Paraplegics have special concerns with excess weight in the lower extremities, including difficult transfers and mobility issues as well as skin problems such as pressure ulcers. There is no way to lose weight in one area, such as the legs, but there are ways to reduce your entire body fat content. You may have to fight extra hard; paraplegia in itself may increase your risk for obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Step 1
Record your diet -- every bite or drink that you ingest -- for a week. Then calculate the daily calories consumed by taking advantage of a free online calorie calculator.
Step 2
Multiply your body weight in kilograms by 27.9. The resulting number is the suggested number of calories you should be consuming daily as a paraplegic -- compare the result with your logged week of calories.
Step 3
Eat 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Choose lean proteins, such as broiled chicken, fish or tofu, and avoid fried meats and processed meat such as bologna. Increase your protein intake to 1.2 grams per kilogram of weight if you have healing wounds, such as pressure ulcers.
Step 4
Do not starve yourself to lose weight. This produces the opposite effect -- your body will hold onto every calorie because it thinks you are starving it. Eating five or six small meals a day will help your metabolism, whereas eating one or two can slow it down.
Step 5
Fill half of your plate with vegetables, 1/4 with lean protein and the last 1/4 with starch. Avoid refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, for your starch. Instead choose whole grains, oats or barley.
Step 6
Cut the empty calories out of your diet. Sodas, sweets and packaged snack foods can quickly run up your daily calorie count.
Step 7
Use a manual chair for mobility. If you have been using an electric chair, you will need to make the transition slowly while you build upper-body strength. Start in your home, and when you feel able, move to the mall and push yourself the length of the mall. Building upper-body strength helps you body burn calories more efficiently, which will ultimately help you lose weight in the lower extremities.
Step 8
Talk to your doctor and physical therapist about electronic stimulation treatments. Electronic stimulation machines use electrodes to engage and "exercise" the leg muscles while you bicycle with your arms.
Tips and Warnings
- You can complete any able-bodied exercise -- adapt them to your capability. Wheelchair dancing, basketball and races are cardiovascular exercises that get your heart rate going and burn calories.
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