If you are incapacitated in any way, such as with a broken leg, recovering from some type of surgery that has you confined to your home, etc. you are in a position to gain significant pounds if you continue to eat as you did when you were more active. When you are disabled, you need to cut calories so that your daily intake does not exceed your daily calorie use.
Many people who are injured and have to go through a long period of recovery and physical therapy tend to put on weight because they eat the same diet they normally did when they were much more active. The problem with this is that instead of requiring 2,300 calories per day to maintain a certain weight, a person may only need 1,900 calories. If you’re used to eating 2,300 calories a day, cutting 400 calories won’t be easy.
The best thing to do if you find yourself in this particular situation is to do some research and find out what your basal metabolism requires based on your height, weight, and gender. Your basal metabolic rate will determine how many calories you need simply to maintain your current weight if you are in a completely inactive state. It will give you a better understanding of what you are able to eat on a daily basis so you don’t gain too much weight.
It’s hard enough going through a recovery period for a long period of time. You don’t want to gain an extra 10 or 15 pounds during that time period that you’ll then have to work for six months to lose once you get back on your feet. If you can maintain your normal weight through the disability process, it will help you through any physical therapy you need to go through and it will also help keep your spirits up so you don’t gain weight as a result of your injury.
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