Laid up due to injury and worried about weight gain

[lostconfidence]

I have always struggle with my weight and I had started to cut down my food as part of a local nhs programme when last week I fell on a stair and broke my leg. I've had ti have an operation and im currently house bound on crutches. Moving around is taking up a lot of energy and I need a nap each day. One of my concerns is how much weoght I will now gain with so little activity. Has anyone been in a similar situation or have any tips?

[elliebath Maintainer]

Yes I had a similar time last year before and after an arthroscopy on my knee. Waliking had been painful especially hills and stairs so I avoided it. Then after the surgery I was a couple weeks before I could get out and about properly and 3 months before I was fully "normal". In hindsight I should have adjusted my eating during this time but I didnt and was horrified in april when I eventually weighed. ( I hadnt weighed for 6months and all in all had gained a stone ) . You just need to re calculate your TDEE and BMR try using the myfitnesspal calculator. Put your details in as Sedentary. This will give you a maintenance calorie level and if you follow this you should avoid any weight gain. Wish Id done it, but ive now shed my spare 18lbs and I still use myfitnesspal to monitor my calories and exercise. Hope your leg is soon mended.

[Zenette]

I broke my heel once and was also out of action for quite a while. One definitely has to eat less than when mobile. I think reducing carbs is a good way to go: you don't need all that carbs for quick energy, as you are not running around.

Also, I have a few dumbbells at home (three sets of various weights: 3 kg, 5 kg and 7.5 kg): I used them to continue upper body exercises (sitting down) and continued to do stomach exercises (lying down), not for weight loss (doing them won't burn a lot of calories) but just to keep the muscles a little strong.

A good time also to focus on other physical things you can control, e.g. posture and breathing.

[Prin]

Try and find things to do other than nibbling, something I find hard to control, its not too much of an issue when you are up and about but when you are laid up its much harderxx

[Prin]

Try and find things to do other than nibbling, something I find hard to control, its not too much of an issue when you are up and about but when you are laid up its much harderxx

[snoozylou]

my advice is to concentrate on eating healthy! But remember your body is healing so needs the right foods to repair itself!

[lostconfidence]

Thank you everyone. I definitely have a better perspective on my situation. In particular focusing on healthy eating, and looking at what I can do. I've signed up to the ap so that I can try to control my weight but I am going to be realistic about my goal, focusing on limiting weight gain rather than hopping to lose during this time. Wish me luck!

[returner]

Hi lostconfidence,

It's much the same as for, say, post-surgery convalescence / rehabilitation. Remember, activity isn't the key component of weight management - eating is. Activity helps you to lose weight by bringing about changes in your hormone levels that promotes fat burning and impedes fat storage.

But what becomes important in such situations is eating moderate amounts of good nutritious food and not slipping back into 'bad' eating habits such as comfort or boredom eating, and trying to keep a 'structure' to your eating will help with that.

I've found - as I've been at home after my prostatectomy - that it's been far TOO easy to snack badly - bready things are just sooooo convenient, aren't they - so being a bit disciplined about that has helped. Also, I'm eating less carbs in my main meals to try to compensate for the ones that I know I shouldn't be eating in between the meals.

Also, remember you probably can so some upper body exercises - moderately - without impinging upon your injury / surgery site, but do talk with your doctor about that before doing that. Also, moving around on crutches will make you throw your weight very differently and make other muscles suddenly have to do a lot more than they may have been used to doing, so don't go straining anything that you are currently more dependent upon.