Injuries that have made me gain, so depressed

[loriemoms 101]

A couple of months ago I had a really bad fall and chipped my knee and tore my rotator cuff. The knee is healing nicely but finally had the rotator cuff surgery. During this time period I could not do ANY walking or treadmill and after the surgery my doctor told me I couldn't work so I have to take two weeks off. Even to type this is painful! I cant even sit and knit or do puzzles or anything. So I have been sitting in front of the tv, and eating. I found I was boredom eating and even ate some days where I made myself sick. I have discovered that carbs are easy to digest and not getting enough Protein I am sure. If I have to eat another almond or Protein Bar, I am going to die. I am also on medication that is making me hungry too I think. I am allowed to go back to walking but still cannot use my shoulder for anything and am BORED TO DEATH! How do you handle boredom eating? The pounds are starting slip back on, and I am getting so depressed. I tried to go back on just shakes, but found I as so hungry and just don't know what to do with myself till I can return to work. My husband told me not to worry about it, I have to get my shoulder better, but I do not want to have to lose a ton of weight after I am healed and am afraid of having to face that. What can I do? I am evening debating picking up smoking again to give my mouth something to do! I have never really been an emotional eater and learned long ago how to handle boredom eating with knitting or projects, but am lost now! Any ideas?

[Bufflehead 6,358]

Give yourself three days to eat as much as you want . . . but only lean, unprocessed meat (no bacon, sausage, Jerky, deli meat, etc.), green veggies, and healthy fats (olive oil, grass fed butter). Seriously, don't worry about counting calories or anything like that, just be very strict about the type of food you can eat. You can't complain about being hungry or needing something to keep you from being bored if you allow yourself unlimited food. And you can't do much damage, calorie-wise, with lean meats and green veggies.

Eating like this for three days will help decrease your cravings for high carb and high sugar foods. The more you eat of those, the more you want them.

Good luck! I am sorry you are suffering with such a nasty injury.

[Ale Nunez 80]

Have you tried reading? When I've been bed ridden in the past I've found that I get hungry watching TV but reading makes me forget about food. Maybe you should give it a try.

[nickisleeve 127]

The coloring books keep me occupied for hours.

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[glitter eyes 1,398]

When I start wanting to eat out of boredom I give myself a manicure/pedicure. You can't eat with wet nails. The bonus is wonderful nails. I even experiment with different ideas from Pinterest and have nail brushes for drawing designs.

I also give myself facials. I have invested in some nice face masks. That keeps me busy and it's hard to snack when you have skin care products drying on your face.

[loriemoms 101]

Thank you for all the hints! I have been trying to read, but the medication makes it hard to concentrate so I have been thumbing through magazines. Right now, I don't have much use of my left arm (its in a sling) so doing anything with my hands has been hard! When I can start using the arm again, I will certainly try some of the hints (especially my nails..all the Biotin has really made them nice) Thanks extra for the hint on eating lots of meat and filing things like that. Lettuce wraps, here I come! I just will be glad to be myself again.

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,444]

It sounds that, right now, your thinking is as great a problem as the injury, which is bad enough. Listen to your husband; he's smarter than he looks Healing comes first. Then you'll deal with whatever weight gain. You've lost weight before so you know you'll be able to do it again.

If knitting is too difficult because it necessarily moves the arm you need to keep still, would crocheting be doable? If you don't know how, you probably know someone who can give you a lesson and company to occupy your mind.

Start smoking again? No way. Long ago my late, beloved internist told me that, if losing weight and quitting cigarettes were too difficult to do simultaneously, it was more important to stop smoking first.

There are lots of chair exercise videos online and probably available for loan from your public library. If your branch doesn't have any inhouse, they can get them for you on inter-library loan. Search on sparkpeople.com, livestrong.com and simply googling "chair exercise." Search "chair exercise" or "chair exerise dvd [or video] at the library's website. There is a series of videos called Chair Dancing which may be fun. In any case, you'll have more to do and you'll feel as though you're taking better care of yourself. You can modify any of the exercises that jar arm.

Edited July 25, 2016 by WLSResources/ClothingExch

[bkiley 1]

Start listening to books on tape. Try word search puzzles. If all else fails ice chip or sugar free popsicles. Sometimes all I really crave is CRUNCH when I am bored or depressed. Seems to help. Good luck, stay strong and remember this is only temporary. Heal and then you will be right as rain ❤

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[#9grammy 274]

-loriemoms, I hear you on the rotator cuff surgery. Had my left one done 3 years ago before VSG. My right one I had done end of Feb, I am still recovering!!! Yes here it is 5 months down and I'm still in pain, not bad pain as it was first month or more. I went to PT 30 days out from surgery, twice a week for little over 2 months. Before surgery I had to do PT for 6 weeks, so my time was all used up for any more after than the 10 weeks I did.

I still can't use a vacuum cleaner! Hurts pushing my mop, raising my arms way above my head, still not enough energy in it at all.

I'm no longer taking the pain pills but I do have muscle relaxers I can take. They cut my deltoid muscle, reason for the muscle relaxers. It the muscle goes straight up the arm to the neck and at the base of the skull. Didn't know it effected there.

So returning to work in 2 weeks you say? Let me know how it goes, I don't work because of disabilities I have.

Pick up a veggie tray all ready cut up! Crunch on those they are great when you don't know what to eat. Keep apples peaches grapes or other fruit in fridge, you can do most with 1 hand. My right was my dominate had, we'll still is lol, I have to tell you my husband was right there for me. Heck I couldn't wash hair or shower without him! Cooking dinner was next to impossible. So I feel for you, the pain is horrible and not doing what you could before, well you will be able to do more later on. My surgeon said recovery is usually 6 months to a year!

Good luck.

[Djmohr 6,965]

Take it from someone who knows exactly what you are going through. I was terrified when after 9 glorious month post RNY and on a great path to getting to goal I was told I needed a 3 level cervical fusion. There would be no more treadmill, no elliptical, no cardio or any sort for many months to come.

I was terrified that I would not reach my goal and knew that I would have to do it with diet and diet alone.

It is so easy to simply walk into the kitchen and eat crap like Fritos or Cheez it's or ........and trust me, I did it. Then I realized that I did not want to head down that path. So I was so careful to log every morsel good or bad and held myself accountable to it.

I kept working at it and the weight either stayed the same or slowly, very slowly began to come off again. Then having the spinal fusion caused a bigger back problem and back to surgery I went in November. That surgery did not help at all so now we are at Christmas and I am still unable to exercise. They decided to look at my left shoulder and low and behold I have bone on bone AC joint and a 50% tear in my rotator cuff. Back to surgery I go in February.

I simply learned that I had to find other things to do besides eat our of boredom. I promise you can get to goal with diet alone, I did.

I work hard at it every single day and in March I made it to my ultimate goal.

You can do this, you just have to decide that you can and track your food intake. The shoulder will get better I promise. I had my surgery on February 12th of this year and just finished rehab with it last week Thursday. The shoulder is not a fun operation but if you work hard and get your Protein you will be back at it again soon.

I really hope you feel better soon!

[theantichick 2,204]

If you're crafty and can't knit or crochet because of the injury, a knitting loom might be an option. Also, how about addictive computer games that only need a mouse?