Help - Injury :(

ashleybreuer

Hello - I'm an avid runner and I workout with my personal trainer 5-6 days a week (I only run about 35-45 minutes each day and training is anywhere from 30-45 minutes each day so I always put activity as Moderately Active). I have a stress fracture in the 1st metatarsal of my arch which requires me to be in a boot for 2 weeks. I've been disqualified from running my half marathon in May and pretty much done with running until I heal. That being said I also cannot do leg exercises because I need to stay not only off the foot but off the ankle joint. I am so used to being active every day that it really scares me to cut out cardio (i'm not able to do the stairs or elliptical) and no leg exercises. So that leaves me only to work my upper body and abs 4-5 days a week at 30-45 minutes a day). I need help recalculating my calories to factor in my new activity level with no cardio and to make sure I don't gain weight and DON'T lose muscle (that's my biggest fear). Can you help me with this as i'm just lost right now and still trying to soak everything in:

Stats: 122 lbs / female / 5ft 3.5 inches / fat caliper testing says 13% BF but I put it at 17% to account for human error (up to 4 percentage points). New activity level: 5 days a week but only upper body/abs for 30-45 minutes a time. No Cardio and no Leg exercises.

Any help would be greatly appreciated to help find a happy/healthy balance so that i don't lose muscle and don't gain lbs during these 2 weeks.

Thank you
Ashley

Greenrun99

I would just take a diet break and heal up for those 2 weeks.. If your worried about gaining weight eat at a lower activity level (lightly active/sed) but I wouldn't workout during that time. After the 2 weeks when you are out of the boot sounds like you won't be doing the cardio either for a few weeks til your healed so adjust up if you start weight training again.

ashleybreuer

I would just take a diet break and heal up for those 2 weeks.. If your worried about gaining weight eat at a lower activity level (lightly active/sed) but I wouldn't workout during that time. After the 2 weeks when you are out of the boot sounds like you won't be doing the cardio either for a few weeks til your healed so adjust up if you start weight training again.

For a diet break would I eat at TDEE then (probably at a much lower activity level)?

Thank you
Ashley

heybales

You can do leg curls and extensions. And hip machine for glutes. (with access to gym I guess, though you can fanangle something at home)
All non-weight bearing, well, accept for glutes when standing on bad foot, but just standing then.

That'll keep your lower body in good shape.

Also, few those TDEE levels as hrs a week, not days. You were over Mod active, at least rounded up to nearest 100.
Now, Mod Active rounded down.

And as long as you keep your protein levels up, and moderate deficit at 10% because so little left to lose, you'll be fine on retaining muscle.

Several studies have shown no muscle loss if deficit small, other studies have shown no muscle loss even with steeper deficits if protein kept at recommended levels.
And of course we all know about retaining with resistance training.

ashleybreuer

You can do leg curls and extensions. And hip machine for glutes. (with access to gym I guess, though you can fanangle something at home)
All non-weight bearing, well, accept for glutes when standing on bad foot, but just standing then.

That'll keep your lower body in good shape.

Also, few those TDEE levels as hrs a week, not days. You were over Mod active, at least rounded up to nearest 100.
Now, Mod Active rounded down.

And as long as you keep your protein levels up, and moderate deficit at 10% because so little left to lose, you'll be fine on retaining muscle.

Several studies have shown no muscle loss if deficit small, other studies have shown no muscle loss even with steeper deficits if protein kept at recommended levels.
And of course we all know about retaining with resistance training.

Thank you - I had forgotten to mention in my original post that I ran 3-4 days a week and then the weight training was/is 5-6 days just depending on the week and it's 30-45 minutes for each class. I was always really conservative and put myself as moderately active because I wasn't quite sure. I can honestly live without running, as much as I love it, it's the thought of not doing much with my lower body that is driving me insane. I'll talk to my trainer and have her modify my lower body workout so that we're not doing any weight bearing exercises on the bad foot. Thank you for your input, I appreciate it.