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3-4 days fast while recovering from a knee surgery?

So maybe it’s already late to ask as i am 48 hours in, but at least to hear some opinions.

Long story short, i am right now one month post surgery(ACL+ meniscus) and i can’t walk with my operated leg except for doing my exercises. I lost all my muscle before the surgery and now one of the main priorities is to build it back. I started this fast primarily because i was feeling awful lately, eating bad again and feeling depressed, so i decided to “reset” with a fast to clear my body and mind, but now i am afraid of losing muscle because recovery is my main objective right now. I am thinking of stopping the fast( i was aiming for 72h-96h), but i know i’ll eventually regret it if i dont make it to the end.

The real question is: will i lose precious muscle and should i stop the fast even if i am almost halfway?

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Answer

I’d stop the fast. Think of it like this: extended fasters abstain from heavy lifting because it doesn’t build muscle so why would what you’re doing give different results. Plus, even though you’re a month post op your immune system and tissue cells are still working in overdrive rebuilding tissue and hopefully muscle from your P.T. Don’t risk it. You’re body needs all the nourishment it can get now. Good luck:)

Answer

I had Achilles surgery and my surgeon didn’t have an issue with intermittent fasting, but I’d guess he’d be against extended fasting. If you’re worried about maintaining muscle, the fast will not help. Recovery from surgery is a drag, and it’s not worth making that any harder than it needs to be.

Ask your doctor, s/he is a much more knowledgeable source with your best interests at heart.

Answer

growth hrmone increases by over one thousand percent during a fast so you will be fine. Secondly your body will only really eat up your muscualr glycogen/carb stores, then fat, then once all metabolizeable fat, such assubcutneous and visceral fat is one, then muscle is finally catablized. In order to reach muscl catabolising, you would have to be be fasting for significantly over a week. even if you are skinny, your body can us fat stors for quite a while. if you have more excess fat tissue than a skinny person, it takes even longer. you will be fine

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