Losing weight when you can’t walk can be a tough task.
The “key” to any weight loss regimen is to reduce the number of calories you are consuming to below the number of calories you are expending.
This will, in essence, create a calorie deficit, allowing you to lose weight.
The best way to lose weight when you can’t walk is by eating a healthy, low calorie, nutritious diet, paired with an exercise and workout routine that helps you burn extra calories over time. You need to focus on eating foods that are low in calories and high in nutrition. This needs to be paired with exercises that help you increase your metabolism and rate that you are burning calories during and after exercise.
If you are really motivated to lose weight but have limited mobility, use these steps to aid you in your weight loss efforts.
Losing Weight When You Can’t Walk
Step #1 Eat High Protein Foods
If you can’t walk and you want to lose weight, start eating high protein foods.
Two studies (1) (2) showed that high protein foods suppress cravings and thoughts about food by about 60%, helping you to eat 441 less calories per day.
Start eating things like lean meats, nuts, beans, eggs, and seeds.
Protein will also help you create lean muscle so when you exercise, you burn more calories.
The benefits of protein are endless.
Step #2 Eat Appetite Suppressing Foods
Your next step to losing weight is by eating appetite suppressing foods.
Even though you may have limited mobility, you are still able to eat appetite suppressing foods.
Eat foods like almonds, walnuts, apples, bananas, avocado, leafy greens, and cottage cheese.
These foods will help you suppress your appetite, provide your body with nutrition, helping you to restrict the other foods you might be wanting to put into your body.
Step #3 Do Alternative HIIT Training Exercises
Even though you may be hindered by limited mobility and the inability to walk, you can still make the best of your situation and exercise in a different manner.
You can do HIIT exercises in a way that doesn’t require you to walk.
A HIIT workout is comprised of exercises in which you can exert full effort for a short amount of time.
You might think you need to run to exert this much effort. You don’t.
There are many other exercises in which you can safely exert max effort.
This may include using the row machine, doing standard or knee pushups as fast and long as you can, or swimming laps with a kickboard.
You can also do things situps or crunches, use the recumbent bike, and use an arm bike or wheelchair in an explosive manner.
Remember, your primary way to lose weight is going to be through diet, but exercise will make your weight loss efforts that much easier.
Step #4 Eat Fresh and Frozen Foods
When you think of eating healthy, you need to stick to fresh and frozen foods.
Stay out of the middle aisles of the grocery store and stay near the outside.
This is where you are going to get your high proteins, your leafy greens, and your generally healthy foods that you should be putting into your body.
The majority of your weight loss efforts needs to be focused on improving your diet and creating a calorie deficit.
Get with a nutritionist and analyze how many calories you burn daily.
If you burn 2000 calories per day, you need to be eating between 1400 and 1600 calories per day to see adequate weight loss over time.
If you are exercising you will lose weight that much faster.
Step #5 Add Cardio to Your Day
Even if you can’t walk or have limited mobility, you can still get can still get some cardio into your day, leading to weight loss.
Use the recumbent bike, elliptical, indoor bicycle or hand cycle, and swim laps.
These low impact cardio exercises will be of great assistance in helping you burn extra calories over time.
Step #6 Get Yourself Motivated
Motivation is one of the biggest factors why people don’t work out on a regular basis.
Make it easy on yourself and set an alarm for when you need to drop everything and go workout.
You must be consistent to see consistent results.
Keep a journal and set goals.
Have someone keep you accountable.
You can do it!!
Step #7 Lift Weights
Finally, if you want to lose weight, you need to increase your metabolism.
One of the best ways to increase your metabolism is to lift weights.
Lifting weights seems daunting if you are unable to walk, but some simple shoulder presses, bicep curls, and chest flies can go a long way to increasing your metabolism and helping you to shed excess pounds.
Just remember to start slow and light and build up to something a little more challenging over time.
Here is a list of 7 exercises you can do when you can’t walk.
Summary: How Can I Lose Weight When I Can’t Walk?
It can be hard losing weight, whether or not you can walk. Remember calories in vs. calories out is the key to weight loss. A diet composed of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, beans, whole grains and nuts are going to be the food groups with the highest amount of nutrients, protein, and vitamins, and the least amount of sugar, calories, trans and saturated fats, sodium, and cholesterol. Pair a great diet with some exercise that includes cardio, hiit training and weight lifting and you will have the ability to lose weight even with limited mobility.
If you liked this article, check out: 7 Exercises You Can Do When You Can’t Walk
