Love IF, have been living the lifestyle for 1.5 years. Lost 20 lbs, got more fit than ever, and I’m never going back.
That said, I’m recovering from abdominal surgery that included a lot of muscle repair. My entire core feels like a giant scab. I want to be sure I’m nourishing my recovery and giving the muscles all they need to form the new tissue the surgery is meant to produce.
At the same time, I’m also sitting on my ass all day. I used to walk 3-5mi per day, do HIIT 3-5x per week, and run after my kids all weekend. Now, I’m more sedentary than I’ve ever been and can’t help but worry about weight gain.
Has anyone faced a similar situation? You need to fuel recovery but also want to remain healthy and not put on useless fat.
How to balance the two? Is IF the way? Is fasting counterproductive for muscle repair? Or is it beneficial, since the body is in maintenance mode more effectively while in a fasted state?
RN here. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend IF post-op. A high protein diet is going to aid in recovery, and recovering from surgery is going to get you back on track (back to walking, exercising, and running after your kids). Take the time to heal, have a healthy, high protein diet, and you can return to IF if your doctor approves of it. I’d run this by them for clarification, but I don’t know many surgeons who’d recommend IF while recovering. One step at a time.