5 Tips to Avoid Weight Gain
COVID-19 has caused many to stay at home and binge eat regularly everything under the sun. The longer people sit or remain home looking at endless screens; tv, tablets, laptops, computer, cellphones, etc., the harder it has been to not just want to eat all the time. Carrying on life interacting with multiple screens for more than 12 hours+ a day has caused many to pack on the pounds. When gyms were closed, it was a devastating blow to the psyche, but now that they are open at a limited capacity, that has not made things that much more comfortable with all the restrictions. Now there is the added stress of figuring out the right time to go to the gym and how to be in such an environment safely. Life use to be so simple to get in a work out if one wanted to. What is one to do? Always understand the fact that some movement is always better than none.
5 Tips to Avoid Weight Gain
1) Take A Break from Sitting (TABS)
a) Get up every 60 minutes and do something to move your limbs for 5 minutes; even if you cannot stand up, do something to keep the blood freely circulating like air punching or calf raises. 6 five-minute breaks throughout one day will add up to 30 minutes of movement. If you take an hour's lunch break, there are additional possible minutes to utilize to get and keep oneself active during the day. Exercise or physical activity, in general, is beneficial for the entire body. Movement helps the blood circulate to all parts of the body, including the heart, which is very necessary to live.
2) Eat Less
a) If you feel you need to snack throughout the day, then eat healthier snacks that are lighter in calories instead of those that will pack on the pounds. As we mentioned last week, you can eat spinach at only seven calories with a mini salad or add it to some pineapples, berries, apples, or bananas for a low-calorie smoothie. Such meals will keep you full, and you will not be adding too many extra pounds if you have another serving. Unwanted pounds can be hard on the heart and cause it to work harder, so be conscious of what you are eating and make every effort to intake less.
b) Avoid refined carbohydrates, for they are loaded with those unwanted calories you do not want because they will cause you to gain weight. Refined grains are pasta, white bread, white rice, cereals, and other highly sugared products, including soda.
c) Use smaller plates or bowls to consume your meals rather than a large size plate. The larger the container, the more you will be enticed to add to it, hence the ability to gain weight.
3) Limit Excess Stress
a) There is stress that one can control, and then there is the stress that one cannot manage. Living in a stressful environment in a flight or fight state of mind all the time can cause immense pressure on the body, causing ones cortisol levels to increase which in turns triggers unwanted pounds due to overeating. Being mindful of the amount of stress around you and having a healthy outlet to release it can help keep stress levels in check. Eating while stress leads to emotional eating, which is simply just eating to do something that is more than likely not productive to well-being.
b) Invest in ways to help you destress. Yoga, Pilates, Walking, Running, Jogging, Hiking. Being near water, in nature, Meditating, Praying, Dancing, Journaling, Conversating, Reading, Writing, the list is endless. No matter what you do make some time for something you enjoy doing.
4) Drink Water
a) Water helps regulate the system; it allows fats, foods, and toxins to move out of the body, helping blood circulate throughout the body. The next time you start to feel hungry, how about sipping on some water instead of grabbing a processed snack. If water alone is hard to intake, try adding ginger and lemon to it. Alkalizing water is perfect for cleaning out the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic systems. Consider adding berries to the mix; they help heal and eliminate inflammation in the body. Infused water or water with electrolytes is an excellent alternative to regular water.
5) Avoid Eating Late
a) No matter what time you work, eating right before going to bed is not good; it helps to pack on pounds, upsets the digestive system, and may cause acid indigestion. There needs to be a healthy time between eating food so that digestion can occur appropriately before going to bed. 3 to 5 hours is an optimum time frame to eat dinner before hitting the sack; if you can eat even earlier, that would be even better. Giving the body time to fast while sleeping or for at least 8 hours helps keep the system healthy and possibly looking better and feeling younger.
Conclusion
Avoiding weight gain is not an arduous task if you want to do it. Just make a conscious effort to do what you say you are going and want to do and adhere to our suggestions listed, and you will be quite alright on the journey. There is no way one will increase on the scale if they follow these five recommendations to avoid gaining weight; we have experience helping people of all ages lose weight for over 25 years.
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