Can I lose weight while injured?

ashleyShades
ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
6 weeks ago I had a mole removed on my chest because it was atypical and the cells were changing. The doctor told me if I didn't have it removed now it could become cancerous very soon. The surgery went off without a hitch, but I hit a bump in the road during the healing process. After they took the sutures out, they put these adhesive pieces called steri-strips to hold my wound together. Well, I developed a blood blister and I will need a 2nd surgery in 2 weeks to repair this wound.

The incision is right on my lower chest and the doctor has ruled out any form of exercise while healing and after the 2nd surgery it could be another 6 to 8 weeks. Is it possible to lose weight without losing muscle tone without working out?

Replies

  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    Yes.

    Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit.

    Maintain a deficit you will lose weight.
    Eat adequate protein to help maintain lean mass
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited March 2015
    Yes, lower your activity level to sedentary and just eat your NEAT calories. (If you do TDEE, either recalculate or lower your calories by the amount you estimate you burn doing exercise).

    As far as the muscle tone, there is not much you can do about that. Will he refer you to a physical therapist who can give you alternate exercises? Can you do exercise walking?
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,401 Member
    edited March 2015
    Possibly lose a little muscle, but probably not to any degree that would be worth mentioning, unless of course your prevented from lifting/exercising for any sufficient amount of time.
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    Yes, lower your activity level to sedentary and just eat your NEAT calories. (If you do TDEE, either recalculate of lower your calories but the amount you estimate you burn doing exercise).

    As far as the muscle tone, there is not much you can do about that. Will he refer you to a physical therapist who can give you alternate exercises? Can you do exercise walking?

    I'm going to see if I can try to walk more. The problem is the incision is in a high tension area and when my breasts move, the incision moves too. He might suggest I wear a couple sports bras haha
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited March 2015
    ashleyShades wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    Yes, lower your activity level to sedentary and just eat your NEAT calories. (If you do TDEE, either recalculate of lower your calories but the amount you estimate you burn doing exercise).

    As far as the muscle tone, there is not much you can do about that. Will he refer you to a physical therapist who can give you alternate exercises? Can you do exercise walking?

    I'm going to see if I can try to walk more. The problem is the incision is in a high tension area and when my breasts move, the incision moves too. He might suggest I wear a couple sports bras haha

    I almost added swimming as a suggestion, then my coffee finally kicked in and I realized that the water would not be good for the incision, nor the stretching motion for the muscles in that location. Talk to your doctor about PT and see if there are some things you can do. There are some good exercise programs for those who have to sit in a chair that work the arms and legs with minimal stress on the midsection. Maybe a PT can show you some of those.

    ETA: you could always learn how to bind your breasts ;)

    ETA 2: good luck on the surgery and wishes for a speedy recovery!


  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Yes. It's possible to lose weight without exercise. I have chronic migraines which had previously been managed. Ever since Christmas, they've been out of control again. I've gotten very little exercise because of this. I did hit a stall in February, but I think that would have naturally happened anyway, since stalls happen. The stall has broken, with nearly 2 pounds gone this week alone.

    Just eat at a deficit and follow your doctor's orders about healing. Losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise.
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    Thank you!
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    I just did a TDEE & BMR calculator My TDEE is 2192 and my BMR is 1827 when I changed it to sedentary.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    ashleyShades wrote: »
    I just did a TDEE & BMR calculator My TDEE is 2192 and my BMR is 1827 when I changed it to sedentary.

    Are you referring to NEAT when you say BMR? BMR does not change. It is what you burn if you were laying in a coma doing nothing but breathing.

  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    The calculator I used gave both. It was labeled BMR and TDEE.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    ashleyShades wrote: »
    The calculator I used gave both. It was labeled BMR and TDEE.

    OK I was asking because MFP uses NEAT

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