Performance Down? Here's what to do - Steve & Mike

Cool.

I'll ask you the first question then, Mike.

I'll go for the ones I sent you, actually.

So this one is from Zafi, and they asked, question regarding recovery.

I'll be undergoing a necessary nose surgery so that I cannot lift at all for three weeks.

Any suggestions about mindset going into this extended layoff? Any suggestions about what to do with nutrition, maintain or slight deficit? Context, mid 40s, been lifting for 30 years, currently doing five days a week, upper lower.

I am 173 centimetres tall, 73 kilograms, 13 to 15% body fat estimated.

So, Zafi, thank you so much for your question.

And to address the first part, I think mindset is going to be really critical because I think if you're feeling good, if you're in a good place mentally, it's going to make the whole process that much easier.

And I think the first thing that you've just got to remind yourself of is that obviously this is a necessary surgery that you're having.

and ultimately three weeks in the grand scheme of things is absolutely nothing and so the likelihood of you losing any significant muscle mass over that time is not likely at all and i would also say that that probably lends into the nutrition side of things and i would highly recommend that you don't go into a deficit you know, for a couple of reasons.

One, whenever you are injured, whenever you've got pain or you're pre-surgery, being in a calorie deficit is just not the right time.

And ultimately, they've actually done research into areas such as concussion and injury.

And what they find is sometimes that the amount of calories that you burn doesn't differ that much because you're more inefficient with your movement patterns and because some of your body's healing processes are heightened, that can sometimes sort of do funny things.

But ultimately, healing is the most important thing.

So you don't want to take away any resources from the body that might hinder the healing process.

So a calorie deficit is not the right time post-surgery.

Now, if you're in a suitable maintenance environment, that will minimize, you know, any, you know, that will minimize the risk of, you know, any excessive muscle loss.

And ultimately, again, because it's such a short period of time, any muscle mass that does potentially happen, you're going to regain so quickly when you first get back into training, it's just going to be pretty much negligible.

So, like, if you can just focus on those things, like, that's going to, I think, give a really good platform for you just to move forward.

And just, again, like, This is a necessary time.

It's kind of like, I don't know why, but it made me think of, I don't know why, but like we had a question a few episodes ago about being a father or becoming a parent for the first time.

And it's like, hey, this is just a part of life.

And again, you don't want your kind of ego or your, you know, any thoughts of losses to go against that process.

But anyway, I'm kind of going on a ramble.