Crutches=FAT!!!

So I have recently sprained my ankle pretty badly and now im on crutches for AT LEAST 3 weeks. And for now, Im not allowed to do much of anything. So my questions..

has anyone else been on crutches for a long period of time? if so, how did you keep from gaining a TON of weight? i know i have to cut my calories to the bear min, but once i can start moving, are there any good excersises?

So many questions lol.

i searched to see if other people had already posted something like this, but most of them were only on crutches for a short period of time, and mine might be close to a month, so help with this would me much appreciated :)

I had knee surgery and was on crutches for 6 weeks. You don't gain weight unless you eat too much. When I could actually move, I'd go to the gym and do things I could do without my legs like presses, etc.

Also, I had one really skinny, emaciated leg (the one I couldn't use for 6 weeks) and one normal leg so there's that to look forward to, as well.

At the very least, do hand weights while sitting/lying around. Make sure you're eating a very balanced diet with lots of fruits and veggies. Don't skimp on the calories too much just because you're laid up. Your body still needs the nutrients.

Use this time to work on things like flexibility. There are stretching exercises you can do while sitting. While you may not lose a ton, consider yourself in good shape if you can maintain through this period of injury.

Feel better soon!

Edit: Read a few of your previous posts.  Most importantly, DO NOT let yourself fall back into dangerous habits.  Just remember, maintaining will be good even if you can't lose during this time.  Stay healthy!!

I did the same thing! I sprained my ankle so bad that I couldnt even bear weight on it at all! I was on crutches for over a month, all while trying to lose weight! I then had to go around an extra month with one of those rubber boots on! (My foot is still not the same and it has been over 6months!) Anyways, I gained a total of 7lbs, temporarily. I recommend to be VERY careful about what you eat during this period of time! You arent getting around like normal and burning your normal calorie expidenture, so food will tend to "stick" to ya. It felt good to just be able to relax though, dont push yourself too quickly! If it makes you feel any better, I lost 5lbs of the 7 within 2 weeks without any extra effort. Good luck and happy healing! I know its not any fun!

cheer-fit-for-life, I definitely feel your pain!  Last November I sprained not one, but BOTH of my ankles really badly.  I couldnt move at all for a week, and was then on crutches for over a month.  I didnt get back to normal for at least 2 months after my injury. 

It was really tough, because most of the exercise I had been doing was walking (I was walking about 1 1/2 hours in total to and from work each week day) and I had to totally cut that out and start getting taxis everywhere (I couldnt even get the train because I couldnt walk down the stairs). 

I think in that situation the only way to prevent weight gain is to cut back on the calories...sadly I was feeling very sorry for myself so I started comfort eating, and coupled with the lack of exercise I definitely gained weight (I wasn't weighing myself, but I went up about 2 clothing sizes - so a fair amount of weight!)...

good luck, and the only advice I can offer is try not to comfort eat too much...although that is easier said than done!

I've had more sets of crutches in the past 5 years than I'd care to count.

I found that I generally maintained or lost while on crutches simply because getting around was such an expenditure of energy and obtaining and transporting food was a bit of a challenge.

That said, I was living in New York City and trekking to work most days. On the days I worked from home, my husband would take me out on a walk around the neighborhood, partly to get me out of the house and partly to let me feel like I was getting a bit of fresh air and exercise. 15 minutes or more of crutching about really does feel like quite a workout. 

Unfortunately, the "crutching muscles" aren't highly coveted!