My top surgery is scheduled for September 15, 2014 (yay! - and a week and a half after I turn 24!) with Marie-Claire Buckley here in Minneapolis. In preparation, I've modified my diet to be as healthy as I can be without buying organic/no GMO (I can't afford it) - so no red meat, tofu and eggs for protein, trying to get more veggies, fruit, yogurt, whole wheat into my diet. I've cut back from several sodas a day to only one at lunch, and increased my water intake to at least 3 or 4 bottles' worth of water a day (the bottle I keep at work is roughly 28 oz.). I started taking gummy vitamins daily and fish oil when I can remember. My afternoon breaks at work consist of a brisk walk around the block when I can get one in. I take little breaks during my shifts to walk quickly to the kitchen and back to refill my water bottle and whatnot. I try to fit as much activity into my day as I can, as I have a desk job and my hips/knees hurt after a few hours of sitting.
I also started doing a ladder kettlebell workout three or four times a week (it's a simple one, but challenging, even with the 20 lbs. bell I have), as well as push ups and bicep/tricep curls with the kettlebell. For cardio, I used to run but that got too uncomfortable, so I just started following Billy Blanks videos on YouTube.
My concern is - is there anything more I can do? I'm trying to trim down overall before I go under the knife, as well as build up chest muscles to make the operation easier and so my results look better. I'm heavy (6'3", 325 lbs.) with a gut, but am down to a 46 size jeans. So not trim, but I'm also not as big as I used to be. When I flex my chest, you can see everything move.
Should I do more push ups? Modify my diet further? Start drinking protein shakes?? I don't have access to a gym and can't go running without a binder...except running with a binder makes it hard for me to breathe and it chafes like a mother. Wearing sports bras make me dysphoric.
What did you all do to get in shape and prepare (physically, mentally, emotionally) for your top surgery? This is my first major surgery and recovery almost scares me more than the procedure itself.
...If you've read through that whole wall and made it this far, have a high five! o/
