Very demotivated and upset at leg injury,

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Letteh
Letteh Posts: 2
in Motivation and Support
Hello, I am 20 years old. When I was 16 and 17 I lost 75lbs of weight and was very slender, but have put almost 65lbs back on during my first year at University and was so upset the other day when I tried to get into my jeans and couldn't.

The worst part is I have an injury in my knee that I cannot treat and means that I cannot exercise - I cannot even walk up hills without pain even when my knee is all strapped down etc. it will get better in time but that could be years :(

I feel so pointless and useless and horrible just sat around my house doing nothing. I am sure I am getting fatter by the day. Is there anyone who cannot do regular exercise that has found a workout they can do? I am thinking swimming but somebody told me that is not great for weight loss. Is this true?

Please help; I feel like a great big disgusting slug and cannot believe I worked for two years to lose that weight and now have gained it all back.

Replies

  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
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    Swimming is a great exercise. Anyone who says it isn't is an idiot.
  • gsc560
    gsc560 Posts: 11
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    Try out swimming. I've had swimming and walking in the pool prescribed to me by my physical therapist (post injury). If you can, see someone in that field who can help you build an exercise program that takes your injury into account, and possibly helps that knee.

    Good Luck!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    You lose weight by eating at a deficit. Exercise makes it easier to eat at a deficit, but it isn't necessary. I only do 1 hour of yoga a week.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    I empathize with you about the injury. I've had some leg injuries, though nothing as long term as you, and it's tough to sit still while they heal.

    As others have said, though, you lose weight in the kitchen - by consistently running a calorie deficit - not in the gym. Exercising allows you to eat more while maintaining the same deficit. But it also makes you hungrier.

    Exercise does help you get fitter, though, and preserve muscle mass as you lose weight. Here are a few thoughts:

    Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise. I used to do it 3 times a week until circumstances changed and getting to the pool wasn't as easy. Swimmers do tend to maintain a small layer of fat under their skins (maybe because it's insulating), but it's not very much. Look for pictures of of Natalie Coughlin or Michael Phelps…they're certainly in good shape!

    You should also look into strength exercises that you can do without putting strain on your knee. Stumptuous.com is a good place to start; so is ScoobysWorkshop.com. Also check with your medical advisors about any exercises that might help strengthen the knee and shorten your recovery. There may not be any, but in some cases, strengthening the muscles around a joint can help if the joint itself is injured.

    Are you allowed to cycle? I hurt my knee in spring 2012 and needed a stick to walk, but I could cycle without any problem. (Ironically, I injured myself by crashing my bicycle while I was cycling to the path where I usually ran.) Cycling uses the knee but puts much less stress on it than walking or running.

    Good luck!
  • TXEXrunner
    TXEXrunner Posts: 178 Member
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    I agree with others on the swimming and calorie management. Sorry to hear the knee is going to take a while to heal. Been down that road with a broken ankle - no fun. But it made me change my habits in many facets of my life - not just exercise. Research activities you can do that don't involve the injured knee. You obviously were successful at losing weight before and I'm willing to bet it involved changing your routine to accomplish. You can do it again!!! Find a new routine that let's you manage the calories and allows you a new exercise routine. The new year offers a natural start line for your journey. Take advantage of it. You know what you can accomplish - use that as incentive. Also find a friend to help keep you accountable. Good luck - you can do this!!!
  • focuseddiva
    focuseddiva Posts: 174 Member
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    Strange as it sounds, use your injury to motivate you to eat well. When I was really in shape, I was running 35 miles a week. Running that much allowed me to have a few days where I could eat higher calories (but not every day). Then, I got a stress fracture from overuse and I couldn't do any of my favorite cardio -- running, walking, elliptical. Even the stationary bike hurt. Knowing that I couldn't exercise off my calories, I really became very strict in the kitchen. I was at my goal weigh then and didn't need to lose anymore, and so eating 1200-1400 calories each day without any exercise at all for 6 weeks yielded no weight gain or loss. I simply maintained. Which I was fine with, because my big worry in not exercising as I had been was weight gain. So try to turn this into a positive. You can't do the exercise you really want to, but you can get eating under control. Then just imagine how great it will be when you add yoru exercise back in after you healed! And oh yes-- swimming is great for torching cals and toning.
  • laxheart16
    laxheart16 Posts: 12 Member
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    Hi, my name is Bri! I am also a 20 year old college student.

    I had the exact same thing my first year of college with my knees. I had a bad wakeboarding injury and went through a crazy terrible year trying to heal. I had a lot of pain in both years. At first I was told it was a partial ACL tear after an MRI but later was told by a surgeon that I just was born with bad knees and that the injury exacerbated the problem. I did physical therapy, had many relapses, and became severely depressed that my best friend had to support me and take me to counseling. I fully understand what you're going through. I have improved a lot with my knees, but it has been quite an ordeal and has taken almost 1.5 years. I still have to be very careful with them and am trying to get back to where I used to be. Right now, I have to focus more on diet and upper body weight training to lose fat and tone up.

    Anyways, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. I'll shoot you a friend request. I know how difficult this is for you, seriously I do. I honestly felt like my life was ruined last year, but just do your best to keep your head up. What helped me most was surrounding myself with people who truly loved me even though sometimes I was so sad and mean around them. They still stuck around though and were always there for me. I can't thank them enough. Best of luck to you. I PROMISE things will get better. Just listen to your doctor's orders, watch your diet, and ease slowly back into exercises that you are able to do.

    EDIT: I forgot to mention what you can do. Do upper body/core weight training to regain muscle tone. I stopped doing that because I just had a bad attitude but I wish I had stuck with it. Also, I wish I had swam more because it can be great exercise. Anything that gets you moving is better than sitting on a couch, etc. Again, I can't stress the importance of diet enough too. I gained a lot during my first year not only due to the inactivity, but because of the terribly unhealthy college food. Log your food and do your best! :)

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