Being in isolation is a real game-changer for us all. Suddenly you are being a mum, a teacher, a worker, and a wife all at once. Or you’re a builder who goes stir crazy if left indoors all day, and now you are stuck in small rooms with bottled-up toddlers. It is not just our mental health that can take a knock, but our physical health too. Many people think it is inevitable that they are going to put on weight if they can’t get out like they used to. Hopefully, the following few realistic suggestions can help you out.
Have a Stable Sleep Routine
‘What’s this got to do with losing weight?’ I hear you ask. It actually has a lot to do with it. Things have changed and unless you were housebound before or worked from home, you now have a very different routine. If you don’t have a room exclusively used as an office, how will you switch off and take a well-earned rest? Our mental health affects our physical health, and therefore our weight.
If your daily life is now very fluid, you may be going to bed at different times (probably late) and getting up at different times too. Your body needs a stable routine so your metabolism is not affected. Keep to the 7-9 hours of sleep that you always need. Decide that after 8 pm, for instance, you won’t eat anything more until breakfast.
Eat the Right Food at the Right Time
You don’t want to be eating at lots of different times and not keeping an eye on your snacking. Keep to fixed family mealtimes at the table. Don’t disappear into different rooms to stare at phones or the TV or you won’t be thinking about how much you are eating.
Create a healthy meal plan for the coming week. If you take each day as it comes you are far less likely to be eating healthily. Resist the temptation to buy processed foods – they are convenient but unhealthy. Similarly, with takeaways, the food can be full of calories, bad fat, and high in unhealthy carbs and sugar.
Buy plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables as they will boost your immune system, which is very important during a pandemic, and have lots of vitamins. High fibrous fruits are best, like raspberries or pears. Green vegetables are particularly good due to their high fiber and protein content. Consider kale and spinach. Legumes are good; also dairy and whole grains providing you don’t over consume these. Target high protein foods like eggs, nuts, and chicken. Buy GI foods as well.
Where do you keep your snacks? They weren’t a temptation when you were at work all day, but now you need to hide them from view. When I’m buying food in the shops and see snacks I always think ‘if I don’t buy it I won’t be able to eat it’. Perhaps your partner is more disciplined than you? Why not let them hide the cookie jar! Consider healthy alternatives like smoothies, nuts, and fruit. Snacks like Proper Popcorn are great choices when you have a craving.
Choose a Diet That Works for You
Some people try one diet, lose interest, or think it isn’t working, and then move on to a different one. If you are on a specific diet, give it a chance and stick with it for a while. That’s the best way to proceed.
There are social media groups, such as on Facebook and Instagram, that you can join. If you feel part of a group journey, you won’t feel so hopeless and alone dieting on your own. You can encourage and help each other and it doesn’t have to cost lots of money.
Also, consider calorie-tracking apps on your phone like My Fitness Pal. They will help you learn what food has how many calories, how much of it you’re eating, and if you are staying healthy and/or losing weight.
Willpower is such a key factor here. It is also possible these days to buy medication that suppresses your hunger. This is a viable option for you, and if you click here you will learn that not only will it help you reduce weight, but it will give you an enhanced feeling of well-being. This modern-day option provides another weapon in your armory for the battle for weight loss.
How Much You Drink Water Matters
Drink plenty of water – it is better than fruit squashes with all their additives, or tea or coffee containing milk which is fattening. Drinking water will keep you hydrated and if you drink a glass before your meal, it will help you feel full up.
After a day cooped up with young children, the temptation is to have a glass or two of wine at the end of the day. You can have two drinks a day with a couple of alcohol-free days each week. Better still, stay off it. It doesn’t just affect your waistline, but how you feel.
Shift Your Mindset for Better Weight Loss
Mindfulness is all the rage these days, and for good reasons. Why don’t you stand back from yourself while you are in the kitchen? Pretend you are watching yourself on a video. Say to yourself, ‘So I am reaching for a snack. Am I really hungry? Should I be eating this? Or should I look for a healthy alternative?’
It is good to also ask yourself ‘why do I want to eat something now?’ You could be reacting to boredom or anxiety. It’s like looking at your phone for escapism.
Daily times of mindfulness meditation helps focus the mind and stop it from running out of control. Sometimes it will be the disorder that drives you to eat or drink unwisely.
As we have seen, there are so many different angles we can approach dieting from. Modern life with all its ever-changing technology also provides useful tools in our battle of the bulge. There is no need to suffer from Corona calories if we are disciplined and strategic. We can get through this, and we can do it well.
