Let’s face it these past few months have been difficult to say at the least. Dealing with work, trying to manage kids, and a global pandemic can be quite the balancing act. Add in trying to eat healthy and getting in workouts in 100 plus degree heat index while the gyms were closed. This is all a recipe for disaster when considering our waistlines. Ideas like meal planning, walking to our cars and taking the stairs are now ideas of the past. It also leaves us with what we are now calling the “quarantine 15”. For many who are struggling with weight, we are now looking for ways to get this weight off and to do that, we need to get back to basics.
In the past we were limited to what we brought with us to the office. We had a set time for lunch and we weren’t trying to juggle kids and work all at the same time. As we are emerging from this crisis and states start to open back up, many of us are looking to get back into our fitness routines and shed these unwanted quarantine pounds. Here are a few tips to help you emerge successfully.
- Avoid Fad diets- I have to tell many patients that if you cant see yourself on the diet 6 months a year or 5 years from now it’s probably not right for you. We have a tendency to gain back weight from unrealistic diets and the weight comes back with friends.
- Move more! In order to burn more calories we need to use them. Setting up an at home workout regimen using youtube or apps can help you meet your weight loss goals without leaving the comfort of your home. Many gyms as well as personal trainers are offering virtual fitness classes or low occupancy outdoor classes as well. Check your local gym for more information.
- Make meal prep a priority even if you are home. Meal prep lunches or dinners if these are areas that you are struggling with. Even placing your lunch in a lunchbox in the fridge and limiting yourself to what’s in that lunch box that day instead of just reaching into the refrigerator.
- Journaling helps. Not just journaling what you are eating but why you are eating it can prove quite helpful. When writing down your food write down if you really are hungry on a scale of 1-5, how you are feeling at the time and what type of food you are craving. Understanding wants vs needs is key for weight loss success.
Theresa Zangerle-McArtin is a New York State Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist with experience in helping individuals to focus on nutrition in an effort to improve their overall health. She specializes in food allergies, food intolerance, digestive disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome.
To schedule an appointment with Theresa, please call #845.471.9410