Question about exercize and strength training

Goldenbast

Hi! I have been lurking here for a while now but finally have some questions. I initially lost a lot of weight doing this system, I was also strength training 3 times a week by going to a gym and doing a full body workout on the machines. It was wonderful and I had never felt better!! Well, I got serious hurt and am now disabled, I just recently started to be able to get around without a cane.

My question is how can I strength train when I can't do any of the leg exercises? I walk my dogs every day, but at most that is like maybe an hour of walking a day, very slow pace in small intervals (like 15 min here, 20 min later, etc). I have started to use the pool to try and exercise such as holding onto the ladder bars and just kicking for 15 min at a time, swim around, do more kicking. But it just doesn't seem like it would be enough and I am at a loss. I could go back to the gym and just train upper body, but would that work? It seems lopsided to me.

I gained back some of the weight I had lost through all the disability and now I have been roughly at the same weight for months, I think it has something to do with me no longer doing the same amount of workouts I was doing before. I am so discouraged sometimes, I want to do something, but the lower half of my body won't let me!

I have determination, I finally told myself enough was enough, it doesn't matter if I can't do what I used to, I should suck it up and get back on track, try to go back to eating healthy, not starve myself some days because I think if I can't exercise then I shouldn't eat...it didn't get me anywhere so some change is in order...but...what?

I would dearly love any suggestions.

heybales

First, you did adjust your level of eating since the daily activity and exercise changed massively, right?

Always have to eat correctly for that.

Second, while upper body muscles may be smaller and less impact, keep it up. Especially if you can do free weights, barbell or dumbbell, as the standing lifts at least make you engage the lower body. If you can.

And you are correct compared to lifting, nothing else will put a load on the muscles the same way, but you can still use them.

And now more than ever you need to keep a reasonable deficit, and get your protein in.

Your body breaks down muscle all the time, constant basis, and builds it back up. If there is lack of protein for all the body's needs, the muscle least used isn't built back up to same level. Gradual loss of muscle mass.

So have you been eating at a deficit at all you think, or as you comment maintaining weight, but also eating enough?

Because if you've been good at logging, and eating enough, your eating level is your TDEE for whatever level of activity you've had.

Find 250 calories in your current eating level you can leave out.

Now find about 250 calories of additional activity you can do about 3-4 days a week. You were already walking, so that doesn't count, that's already in your TDEE.
So swimming is great, upper lifting is great. Can you spin legs on spin bike since non-impact?
Use MFP estimate of calories burned for swimming and strength training, spin bike compare your effort to walking on treadmill at the speeds listed in MFP database, and use that calorie count. The spin bike entry has no pace or intensity associated with it.

zenyacleveland

I think youa re going to be fine.
Just take it one day at a time.
I don't have any training advise because I am just starting myself.
I am doing Chalean Extreme.
I am sooooo new to this.
I would look up modifying your workouts on google or something ......hope it helps

http://www.shape.com/celebrities/should-you-work-out-when-youre-injured

FourIsCompany

If you're kicking your feet for 15 minutes at a time in the water, and moving against the resistance, that is going to help with your legs. I would do side kicks, too, if you can to get the abductors and adductors. I do water twice a week and it has really helped my legs get into shape so I could lift.

Goldenbast

thanks for the responses! I haven't reset anything yet, I am just getting back into it since now I at least have limited mobility......Im not sure if i should set m activity to no activity or light activity....the pool might be out, the complex has been locking it, i'm afraid it might be for the season....so the only exercise I will be getting is about 45 min of walking a day. I'm on a very fixed income for the next few months so I won't be able to get a gym membership, but I will see about getting some hand weights.

I ws thinking of doing a reset since its been so long since I have followed any kind of plan.

heybales

Lightly active if you are going to do some things like walking.

Also, body weight pushup, dips, pullups, ect for upper body will all help, and planks side and front will engage the legs too.

If you've been eating at maintenance for a while, sounds like you had a reset already.

Goldenbast

honestly I don't know if I was eating at TDEE or not....sometimes I would eat a lot, other times I would eat hardly anything at all, my weight has been fluctuating by 5 pounds back and forth and I had not been logging anything I ate and I admit to not eating healthy, but I am gonna change that and at least try to eat healthier, plus I am going to start logging again to see what I am really doing.

Thanks a lot for the encouragement! It means a lot to me!

FourIsCompany

Bodyweight Exercises:
http://jasonferruggia.com/top-20-bodyweight-exercises-for-building-muscle-strength/