You suffer an injury that forces time off from the gym for a few weeks or even months. As a result, the diet “falls apart” and you gain a significant amount of fat.
This is frustrating because it’s almost entirely preventable. Because the injury and subsequent loss of exercise didn’t cause the diet to lose momentum — it’s the loss in engagement and rhythm.
So something goes pop and you’re forced to replace working out with navigating the world in a walking cast. It sucks. I get it.
But working out isn’t the ONLY part of the process. So why not shift focus to the other parts?
In other words, if training is on hiatus due to injury, then Double Down on Diet.
Spend the hour a day you normally spend lifting focusing on food prep, getting better at tracking macros & measuring, playing with new recipes, creating a shopping list. Anything.
You can even fill your normal training block each with this diet-based work. While not always practical it will help you maintain rhythm.
Clients who adopt this mindset gain very little fat during re-hab (though not training for extended periods never looks great in the mirror, dieting or otherwise).
But the best part is?
When they get the green light to lift again they’re still in engaged. Because they’ve still been doing the “process,” just not one part of it.
Furthermore, that drive to re-capture lost progress is also supported by MUCH better dieting habits, which can last a lifetime.