About Us
We believe that women undergoing the tummy tuck procedure deserve access to dependable information that can help them mentally, emotionally, and physically prepare for the surgery and recover afterwards. We often hear from women that, even at the 6-month post-op mark, they’re still not sure if their recovery is going as it should. They’ve seen their surgeon and were told that everything looks great, but when it comes to returning to exercise, the guidance was vague. In addition, the mental and emotional toll of feeling stigmatized after getting the procedure can add to the overwhelm. Since many people keep the surgery a secret, they often feel alone in their journey and, instead of reaching out for help, they search the same websites and social media accounts for answers. We are working towards improving post-op support so that those undergoing the procedure no longer feel confused or isolated in getting back to exercise again.
Our Mission
We are on a mission to help women through the tummy tuck process by supporting them during recovery along with providing strategies for rehab and returning to fitness after the surgery.
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a world where women no longer feel stigmatized, isolated, afraid and anxious about the tummy tuck recovery process. We want all women getting the surgery to feel supported and well-informed. We are also striving for a world where surgeons and fitness/rehab professionals work together to help patients get back to doing what they love.
About Lisa
Navigating my Diastasis Recti (DR) was quite the journey as I went from being clueless to fearful to empowered. I spent years rehabbing, strengthening, and breaking down barriers and myths surrounding DR. I got to a point where I finally felt really strong in the gym, and I loved what my body could do; but I did not like how it looked. I knew I didn’t want a severely protruding belly for the rest of my life, and I had concerns about what might happen to my very thinned tissues as I grew older. Ultimately, I decided to get a tummy tuck in April of 2019.
At each stage of my tummy tuck recovery, I was constantly blown away thinking about how most women didn’t have the post-op help with rehab like I did. Every time I met with my physical therapist, I ended the session by saying “I cannot believe it isn’t commonplace for women to get this type of support. I don’t know what I would do without it!”
Even with all of my knowledge & experience as a former competitive CrossFit athlete, CF-L2, & P&PA coach; I still felt like I couldnā€™t navigate the mental and physical recovery from tummy tuck on my own. I made a conscious decision that as soon as I was through with my own post-op rehab, that I will make sure that this didn't end with me, that every woman is offered this type of support!
Now that I've gone through my own rehab and am back to my previous fitness routines, I'm on a mission to help as many moms around the world get back to their fitness routines as well.Ā This is howĀ Tummy Tuck Rehab was born!
About Munira
When I first started working with moms with DR about 10 years ago, it was a time when moms didn’t have access to information about the condition or the resources that could help guide them through the rehab and strengthening process. Even professionals knew very little about the condition, which is why so many moms were left wondering if there was something wrong with their bodies or if they could have done anything to prevent what they were going through.
Needles to say, a lot has changed! With the dedication and hard work of many professionals around the world, including myself, we passionately spread awareness about DR for both moms and professionals alike, including courses and programs to up-level their knowledge.
While it’s still an ongoing process, there is much more information and help available to anyone with DR who needs it.
Yet, the struggles that many women previously faced with DR, in terms of access to information and resources, in many ways, are the same struggles that tummy tuck patients currently face after getting the procedure. The surgery is terrifying for a lot of people, and some find it even more terrifying to get back to using their core and exercising. But it doesn't have to be this way!
This is exactly why I am so passionate about helping these people. I know that they need and deserve much more help and I know that if such a drastic shift was possible for the world of diastasis, then it is possible for the world of tummy tucks as well. In fact, I envision a world where all women going through the tummy tuck procedure have an abundance of help for post-op recovery, rehab, and returning to fitness again!
How we Came Together...
In 2018, Lisa began her journey of strengthening her core after experiencing severe diastasis following the birth of her second child. Her ultimate goal was to get back to doing the CrossFit exercises she loved, but the thought of doing high-level exercise with diastasis was daunting given that much of what was being taught at the time said to avoid high-level exercises if you have diastasis. Munira kindly reached out to Lisa to tell her how much she supported her and that returning to CrossFit is possible even if she had diastasis. They chatted over the next few months while Lisa was continuing to strengthen her core with a dedicated team of professionals.
In 2019, Lisa decided to have a tummy tuck, and while she managed to overcome her fear of exercise leading up to the surgery, the fear came rolling back in afterwards, ten-fold! Even with all of her training and background in the fitness industry, she was so incredibly nervous about the recovery and worried that her abs wouldn’t be able to handle a full return to CrossFit after the surgery. She decided to message Munira and open up to her. Munira was the calm presence and sounding board that Lisa needed, and not only was that was the beginning of their friendship, but also the beginning of many conversations venting over the lack of support and resources available to tummy tuck patients when they try to return to exercise. They both decided that something needed to be done immediately and that’s when their friendship turned into a professional collaboration: Tummy Tuck Rehab!
Now this physio-trainer duo is unstoppable in helping women feel supported throughout the tummy tuck process so the recovery isn’t as overwhelming and scary!
And of course, Lisa is fully back to CrossFit and is more determined than ever to help others get back to doing what they love as well!
