It’s no secret that the pandemic that we’ve lived through changed us in a multitude of ways. Aside from growing accustomed to wearing masks outside of our homes, many work routines changed, and more people worked remotely. Students all over the country had to learn and communicate with teachers virtually, and online shopping multiplied because people didn’t want to go into grocery stores. And then there are the physical changes that all too many of us are familiar with. For a few months, we were recluses and sat around more than ever, and sitting around caused us to gain a few extra pounds.
Weight loss was the last thing on our radar during the pandemic. As we struggled to stay healthy, safe, and sane, a rediscovery of favorite recipes and a love of cooking got rekindled. In addition to the sedentary life that lockdown forced has made it necessary for tips to lose weight. They are listed below.
1. Eat A Healthy Breakfast
Being locked inside during the pandemic created unhealthy habits like sleeping late into the morning and skipping breakfast. However, the truth is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There are several benefits to eating breakfast, and one of the major ones is that it helps you control your weight. Eating breakfast helps you consume fewer calories during the day. Skipping breakfast leaves you susceptible to picking up junk food or feeling sick and sluggish. You must learn more about the details that help you lose weight while staying fit. Some other benefits of eating breakfast are:
It fuels the body with glucose, essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
Breakfast kick starts your metabolism.
It boosts your brainpower.
It reduces your risk of illness.
Breakfast builds better bodies.
It helps you make better food choices during the day.
Breakfast promotes a healthy heart.
2. Get a Good Night Sleep
Lockdown during the pandemic was a great time to binge-watch movies late into the night or early morning, way past our regular bedtimes. Instead of getting the recommended six to eight hours of sleep, we were operating on three or four hours. However, the connection between sleep and weight loss is real, and making rest a part of your weight loss journey is vital. Some reasons that not getting enough sleep leads to weight gain include:
Decreased resting metabolism
Too tired for physical activity
Cravings and unhealthy food choices
Insulin resistance
Increased caloric intake
3. Eat Protein, Fat and Vegetables
Each of your meals should include a source of protein, fat, and vegetables. You will lose weight without adding carbohydrates to your plate.
4. Meal Prep in Advance
In the heat of the lockdown, cooking at home and experimenting with baking and new recipes was fun. However, the impromptu cookie and cake bake-offs were comforting but created problems for the hips. Now that things are slowly going back to normal, meal prepping will help you avoid the temptation of cookies and cakes.
Meal prepping can be done for a few days to a week. It involves preparing multiple meals, dividing them into serving-size containers, and storing them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The benefits of meal prepping are numerous, but for someone looking to lose weight, they have healthy meals ready after a long day.
5. Keep a Steady Walking Routine
It is no secret that walking is one of the easiest ways to lose weight. It is free, takes as little time as you want, and doesn’t take a lot of effort. Besides weight loss, other health benefits of walking are:
It bolsters your brain.
It helps you get a good night’s sleep.
Allows you to get fresh air.
As you can see from reading the above, those few pandemic pounds don’t have to ruin your health. Instead of sitting and wallowing in the misery of a few extra pounds, follow the five tips above to shed those pandemic pounds.
