Am I losing weight or muscle ?

andysport1

I was training approx. 19 hours a week for ironman, high protein low ish carbs, had been losing a little bit of weight nothing significant, I had an accident broke my back so no exercise what so ever, due to being unable to make my own food i'm eating quite high carbs (a normal persons daily diet) so in 3 weeks since the accident I've lost weight about 3lbs when really I expected to put weight on, I also get sugar cravings now ?
To the question, the scales dropping is this actual weight loss or is this me losing my muscle due to no exercise ?

jemhh

If your weight is going down, you are losing weight. You may have lost some muscle at this point but it would likely be little. I would expect you to lose some, though, since muscle seems to have a bit of a use it or lose it component. Most people I know who have had an injury to a leg or arm can, at first, see that it has atrophied a bit once the cast comes off. I would expect the same to happen to you.

I would guess that you were eating a lot while training. Now, even though you are eating more carbs and less protein, you are eating fewer calories overall. Plus you're going to lose some water weight without the training going on.

Any idea how long the recovery period for your injury is going to be? I try to reserve the word "devastating" for serious situations and it seems like it would apply here.

K2up

Probably both.

Wow, breaking your back is a major stress on your entire body! No matter what you are eating, your body is going to put all your energy into recovery. Make sure you are drinking plenty o water and eat the best you can.

I hope your recovery goes without any major delays!

Sued0nim

Wish you a speedy recovery

I would assume increase in water weight from reintroduction of carbs of and inflammation from injury so if scales are showing 3lbs loss I'd assume possibly more fat /muscle loss but how much who knows

The thing is your focus should be on recovery ...you can come back from this ...should be increasing intake to hit maintenance ...nutritious rounded diet and adequate protein

Recovery will be swift once you can train again

heybales

Hope for speeding recovery.

You are losing glucose stores no longer needed - easily 1-2 lbs there.

And blood volume no longer needed for cooling ability - probably more weight available there.

If you are eating at current maintenance for level of activity - you should be able to keep your muscle mass.

It's not until you start eating in deficit and not using muscle that body is going to decide what to keep and what not to keep - then you'll lose some.

This is the same reason people gain weight eating at a deficit when they start a workout - water weight gains for several reasons.

rebel_26

Amen on recovery first and I wish you luck .

Great post from Sued0nim.

it's amazing the "memory" muscles have when leaving the lifestyle for a little while for just cause and later returning to it. Get healthy. Tweak your macros to your situation and track your calories.

Talan79

Wishing you a speedy recovery.... I agree with the loss of glucose. I had bronchitis and was unable to lift or do cardio. I went down 2 pounds....I had been struggling to drop any more fat, so I know those 2 pounds was just water weight. As soon as I got back into the gym, scale was back up by 2lbs. I don't think you are losing muscle that fast, if eating less than BMR, that is when muscle loss can happen.

andysport1

jemhh wrote: »

If your weight is going down, you are losing weight. You may have lost some muscle at this point but it would likely be little. I would expect you to lose some, though, since muscle seems to have a bit of a use it or lose it component. Most people I know who have had an injury to a leg or arm can, at first, see that it has atrophied a bit once the cast comes off. I would expect the same to happen to you.

I would guess that you were eating a lot while training. Now, even though you are eating more carbs and less protein, you are eating fewer calories overall. Plus you're going to lose some water weight without the training going on.

Any idea how long the recovery period for your injury is going to be? I try to reserve the word "devastating" for serious situations and it seems like it would apply here.

Thanks for the encouraging words, recovery is 10 weeks for my back and 2 years for full recovery of my arm/shoulder, they said today I will probably be allowed to swim at 10-12 weeks, other activities thereafter subject to pain and freestyle swimming 6 months.

andysport1

K2up wrote: »

Probably both.

Wow, breaking your back is a major stress on your entire body! No matter what you are eating, your body is going to put all your energy into recovery. Make sure you are drinking plenty o water and eat the best you can.

I hope your recovery goes without any major delays!

Thank you for your words, I am drinking loads mainly water, I'm eating smaller meals and foods that a normal tv addict would eat, cereal for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, pasta or fish & chips for dinner. biscuits with coffee. I'll be glad when I can go back to eggs royale for breakfast and salads for lunch. I can't cook, I can't cut anything up so I'm eating what I'm given.