Best Approach for Injury/Continued Fat Loss?

J

jayawhite

0
Just my luck--I stepped on the scale this morning and found I have lost 20 pounds since beginning my fat loss program on February 25. What's the problem, then? I have an injury I need to heal, and I think it's going to require a temporary halt to my exercise.

Currently, I'm lifting weights, walking, doing cardio, and I started HIIT a week ago. I've been maintaining 20% calorie deficit for about about seven weeks.

I think the logical first step in healing this particular injury is stop the physical activity for a week and see what happens. If it appears to be getting better, I'll keep off the physical activity until it's healed.

BUT...I don't want to put back on any of the fat I've lost! In fact, I'd like to continue to lose some more.

1. Does it make sense to adjust my maintenance level to account for the physical inactivity and continue to go with a 20% deficit?
2. If it does, what factor do you think I should multiply my BMR by to get my new maintenance level--1.2?

Thanks in advance for any advice, suggestions, thoughts.
 
Keep exercising!

I'd say a lot this will depend on the severity of the injury, and what it is that you injured.

In general, I don't think all of your physical activity needs to come to a screeching halt. Cross-train with physical activities that don't affect the injured area. For instance, just because you've injured your calf muscle doesn't mean you shouldn't lift weights with your upper body, do ab work, or go swimming. I'd say, try to find what aggravates the injury and keep away from that. But continue to do everything else. It also helps to apply home remedies, such as the RICE method - Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate (the injured area).

If you think the injury is so severe that it will keep you from exercising at all, you really should consider a sports-rehab specialist.
 
For the past 2 weeks I have been unable to go to the gym because it was undergoing renovation. I knew that I wasn't going to be working out much during that time, so I recalculated my maintenance calories for the new exercise level, and just at slightly under maintenance. Without exercise and weight lifting, I didn't want to have a large deficit because my body had no reason to hold onto its muscle mass (becaue I wasn't working any muscles). It seemed to work very well to keep me balanced during this time, and now i'm back in the gym.
 
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