I was doing so well with my daily walking (I've been doing half an hour a day all along, but once I started WW in January, I bumped it up until I was up to an hour a day) and then, while I was dusting yesterday, I dared to bend over and....

My damn back gave out. Muscle spasms, the works. I get them maybe once or twice a year (the last bout was in June) but when they hit, I'm pretty much down for the count for at least a week. I can walk, but only very carefully...and actually going for a walk outside is almost out of the question, since I'm afraid that the spasms will strike again while I'm out.

So today I'm feeling pretty discouraged. I haven't been able to even leave the house, and I'm so used to going out for my walk that I can almost *feel* myself gaining weight *L*

How do you all deal when you're unable to exercise for one reason or another? I'm trying to keep my spirits up (my weekly weigh-in is tomorrow night) but it's getting kind of difficult. Whenever something like this happens, all I want to do is eat everything I can get my hands on.

Ouch I feel your pain. As far as eating everything you can get your hands on goes why not treat yourself to one thing that you really want and enjoy that as opposed to eating everything. You're not going to lose that much progress or gain a lot of weight before you're ready to get out there again.

This has happened to me 2 or 3 times in the past year, most recently last week. Some things to try are:
1) try to get into see a great massage therapist as soon as possible.
2) if you know it's a muscle spasm, and if it reacts well to heat, spend as much time on a good heating pad as possible.
3) this sounds strange, but if there is anything mental that is weighing on you (like you need to say something to someone and aren't) then get it out there.

Don't worry about gaining weight, the added stress will not help you get well. You're not going to decondition and gain weight overnight.

Hopefully you'll only be 'down' for a couple of days.
Try chewing gum instead of putting food in your mouth
I recently had a 3 month bout of neck problems and I gained about 10 lbs
(inactivity, depression, random overeating)
It sucks, but sometimes injuries get in the way.
Hope you are on the mend soon and try to stay on plan with your eating.
Good luck !

BTDT!!!!

Please go to the dr. and get an injection of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. Then go to a massage therapist. Heat and then ice are good in 20 minute intervals to move the blood into the area. Be sure to lay flat while icing/heating. If you take opiate pain meds, you will want to up your fiber intake and consider using a stool softener.

Exercise is a great stress reliever so swap it for some non-physical meditation, visualization or just quiet time. This may help with the stress eating (anything/everything) for comfort. You won't lose much momentum by taking a week or two off from walking. Eat really good healthy foods to treat yourself. Get those expensive raspberries or a nice 6 oz steak, or crab legs, etc.

Are you doing WW? If so, be sure to use all your points - daily and weekly. It is even okay to go over. Just keep track of what you eat to stay accountable.

There is no rushing the healing. I have found each occurrance takes longer and longer to recover from. The last one took me 3 1/2 weeks to get back to walking 1/2 mile. I was doing WW and I didn't have a loss but I didn't have a gain either!!

I don't know if you're a chiropracter type-of-gal, but my chiro keeps me moving. I also live and die by Tiger Balm (kinda like Ben Gay, but less "hot"). You will not gain weight by not exercising UNLESS you start overeating. Even my trainer (a former champion bull rider and in flippin unbelievable shape) says that food is 80% of weight loss. Your body is just taking a little break - honor that and take care of yourself for a few days.

p.s. My back used to go out all the time. The closer I got to goal, the less it happened. Now, hardly ever! So, hang in there and reach those weight loss goals! I also work on my core a LOT - that has helped, too.