Preventing Weight Gain When You Can't Workout

If you’ve just become injured or can't get to the gym for whatever reason, chances are you’re feeling a mix of emotions.  Frustration, anger, sadness, worry and/or anxiety may be just a few that you are currently dealing with.

For those who are on a weight loss program, anxiety over the risk of weight gain is likely on your mind and something that you need to be working hard to combat.

While there is that risk of weight gain when you aren’t burning up calories with your workout sessions, if you’re smart and make a few adjustments, this doesn’t have to happen.

Let’s go over what you should remember.

Omit Pre And Post Workout Meals

If you are not working out for whatever reason, you clearly won’t need to have these in place.

This will save you at least a few hundred calories right there.

Still add smart snacks throughout the day, but you won’t need as many calories with these as you did during your pre and post workout meals.

Reduce Carbs Moderately

Second, you’ll want to reduce your carbohydrate moderately. What you don't necessarily need to do (depending on your current nutrition plan) is to avoid ALL carbs in your diet plan. This is what many people often do but it tends to be a mistake.

First, it can cause your metabolism to slow down significantly if you’re off for more than a week as certain hormones (Leptin being the big one) will adjust in the body and cause the metabolic rate to become sluggish.

But more importantly, this could hamper recovery from any injury. Your body does need some energy to complete the repair and recovery process and, with no carbs and a very low calorie diet, it just doesn’t have it.

So try and add some wholesome carbs, but keep them to a more moderate amount. And it's best to include them in your breakfast meal.

Increase Protein

In addition to lowering your carbs, also consider increasing protein slightly. Doing so is going to help to calm hunger pains more and make it easier to control your calorie intake.

Eating more protein will also help you maintain a faster metabolism as well due to the thermic effect of food (specifically the thermic effect of protein).

Choose lean sources of protein for best results.

Track Calories

Finally, make sure that you are tracking your calories. As long as you track your calories and eat at a maintenance level for a sedentary activity level, you won’t start to gain weight.

This can really go a long way towards helping put your mind at ease and to make sure that you are feeling your best if you are going through a recovery process.

Feeling great anxiety is stressful. By tracking your calories, you can put these worries to rest.

Keep the above tips in mind while you are being kept away from your workouts and you should have no problem maintaining your body weight.

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