Many of us are coming face to face with a common byproduct of life during the pandemic: the Quarantine 15. After spending a year locked in the house, it’s understandable that millions of people are dealing with weight gain. But that doesn’t mean we have to accept it.
For starters, don’t be too hard on yourself. A recent study found more than two in five adults struggled to maintain their weight during stay-at-home orders. Normalcy is finally on the horizon, and people are eager to shed any extra weight they put on.
The good news is you don’t need an impossible diet or debilitating workout routine to get back in the swing of things. Sometimes you just have to take it back to the basics with a healthy balanced diet paired with regular cardio activity. And there are a few other helpful things to shuffle into the mix, as well, which we’ll get into here shortly.
So, if you’re looking to shed the dreaded Quarantine 15, here are a few tips.
1. Eat Whole-Plant Foods
It’s only natural to turn to comfort food when you’re stuck in the house around the clock, glued to the television, stressing out over the news.
Most of the time, comfort foods are carb-heavy or heavily processed foods and snacks. Sure, they taste amazing and make you feel better in the moment, but they come back to haunt you later down the road (like right now for most of us).
It’s time to make a switch to whole-plant foods like fruits, vegetables, and healthy grains, while minimizing animal products.
The whole-plant, plant-based diet is often confused with the vegan diet. While they share some similarities, there are some differences (meat, seafood, and dairy aren’t allowed in a vegan diet). Both are effective ways to get the weight off and keep it off.
2. Ditch the Sugar
Sugar is everywhere — no wonder it’s so hard to remove it from your diet completely. It’s high in calories and has zero nutritional value.
The worst thing about sugar is it’s ridiculously addictive. Once it’s in your diet, you crave more of it, and before you know it, you’ve got an extra five pounds staring up at you from the scale.
If you want to cut back on sugar, start by eliminating candies, desserts, and processed snack foods. Just remember, sugar lurks in the most unsuspecting places, so check the label to be sure. Look for some of the other names sugar goes by, like sucrose, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, and a few others.
However, if you’ve adopted the whole-plant diet, you won’t be looking at too many such labels, because you’ll have fresh produce instead.
3. Fat-Burning Juices
Juicing isn’t anything new, but it’s still an effective way to get tons of nutrients and lose weight in the process. Juices are also great to make ahead of time and carry along when you’re on the go.
Carrot juice contains tons of fiber, which is great for healthy digestion. Plus, a glass of carrot juice in the morning will keep you full until lunch, so you’re not reaching for snacks here and there.
Many people praise pineapple juice for its ability to burn belly fat quickly, thanks to an enzyme called bromelain. This enzyme helps your body metabolize protein and get rid of belly fat.
There are plenty of fat-burning juice recipes to try when you’re looking to drop a few pounds. Besides, if it’s part of Beyonce’s weight loss regimen, it must work, right?
4. High-Intensity Interval Training
You’ve probably heard of high-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, but have you ever put it to use?
You know cardio is a must when you’re trying to slim down, but did you know implementing HIIT into your routine can speed things up? The easiest way to add HIIT to your workout routine is to combine short sprints into a walking routine. If you want to turn it up a bit more, find a walking trail with lots of hills and dips to get your heart pumping.
It’s best to aim for 20–30 minutes of high-intensity training a day when starting. Then you can cut back to two or three days a week to maintain your weight. HIIT is great, because you maximize your workout, burning more fat without any equipment.
If you find yourself sorer than expected, you may want to include a CBD topical into your post-workout routine. Products like our Muscle and Joint Balm Stick provide almost instant relief, thanks to the cooling action offered by the addition of peppermint and wintergreen oils.
5. Kiss the Carbs Goodbye?
This goes back to diet, but it’s essential to understand different carbohydrates and how they affect weight loss or weight gain.
Most of us think of chips, bread, and pasta when we think about carbs. Sure, these are some of the most well-known culprits of weight gain, but there are good carbs you can eat to adhere to a healthy diet.
Here are some “good” carbs to include in your diet:
- Grains
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Milk
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Legumes (beans, lentils, peas)
Your body utilizes carbohydrates for energy. Good carbs take longer to digest, providing more benefit without making you feel bloated and fatigued. When it comes down to it, we’re all unique, and our bodies respond differently to things. Try adopting a low-carb or no-carb diet and see if it works for you.
6. What About Cheat Meals?
You’re establishing a new lifestyle routine, and this takes time and self-discipline, paired with a little bit of balance.
What’s this balance we speak of?
It’s okay to allow yourself a cheat meal now and then — a healthy balance. You can use this meal as a reward to yourself for sticking to your new routine all week.
You Can Do It
It’s hard to get back in the swing of things when you’ve been sitting down for the last year. Don’t hurt yourself trying to lose 10 pounds in one week. Create a routine that works for you, and take your time while you’re getting back to your flow.
The great thing about these tips is they create healthy lifestyle changes that benefit your health and wellness in the long run.
Want to learn more about being your best self this summer?
Check out this article!