Over-exercised and now injured. Will i gain weight back?

gale1089

I'll admit that I've been pushing myself pretty hard... working out 6x a week. Running to the gym every night & every weekend to burn calories so I can eat more. I was making progress (slowly but surely) and feeling better about myself!

I somehow injured my back (not sure what the cause is yet, but I know I need to rest it) and it's hard not to push myself to the gym. I know working out is going to make it worse in the long run, but I feel so lazy sitting at home every night. I feel like I'm going to lose all of my hard work or gain the weight or lose the muscle I've worked my butt off to get.

Will taking a week or two off really be as bad as I'm imagining? I'm still eating at a calorie deficit but I don't want to go back to skinny fat. Has anyone has an injury and had to stop exercising? I need some advice or support or something. THANKS!

gale1089

Anyone?

Ninkyou

Just continue to eat your deficit, rest up & heal and then get back to exercising when you're able. You're not going to become skinny fat in a matter of weeks.

Back in August I got plantar fasciitis when I overtrained.. I could barely walk at all. I stuck to my calorie goal and still lost weight. Sure it sucks you can't eat as much, but you're not going to starve either.

FireOpalCO

If you are still eating at a deficit, you shouldn't have a problem at least maintaining.

Since you injured your back have you been to see a doctor?

My back is pretty weak and prone to injury. Two car accidents in my past messed it up pretty good. When I was in recovery from the second one, it was recommended I go to a chiropractor weekly. Before he even worked on me I needed an hour's massage to get the muscles to relax enough. The problem with injuries (and a job where I sit all day) is that muscles can really tighten up. Depending on the injury "resting" it can make it worse. This doesn't mean "go deadlift" but slow walking or careful stretching can help by keeping the muscles loose.

But the most important advice I can give is seeing the doctor.

gale1089

I did go see a chiropractor for the first time today and she said I had a misalignment in my spine. We're going to start a progressive treatment over these next two weeks, so I'm hoping that will help!

h7463

Hi there...sorry you have to go through this... Been there myself a few times...HOWEVER...no need to sit around lazy for me...I have never worked through an injury, but always around it. Look into yoga and stretching. There are many moves that can be used to rehab back injuries. Your range of motion will improve in the process, and you can keep your core strong.
Don't stop there. You can do a lot with a set of dumbbells, without tormenting your back too much. Think chest press, seated overhead press, bis curls...
Any body weight exercise that doesn't put pressure on your spine will do...squats, step-ups, walking lunges... Pushups might not be a good idea, but you can try a plank for a few seconds at a time. Careful with situps and crunches. Correctly performed, they can help to stretch your back, but be sure to always do them with a rounded back. Relax the spine, and let your abs do all the work.
Also, you can check the classifieds for a simple, cheap stationary bike. Easy, steady state cardio seems boring, and everybody, including me, hates it, but during recovery, it's a real life saver. Besides, you can watch TV while burning calories....
The possibilities are endless, as long as you take it slow. Who needs a gym, anyway.... Consult your doc, though.
Get well soon!

elainek79

Hey hun I know what it feels like to be injured

I recently took 2 weeks off And put on 2lbs I was happy with how little I gained and I ate lots of food! And when I say a lot I mean a lot!!!

The only problem was my muscle did get soft and less defined but once I got back training with in a week I was back to pre injury

I'm a gym addict and go 5/6 days a week and find it extremely difficult to take more then one day off ..

You will be fine just don't forget that love for lifting

adorable_aly

Talk to your doctor, have them assess the injury, you might be able to work around it, just depends on the damage...

whitebalance

I hurt my back in January. I took off about 6 weeks. The first 2-3 weeks, I gained a little... Then I cut my calorie target to match my lower activity level and the gain went away. I'm off this week because of a pulled calf muscle... I actually lost a few pounds (aka, took a big dump) yesterday.

I recommend resting, recovering fully, and easing back into your pre-injury activity level - while eating at maintenance with enough protein to fuel your repair/recovery process. If you gain a bit, it will come back off once you get moving again.