Alexandra “Ali” Fedotowsky, star of The Bachelorette Season 6 knew she’d have to make healthy exercise and eating choices after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured femur. Fedotowsky won the hearts of America as a contestant for Bachelor Jake Pavelka’s affections on The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love. (She voluntarily left the show to keep her marketing job at Facebook.) Here’s how Fedotowsky kept weight gain at bay and how you can do it, too.
It’s hard enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle under normal conditions, but imagine if you were injured and couldn’t get around. Muscles shrink when you don’t use them. Muscle also burns calories even when you’re hanging out on the couch, so the lack of activity plus the loss of muscle adds up to fewer calories burned. In short, your skinny jeans end up on your front lawn, along with your bathroom scale. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Fedotowsky shares her experience recovering from an injury.
You’ve got to eat to heal
When you’re injured, you need to choose foods that offer the greatest nutritional value with the fewest calories. Fedotowsky says, “You want to eat more vegetables than fruits, more fruits than starches, more starches than meat and dairy foods, and more meat and dairy foods than fats.”
Got milk?
Dairy products provide one of the best sources for calcium, a key nutrient in developing and maintaining bone mass. Calcium also helps in blood clotting, and muscle and nerve functioning. If dairy doesn’t agree with you, try taking calcium supplements along with vitamin D to help bones heal. You need a minimum of 600 IUs of vitamin D (or 10 minutes of sun exposure without sunblock daily) and 1,300 milligrams of calcium.
Omega up
Up your omega-3s, which contain proven anti-inflammatory properties to help you heal. Take supplements or include salmon, flax seeds and/or dark leafy greens in your diet a couple times a week. Limit red meats, which may promote inflammation.
Supplement your diet
Ali also takes a supplement called Revolution Abdominal Cuts, which contains naturally occurring, healthy oils clinically proven to reduce body fat. (For more information on Ab Cuts visit www.revolutionlifestyle.com.)
Stretch and move as soon as possible
Ali underwent physical therapy exercises to return her broken leg to its full range of motion and help her rebuild the muscles, which were weak from surgery and inactivity. However, anyone can do simple stretching and strengthening exercises while sitting watching TV.
Try this leg strengthener
Sit with your back against a wall, legs out in front of you. Bend one leg and keep your foot on the floor. Slowly raise your straight leg to a 45-degree angle, pause, and slowly return to starting position; barely touch the floor and slowly raise it back up. Repeat 10 to 15 times and switch legs. Add ankle weights for a greater challenge.
Strengthen your core with this isometric ab toner
Sit up straight with your feet on the ground and your hands on your thighs. Contract your abdominal muscles as if your little nephew was about to punch you in the stomach (the rascal!). Hold for a count of 10 (keep breathing throughout) and release. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
More on recovery from injuries
Exercise-related injuries: How to heal
Yoga injuries on the rise
Why women suffer more knee injuries
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