How to eat while not exercising long term to keep muscle?

I've two bulging disks in my back causing me discomfort (tingling in right thigh and right arm down to ring finger, and hunger is completely gone - eating anything is somewhat painful (up until about 4 months ago I loved eating), and I have to force myself to munch peanuts for calories). I'm at the chiropractor once/twice a week for it for adjustments. I've only gone to the gym twice in the last 2 months (both times were Monday, and on the Tuesday after the chiropractor told me to stop). I have to wait for the tingling to go down (daily icing and biofreeze) before doing ANY exercise - even walking "as little as possible". I was swimming for a few weeks, but he told me swim to get out of the house, not for any exercise, laps etc., so I stopped.

I WAS on 5,000 calories/day (ectomorphic body, about 12 % bodyfat, was bulking slightly), lifting 5x a week, 60 mins/day, averaging 15,000-20,000 steps a day with running, sports, etc.
CURRENTLY I'm on 3,600 calories/day (sometimes less if my stomach is in pain (full) at night), and trying to still hit 180 g protein/day, though I'm not sure if that's doing anything for me atm. I think I should be eating less, but I'm nervous about withering away.

I haven't not exercised in this long ever, I'm not sure how to manage it. I'll be at least another month out I'd say (chiropractor said 3 months for someone he'd never seen before when I asked yesterday, but I should be a lot quicker cause he's been treating this injury for a few months already). Is there any nutritional advice for minimal muscle loss?

Edit: I'm 27, not 52, if that helps. Chiropractor says the injury is a long term build-up of stress and he says to avoid squats, deadlifts, and lunges when I do get back to lifting.


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