How To Lose Weight If You Are Injured

If you are injured, you may find it challenging to continue working out in the same manner you did before your accident or sickness. It might also be difficult to remain motivated while you are in pain or ill. That doesn’t mean you should stop trying to be healthy, and it doesn’t mean you can’t lose weight if you need to and want to. There are methods and means for individuals who have been injured and are unable to exercise well (or at all) to continue their weight reduction journey. Read on to find out what some of them are.

Photo by Trang Doan

Don’t Check Your Weight
It’s a good idea to weigh yourself once a week or so if you work out consistently. This provides you with an indication of how far you’ve come and might push you to keep going. Weighing yourself is not a good idea if you are unable to exercise as much as you formerly did, however. Your weight may vary greatly based on what you eat (it’s a mix of how much fat, carbohydrates, and protein you consume), what you drink, and even what time of day it is. Checking the scales could do more harm than good if you are unable to lose weight as rapidly as before your injury – a ‘poor’ result may even lead to comfort eating, which will not help you lose weight at all.

Reward Yourself
It is important to reward yourself when you achieve your weight loss goals. Yes, the effects may be slower to appear when you are unable to run or go to the gym as often as you did before your accident, but that does not make them any less valuable. Perhaps they are even more critical since your ambitions were more difficult to achieve, so the results are harder fought for. The incentives you offer yourself should not be food-related (given how difficult it is to lose weight in the first place), but rather should be something that shows you are being nice to yourself. A new book, a new outfit, a manicure, or a long soak in a bubble bath are all excellent incentives.

You can also reward yourself for other things in your recovery. Perhaps you find an excellent car crash lawyer to help you get the compensation you’re due, or maybe you go back to work more quickly than you thought you would. All of this needs to be rewarded.

Keep Moving
Before engaging in any kind of exercise after an injury, consult with your doctor. If they give you the okay, you may be allowed to undertake a milder version of the activities you were doing before. Instead of jogging, you could consider swimming, which is significantly lower impact. Instead of an hour on the weight lifting equipment at the gym, it may now be necessary to spend half an hour on the treadmill.

If you are unable to perform any of these activities, being as active as possible is still a good idea. Walking around the block can burn calories and develop your muscles. You might also be more active while you’re not at home by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Instead of driving, take a walk. If you do drive, park as far away from the entrance as possible.

This is a collaborative post.