The COVID-19 pandemic has affected lives across the world. With your normal routine suspended it’s easy to slip on your weight loss plan. Don’t be ashamed! Many of us have fallen prey to what’s becoming known as the ‘Quarantine 15’. Losing those pesky stay-at-home pounds is no more difficult than any other weight loss challenge. You may actually find having the new flexibility in your schedule allows you more control over your diet and exercise habits! We’ve put together our top weight loss tips on how to lose the Quarantine 15.
Avoid Turning to Comfort Food
Comfort food like hearty pasta dishes and sweet treats may help ease anxiety in the short term but it’s only a matter of time until you see those extra bites sneaking onto your waistline. It’s a stressful time right now; unemployment is up, normal outlets for stress relief are closed, and you’re stuck inside. Turning to comfort food is a short term solution. Try to retrain your brain from thinking those calorie-dense snacks will soothe you. Instead, create a mantra: ‘I will focus on my health’. This is a great time to clean out the cabinet and toss those salty or sweet snacks! Stock the pantry with healthy snacks to avoid turning to Twinkies when you’re feeling peckish.
Create and Stick To a Meal Plan
While you’re cleansing the cabinet from unhealthy snacks is the perfect time to create a meal plan. By thinking ahead and planning out what you intend to eat for the week, you have a foolproof way to stick to healthy meals. It’s hard to justify grabbing Taco Bell when you know you’ve got healthy meals in the fridge at home. Meal plans allow you to buy, cook, and portion out appropriate portion sizes. You can think through your proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in advance to ensure you’re eating a balanced diet. If this sounds like too much thinking, don’t stress! You can choose a healthy meal plan from a trusted medical expert to get all the nutrients you need with no fuss.
No Gym? No Problem! Keep Active at Home for Weight Loss
You can feel quite the burn from right inside your own home. Exercise is proven to release endorphins which make you feel happy. This means even 30 minutes of a great home workout per day can ease stress, lower blood pressure, and increase overall happiness. Staying active means staying productive; working out in the morning provides increased energy throughout the day, letting you get more done. Our advice is to work out different areas of the body each day. This keeps the workout fresh and effective without you getting too bored. You can even talk with our experts to set up a customized workout plan to help with your Quarantine 15 weight loss!
No Excuse to Not Drink Water
A big hidden reason we pack on pounds is misguided eating. Your body can mistake thirst for hunger. This drives you to the kitchen to pick up an unnecessary snack when in reality all your cells wanted to be a little H2O. Aim for at least eight glasses of water a day. Limit alcohol intake as much as possible; alcohol contains a lot of empty calories with almost no nutritional benefit. Sugary drinks such as soda or sweetened tea should be avoided if possible since they’re loaded with calories. A good alternative if you’re craving something sweet but still hydrating is a fruit smoothie, like this healthy grapefruit option with 15 grams of protein from Advanced Medical Weight Loss.
You Won’t Get Far Without Proper Rest
Your body needs proper rest to stay healthy. Many people let the shutdown-caused lack of daily schedule alter their sleep schedules. This is terrible for weight loss! Even if you’re eating right and working out, your body will stubbornly cling to those extra pounds without proper rest. Get at least eight hours of sleep per night on a regular schedule (for example, midnight to 8:00 a.m.). Having a normal sleep schedule allows you to stay active during the day. This helps keep you on track with your diet. If you find yourself needing a little extra boost with dropping the Quarantine 15, stay on top of your diet with a weight loss calculator.
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