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Hi I put quite a bit of weight on after I had a L5/S1 fusion and was of work for 5 months due to getting two infections after the surgery. I am mobile but it had damaged the nerve down the back of my left leg and into my left foot which has left me with numbness. I was very active before but now I am limited to what I can do.

Hi Anthony, I hope you have a speedy recovery!

Exercise wise I would suggest seeking out an appropriate rehabilitation specialist. They will be able to let you know exactly what you can and can't do in respect to exercise, and may be able to suggest approaches to ease the numbness.

If your exercise levels are low, to save putting on weight listen to your body - just eat when hungry, and stop when not. Your body will regulate yourself quite nicely...

Hi,

Sorry to hear about how your mobility problems are affecting your weight.

Clearly you'll need to consume fewer calories now that you're less active. I'd suggest focussing on eating low-fat proteins such as chicken and turkey without the skin, fish and low-fat dairy foods along with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Recent research suggests that eating too many carbohydrate-rich foods can lead to weight gain - especially if you are less active; so if you are trying to lose weight you might want to limit your intake of these foods to no more than six portions a day. As a rough guide a portion is equal to one slice of bread, three tablespoons of cooked pasta, two tablespoons of cooked rice, two small boiled potatoes or half a baked potato. Choose whole grain versions such as granary bread, whole wheat pasta and brown rice, as these contain more fibre which will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

If you have been under the care of a physiotherapist they should have given you a range of exercises that are safe for you to do. I would suggest you aim to do these every day. Also, you should try to include about thirty minutes of walking into your daily routine. If you can't manage to do this in one go you could do three 10 minute walks a day. Walking is a gentle exercise, but it is very good for burning calories and maintaining general fitness and mobility.

I hope this helps and I wish you well for the future.