Looking for advice from anyone with knowledge here...
I've got a bum achilles on my right leg. I was once an avid runner. Now, I'm a middle aged fat turd. OK, maybe not that bad, but I've been packing on the pounds and want to nip this in the bud. I've been walking (treadmill at an incline) and am making strides to cut down on the adult beverages and poor eating (especially during the Christmas season), but would like to do more.
I know the thing to do is basically shut it down to let the achilles heal, but I should do something to avoid reaching blimpdom. Would elliptical or bike be a good alternative or would shutting it down be best in the long run?
FYI, I don't have access to an indoor pool in the winter months.
Depending on the type of problem with the tendon, i.e. stretched or partial tear, I'd start with the recumbent bike at about 20-30 minutes and if the ankle is okay start adding the elliptical in 5 minute increments at about a 50% setting. I had a back issue due to a blown disk, and although it wiped out running, I've been able to get to 30 minutes on the elliptical by doing this--it took nearly three years--only work until you feel the ankle not until it's painful. Although no where near as effective in holding down the weight as running, combined with some "push away from the table" and diet choices--I got used to Diet Coke, plain unsugared iced tea, etc.--you can control the expansion. Good luck, the only wrong thing you can do is "nothing" so you're on the right path.
Thanks Saint. I think the injury is a strain and not a tear, as I can run on it (though not to my normal levels), but the next day, it's a bear.
Have you ever tried spinning? It can give a really intense, low impact workout. With any weight loss regimen, however, the cold hard truth is that diet is about 80% of the equation. I've recently broken a long plateau by significantly reducing my calorie intake. The first couple of weeks were really rough, but after two months I'm seeing some significant improvement for the first time in longer than I care to admit.
One school of thought is to eat 5 to 6 small meals throughout the day instead of the traditional three meals. The idea is to keep your glycemic steady and to prevent yourself from getting so hungry that you overeat. However, I found that my food intake actually increased when I was following this, so I've gone back to three meals with nothing in between except for a snack of some fruit and yogurt in the evenings because that is when I tend to be the hungriest.
What I would do is:
1. Look for some areas of your diet where you can cut back on calories by either eliminating certain things or finding healthier options.
2. Arrange to eat the bulk of your calories at the time of day when you tend to be the hungriest. I find that eating a very small breakfast (about 130 to 180 calories) and a moderate calorie lunch allows me to eat more calories later in the day. I know this goes against the conventional wisdom, but it works for me.
3. Let your Achilles tendon heal and try to work in some low impact cardio that doesn't aggravate it further.
Getting started can be tough, but if you can persevere through the first two weeks or so, it gets a lot easier, and once you start seeing some results, it gives you the incentive to continue.
Thanks Razor.
Yes, my diet has got to improve. I know where I can improve, and it will take discipline, but I really need to get to it.
For me, the smaller but more frequent meals tends to work better. When I was at my healthiest was when I was following this pattern.
I haven't considered spinning classes. I would think pushing hard down on a bike pedal wouldn't be advisable. I'm thinking the recumbent bike is probably the best option.