How to Get Your Body Ready for Surgery: A 6 Step Surgery Prep Plan
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met someone who says, “I wish I had known what to do before surgery.”
Usually, people think about surgery as a single event, the day they’re wheeled into the OR and then the recovery that follows. But here’s the truth: your recovery doesn’t start the day after surgery. It starts weeks before, with how you take care of your body leading up to it.
Think of it this way: if you were about to run a marathon, you wouldn’t show up without training, eating right, and resting properly. Surgery is no different. It’s a controlled injury that your body has to repair from, and the better prepared you are, the smoother your recovery can be.
Keep reading below to find the six things I focus on with my health coaching clients who are preparing for surgery.
Preparing your body for surgery with the right nutrition will help you heal faster.
6 Effective Ways to Get Your Body Ready for Surgery
1. Nutrition: Fuel for Healing
Protein, colorful fruits and veggies, and healthy fats aren’t just “nice to have”. They’re the raw materials your body uses to rebuild tissue, fight infection, and reduce inflammation. In my experience, the people who take nutrition seriously before surgery bounce back faster afterward.
2. Sleep: Your Secret Weapon
Sleep is when your body does its best repair work. Leading up to surgery, focus on a consistent sleep schedule. Seven to nine hours per night gives your body the chance to strengthen your immune system and calm stress hormones.
3. Movement: Prehab Matters
If you’re able to exercise (and cleared by your doctor or PT), light strengthening and mobility work can make a world of difference. Simple activities like walking, gentle strengthening, or targeted prehab exercises can help shorten your recovery time after surgery. Think of it this way, the stronger you go into surgery, the stronger you’ll be on the post-op side.
4. Stress Management: Calm Body, Better Healing
Stress isn’t just mental; it directly affects your body’s ability to heal. Chronic stress increases inflammation and slows healing. Five minutes a day of deep breathing, journaling, or quiet time outdoors can help reset your system. A calmer body before surgery can recover more efficiently after.
5. Environment: Set Yourself Up for Success
Small things can make the biggest difference when you’re sore and tired after surgery. Stock your kitchen with healthy meals, make a cozy recovery space, and line up help for the first week or two after surgery. Think of it as creating a “healing zone” at home.
6. What to Cut Back On
This is the tough-love part. Now’s the time to cut back on things that get in the way of healing: processed foods, sugary drinks, alcohol, and smoking. These can all delay recovery and increase your risk of complications.
The Bottom Line
Surgery is hard, but it doesn’t have to be harder than it needs to be. You have more control over your recovery than you may realize, and it starts with how you prepare.
To help you get started, I’ve created a Free Pre-Surgical Checklist you can get here: Get the Checklist
And if you want a personalized step-by-step plan tailored to your surgery and your health, that’s exactly what I do in my Pre-Op Health Coaching Program. Together, we’ll build your surgery prep plan so you walk into the operating room stronger and leave ready to heal.
