Injured? Work Around It
Consider
exercising the rest of your (non-injured) body. "If your left leg is
injured, for example, there's benefit to training the uninjured leg,"
says David Hooper, MS, CSCS, a graduate research assistant in the Ohio
State University College of Education and Human Ecology. "It has been
shown to transfer to the injured limb to some degree." Yes, exercising
one part of your body can help maintain muscle in other parts—crazy,
right?
Drink Wine
If
you haven't heard, red wine contains a powerful antioxidant called
resveratrol, which acts on protein breakdown and fights against
oxidative stress and cell death—all good things when it comes to
maintaining muscle. Turns out, everyone's fave antiox may even help
muscles grow, suggests a Journal of Translational Medicine
study. Don't use this as an excuse to down an entire bottle, but don't
feel bad about enjoying a glass after a long day at work, either.
Enjoy a Burger
You've
probably seen creatine at your local supplement store, but it's also
found in red meat. Creatine provides fuel for muscles and has been shown
to maintain muscle strength and size when you're injured, says Jeffrey
R. Stout, PhD, associate professor at the University of Central Florida
and author of the book, Essentials of Creatine in Sport and Health.
Eat Protein
Dutch
researchers found that maintaining protein intake may help preserve
muscle during a prolonged workout break (protein provides the body with
amino acids, the building blocks of muscle). "Quality protein sources
such as animal protein (poultry, eggs, fish, beef, low-fat dairy) and
plant-based protein (soy, beans, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and seeds)
should be included in every meal and snack," suggests Arizona-based
registered dietitian and nutritionist Tiffani Bachus. "Aim for 3 to 5 ounces at each meal and 2 to 3 ounces at snack time."
Limit Carbs
Less
activity should mean fewer carbohydrates: "When your body's active,
carbohydrates are used for energy (along with fat)," says Bachus. When
you're inactive? Excess carbs are stored as fat. Bachus suggests
consuming approximately 15 to 25 grams of carbohydrates at each meal and
snack.
Picture Yourself Exercising
Exercise your imagination on your off days. In a Journal of Neurophysiology
study, 29 subjects had a cast placed on their non-dominant arm for four
weeks. Half of the subjects imagined contracting their forearm muscles
and flexing their wrists for five seconds (without actually doing it).
The other half didn't do the mental imagery exercises. At the end of the
month, those who performed the metal imagery only lost 24 percent of
their strength compared to the 45 percent lost by the group who did used
their imaginations.
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