Shaping Up: How to stay motivated when you are injured

But instead of letting it stop me, I’ve had to adapt my goals and training plan to work around it.

If you’re dealing with an injury, here’s how you can stay motivated and keep making progress.

1. Focus on What You Can Do

It’s easy to dwell on what you can’t do when you’re injured, but there’s always something you can do. Since I can’t do much lower-body work, I’ve shifted my focus to upper-body strength and core training. If you have a leg injury, try seated exercises. If it’s your arm, focus on lower-body work. Keeping active in any way will help maintain your fitness and boost your mood.

2. Set New Goals

When I got injured, I had to change my goals. Instead of training for performance, I’ve focused on maintaining my strength and mobility while recovering. Setting small, achievable goals – like improving flexibility, strengthening other areas, or even focusing on good nutrition – can keep you on track.

3. Be Mindful of Your Diet

If you can’t be as active, you might not be burning as many calories as usual. This means it’s important to be mindful of portion sizes and food choices. Focus on eating plenty of protein to help with muscle recovery, and include lots of fruit, veg, and healthy fats. Try to avoid unnecessary snacking out of boredom – sticking to balanced meals will help you maintain a healthy weight while you recover.

4. Stay Consistent

Even if you can’t do your usual workouts, try to keep a routine. If you normally train three times a week, stick to that schedule but adjust the exercises. Staying in the habit will make it easier to return to full training once you’re healed.

5. Look After Your Mindset

Injuries can be tough mentally as well as physically. Staying positive is key. Instead of seeing this as a setback, think of it as an opportunity to work on areas you might normally neglect, like flexibility, balance, or even mindfulness.

6. Get Professional Advice

Seeing a physio or speaking to a coach can help you recover properly and avoid making the injury worse. They can give you exercises to help with healing and keep you moving safely.

7. Stay Connected

It’s easy to feel isolated when you’re injured, but staying involved with your fitness community can help. Keep in touch with training partners, go to the gym for rehab work, or even just stay active in fitness chats. Surrounding yourself with motivated people will help keep you on track.

An injury doesn’t have to mean stopping completely. By focusing on what you can do, setting new goals, staying mindful of your diet, and keeping a positive mindset, you’ll come back stronger than ever. If you’re injured, take it as a chance to learn, adapt, and improve in new ways.

WORKOUT

Upper Body Blast: 10-minute workout for lower body injuries

If you're dealing with a lower-body injury, it doesn't mean you have to stop training completely. This 10-minute upper-body workout will help you maintain strength and stay active while giving your legs a break. Stick to slow, controlled movements and focus on good form.

You can view a video demonstration of this workout on the East Coast Fitness Facebook and Instagram pages.

The Workout (10 minutes – No Lower Body Involvement)

Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds. Complete two rounds.

Seated Shoulder Press

Seated Bicep Curls

Seated Lateral Raises

Seated Tricep Extensions

Seated Resistance Band Rows

Remember to engage your core throughout the workout and adjust weights as needed. Give it a go, and let me know how you get on!

RECIPE

High-protein peanut butter and chocolate energy bites

When you’re injured and less active, it’s important to be mindful of your calorie intake while still getting enough protein to support recovery. These no-bake energy bites are packed with protein, healthy fats, and fibre—perfect for a quick snack without overindulging.

Ingredients (makes 10 Bites)

100g oats

50g peanut butter (or almond butter)

30g chocolate protein powder

2 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)

1 tbsp chia seeds (optional for extra fibre)

1 tbsp dark chocolate chips

2 tbsp milk (or as needed for consistency)

Method

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until well combined. Add a little milk if the mixture is too dry.

Roll into 10 small bites and place them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Each bite has around 6-8g of protein, making them a great post-workout or recovery snack. Enjoy!