Advice on retaining muscle after a car accident...

[gt4junkie]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering if anyone on here can provide some advice.

Im usually a fairly hard gainer, i eat right, train hard, get plenty of rest etc etc. A good example is that i train with my brother, we train with the same intensity, eat the same, yet he can put on muscle quiet easily while i struggle. we have different body types (im an ecto) which explains it all really. Now my question is...

Ive just come out of hospital after a fairly severe car accident at 100km an hr. Im suffering from a fractured vertebrae in my neck, my neck tendons are completely shot, and i will be in a neck brace for ATLEAST 2 months, ive also been diagnosed with a cracked rib and sternum. Pretty much, im lucky to have walked away without paralysis or even surviving the car accident. Doctors were amazed at how little damage i suffered.

Now, as mentioned im hard gainer and i lose muscle quiet easily when im not training.

My question to you all is, what can i do to ensure i retain as much muscle as possible while im not training? (and not put on fat excessive amounts of fat) I was thinking of staying on a high protein diet with minimal carbs as i wont really be doing much to burn the carbs off. Im thinking of maybe going 1.5 of my daily protein needs, and keeping my carbs to about 1/2 of what i need. Does this sound about right?
I know at this stage theres nothing i can do exercise wise to assist in retaining muscle, i just pretty much need to know what i can do with my diet to help retain as much muscle as possible.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

From your friendly neckbraced lifter. lol.

 

[Epolis13]

First of all, I'm thankful that you're ok. Glad to hear you are on the road to recovery. Slow and steady wins the race.

I had surgery last year and was unable to exercise for a minimum of 8 weeks. Way shorter than what you're looking at, but dietary-wise, I increased my protein and dropped my carbs just a little. I didn't eliminate them too drastically, though. If I got hungry in between meals, I'd snack on fats, actually, which helped to keep me a little more satiated. To be honest, your daily cals will be more important here, than the precise amts of carbs/fats you're getting. Keep your protein high like you've planned. You'll be surprised at how little hunger you'll have when you're not exercising daily.

Best of luck to you and I hope you check back in to let us know how you're doing.

 

[gt4junkie]

Hi epolis13,
Thanks for the response and well wishes. I'll get back to Normal again, will just take time. Like u said, slow and steady.

And thanks for the advice. I've purchased a calorie counter which I'll b using to ensure I hit my maintenance levels, n will continue to keep my protein levels high, I'll drop my carbs, but not as much as I'd planned to and see how I go.
It's going to be a trying time, just hoping I don't watch my hard earned slowly disappear in te meantime

 

[PuZo]

I'm wondering if creatine will help in any aspect.

 

[eluruguayo]

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[eluruguayo]

First, may God bless your recovery, whatever version of Him you may believe in.


Well, you probably have some time on your hands. So google the relationship between ketogenic (=nearly zero-carb) diets and recovery from spinal-cord injuries.
The basic deal is that, if you've suffered any neural damage, your body needs to rebuild neural sheaths and so on. And those things are made of fatty chemicals. So, if you get to a point where fat is used directly as fuel (= ketogenic diet), then your body can repair those injuries a whole lot more easily. It makes sense.


Also, there are real benefits to the mind-muscle connection. Even if you can't use a particular muscle at all, studies have shown that you can prevent as much as 1/4 of catabolism by entering a meditative state and "exercising in the mind". Yes, seriously. So, do that.
Not only will it help, but, if you get used to achieving that degree of focus, you'll absolutely tear it up when you return to the gym (although distractions will start to annoy you more than usual).
It's the same principle behind why people with unilateral injuries still get stronger on both sides when they can only exercise one side. The mind is powerful.


Good luck.

 

[gt4junkie]

Eluruguayo, first and foremost, thank you.

Ive gone a keto diet before, but wasnt aware of these benefits after a spinal injury. I'll do some more research into it and see what i come up with.
as for the meditation, its not really my thing, but as youve said, ive got nothing but time on my hands, so if i get bored, i may just give it a try.

recoverys coming along well, but the diet has been difficult to maintain, especially with not much to do, tend to be eating alot more crap than i should be...

 

[eluruguayo]

Keep us updated. Now that we know you have all this time on your hands, there's no excuse. |:

recoverys coming along well, but the diet has been difficult to maintain, especially with not much to do, tend to be eating alot more crap than i should be...

Yeah.
I always say, a busy schedule is the best "diet pill" in the world. Seriously underrated, that.

 

[McCrew530]

Hey man I had a bad car accident back in 2010. Rolled my 4runner on the freeway and I was out of commission for three months due to neck, back, arm and nerve damage. One word of advice is eat what makes your body happy. Keeping your protein levels high will be good but proper body nutrition will speed up recovery substantially, lots of whole foods. And remember, muscles have memory they will bounce back quicker than you think. Also Im sure the docs are prescribing Opiates like candy to you, I know they were to me. Kratom is a great non addictive natural substitute opiate and helped me get off all those god awful meds that the docs told me I had to take. Heal up brother and good luck