Adjustments for Injury

samammay

Yesterday while riding my bike I was clipped by a car. Nothing is broken but I am pretty badly bruised and they think I may have torn my rotator cuff. 3-4 weeks recovery if I dont need surgery. 3-6 months if I do.

This is going to hamper my progress, of course.

I was at TDEE 3475 - 20%, losing about 1.5 lb/week. I was lifting SL 5x5 MWF and riding ~20 miles TTh. Based on my measured TDEE (FitBit) on off days, my TDEE is going to drop about 500/day until I can train again.

Would you base my new calorie input on my new TDEE -20%, move to maintenance for a while at my new TDEE, not change anything or something else?

I am not terribly concerned with scale weight. CW is 222, GW is 195, health is prime concern.

danimalkeys

First- I'm glad you are relatively OK! Did the car stop and help you? I hope your recovery is quick and complete.

If it were me, I'd adjust down to accommodate not being able to work out. What do you want to do? Going on maintenance until you are recovered is certainly an option, but I'd keep on the weight loss plan.

There are things you can still do to keep active. Stationary bike, treadmill, etc. if you have access. If you don't belong to a gym maybe you can get a short term membership so you can stay active until you are healed up.

Good luck!

samammay

Yes - he stopped as did 2 other cars. The paramedics, rescue and police were all there within 8 minutes of the accident.

Im considering just staying at my current intake of 2775. Ive been working hard in the gym and the last thing I want to do is lose much of that. I know I will some, but even at 2775 that still has me in a small deficit without any exercise.

At least until I know how long my recovery is going to last.

heybales

So sorry to hear about it. so glad it wasn't worse.

Increased calories isn't going to help retain muscle strength that isn't being used.

A reasonable deficit can still maintain muscle mass, several studies have shown that along with good protein.

"There were no significant changes in fat-free mass in any of the groups at any time period. There were also no significant changes in resting metabolic rate (measured in absolute terms or relative to body mass) within groups over time or between groups over time. "
http://fampra.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/2/196.full

Perhaps cut your 20% back to 10% if concerned.

And very true about other stuff to do. Gym if possible, isolation machines are better than nothing, especially on lower body where you don't need shoulder and arm.
Spin bike still possible for aerobic. Walking/elliptical might be too much pounding motion still for a while.