Does an injury have you sidelined from your workout routine? Don’t sweat it. While getting injured is not only painful but can be frustrating, it doesn’t have to mean you’ll gain weight. An injury may be the perfect time to take a break from your current workout and focus on other ways to stay fit.
In the meantime, here are some ways to avoid gaining weight while you recover:
1. Look for alternative methods of exercise.
Can’t run on your injured knee? Can’t lift weights with your injured shoulder? This might be a great time to try Pilates or Yoga instead. Many physical therapists use Pilates and/or Yoga to assist in the increased range of motion of a joint, tissue and musculature repair, to help bring awareness to your body, and to assist in regaining strength and flexibility.
If your injury isn’t too severe, you may be able to replace with lower impact forms of cardio such as cycling or swimming. Being benched from your regular workouts may not be a bad thing – it could give you the extra motivation you need to try something new or kick up your strength training while you heal. Just be sure to talk with your doctor or physical therapist before to find out exactly what kind of activity you should and shouldn’t be doing with your specific injury.
2. Start a new, healthy habit.
If there’s nothing physical you can do while you recover from your injury, focus instead on starting new, healthy practices like eating or sleeping better. Dedicate that time you spent working out to creating other healthy habits like cooking clean or improving your sleep habits. Try out a few new recipes from The Bikini Chef® or experiment with adding in more raw foods to your current meals or even try that 3-day juice cleanse that you have been wanting to do! Your recovery time may also be the perfect opportunity to make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Believe it or not but getting enough hours of quality sleep while you heal could be as important for weight loss and calorie burning as it is for your healing process. Make sure you’re logging between 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep every night.
3. Help someone else.
An injury can often turn into an excuse to wallow in self-pity on the couch with a bag of chips. Instead, why not reach out and help someone who might be much worse off than you are? Donating your time, service, or even just visiting with someone can help take your mind off of your situation and may be even more rewarding than a workout could ever be.
4. Gym isn’t the only place to burn calories.
Finally, don’t forget the gym isn’t the only place to burn calories. The more active you can be throughout your daily life, the better. Take the stairs over the elevator. Walk to lunch instead of driving … or better yet, make your own lunch and eat it in the park! Take your dog for those walks that he’s been begging for. There are so many options to be healthy while injured.
