It’s so great that you’re back to running – I am probably the Queen of running injuries so I know how amazing the first run back after being sidelined for a period of time feels.
I just wondered: I always have a problem with gaining a lot of weight when I can’t run, even though I always do as much as I possibly can in terms of other activities. And sadly the weight doesn’t come off once I resume training, which has led me to become 30lbs above my ideal racing weight. Aside from not eating your emotions when injured, do you have any advice for how to maintain or lose weight when you can’t run? Did you follow your intuition or adjust calories accordingly to a lower number?
Thanks – I hope this isn’t too intrusive a question.
If you’ve been following the blog you may know that I experienced a Lisfranc Sprain a few minutes before the start of the Shamrock Marathon this spring. This required me to be non-weight bearing for 6 weeks of which 4 weeks were in a cast and 2 weeks in a boot. This means 6 weeks of no running and very limited cross training. It’s not like I could go for a run right after I was permitted to put weight on my foot either. For a girl who rarely takes a day a month off let alone 6-8 weeks, this is a long time without my daily running fix.
For many religious runners there’s an instant anxiety. Thoughts start spinning with the words “time off.” How am I going to stay fit? Am I going to get “fat”? Such a drive can be our best attribute and biggest downfall. It’s wonderful we care about our health and fitness enough to want to keep training. On the other hand, the body is sometimes just trying to communicate it needs rest.
Try to better identify if your injury is from overuse or maybe even over training syndrome. If so, I suggest taking at least a little time completely off before going straight to cross training. Training through may only delay the body’s ability to recover and thereby extend the unwanted time off.
In terms of diet, start with cutting the sugar sources. As athletes there is often a little extra room for a higher sugar intake to simply support meeting daily calorie requirements. When we’re not in heavy training these sugar sources are of much less benefit. Try your best to ditch (or significantly cut back) the sweets like added sugar to beverages, maple syrup saturated pancakes, sports drinks, excessive juice and dried fruit, and of course the cookies, candy, cakes, and brownies.
Switch to food in its whole, natural form as much as possible. Instead of orange juice or sports drink, eat a whole orange or bowl of berries; reach for fresh veggies or a cup of low fat milk instead of a mid-afternoon high calorie energy bar; grab a small handful of peanuts instead of the previous heaping spoonful of peanut butter; and reach for whole grains like oats, spelt, millet, and quinoa instead of reaching for the standard slice of white bread or toast.
When in doubt remember 1/2 – 1/4 – 1/4. This means to aim for 1/2 of your plate to be from vegetables, 1/4 in the form of protein, and 1/4 from grains. Since you’re not putting in the heavy training, you don’t need to go as heavy on the carbohydrates.
Eating fresh, cooked, steamed, and baked veggies is a fantastic way to go for injured athletes. There are endless advantages to eating a lot of vegetables. The main reason they are perfect for an injured athlete is because during training we get used to eating a high volume of food. Eating a massive plate of veggies won’t carry nearly the calorie load as a massive plate of pasta. They also offer as a source of filling fiber that supports leaving us satisfied for a greater length of time.
Don’t skimp on the water. Consider drinking a tall glass of water before all meals and snacks. This will put a little weight on the stomach, but will also help to better identify during the meal if you are really trying to satisfy a hunger or a thirst with continued eating.
Toss the scale. Well, at least toss it for little spurts. Weighing-in daily when injured can provoke an anxiety that could lead to stress related eating. The goal is to think about how food makes you feel, not how the scale makes you feel. Start paying more attention to what kind of foods makes you feel good and satisfied as well as how much you are eating when you feel this way. Use the mirror and the fit of your clothes as a guide instead of the scale. If clothes start to feel a little snug or uncomfortable, this is a sign to cut back.
So you may specifically wonder if I have gained a ton of weight. I’ve been following my own advice and floating within about 2 pounds of my weight prior to the Shamrock Marathon. I can’t deny that I’m not worried in the slightest. Instead of focusing on calories and cardio, I’ve been working on strength in hope of preventing future setbacks. Stressing over weight can be just as much of a detriment to the diet as not being able to run for extended periods of time.
Here’s an example of a recent dinner in my world. It’s cornbread stuffed with a layer of fresh corn as well as chicken sausage. It’s hard to tell, but the entire other side of this smaller plate is loaded with Brussels spouts. Remember – go heavy on veggies!
I have an abundance of strategies like those outlined above. I’d be happy to provide a customized approach in support of your specific situtation. Feel free to contact me if you would like me to coach you through your weight management efforts.
