The good news is this: it is possible to lose weight. You can do this by counting calories, relaxing more (seriously), swapping the sugary drinks for water, swapping unhealthy snacks for healthier food, and by staying hydrated. Read on to learn more about how to kick start your weight loss for 2021.
Quarantine’s been difficult for many reasons. It’s particularly been tough on the waistline. Most of us haven’t been eating as well as we should for a variety of reasons. Stress, food accessibility, and finances can all contribute to weight gain. If you’ve found that you gained some quarantine weight, you’re not alone. Many of us are now struggling with weight loss after the dumpster fire that was 2020.
The good news is this: it is possible to lose weight. You can do this by counting calories, relaxing more (seriously), swapping the sugary drinks for water, swapping unhealthy snacks for healthier food, and by staying hydrated. Read on to learn more about how to kickstart your weight loss for 2021.
Count your calories
An old joke is this: ‘calories are tiny creatures that live in your closet and sew your clothes a little smaller every night as you sleep.’ In reality, calories are what make up the food we eat. They’re a direct measure of the energy we take from food. Almost everything we consume has calories in it (other than water).
2,000 calories a day is often quoted as the target. However, that’s actually not the case for many of us. Your calorie needs depend on your lifestyle, age, current weight, and height. You can use an online calorie calculator to find out how many calories you should be eating to get to your ideal weight – and track them using a food journal app, such as My Fitness Pal
Relax
Stress can affect us in so many ways- not just physically, but mentally, too. Stress can not only slow down our metabolism, but also encourage us to make unhealthy choices. If you’re constantly overloaded, you’re more likely to choose fattening and quick meals rather than something that may be healthier but take longer to prepare.
Take a moment. Breathe deep. Practice mindfulness. Most importantly, try to cut out unnecessary stressors in your life. Freeing up your time will allow you to use that time in healthier, more productive ways- such as preparing healthy meals for yourself and your family.
Lose the sugary drinks & hydrate with water
One of the sure-fire quickest ways to pack on pounds is through liquid calories. Soda and juice are the worst offenders for this. Instead of choosing sugary drinks, choose a diet beverage or- ideally- water. Heavy soda drinkers can easily shed pounds just by switching out sugary drinks for water.
Most of us don’t drink enough water. Keeping well hydrated is a key element of weight loss. Thirst can actually be mistaken for hunger for one thing; and for another, humans need plenty of water to keep our bodies performing optimally. Ideally, you should be getting around eight glasses of water per day.
Swap snacks for healthy food
Change out your unhealthy snacks - like chips and cookies- for healthier snacks such as fruit, vegetables, and yogurt. If it seems like too much at once, cut down gradually. Over days or weeks, slowly replace your snacks one by one with healthier alternatives.
Conclusion
The pandemic has been difficult for a variety of reasons. Many people have gained weight during this time. Stress, food accessibility, and financial trouble can all contribute to weight gain. If you’re struggling with quarantine weight, you’re not alone.
Thankfully, it is possible to lose weight. You can kick start your weight loss by counting calories, relaxing more often, choosing water over sugary drinks, swapping unhealthy snacks for healthy ones, and staying hydrated. Here’s to a leaner- and healthier- 2021.
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