The Intake Journal
A monthly journal of nutrition, intake & sport science Vol. 001

The Physics of Healing: Caloric Management Post-Injury

Why cutting calories during a severe injury is the most common and devastating mistake an athlete can make.

An athlete tears their ACL. The immediate psychological response is fear of weight gain due to sudden immobility. The consequent action is caloric restriction. Biologically, this is catastrophic.

The Psychology of Immobility

An athlete tears their Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). The immediate, almost instinctual psychological response is a profound fear of weight gain. The logic seems sound: "I can no longer run 50 miles a week, therefore I must drastically cut my food intake to avoid gaining fat."

The consequent action is severe caloric restriction. Biologically, however, this decision is utterly catastrophic.

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