Can't exercise for 2 weeks! Need advice please!

katannaj
katannaj Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all!

This is my first day on the forums and reaching out for a bit of advice. Tomorrow I am having a very minor operation. However, I have been told that I am not allowed to do any exercise for a minimum of 10 days, possibly 14... I have only just refound the motivation to lose weight again after yo-yoing for the past 18 months and have lost 6lb in 10 days! How can I stay on track and not put that weight back on when I am unable to exercise? I am currently eating between 1300 and 1450 calories a day....

Any help welcome! Also, as I am new to the forums, I am looking to build up a bit of a support group so if you want to add me that'd be great too!

Thanks

Kat

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Not much to be done. If they say No Exercise and No Lifting, then that's what you do.

    I frequently joke that the doctors were never allowed to say "No Swimming" during medical school, so it's now their favorite thing to say. Even when they'll let you do so many other things, they say, "No Swimming." Risk of infection.

    Doctors love to say No This and No That, so when they say you can do something, you can do it. That's a nice flip side.

    Skip the exercise for a couple weeks and go back when it's time. Two weeks is not that long.

    Speedy recovery!!!
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    You don't need to exercise to lose weight. You just need to maintain a deficit. As long as you are at a deficit at your calorie target, you will lose weight even if you're stuck on the couch doing nothing. It's not just theory. I know from experience when I injured my knee a few months ago.

    And realistically, 2 weeks is not going to make or break your progress, although it might drive you crazy!
  • VelveteenArabian
    VelveteenArabian Posts: 758 Member
    You don't need to exercise to lose weight. Is 1300 your calories without eating back exercise calories? If so, you'll still be at a deficit so will be okay.
  • Shellyr3boys
    Shellyr3boys Posts: 1 Member
    Hi Kat!

    Congratulations on the weight loss!!! OK, so can you at least go for a walk? Even if it is at a slow pace, it keeps you moving! I was sidelined from walking because of a swollen ankle so I had a panic attack but moved to stationary bike which was easier on joints! So I get what you mean about motivation!

    Make sure you keep track of your food and do not go over in calories, especially if you cannot move!!

    Best of luck to you on your surgery!! Shelly
  • Azchange
    Azchange Posts: 110 Member
    Of course follow your doctors advice. If it were me, depending on the location of the surgery, I would take up some light yoga for the two weeks to stay limber and keep your muscles active. Doctors advice first though. If you eat at a deficit (Your deficit will be lower since you will not be exercising) you will lose weight.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    To the people saying she should maintain the deficit, this is actually poor advice. The OP is having surgery and no matter how minor the procedure she should focus on recovery. You should never eat in a deficit during recovery as it impairs healing. 10 days is virtually nothing in the long run. If I was the OP I'd eat maintenance calories for 10 days while I healed up. At that point I'd push calories right back to the deficit and resume exercise. It's such a short period of time I don't know why you'd risk impairing recovery. It would be different if she couldn't exercise for months. Also eating maintenance won't do any harm.

    Also you will likely gain weight. Most people gain weight in the form of water retention after an operation. This weight will go away as quickly as it came. I wouldn't really step on a scale until a week AFTER you resume your normal dieting and exercise.
  • GMNewport
    GMNewport Posts: 3
    Damned Good Advice! Take Heed!
  • kileyloveall
    kileyloveall Posts: 5
    I find it really helpful to post pictures around your house of the what you'd like to look like (physically). Or to watch sports, if you're into that (I like boxing & MMA). Watching somebody else working out and sweating gets me pumped to go running sometimes. That may at least help keep you motivated until you are able to workout again. Just remember how great it feels after your workout too! And remember what you have worked for and accomplished so far! Good luck! :)
  • mandyneedtolose
    mandyneedtolose Posts: 398 Member
    If you eat below your TDEE and you will be fine. As the above people have said you don't need exercise to lose weight. You need to eat at calorie deficit to lose weight. Find out what you would need to eat to maintain your current weight, and less that by 10 or 20% and there you go your in a deficit. Also my advice is watch what you are eating. Try and stay clear of processed foods. Such protein bars, granola bars - stuff that is fast and easy, and says its good for you on the box. Try and stay with food that have only 1 ingredient while you are not able to exercise. Hope things go well !! Take care! :)
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
    I second the PP who asked about walking. Walking is great exercise, but it is also our main method of getting from point A to point B, so it doesn't necessarily fall under the traditional 'exercise' umbrella, unless you're actually bedbound.

    If you're allowed to walk, it should probably be a slow pace for a short time, but 2.0mph for 30 minutes is better than nothing.

    Good luck and I hope you heal up soon :)
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    To the people saying she should maintain the deficit, this is actually poor advice. The OP is having surgery and no matter how minor the procedure she should focus on recovery. You should never eat in a deficit during recovery as it impairs healing. 10 days is virtually nothing in the long run. If I was the OP I'd eat maintenance calories for 10 days while I healed up. At that point I'd push calories right back to the deficit and resume exercise. It's such a short period of time I don't know why you'd risk impairing recovery. It would be different if she couldn't exercise for months. Also eating maintenance won't do any harm.

    Also you will likely gain weight. Most people gain weight in the form of water retention after an operation. This weight will go away as quickly as it came. I wouldn't really step on a scale until a week AFTER you resume your normal dieting and exercise.

    ^All of this. Focus on healing for 10 days and get back to the diet and exercise once you've recovered and are cleared by your doctor.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    If you injure yourself or develop an infection, you're going to be unable to exercise for longer than 10 days. Follow the instructions to the letter and just wait it out.

    And don't weigh yourself while you're healing. Depending on what you're having done and how your body tends to respond, you might see some inflammation and water retention. It's temporary, and there's nothing you can do except let your body work through it.
  • Arydria
    Arydria Posts: 179 Member
    To the people saying she should maintain the deficit, this is actually poor advice. The OP is having surgery and no matter how minor the procedure she should focus on recovery. You should never eat in a deficit during recovery as it impairs healing. 10 days is virtually nothing in the long run. If I was the OP I'd eat maintenance calories for 10 days while I healed up. At that point I'd push calories right back to the deficit and resume exercise. It's such a short period of time I don't know why you'd risk impairing recovery. It would be different if she couldn't exercise for months. Also eating maintenance won't do any harm.

    Also you will likely gain weight. Most people gain weight in the form of water retention after an operation. This weight will go away as quickly as it came. I wouldn't really step on a scale until a week AFTER you resume your normal dieting and exercise.

    ^All of this. Focus on healing for 10 days and get back to the diet and exercise once you've recovered and are cleared by your doctor.

    +2

    I've been on a surgery cycle since early July and have had to drastically cut back my workouts. My final surgery is scheduled for next week and I won't be able to exercise at all (aside from walking) for 6 weeks. It's hard, but I know it's for my health and the best possible outcome. OP, focus on your recovery and on healthy eating. You'll have plenty of time to lose weight once you've healed.
  • mamaleftwich
    mamaleftwich Posts: 256 Member
    Are you able to just do slow paced walks? If so, do that and you'll still be moving and burning calories.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    To the people saying she should maintain the deficit, this is actually poor advice. The OP is having surgery and no matter how minor the procedure she should focus on recovery. You should never eat in a deficit during recovery as it impairs healing. 10 days is virtually nothing in the long run. If I was the OP I'd eat maintenance calories for 10 days while I healed up. At that point I'd push calories right back to the deficit and resume exercise. It's such a short period of time I don't know why you'd risk impairing recovery. It would be different if she couldn't exercise for months. Also eating maintenance won't do any harm.

    Also you will likely gain weight. Most people gain weight in the form of water retention after an operation. This weight will go away as quickly as it came. I wouldn't really step on a scale until a week AFTER you resume your normal dieting and exercise.

    This this this! Your body needs to heal, not be stressed.

    Try eating at maintenance during those two weeks. That way you won't lose, but you won't gain either. It's just two weeks. It's more important that you let yourself get better.

    I would ask about being able to do some "light walking" though. Patients who are ambulatory early show faster healing time. Obviously don't push yourself and listen to your doctors, but laying in bed/on the couch all day for two weeks isn't good for you either. That's why when you are in the hospital they force you to get up and walk a little bit.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Agree with the eat at maintenance peeps. Use this time to focus on accurate logging and eating healthy, and getting good rest so you can heal up well. When you are cleared for workouts again, you'll be ready to rock.

    Don't fret - downtime is part of life. I had about a month of bed rest followed by weeks of recovery a couple of years ago. No exercise at all, but I continued to track all my food and maintained healthy habits, and I didn't gain or "undo" any progress during that time. When i was able, I worked my way back up in the exercise department and have been going strong ever since.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    You don't need to exercise to lose weight. Is 1300 your calories without eating back exercise calories? If so, you'll still be at a deficit so will be okay.

    This. With that low calorie allotment, you're not going to gain weight if you don't exercise.

    And don't weigh yourself for at least two weeks. No matter how minor the surgery, you get a fair amount of IV fluid and that's going to make your weight jump up and seeing that number will just distress you.
  • LiftAndBalance
    LiftAndBalance Posts: 960 Member
    To the people saying she should maintain the deficit, this is actually poor advice. The OP is having surgery and no matter how minor the procedure she should focus on recovery. You should never eat in a deficit during recovery as it impairs healing. 10 days is virtually nothing in the long run. If I was the OP I'd eat maintenance calories for 10 days while I healed up. At that point I'd push calories right back to the deficit and resume exercise. It's such a short period of time I don't know why you'd risk impairing recovery. It would be different if she couldn't exercise for months. Also eating maintenance won't do any harm.

    Also you will likely gain weight. Most people gain weight in the form of water retention after an operation. This weight will go away as quickly as it came. I wouldn't really step on a scale until a week AFTER you resume your normal dieting and exercise.

    This!! Be kind to your body.
  • ALH1981
    ALH1981 Posts: 538 Member
    I was excessing up to 3 times a day, total of about 3 hours a day and eating very low calories. I broke my hip. Then i couldn't excersise at all. I haven't run (main for of excersise) now in 3 months.

    I HAVE NOT GAINED ANY WEIGHT. It is about What you are consuming. And not just the calories - the quality of the calories - you need to fuel your body to function and to function to heal.

    Listen to the poster that recommended to focus on healing - that was FANTASTIC advice.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
    Stay within your MFP calorie goal and you'll be fine.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
    Eat maintenance for 2 weeks won't hurt you and you'll heal faster. You'll likely still manage to lose something then cause even at maintenance your body will be pulling a lot to heal itself. Also sleep.

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