TAH: Any advice on diet/exercise post op?

I'm really worried about keeping fit and eating well during my recovery. Any tips on staying in OK shape--how soon should I start exercising etc?

The very first exercises you can do are going for short, frequent walks and sitting upright instead of reclining. A nurse hauled me out of bed my first morning after surgery to get started on both of these! And then she came back in the afternoon and made me do them again! By the second day, I was more alert and also more eager to get moving. :-)

During the third and fourth weeks, depending on how your recovery is going, you can gradually start to add other forms of *gentle* exercise. Always listen to your body and stop when your body says stop. Also, always get your doc's clearance before trying anything new. My doc cleared me for running, cycling and swimming at four weeks, but said wait until six weeks before using a rowing type exercise machine and then start gradually.

Re: eating, many sisters find that they don't have much appetite the first week or two. I found that for me, yogurt and fresh fruit tasted really good. So did peanutbutter on whole grain toast and canned lentil soup. As you add new foods, try to avoid junk and stick to the basics - fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean protein.