Episode #5: Tummy Tucks and Fitness - Our Top 5 Tips to Ensure Your Surgery Aligns with Your Lifestyle, No Matter Your Fitness Level

In this episode, we’re talking all things tummy tucks and fitness — specifically how to make sure your surgery supports your active lifestyle. Whether you’re a CrossFitter, a yogi, a weightlifter, or simply someone who values freedom of movement, this conversation is a must-listen.

We’re sharing our top 5 tips to help you align your tummy tuck with your fitness goals — from choosing the right surgeon to returning to movement safely and confidently. This is all about advocating for yourself, asking the right questions, and setting yourself up for long-term strength and function, not just aesthetics.

What you’ll learn in this episode: 

✨ Why choosing the right surgeon matters — and how multiple consultations can help you find the best fit for your goals. 

✨ Key questions to ask — about return-to-exercise timelines, suture materials, and which movements (if any) might be off-limits post-op. 

✨ How surgical techniques like suture type, layer repairs, and even mesh may affect your recovery and strength. 

Timestamps:

[01:06] Meet Your Hosts: Lisa & Munira 

[03:00] Fitness + Function: Why This Episode Matters 

[05:42] Tip #1: The Crucial Step to Take Before Choosing a Surgeon

[11:00] Tip #2: A Common Communication Mistake — and How to Avoid It

[16:21] Tip #3: The Question Most People Forget to Ask

[23:30] Tip #4: What You Need to Know About the Surgery Itself

[33:06] Tip #5: The Most Overlooked Phase of Recovery

Remember, your tummy tuck isn’t just about how you look — it’s about how you move and feel. 

Resources Mentioned: 

✨ Tummy Tuck Core Rehab Program — your step-by-step guide to core rebuilding, strength, and mobility: https://www.tummytuckrehab.com/tummy-tuck-core-rehab 

✨ Free Consultation Checklist — the essential questions to ask during pre-op consults: [Download Here] 

✨ YouTube Video: What to Ask During Consultations — a detailed walk-through of the most important questions to bring to your pre-op visits: [Watch Here] 

✨ Podcast Episode 3 on core restrictions and what to do when told "no direct core work": [Listen to Episode #3] 

✨ Podcast Episode 2: Cleared to Work Out Again, Why Listening to Your Body Isn't Enough and Can do More Harm than Good  [Listen to Episode 2 Here]

— Munira & Lisa

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For all of our post-op programs and resources, head on over to www.tummytuckrehab.com

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Transcript

Munira: 0:00

Welcome to Tummy Tuck Talk! After the surgery. Everyone has different fitness and functional goals, and if you are concerned about function and return to sport post tummy tuck, then this episode is for you. This can feel like an overwhelming experience in the world of aesthetics and plastic surgery and when you sort of meld the two together. So we wanted to empower you with tools to help you pick the right surgeon that will help you achieve your fitness goals, but also give you tips on how you can navigate the post op period so that you can return to fitness with ease.

Lisa: 0:38

So tune in as we unpack our top tips, what ways this surgery may or may not impact your strength and ability to return to the movements that you love. By the end of the episode, you'll have the tools to pick a surgeon who understands both your aesthetic and functional goals and the confidence to build back your strength safely post-surgery. So let's get started.

1:08

Hi, I'm Lisa Ryan, a CrossFit trainer, pregnancy and postpartum athleticism coach, and a former tummy tuck patient. And I'm Munira Hudani, a physiotherapist with a specialized interest in diastasis reakfast abdominis, and post-op recovery. Together we are bringing you the first podcast specifically on tummy tuck that takes you beyond the surgery table, giving you the real unfiltered truth about tummy tuck recovery. Rehab and returning to fitness with confidence. Before we dive in, just a quick reminder, this podcast is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for personalized guidance. We are here to break down what no one else is talking about, from navigating the highs and lows of recovery, to practical tips for healing, movement, and feeling like yourself again. So whether you are preparing for surgery or are deep in recovery, we've got you covered. This is Tummy Tuck Talk!

Lisa: 2:16

Welcome to Tummy Tuck Talk, the podcast where aesthetics meet function, and fitness, and we explore how to get the most out of your tummy tuck journey. If this is your first time joining us, we're so excited to have you here, and if you've tuned in before, welcome back. I'm Lisa Ryan, a CrossFit trainer, a pregnancy and postpartum athleticism coach, and a former tummy tuck patient. Back in 2019, I had my surgery. And let me tell you, there was so much I didn't know about recovery, and now I'm here to share the real deal, what works, what doesn't, and how to get you back to doing the things you love safely and confidently.

Munira: 2:59

And I'm Munira Hudani a physiotherapist who helps patients rebuild their strength, function, and confidence in their cores, but also just in their bodies after surgery. I know recovery can be overwhelming, so trust me, that's why we're here, and you don't have to figure it out alone. Together, we are here to empower you with practical advice and clear guidance for every stage of your tummy tuck journey.

Lisa: 3:25

If you're someone who's not only thinking about the look of your tummy tuck, but also how it will impact your ability to work out, lift, heavy, run, or return to your favorite physical activities, this episode is for you. Maybe you're a weightlifter, eager to get back under the barbell. a runner dreaming of your next 10 K or a busy parent who simply wants to lift your kids without hesitation. Perhaps you're into yoga, CrossFit, or dance, whatever your passion, the reality is that a tummy tuck isn't just about how your midsection looks. It's about how your core functions, how your body moves, and how you regain, str, regain strength in a way that supports your lifestyle. So that is why in today's episode we're focusing on the functional goals after a tummy tuck, and how to make sure your surgery aligns with your lifestyle. Because this surgery isn't about just about aesthetics, it's also about reclaiming the freedom to do things you love with confidence and ease.

Munira: 4:33

And this often comes down to choosing the right surgeon. So finding someone who understands you and your priorities, whether that's lifting heavy weights or running marathons, or just simply doing unrestricted movement. Um, and just to help you exactly with that, we're gonna share with you our top five tips to make sure that your tummy tuck supports both your fitness goals and your aesthetic outcome. These tips will empower you to ask the right questions with your surgeons as you're going through consultations, but also post-op and pre-op as well. It, they will help you also to set realistic expectations on, you know, what again, what you can expect in, in terms of returning to fitness. Um, and they're gonna help create a plan for returning you to the activities you love safely and confidently. You might wanna also grab a pen and paper or open up the notes app on your phone to write some things down as we go over these specific tips and details to help you, because there are quite a few details that we're gonna get into and we don't want you to miss anything'cause especially as you're entering into this part of your journey. So let's dive into our top five tips, starting with number one. Our first tip is to go on multiple consultations, so this is, this begins before your actual surgery when you're trying to choose a surgeon. Do not settle on the first surgeon you meet. We do understand how difficult it might be to go on multiple appointments, whether it be logistics or just due to the vulnerability of having to share your story, what your goals are, and also having to kind of show your body to a stranger. But we do recommend having at least two or more consultations so you can compare the surgeon's approaches, their philosophies and their recovery timelines. You'll be shocked at how varied, drastically varied, these things are between surgeon to surgeon, so the more surgeons you can compare too, the more information you'll have to be able to choose one that better fits you your lifestyle and your goals. So even if you feel an instant connection with the first surgeon that you speak to, and you might just walk out feeling like, Nope, I don't need to do anymore. This is the one. It is still crucial for you to meet others. The thing is, you might not realize what might be missing in that consultation that you went on until you have something else to compare to. You may have forgotten certain questions that that might come up. On the next consultation, which then might prompt you to go back to the first surgeon and reach out to them and ask those questions to them again, it'll give you more information this way. So like I said, each surgeon is going to have their own perspective, not only on how they perform the surgery, but also on how they view recovery, and specifically to this episode, how they view exercise and long-term fit, uh, function and fitness. So some surgeons, which you may, um, experience will almost entirely focus on just the aesthetics and how you're going to look, and they will ensure that you get a flat toned tummy. They may not place as much importance on how your core will function post-op. And if that is an important part of your lifestyle, then these are things that you kind of need to keep digging for and looking for with other surgeons. So other surgeons may have a more balanced approach. They may consider both the look and the strength of your abdominal wall. So again, that's why meeting multiple surgeons, um, is highly recommended'cause you'll be able to spot these differences and you'll be able to spot the surgeon that shares the same values that aligns with your goals. So remember also these meetings are about. You interviewing them. So you wanna go in with that mindset. You're evaluating them, you're interviewing them, you're seeing how you feel with them, how comfortable you are, but also, again, what their approach is to all of these different aspects, including function, fitness, returning to exercise, et cetera. You are hiring someone. To perform a life-changing procedure. So it's absolutely okay to ask tough questions and advocate for yourself. Don't assume that they are going to know what you want to get back to. Don't be general, be specific. So if you have a specific fitness routine like weightlifting, running yoga. Bring that up, show them videos, or describe the types of movements you wanna get back to. The goal is to gauge their reaction. Are they supportive and curious about your lifestyle, or do they seem hesitant? Maybe even dismissive about your return to high level fitness, if that's your goal. So we recommend, again, bringing a notebook or opening up the notes app on your phone during the consultations because it's easy to get nervous, overwhelmed, and kind of flooded by a range of emotions, um, and by the information that they're gonna be giving you. So just writing a few things down will help you be able to take that later and process it, um, and then be able to make an informed decision. So also, just to let you know, in case you're not already aware, we have some free resources for you regarding this part of your tummy tuck journey. Specifically in the consultation phase, we have a free PDF checklist that you can just take with you that covers all the questions that we think are important for you to ask during your consultations. And there is a specific section on returning to exercise and fitness, so you can ask those or kind of hone in on those if that's very important for you. And we also have a full video of this as well on YouTube. So we will link to both of those in our show notes.

Lisa: 10:48

That was awesome. Uh, as you can tell, we're pretty passionate about this because it's a big deal. Yeah. And we want you guys to feel empowered to make sure that you find the right fit. So. All right, heading into number two, communicating your fitness goals very clearly, you wanna communicate this very clearly from the start, whatever they may be. So communication in general is very important when choosing a surgeon. Even if you don't have a, a, you know, a fitness goal that you're, you know, very concerned about in, in the function of your stomach. Um, so this is just generally very important, but it's very important when it comes to this because you need to feel comfortable asking questions and reaching out'cause you'll think of things later when you're not in the office. And you also need to make sure that they understand, you know, what you wanna do, because they might not understand all the different fitness things that you wanna do. So in order for them to know exactly what your fitness routine looks like, they need to understand it, especially if it's some kind of high level activity, show them videos like Munira had talks about, um, even in part one, talk about how much weight you're currently lifting before surgery or what activities you're currently doing before surgery, you know, if something with yoga where there's a lot of bending or whatever, it's just be like, these are the things I'm doing now, or these are the things that I haven't been doing, but this is what I wanna get back to after surgery. Sometimes this can be hard. You guys, this is like the hardest part because you already probably asked a lot of questions about the surgical stuff and you know, other things, and then you start to feel like, oh my gosh, I've been here for a long time. I'm feeling rushed and I'm nervous, and like I can't keep asking these questions. Yes, you can. All right. Like Munira said, it's a good test. If they rush you, then maybe it's not your surgeon anyway. Um. It helps when you write things down or bring videos and pictures of the, the fitness and the goals that you wanna be doing. Very common to feel nervous. Just prepare for it. Have your notes ready. Being prepared ahead of time can help. So that's why we wanted to make this, this podcast. Um, be very clear about your goals with surgery. It's a huge part of the consultation process because you have to pick a surgeon that understands you. Very important. Um, remember that these are plastic surgeons, so they're paid to make things look really nice. You wanna look well, right? That's still part of this. You still wanna look good. Um, but if you don't speak up, that may be all they focus on, which is fair because that's their job, right? And so, again, very important that you communicate this. Um, it also can be tricky because if a surgeon doesn't quite understand what you're doing, um, so much so that it makes them feel uncomfortable, then that also might be a, a clue that it's just not your surgeon and that's okay.'cause you'll find someone that does, um, that kind of happened to me. So, you know, I, I got there, I found someone that got it. Um, because they have to understand it enough so you feel comfortable in the way that they repair you, so you can do that activity. Um, you know, it's, it's, it's really, it's really can be a tough thing, so just know it's okay. Maybe that surgeon just isn't your pick if they brush off your goals. If that's okay, because it helps you narrow it down and you know, okay, onto the next one. But you can still get information from that consult and that surgeon that can help you because maybe if they tell you a couple things that you don't like or a couple things you did, then you can bring those same points up in your next surgeon meeting and see how that surgeon answers that. So, you also wanna make sure that you're talking about like fitness things that may be off limits forever. For example, some surgeons will say, I never want you doing X, Y, and Z ever again. A common one can be like a situp or a plank or something of that sort. And sometimes women don't actually find this out till after surgery and then they're kind of upset. So you wanna make sure you're asking those questions about is there any like physical thing that's completely off limits and see what they say. This matters because if you're an athlete and you wanna lift heavy, your surgeon may decide to use permanent sutures or that maybe they wouldn't have used if they didn't know your fitness goals. Or for example, you know, your goals can influence the surgeon's other operative techniques and materials used or it may show you that that particular surgeon might not be the best match for you and your goals. So again, asking those questions, you know, that doesn't mean that permanent sutures aren't always the answer, just'cause you wanna lift heavy by any means. But it's good to just have them know and then they can talk to you about that kind of stuff and you can ask those questions. Um, so it's, it's again, the more information they know about what you wanna do physically, the better. If you do yoga, gymnastics, CrossFit. Anything like that, you need full core mobility and trunk mobility. Some surgeons may not be comfortable with you moving and bending in directions too. So again, that's why it matters that you need to ask the questions to see if there are any limitations that might come up.

Munira: 16:20

That is the perfect segue to tip number three, which is be prepared with specific questions about returning to exercise. I know it kind of sounds like we're repeating the same information here, but there's a lot of nuance and that's why we're kind of taking time to go into the specific details because we really think that these nuances are gonna help you feel more informed, um, and see the bigger picture. So a huge mistake we often see is people just going into their consultation appointments or even their post-op appointments, um, and asking just very generally when they will be cleared for exercise. Okay, that's a good starting point, but we want you to go even deeper. We want you to be specific, specific about the core work that you want to do, specific about the other forms of exercise that you wanna get back to and, and that could be specific questions around heavy lifting or other daily activities that are involved in your day-to-day life. Lifting kids, um, heavy grocery runs, you know, lifting heavy groceries and, and stuff like that. Um, or even walking your dog who is a hundred pounds, like, these are very core intensive activities and so you wanna ask your, your surgeon about these things. So, you know, for core work, you can ask for, you can ask things like, how long until I can do core work or core exercises. So get a clear sense of their recovery timeline. And like we said earlier, these are drastically different from surgeon to surgeon. So if doing core exercise is important to you after surgery, you'll wanna find one that aligns with those goals because some will say you can get back to these things at six weeks you can get, or some will say you can get back to core exercise at eight weeks, some at 12 weeks. And other will others will say 12, uh, sorry, six months. So there's a huge difference in time between six weeks and six months and six months to just begin core exercise, I think is just, it's a little too long. I mean, potentially it'll depend on the type of surgery that they did, the techniques, and, um, if there are any medical complications in your. In your post-op period, but you, if you are able to start earlier, it might be beneficial for your healing. So in any case, do find out what their recovery timelines are for returning to core exercise. As Lisa mentioned in the previous tip, is there any core exercise that is forever off limits or are there certain movements, maybe not just core exercise, but just movements that are forever off limits and what are they? They may not have anything in mind or maybe they do. Um, and again, if you think something that you're planning on doing is a little more aggressive or high level, then you might want to start bringing these exercises up in the conversation so that they, the surgeon really gets to understand what your goals are afterwards. It'll be really helpful for you if you were to show them pictures like we mentioned before. Even in our program, we have pictures of all the exercises and as you progress through, you end up doing some really high level intense core strengthening exercises, so you could even bring pictures of those into the, the appointments and ask them if they would be okay for you to do those things and just gauge their response if they say no. Are you okay with that? Okay, so just keep these questions in mind. Um, and then also ask about other things. So beyond core exercise, just, you know, get through timelines for things like swimming, tennis, biking, playing any specific sports or rock climbing or skiing. Like, you get the point. Whatever recreational activity you like to do, ask about those too. So it's not just about core, it's about the things you love to do and your lifestyle. Don't leave these questions out of the equation. And also don't make any assumptions about what your surgeon may or may not say. So Ask, ask, ask.

Lisa: 20:49

Yeah. Really, really, really, really good. Um, another really important thing to ask about is heavy lifting, if that's something you wanna do. So the first part to this is picking up your kids. Right? Kids are heavy. That's life. So how much do your kids weigh? Let the surgeon know, you know. Start with that, then definitely let your surgeon know how heavy you're currently lifting in the gym. What are you lifting? You know, what is the actual weight? What kind of lifting are you doing? Show them. Show them very specifically, right? Um. Are you power lifting, Olympic lifting? Are you using machines at the gym? What are the machines? Are you doing bodybuilding? Are you doing strong man lifting? Are you lifting for your career? You know, physical jobs like firefighters and things like that. Be very, very specific. Um, if you check out our second podcast, Cleared to Work Out Again, Why Listening to Your Body Isn't Enough and Can do More Harm than Good, we talk a little bit more about this topic, about getting back to those things if you're interested, but it's very important that you talk to your surgeon about these things that you wanna be doing to find out when you can start doing those again and making sure that none of those things would ever be off ments for the rest of your life in the way that they repair you. So you know, if the surgeon says, wait six months for core work, then you need to start asking a lot of questions about, well, what about front load of movements, like front squats or deadlifts? Or if you have a physical job where you have to lift things up, you're using your core. So you really wanna be specific about those core restrictions and see how that might look like for you. And you may wanna choose a surgeon that would repair, repair you in a different way due to those answers. Um, so you just really have to be mindful of that. With overhead movements like shoulder press or shoulder height movements, bench press, things where you're pushing weight away from your body. That's also still a lot of core work. So maybe you're not doing sit-ups, but if they're saying no core for six months, make sure again, you're specific and you really understand what that might look like. Um, just a side note, remember that just because you're clear to do a movement doesn't mean that you'll feel ready to do it, and that's okay. That's also why we created our core rehab program, so you can slowly progress back to core exercise, feel confident while you're doing so, and it can support the activities of daily living along with your other fitness goals that you wanna reach post-surgery. So then moving into tip number four, be prepared with specific questions about surgery technique and how it affects muscle function. So how much function and strength will I be able to regain, post-surgery, is a great question to ask. So how the surgery is done is that there are sutures and they go, it doesn't go through the muscle, which sometimes people think that, but it goes through the fascia, um, to bring the two sides of the rectus together. However, there are a few different ways this internal repair can be done that may or may not have an effect on the function of your core. So I'll just give you a quick personal example. So I consulted with three surgeons. Um. Two of the three planned to use the same technique with sutures. One surgeon said I'd only get 80% of my strength back ever while the surgeon I ended up choosing told me that it highly depends on the person and there's a lot of factors with that, and a hundred percent could be possible. Nobody promised me anything. Right. Obviously I like that answer better. Um, but the point of telling you this is, you know, I don't know, what, how different surgeons might answer that question. Right? But it's a good question to ask if that's something that you, that is important to you. It also shows that you really care about the function and strength of your core. Um, it also shows them that that's a, a big deal. Right. You wanna make it very clear it's a big deal for you. So ask specifically what the research states, if there's any, and also what their clients have felt and experienced, and what their own opinion is, right? It's gonna, you gotta kind of dig for this kind of stuff. You gotta see what answers they give you, what they, what they're telling you, and then digest it all and figure out deep in your gut. What feels right, which surgeon feels right, which technique feels right, you know, after you gather all the data. So here's the different techniques, alright? There's one way where they actually tie the obliques in with the surgery, right? So it's not just your rectus muscles there, but they actually tie in the obliques. Um, this is one thing that might impact function a little bit throughout recovery and throughout. So it's worth asking your surgeon about it because a, again, it shows that you care about function and not just the aesthetics. Um, but also just to see what they say about if there's any research on that or if the clients have said different things to them or whatnot. So ask the surgeon why they may or may not want to do this. Sometimes it's for a better look, right?'cause they're pulling you in and it looks better. Um, if that's the only reason, then you would need to ask about function and maybe make a decision what you wanna do. Sometimes they feel like that's the only way to have a successful surgery because there can be a lot of damage to those areas, you know, uh, twin pregnancies sometimes, or, um, just other situations where they just really wanted, it seems like it's gonna be the right choice to do that, and so you wanna talk about that. Um, but sometimes they won't know until they get in there for surgery. And so that's where you wanna, again, have a very specific conversation about. You're not gonna be able to make a decision during surgery, right? So if they get in there and they think they should, you know, for these reasons, do you say, yeah, do it? Or do you maybe say, no, I don't want that, or, I don't know. You talk about all the scenarios with them and then figure out a game plan for that scenario. So again, communication is very, very key. You don't wanna. You don't wanna have any regrets, right? I mean, you really wanna feel like you did your due diligence with all this stuff coming out of surgery. So that is the scoop on the obliques.

Munira: 27:32

And then as, uh, Lisa mentioned, there are different things that they can, there are different options for sutures. So there are permanent sutures versus absorb, absorbable or dissolvable sutures, and. People are often going in with their own notions about what's right for the type of suture that they want to be used. But you really have to have that conversation with your surgeon or the surgeon that you're consulting with and understand where they're coming from'cause they may decide to put in one type of suture over the other, depending on either their preferences, how they've been trained, um, their client testimonies afterwards, and your goals. Now both sutures are commonly used in this operation, um, and they can both work for athletes. Now, maybe the recovery timeline will look different or your returning to exercise timeline might look different depending on the type of sutures that the surgeon decided to use. It's not necessarily the case. Sometimes the sutures don't necessarily play, uh, a factor or a role in the surgeons returning to exercise rules or suggestions. Sometimes they do. But if you are planning on doing some high, high level exercises afterwards, the surgeon may opt for permanent sutures to ensure that there is something that is always going to be there to support the, the movements that you're doing and the pressure that's going to be created on the inside when you're doing those movements. There's also differences in how they how they use those sutures. So they, they may do a single running stitch called a corset stitch that goes from the top of the linear elbow all the way down to the bottom. So it's just one long, uh, running stitch. Or they may do individual stitches at different, uh, increments. Uh, they may do one layer or they may do two layers of these. Again, it depends, uh, it, it often depends on the severity of the diastasis that they're operating on. And. Generally speaking, the more severe the diastasis, the more likely they will use a two layer, uh, approach versus a one layer approach. Um, that's not to say they will, that the more severe the diastasis, the more likely they would use permanent over, um, absorbable. So there's, again, there's different factors at play here, um, and you just wanna take all the information you can and. Just kind of use that to make your decision on who to go with.

Lisa: 30:33

Yeah. Very good. You know, I just realized too, sometimes they'll do a combination of like permanent and dissolvable. There's so many different things. Yeah. So it's just communicating with your surgeon, right. What you wanna do, see what they think, get a couple different opinions and go from there. Yep. Um. So mesh. So some surgeons also wanna use mesh in addition to the sutures. Um, and maybe some wanna only use mesh, I'm not sure. Right. I haven't met with every surgeon out there, so, um, lots of different options. Um, the third surgeon I saw, I think I freaked him out about how much weight I wanted to lift or that I was lifting and wanted to lift and. I could just tell, like he just got kind of scared and he wanted to do sutures and mash and like put all this stuff and I was just kind of, to me, I just felt like, oh, I don't know, like I just didn't feel right for me. Right. Um, it might be right for somebody else, I don't know, but, again, there's lots of different things. For me personally, I am lifting very heavy right now. I feel good. I had, I have permanent sutures. I think he did two layers for me. Um, that doesn't again mean that that's for everybody either, but that's just my personal story. I'm not telling you what is right or wrong. I'm not saying that mesh is good or bad, but this example just shows how important it is to communicate your very clearly your movement goals with surgery from the start to make sure that you have the right fit with a surgeon. That's really what it is. Without the extra consultations, I might not have known to ask or even known there were other opinions about mesh'cause then I asked my surgeon, what is your view on mesh? He told me he didn't like it for these reasons, you know, I ended up liking him, so I listened to him, right? But, um, ask, ask, ask, because you just won't know until you ask and you don't know what you don't know. So keep asking those questions. Remember that for the most part, a surgeon will not change the way that they like to do the surgery. Um, that's the way they've gotten good at doing it, and so that's the way they feel comfortable doing it. There's nothing wrong with that, but maybe again, that surgeon might not be the right fit for you if you're looking for a certain functional outcome because of the techniques that they like to use. So definitely keep an open mind and realize that that is the kind of decision making that should be out there for you while you're deciding who your surgeon's gonna be.

Munira: 33:04

Mm-hmm. And then our last tip, tip number five, is to be prepared for a progressive return to exercise. So even if you're cleared for exercise, that doesn't mean you wanna jump right back in to your pre-surgery workouts. You need to get back to those things gradually. You wanna gradually rebuild your strength, especially if your pre-surgery workouts involved complex core demanding movements. So it could even be things like front squats and deadlifts and overhead pressing where you're not really thinking core. They do involve the core quite a bit, and so that's why it's important to get back to these non-core specific exercises gradually, even though they're not exactly called core exercises. And you might be sort of under the impression that it's okay to progress those faster because they're not directly involving your core. We do have another episode call that talks about the difference between direct core exercises and indirect core exercises and what to do if you've been told to avoid direct core exercises. Um, and we will link to that in the show notes as well. Because it's a very important, uh, discussion that we had, and it's just so confusing when people are told to not do core exercises, direct core exercises, but then they are going out and doing heavy deadlifts and overhead pressing and things that, you know quite possibly are using the core way more than doing specific core exercises. So anyways, that'll be in the show notes for you. But this is important because after a tummy tuck, your core muscles have really been through a lot, and so they need time to relearn how to engage and sort of stabilize through the abdomen and how to pressurize inside to do the movements that you're, you're wanting to do. And so if you really wanna take a proactive approach here, you could actually go through our core rehab program and that'll help you rebuild your core, um, to being comfortable and capable of doing heavier exercises gradually'cause the more comfortable you are in your core, the more comfortable you're going to be in doing everything else that you are, you know, that would be involved in your fitness routine. So we strongly suggest that regardless, but we do always recommend starting light, really, really light. If you were lifting heavy pre-surgery, your first step back to strength training should focus on just mastering the techniques and, and breathing and, and just don't chase numbers. Lisa always says Slow is fast and it could not be more relevant here. So don't rush. This will only increase your risk of potentially reinjuring, uh, your tissues or create other, other issues down the line. So don't rush. We don't want you to have any more setbacks. Do it progressively. Do it gradually. Do it using a step-by-step approach and do it methodically ensure that you are comfortable using your core because these movements that I mentioned that aren't core specific, they do involve your core. So ensure that you know how to use your core. Our program will make you feel extremely comfortable and confident in your post-op core with that. So do check that out. But the bottom line is give yourself permission to start small, focus on form and celebrate each milestone, even if it seems minor or small.

Lisa: 36:55

That's so good. So to sum everything up, you wanna have multiple consultations, take notes, get all the data, and take the time to digest it all. Next, you wanna communicate your fitness goals very clearly. Don't be scared to ask all the questions and take the time to explain your goals very specifically.

Munira: 37:22

Then be prepared with those specific questions ahead of time about returning to the exercises you want to do. Bring in pictures, videos, whatever you need to make it very clear to your surgeon what you, your goals are. Post-op number four was to be prepared with more specific questions, not just about the exercises you wanna do, but about the surgeon's techniques and how it may or may not affect the function of the muscles afterwards. So suture materials, dissolvable or non or permanent sutures, one layer versus two layers or other techniques that they may or may not use. Finally,

Lisa: 38:05

be prepared for a progressive return to exercise. Slow is fast. My favorite saying, focus on rebuilding foundation in your core and the rest of your body as you get back to the exercises that you love. Okay. So there you have it. Your tummy tuck journey is about more than just healing. It's about reclaiming your strength, confidence, and freedom to move the way you want. Progress may feel slow at times, but every small step forward is a victory. Stay patient, stay consistent, and trust that you are building a stronger and more resilient form of yourself. We're with you every step of the way. So thanks for joining us today, and as always, thanks for letting us be a part of your journey. Bye for now.

Munira: 38:56

Thanks for tuning in to Tummy Tuck Talk. We hope today's episode gave you clarity on how you can align your tummy tuck journey with your fitness and functional goals. We want you to reclaim your strength and confidence and freedom to move the way you want after the surgery. But before you go, remember, take time to communicate these fitness goals and lifestyle goals with your surgeon, down to the smallest little detail, ask the right questions. And remember, do not settle until you find the surgeon that understands and supports your goals. Keep advocating for yourself every step of the way.

Lisa: 39:35

If you found this episode helpful, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes where we dive deeper into recovery strategies. Core rebuilding and getting back to the movements you love. We'd love to hear from you. Share your questions, recovery stories, or any topics you'd like us to cover in the next episode by connecting with us on Instagram or TikTok at Tummy Tuck Rehab.