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Weight gain from injury (Read 532 times)

satt


    I had an injury and gained a little weight. I used to have a flat stomach but now I have a little pooch. how do I get rid of this? I already have a healthy diet, as I'm vegan, but I don't want to cut back too much because I feel like crap when I eat less. I know I need to lose weight and that you can't spot reduce, but how exactly should I go about this? Just rely on running more to help it go down? Should I cut anything out of my diet?

     



    bojangles


      Your post contradicts itself somewhat. You say you don't want to eat less, but then ask what you should take out of your diet. You need to take out some food.

       

      Now, the first couple things that comes to my mind is this-

       

      When you were injured, you still ate like you ate when you were running. Thus gaining that little "pooch" as you were inactive and not burning nearly as many calories as you were when running.

      Or

      You decided to eat more because you stopped caring as you weren't running and you were injured.

       

      Once you figure out which one it was, you can go from there.

       

      And on a side note, just because you are vegan, doesn't mean you have a healthy diet.

      satt


        It was probably the fact that I was still eating like I was when I was running. I only removed my pre-run snack; the rest, I ate like normal. Now, I don't count calories, but my appetite was still nearly the same as it was when I'm running. 

        bojangles


          Well there we go. You got your answer. You shouldn't have to tweak your diet that much or at all for those lbs to be shed. Just get back out on the pavement and do what we do best......... Run.


          an amazing likeness

            Eat less, exercise more. Repeat.

            Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

              Most injuries don't preclude all exercise; usually there's something you can do. But it sounds like you can run again now in any case. But don't miss chances to do other exercise. Walking, cycling instead of taking the car etc.

               

              As far as food goes. Eat 3 good meals a day, don't snack between meals (some fruit or veg if you must). Avoid sugary stuff. Avoid booze.

              bojangles


                Most injuries don't preclude all exercise; usually there's something you can do. But it sounds like you can run again now in any case. But don't miss chances to do other exercise. Walking, cycling instead of taking the car etc.

                 

                As far as food goes. Eat 3 good meals a day, don't snack between meals (some fruit or veg if you must). Avoid sugary stuff. Avoid booze.

                 

                What is wrong with having healthy snacks in between meals? Why must she eat 3 square meals a day?

                sunkid


                  It was probably the fact that I was still eating like I was when I was running. I only removed my pre-run snack; the rest, I ate like normal. Now, I don't count calories, but my appetite was still nearly the same as it was when I'm running. 

                   

                  The same happened to me. I don't even think I was eating nearly as much as I did while I was running but for the first time in my life, I gained some serious weight after my first marathon when I only ran off and on afterwards. My personal theory is that my metabolism changed toward storing more food than it had been before. I always could eat however much I wanted without gaining weight, even into my mid-thirties. That's no longer the case.

                   

                  The good news is, after only a few weeks of more or less regular running every other day, I feel like I have lost quite a bit of the weight again. Big grin

                  joescott


                    I have been through this twice in the last 3 years, sidelined completely for significant stretches of time.  Like you, I gained weight, probably from eating too much and eating crap from being depressed that I couldn't run more so than from just the sudden decrease in exercise.  In both cases I was able to turn it around by just doing the needful:  counting the calories and staying under budget.  Yes, this will mean some of your runs will feel like crap because you are running a calorie deficit (and it seems to be more noticeable on some days than others).  But if you target a weight loss "glide slope" of about 1 pound (3500 calorie deficit) per week, it's not too bad.  Obviously, it is better to do this with healthy eating, but I'm a firm believer in the law of conservation of energy, so whether your diet is primarily composed of donuts or high quality protein, if you stay under budget, you will lose weight (although with the healthier eating you will feel better of course), but there is no magic formula to avoid this food or that food.

                    - Joe

                    We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

                      What is wrong with having healthy snacks in between meals? Why must she eat 3 square meals a day?

                       

                      I'm describing what works for me. If you're trying to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. Snacking the moment you feel a twinge of hunger works against that.

                      zoom-zoom


                      rectumdamnnearkilledem

                        So I'm the only one who finds it easy to lose while completely sidelined? Losing while active...that's the bitch. It's been 3 weeks to the day since I trashed my right wrist. Ortho has me in a long arm cast and won't let me do ANYTHING, not even recumbent stationary bike. Perfect opportunity to hit my diet hard and not be concerned with bonking. Over 10#s lost in this time...less than 20 to go. In almost 7 years I struggled not to gain while running.

                        Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                        remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                             ~ Sarah Kay

                        joescott


                          So I'm the only one who finds it easy to lose while completely sidelined? Losing while active...that's the bitch. It's been 3 weeks to the day since I trashed my right wrist. Ortho has me in a long arm cast and won't let me do ANYTHING, not even recumbent stationary bike. Perfect opportunity to hit my diet hard and not be concerned with bonking. Over 10#s lost in this time...

                           

                          Wow.  Nice work.

                          - Joe

                          We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

                          bojangles


                            I'm describing what works for me. If you're trying to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. Snacking the moment you feel a twinge of hunger works against that.

                             

                            I know, but you should've said that is what works for you in your original post. You are 100% right about being in a calorie deficit. That is the biggest thing to worry about, and a close second is where you are getting those calories. Meal timing and placement is the last thing to worry about, if at all.

                             

                            Edit- Thanks joescott for spotting my error.

                              So I'm the only one who finds it easy to lose while completely sidelined? Losing while active...that's the bitch. It's been 3 weeks to the day since I trashed my right wrist. Ortho has me in a long arm cast and won't let me do ANYTHING, not even recumbent stationary bike. Perfect opportunity to hit my diet hard and not be concerned with bonking. Over 10#s lost in this time...less than 20 to go. In almost 7 years I struggled not to gain while running.

                               

                               

                              I didn't lose any weight the last time I was injured, but for the first time being injured didn't lead to weight gain.  I did make an effort this time to cut back on my eating (and drinking) and for the first time since I initially lost the  weight 4 years ago, kept a food journal for a few weeks and counted calories.

                               

                              I also thought it was pretty easy... lack of running and exercise really helped curb the appetite. 

                              joescott


                                 kept a food journal for a few weeks and counted calories.

                                 

                                This.  If you want 100% certainty of weight loss, this is the bomb.

                                - Joe

                                We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

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