Great stuff! Good to hear that you're getting better each day. Give Blue some of those charms.

 

[silverstar1025]

Glad you are getting better!

 

[PICK3]

Glad you're recovering well.

 

[needtogetarmy]

Great stuff! Good to hear that you're getting better each day. Give Blue some of those charms.

I never realized lymes disease was such an ordeal. I hope she recovers and never has to deal with it again

 

[the_alcatraz]

Congrats bro. This is an important and exciting time for you. Are you on a specific diet? you thinking of laying off the juice for a while?

 

[Kano]

Glad you are doing well bro

 

[needtogetarmy]

Congrats bro. This is an important and exciting time for you. Are you on a specific diet? you thinking of laying off the juice for a while?

No juice with the injury I have. Plus one should even start a cycle without a solid base and I need my base back before even thinking of doing something like that. IMO it will take at least 6 months to get back to where I was.

I started my diet Wednesday when I hit the gym. My diet has always been pretty tight. Right now I have cut back on everything bad and am sticking with the following

Daily plan:

Workout on empty stomach (I may need to take my protein shake at this time) which includes lifting and 45 minutes of cardio at 60-70% of my max heart rate

Breakfast: eggs with oatmeal + whey [I have been doing this for a decade - it is like a religious event for me lol]

Post-breakfast: whey and peanutbutter

Lunch: chicken, tuna or fish with moderate carbs

Post-lunch: whey (maybe peanut butter)

Dinner: same as lunch lol

Cardio: jogging for 30 minutes at 70% my heart rate max (didn't do this today) only do this three days per week.

Post-dinner: casein protein

Carbs are brown rice, sweet potatoes, organic whole wheat bread, bananas or some fruit

I have some fat on me and my muscle mass has gone way down. A week with only a saline drip and no food hit me very hard. While I was recovering I was eating like a pig too, and still constantly hungry. My weight has gone down though. Must be muscle mass loss and fat gain.

My goal is to keep the carbs a bit low for the next 60 days to get the BF down while still building a little mass (atually just to get a base back). I may be doing too much cardio but I need to shock my body into being tortured so I can recover quickly.

Once I am satisfied, and my body has fully recovered, up the calories and put on some mass. I have had injuries before and I have decent muscle memory. It takes time for me (I am a hard gainer) but this will work.

Feedback or comment on the diet or exercise is welcome (although we are in C&C)