How Soon After a Mommy Makeover Can I Exercise?

Posted October 20, 2015 in Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Liposuction, Mommy Makeover, Recovery, Tummy Tuck

Mommy Makeover surgery can restore women’s bodies after pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing by eliminating stubborn fat deposits, lifting and restoring volume to the breasts, tightening the abdominal muscles, and eliminating loose abdominal skin. These procedures will require some recovery time in which the woman should refrain from exercising. Here’s what you need to know about how long you should wait to resume exercise after a Mommy Makeover.

Factors That Affect Healing Time

After a Mommy Makeover, it is important to give your body the time and energy it needs to heal before you try to engage in intense physical activity. The factors that most significantly affect healing time are the actual procedures performed. Not every woman will need all of these procedures. Most Mommy Makeovers will include a tummy tuck and breast surgery, and some may also include liposuction.

• Breast Augmentation: Breast augmentation effectively increases breast size to restore volume lost after pregnancy and nursing. The body must heal and adjust to the implant placement before rigorous exercise can be resumed.
• Breast Lift: Pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause the breasts to sag, and a breast lift can reposition the breasts while eliminating excess skin. This procedure also requires time for the body to heal and adjust to the new position and projection of the breasts.
• Tummy Tuck: A tummy tuck corrects loose abdominal muscles, sagging skin, and excess fat in the stomach area. This procedure has a more lengthy recovery time and may take as long as three weeks before light exercise can be resumed, and patients should wait six to eight weeks before resuming forceful abdominal exercises.
• Liposuction: Stubborn fat deposits due to pregnancy can be eliminated with liposuction. Liposuction recovery is shorter than for a tummy tuck, but it will still take a few weeks before vigorous exercise will be possible.

How Soon You Can Exercise

How soon you can exercise after surgery depends on the extent of the procedures performed in your Mommy Makeover. As most cases include a tummy tuck and breast surgery, here are some general guidelines. Before you resume exercise, consult with Dr. Taleisnik. By following his professional recommendations, you should be able to continue to recover well without overdoing it.

After Surgery

• Weeks One and Two: Avoid heavy lifting, and do not exercise except light walking
• Week Three: Begin more extensive walking and very light cardio
• Week Four: May resume more intense cardio and some lifting
• Weeks Five and Six: Resume non-abdominal exercises
• Week Seven: Resume weight training
• Weeks Seven and Eight: Resume more vigorous exercises
• Week Eight: Resume abdominal and core strengthening exercises

Ease Into Each New Step

With each new exercise after your Mommy Makeover, begin working out at a much lower intensity to give your body the chance to adjust. Your body will continue the healing process for six months to one year after your surgery, and you will not be able to pick up right where you left off. Start at a lower intensity and gradually increase as your body heals. If you do too much too soon, you could significantly damage your body, causing pain, bruising, healing complications, and bleeding. By easing into each new step, you can more confidently and comfortably embrace your new figure and maintain healthy results from your Mommy Makeover.

For more information about the Mommy Makeover and recovery, please call (714) 538-8549 or fill out our online contact form today. Dr. Andrés Taleisnik has extensive experience, training, and education in plastic surgery and looks forward to helping restore your more youthful, firm, and sexy feminine figure.