Losing weight is a battle that many of us faced during the government mandated lockdown. The extra time on our hands made us indulge in delicious meals cooked by our loved ones.
Colloquially dubbed as the “Quarantine 15”, many people all over the pandemic-stricken world have had a fair share of weight gain during lockdown. This led others to scour the depths of the Internet to find solutions and quick fixes.
There are a myriad of tips that can either be beneficial or detrimental to your weight loss journey. But there are a few things that you need to remember to keep you motivated to achieve your before-the-pandemic-hit weight.
How would you know your perfect body weight though?
To find out the perfect body weight for you, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the Body Mass Index (BMI) range of 18.5 to 25 for males and females who want to lose weight. There are a ton of BMI calculators on the internet to help you have a clear answer to how much you want to lose. Just remember that any number that goes under the 18.5 range is underweight while for 25 and higher, is overweight and actual obesity.
Now that you know the ideal body weight for you, it is time to remember a few things before you start your weight loss journey. These tips and pointers are crucial for you to avoid discouragement once you start.
Weight loss is not a linear path
We are all unique beings with different sets of excellence and troubles. Which is why no two weight loss journeys are exactly alike. The time that you may have started is different from the person whose weight is what you aspire to have. Which is why it is better to focus on your goals than compare your progress to those that you see on the internet.
Do not follow weight loss diet fads
Viral diet hacks that you see on the internet are mostly a scam. What is even worse is the fact that your chosen diet fad is unsustainable. This means that it is too hard to do that in the long run, you would only loathe yourself for not sticking to the already ridiculous and hard to follow tips that they mandated you to do. Once you do get off the track, you also gain back the weight that you seemingly lost along the way.
Do your thorough research about your preferred fitness instructor
A quick search on the internet can provide you the results and credentials that you want your fitness instructor to have. A certified instructor can help you achieve your weight loss goals safely and at the same time, give you hope if things are not going the way you planned in your head.
Do not take fitness advice from people without any fitness certification
More often than not, the internet is your major source of fitness and exercise materials. This led to the influx of so-called fitness gurus that maybe after the views and money only through the content that they create. It is not entirely wrong to consume fitness materials through the internet but be mindful of what you put yourself into.
Do keep track of what you put into your body
A fit and healthy body is one that is nourished by nutrient-dense super foods and fueled by clean and refreshing water. Refer to the food pyramid to know what food you need more of to keep your gears up and running.
Do not just rely on food labels
You probably have seen a lot of food that claim that it is dairy-free, gluten-free, less-fat, 0%v cholesterol, and sugar-free. While these labels are not lying, a majority of them used substitutes for what they claim to not have. An example of this is the use of artificial sweeteners, such as cyclamates, aspartame, acesulfame-k, or sucralose, saccharin, to sweeten sugar-free drinks and food. Remember that once you remove an ingredient, the end-product can either taste slightly-off or completely different.
Do incorporate exercise
Remember that 80% of your weight loss is dependent on the food that you eat while the remaining 20% is for exercise. You do not need to go into beast mode to lose weight either. Just start slowly and build your endurance and tolerance to different kinds of exercises that are available for you to do. FlexiSpot's Home office All-in-One Desk Bike/Bike Workstation V9 is the solution if you feel like you cannot take the time to go to a gym because this genius product lets you stay active while sitting.
Do not be afraid to make rookie mistakes
Losing weight is a long and winding process that needs discipline and inspiration. That is why making mistakes are A-Okay as long as you pick yourself back up and start all over again.
Do treat yourself with kindness (and some sweets from time to time)
Tempted over a piece of fudgy, moist, and chocolatey brownie? How about a few pints of beer to end a stressful day? Go ahead and have a bite or drink of your favorite treat! It takes a lot of months to have a caloric surplus that will surely show itself on your belly and love handles. Balance is the key to keep yourself from hating your fitness routine. After all, you can still eat whatever you want as long as you are eating in moderation and exercising well.
Do not be afraid to take a break
Like a smartphone, we need to take a break to recharge ourselves. Same goes for exercising. To fully appreciate your weight loss, resting your muscles from intensive training helps you heal faster. You will see a major difference in your body and see your hard work pay off if you take a break and have your cake too.
Now that you know how to tackle your fitness journey, the community lockdown is the best time for you to dive in headfirst and somersault to the fit and healthy body that you want to achieve ever since you saw signs of the “quarantine 15.”
