Forced to stop working out

WickedGarden

I started P90x in January and was finishing up my 6th week recently. I discovered I had a medical condition that needed to taken care of that had been stalling my progress and weight loss. The doctor said 'no working out for at least a week' :mad:

So, now it's been about a week, and I can 'ease back' into upper body weights. If you were forced to stop a workout program, how long before you started seeing results again?

Thankfully I didn't gain weight, but I just feel so 'weak', i miss my workouts...I guess mainly, I'm frustrated that I worked so hard for so long, and had to suddenly stop.

WickedGarden

BUMP

PLEASE HELP!

WickedGarden

Really?!?!

NOBODY has EVER had to stop a workout program?

TheMerryPup

I was finishing up a 16 week program at the end of last year and was in my next to last week when I got a pulled muscle in my right leg that prevented me from deep squatting, (which was one of the things I was doing in the program, as well as lunges). Anyway, I work out with kettlebells primarily and what I was able to do was to switch to a program of kettlebell snatches. Snatches involve minimal knee flexion and a hip hinge so I was able to keep going and it's what I'm currently doing. It's one of the only things I can do right now, besides pressing, that won't aggravate my knee. I'll probably be doing this for about 3 more weeks.

thinmintme

I can't offer any advice, myself.
I did break my foot recently and that, surprisingly coincided with my declaration to eat healthy, reinvent my life.
Practically bedridden for a month and a half and it frustrated me. Left leg is still a wobbly mess because of it.
I can't wait to get back outside again. I want to take long walks, do some yoga, etc.

pittsblue99

I would talk with your doctor and see if they have any ideas on how to ease back into it so you do not lose too much of the progress that you have already made. I have not had to stop yet but I am tossing around the idea of a lower body lift at some point so I know that I am going to have to stop for quite a while after that - and I am definitely worried about stopping and losing the progress that I have made. Good luck with your weight loss journey

AnneMK5

I have an inner ear condition called Miniere's disease (there's no cure). It gives me bouts of vertigo and really effects my balance. Before I was jogging and doing workout videos 4 to 5 times per week. Now I'm happy if I can get in a good walk once or twice per week.

futbolkt21

I have had injuries in the past that prevented me from being able to workout. Just had to ease back into things.

Are you allowed to do anything low impact? Maybe if you can at least do some walking you can burn a few calories every day.

KimbersNewLife

Ha I did a post yesterday about hiking and still haven't gotten anything so I understand how you feel. Of course my question was a little more detailed than yours so that might be why.

As you your question...personally when I have to take time off due to injury I usually start back by walking a few times a day until I work myself back up and gain some energy. Good luck! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

tam120

Well, no I haven't ever been forced to stop an entire program. In my 6th week of Insanity I started physical therapy for "tennis elbow" (I've never played tennis - it's just a form of tendonitis). My therapist said no other upper body work other than what I was doing in PT. I didn't listen, I regretted that. So after I realized I was dumb, I continued Insanity but ff through the floor work which is almost all pushups or core work in a plank position. I stopped taking my aerobics/strength interval class on Friday cause it was REALLY aggravating the problem. Now, I'm feeling better and I've added the floor workouts during Insanity back but haven't gone back to class yet because it's way too much for my arm yet. I never really felt like I was losing strength or that I was weak.

If you're feeling like you've had a setback just go back a couple of weeks in the program, you'll catch right up again.

SteveHunt113

I've gotten sick where I could no longer workout for about a week. As far as getting back into weight training, it wasn't a big deal. The cardio took a little time, but I think by the end of a week I felt like I was back to 100%.

When I broke my toe, I refused to stop any of my workout. Walked around in the boot, and would put on one of those hard plastic bottomed slippers to ride the stationary bike. Got a lot of kudos from the folks at the gym.

Two weeks ago I had to miss a couple of days, and I'm also in the midst of a 90 workout (had to stop on day 42). When I started up, I went back to day 39 and picked up from there.

kellyes86

I hear you on feeling weak, it is SO frustrating. I was in a pretty good routine of treadmill/elliptical/yoga, and I was doing my own version of the Couch to 5K on the treadmill. Then I overextended my ankle resulting in a severe sprain. I've just finally started to walk normally again and without a wrap - my doctor told me to stay off of it until the pain was completely gone or I'd seriously injure myself. It's been nearly a month! So frustrating and I find I'm more agitated, I'm sleeping worse...ugh, I can't wait to get started again.

Hope you're able to pick up where you left off without too much of an issue!

HeidiMightyRawr

I've had an injury before and had to rest up for around a week. I've also taken a purposeful week off over Christmas last year, and when I went on holiday last. Tbh it didn't do much harm, I just stayed the same, maybe lost a little strength but got back to it soon enough.

It might be different if the injury is directly related to your working out, for example, it's still a little weak / a sensitive area so you'd have to go easy for a little bit. I can't see a week doing but harm though, people have to stay off for far longer with certain injuries and manage to get back into it eventually.

Basically, a break for an injury is not going to ruin all your hard work up until then. I hope you heal up quickly and are back to your best soon though, I understand it can be frustrating

doughd2

I've been doing combinations of p90x, insanity, and bodyrock type workouts for a few years now. Towards the end of last year I screwed up my hip and ended up having hip surgery in January. Working out stopped completely for a good 4 weeks. Then I eased back into light upper body weights. This week I finally started back to a full out upper body workout and have finally been cleared to *walk* on a treadmill. It's tough not being able to do ab and leg work.. you think one week is tough.. try watching the changes in your body happen over the course of 6. :grumble: As for strength and endurance... I could do 50+ pushups before surgery... I'm eeking out 20 now.

My only advice is - do what you can, and try not to sweat it. I tried to adopt the "enjoy it while you can" attitude of bumming around. I wanted to work out, but I wanted to heal properly even more, so I didn't push it.

batlou

I had to take 6 weeks off last year after my last race to heal an injured calf. Still squeezed in a couple of runs and bikes but no tempo or threshold pace stuff. It took another 6-8 weeks to get back to form and I will be working for the next 4 months to get to where I was then.

WickedGarden

thanks for the replies everybody!

futbolkt: I am allowed weights, just no cardio/core/ab work (not that I love ab work, but I was *finally* able to blow thru 'Ab Ripper X' on that 6th week)

It wasn't anything like a workout related injury, so no sprain/strain. I'm careful about not getting too carried away with the program, I back down when I pass my target heart rate.

I'm going to start the weights tomorrow...I'll see the doctor on Thursday to see how I'm doing.

Thanks again!