To see my tale of woe, look here (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showpost.php?p=527664&postcount=172) The bottom line is I have herniated 3 discs but recovery looks good. I am in a lot of pain but the intensity is lessoning daily.

Currently, I am only able to do elliptical for about 30-35 minutes and not with enough resistance to get my heart rate up where I normally do. I get it to creep into the 120's in the last 5 minutes or so. Normally, when I do cardio for about 45 minutes, My heart rate climbs towards 140 for the last 20 minutes. I know that is high for my age for a fat burning range but I think my max heart rate is much higher than the usual formula of 90% of 220 minus age. I've been doing cardio pretty steadily for the last several years -- even before JSF.

Weight training will take a long time to come. I am hoping I can be cleared for swimming.

My usual food plan, when I stick to it, is to have 5 protein/ fat meals a day with minimal or no carbs with it and one meal protein/carbs with no fat -- those carbs consisting of high fiber vegetables like broccoli.

I am 5' 3/4" (I have lost an inch of height with my degenerative disc disorder) and weigh 157 lbs. Before all this mess. my BF was around 23%. I hate to check it out now though I will, I was put on steroids for over a week and I want that and its side effects to be gone from my body.

But assume my Bf% must be sky high, probably back to the 30% it was before JSF.

My current food plan has me eating about 1500 calories per day.

Assuming I can do cardio on an elliptical 4 times a week for now and essentially no resistance training -- what would people recommend? I will be spending a lot of time in bed to rest my back.

How many calories? I assume a reduction since i am so sedentary. Do you think I should reduce the calories per meal or do you think I should eliminate a meal? One of the Protein/ Fat meals perhaps.

The basic diet type works well for me. I am a protein/fat kind of gal. The only thing is that I like to eat a piece of fruit before I go to bed --- which i know so,e are against. I don't do it every night but I do it a lot. That is allowed for in the 1500 calories.

Any thoughts?

5 protein/fat meals a day. And that would work out to ? grams of protein....and...how much fat?

And extremely low carb intake.

This sounds like a diet for a pro bodybuilder in some aspects.

Just the way you described it sounds like too much protein/fat for your needs. But it depends on how much your getting daily.

Without knowing the particulars I would be inclined to drop one of those meals and add more raw veggies and complex carbs.

Veggies and carbs don't build muscle arguably......but body maintenance isn't just about muscle. It's about getting all the other necessary nutrients for good health like Calcium and other minerals that you won't find in protein and fat.

I also wouldn't actively seek fats in every meal.