u/Alternative_Tea3639

Hi there! So I used to be pretty active(I was an equestrian) until I recently got diagnosed with a major back issue that means I now have a ton of restrictions in hopes of healing it to avoid surgery since I'm only 19. I'm about 5'9, and I was 141 pounds a few months ago but just recently I learned I've shot up to 155, which doesn't seem that major for my height but I noticed that literally all my weight goes to my stomach and waist. Every other part of my body(chest, arms, thighs, calves, hips) are the exact same size they've been for years, literally just my stomach and waist have gotten bigger to the point I lowkey look like 4-5 months pregnant(which I can guarantee I am not).

So I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how I could lose this weight? Everything I was reading was talking about ab workouts, lifting weights, etc, but the issue is the strict limitations I was given. I can't twist, I can't lift more than 15 pounds, I can't walk for too long, I can't bend over, or even lean forwards really, and I can't squat to lift things though I can squat to pick something up. So I was wondering if there was anything out there that might be able to help me lose the weight I'm gaining? And also maybe keep the muscle mass I had built up from riding? I'm in PT too as well but the exercises that I'm doing aren't really strenuous things that would be helping you know?

Thank you!!

Quick Edit: thanks for the advice guys! I do try to pay attention to what I eat but I have some kind of stomach issue that means I usually only eat like twice a day and anymore makes me nauseous! I am working on that with doctors, trying to figure that out, and one of the solutions was a new med that I am now just realizing may have had a side effect of weight gain! I'll talk with my prescriber to see if I was right since I have an appt tomorrow but I'm still looking for advice because even if I am right I still probably have to drop that weight lol

Hi there! I'm writing a story(for fun) and I know what starting horses normally looks like, since I'm an equestrian myself, and I was trying to do research on my own but there's still some stuff that's vague. For instance, what does a yearling's life look like? I saw that they're sent to training facilities to learn how to be race horses but what does that actually look like? And do larger scale facilities just train their yearlings are home? And then what about as a starting two year old? Do they race horses with lower potential and horses with higher potential in the same categories or even the same races? And then finally, if a horse was proven very successful their two year old year, how does that change their racing schedule the next 2-3 years of their career?

Thank you!!