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How to Stay in Shape While You Recover from Breast Augmentation

Are you considering breast augmentation, but worrying about losing your flat abs or gaining a pound or two while you recover? The good news is that there are ways to stay fit and recover safely.

First, let me emphasize that proper care must be taken to ensure a safe and speedy recovery. You may experience swelling, bruising, and drainage for several weeks after a breast enhancement. For these reasons, strenuous activity must be avoided as it raises the heart rate. Your first priorities should be to simply follow your cosmetic surgeon’s recovery recommendations and watch your diet by eating healthy, nutritious meals.

Now let’s talk about having a safe recovery from breast enhancement while maintaining your fitness level. Here are some general guidelines I give my patients for staying in shape while they recover.

Weeks 1 and 2: Let Your Body Heal
Remember how great it feels to take a leisurely walk? As a matter of fact, walking is part of my recommended recovery protocol. I advise my patients to walk for 15 minutes each hour they’re awake; you may be surprised to learn that you burn more calories walking at low speeds than high speeds, because your momentum isn’t propelling you as you stroll. You shouldn’t walk fast enough to raise your heart rate, though, so easy does it. A healthy diet rich in vitamins and nutrients will help your healing, so don’t skimp on the calories for the first couple of weeks. And no free weights! Don’t lift anything heavier than 5 pounds.

Weeks 3 and 4: Resume Light Activity
Walking is still recommended, but after about 3 to 4 weeks, most of my patients get the green light to ease back into aerobic workouts and lower body strength exercises. There are some activities there are still off-limits, however; running, swimming, and upper body strength training need to wait another couple of weeks. After about 3 weeks, you can resume sexual activity, which can burn a few calories too! You may increase your lifting capacity to 10 pounds during this timeframe.

Weeks 5 and 6: Back to the Gym!
If you’ve gradually returned to your exercise routine, you can continue to add some aerobic intensity to your workout and increase your lower body weight training. Although each patient heals at a slightly different pace, after about 6 weeks, most breast augmentation patients are able to go for a run, ride horses, swim laps, and resume upper body weight work. You’re back to your regular workouts!

It’s natural to want to stay in shape after breast augmentation, but it’s also important to follow your surgeon’s recommendations and to maintain a healthy diet for optimum healing. While you may be eager to resume an active schedule, remember that a few weeks of rest and a few extra calories is not much in the grand scheme of things, and that letting your body heal properly should be your primary concern. Keep your end goal of beautiful, enhanced breasts in mind. After a short period of downtime, you’ll love your reflection in the mirrors at the gym!

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