Weight loss with ACL/MENISCUS recovery

Anyone happen to have tips on losing weight with an injury!? It's frustrating I'm just gaining and gaining.
Currently at 1200 calories daily. Low fodmap diet.

Replies

  • mbcla23
    mbcla23 Posts: 3 Member
    I became bedridden and although they say 1200-you really have to look at your own height, current body weight, how much your expending, etc and really adjust accordingly-one size does not fit all. You have to look at your portion sizes. I had 4 surgeries in a row so I went from exercising two hours a day to nothing so I had to really clean up my diet and make some much needed changes anyways. I cut back on unneeded calories. I drank only water-all other beverages were not healthy or added too many calories. No sugar, no gluten, no dairy, no alcohol, no processed foods, no extra calories like sauces-I used spices, lemon juice, and olive oil for flavoring. I mainly kept to proteins, fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, some rice, oats, seeds, etc. I took a lot of vitamin supplements like Balance of Nature to help get the deficiencies I may not be getting during that time. I didn’t snack, I usually ate my meals at the same time every day to get my body used to when to be hungry. As I got better, I increased my portion sizes to accommodate for the increased physical activity.
    I am no nutritionist. Nutritionists have never worked for me and I’ve been to a ton. I’ve just had about 10 surgeries in my lifetime and am a very active person so I’ve just learned what works best for my body. Once I’m more active-then I can loosen the strings of course. It may take some trial and error. I did get a scale to keep myself in check during this time.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,247 Member
    When recouperating from surgeries prioritize protein and don't be in a calorie deficit no matter what.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    You may be retaining water from your injury. That said, there are mistakes that people commonly make that cause them to not lose weight that we might be able to spot if you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public. In the app, go to Settings > Diary Setting > Diary Sharing > and check Public. Desktop: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,026 Member
    Anyone happen to have tips on losing weight with an injury!? It's frustrating I'm just gaining and gaining.
    Currently at 1200 calories daily. Low fodmap diet.
    Did you have surgery? You CAN still workout with both injuries, but you have to modify how your work your legs dependent on the severity of the injuries.
    So full tear of ACL or sprain? Also meniscus tears don't heal if torn. Surgery is needed to trim off and loose or torn meniscus.
    I almost ruptured my LCL and did tear my meniscus. LCL healed up in less than 3 months and I rehabbed it from the time the swelling went down. Waited 6 months on the meniscus to see if it would bother my leg work. It did, so I decided to get surgery. Within 2 months, I was back to full squats, leg press, running and instructing kickboxing.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    edited July 2023
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Anyone happen to have tips on losing weight with an injury!? It's frustrating I'm just gaining and gaining.
    Currently at 1200 calories daily. Low fodmap diet.
    Did you have surgery? You CAN still workout with both injuries, but you have to modify how your work your legs dependent on the severity of the injuries.
    So full tear of ACL or sprain? Also meniscus tears don't heal if torn. Surgery is needed to trim off and loose or torn meniscus.
    I almost ruptured my LCL and did tear my meniscus. LCL healed up in less than 3 months and I rehabbed it from the time the swelling went down. Waited 6 months on the meniscus to see if it would bother my leg work. It did, so I decided to get surgery. Within 2 months, I was back to full squats, leg press, running and instructing kickboxing.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    I had a tear in my right meniscus this April (I was in crutches as they delivered all the equipment for our home gym)...

    But then I was squatting again within 2 weeks (light and with knee braces) and the last pain (when I full bore sprinted) went away in about 2 months. All progress was made under my orthopedic surgeon's supervision who agreed I didn't need surgery to trim up mine.

    I continued to lose weight while I rehabbed. I did what I could in the gym for my upper body and ate a high protein diet that was close to 33% from all 3 macronutrients with my carbs coming mostly from whole fruits and veggies (need a lot of high nutrient fruits/veggies to get all your micros with high protein diets).