Help! Injured and now can’t exercise

[TraceSPN]

Help needed, please!

On Wednesday I injured my lumbar spine and now cannot exercise.  I was running 5.5km 5 days a week, and have dropped 20.2kg in 14wks under supervision.

I’m now worried about putting weight back on while I’m recovering.  I can go for a ten minute gentle walk 3 times a day only.

Any tips on not putting the weight back on, please? 

[Glenda]

@TraceSPN  Wow!  Great job losing over 3 pounds a week.  To do that you may have restricted calories. If so you must be very careful to not suddenly increase the calories.   You will gain all the weight back in a hurry if you do.  Your body can adjust to an increase of 200 calories  and you need to eat that much for several days and make sure you aren't gaining before you add another 200 etc.  Keep adding until you get to the number that maintains the weight you are.   It is ok not to exercise at all while you recover. Just be careful what you eat.   If you didn't restrict calories you still may have to be more careful what you eat.    Google the maintenance number of calories for your height and weight and don't eat more than that.  I wonder if the amount you were running had much to do with your weight loss.   I walk that far every day on my treadmill on a grade of 7,  but that isn't nearly as energetic as running.   But you don't want to be like former football players who quit football and eat just as much.  Football might be enough exercise to make a difference. ??  I don't have a clue.   Best wishes.  

[TraceSPN]

Thank you.

Yes, I was on 1200 calories, keto diet, per day.   I’ll definitely google what my maintenance  level is and stick to that.  

[WendyB]

Also there are many seated exercises out there. Search Youtube. You might find some things you can do

[Heybales]

Curious what the Fitbit I'm assuming you are using is giving as your daily calorie burn?

You have potentially 1000 levels available - that will be more accurate than you guessing from 4-5 levels.

So you were eating the recommended bare minimum for average sedentary female purely to get nutrients in.

You may or may not be average, could be shorter, could be heavier, could be rather low, could be high.

During your body repairing from the injury - this is also not the time to be on a diet unless you want to just drag the recovery out to beyond max.

So don't be concerned about water weight - it's part of the same water weight you initially dropped when starting a diet - it was coming back some day anyway and body wants it and will use it.

[DavideFitbit]

Hi @TraceSPN! This happened to me a few months ago, I got injured while I was working out at the gym and found out I had 3 herniated disks in the lumbar area 😅. I had to stop exercising almost completely until I was able to get a little better. 

I'd suggest you focus on maintaining weight, particularly with a structured  food plan (but not really cutting too many calories, just eating healthy in general, because if you have a muscle injury for example, you'll need many nutrients and healthy food options to help you heal), rather than increasing the amount of exercise. If you increase the exercise too son you may have setbacks, like I did. So just take some time to let your body heal properly and change the focus to your food plan for a little while and keep making those gentle walks if you can, but only if they make you feel better.  

Let is know about your progress!