Here is the easiest way to lose your lock down weight for women of all ages! In spite of social media posts you see of women working out like crazy during this pandemic, many of us are not in tip top shape. Always a consistent and dedicated gym rat, this lock down has been difficult for me. My eating plan has been off as I’ve needed to accommodate different schedules and available food.
The foundation of any wellness plan I advocate is personal responsibility. You can have the best and most elaborate weight loss plans but if you don’t take ownership, don’t bother. Especially now. Not feeling like you’re at your personal best? Join me! Here is the easiest way to lose your lock down weight:
follow along with me...
ASSESS
The first step to losing your lock down weight is to assess the situation. How is this best done? For me it’s the scale and I honestly believe it’s the most important element to weight loss. Why? Because a scale keeps you honest. Yes, I know that weight fluctuates but for the most part, the scale is an accurate measure of your weight.
Don’t like the scale? Measure! Take your bust, waist and hip measurements and write them down. Don’t like a tape measure? Maybe now isn’t the time for you. Having accurate numbers of where you are at the beginning and measuring your progress along the way is an absolute necessity.
I am in tune with my body so I knew I wasn’t in the same shape as I was when the lock down started. But after getting on the scale I saw that I had put on six pounds during this time. For me it is not just about the weight — my whole body feels soft and sluggish. So I know that getting back muscle is as important to me as losing weight.
Remember, if you don’t know where you are how can you know where you need to go?
ACCEPT
When I finally got on the scale last week, I wasn’t happy. Seeing such a big number over my droopy belly was depressing but I accept it. By accepting my current situation I gave myself power to make change. And this is what you need to do too! Often times we deny the situation and just wallow in self pity. But if we want change we need to accept the truth and then make a plan to change it (or not!)
ADAPT
To lose the extra lock down weight it’s necessary to make changes to your lifestyle. The best way to do this is to slowly adapt your behavior. During lock down few of us have been able to eat and workout like we did before the quarantine, and that’s okay. The foods we typically eat and gym classes we typically take may not be available so we need to adapt to what we have.
What behaviors can you adapt to help lose weight? Sit down and write a plan of action!
ACT
Here is the plan of action I put in place last week to jump start my lock down weight loss:
one: no drinking during the week and a 2 drink limit on weekends
two: return to my intermittent fasting eating schedule
three: eliminate most (not all) junk food and replace with healthy alternatives
four: 30 minutes cardio for 6 days the first week. I go for walks when I can but when the weather isn’t good I do the elliptical.
five: add resistance training week two. I replaced my usual weights with resistance tubes and bands. I always worked out at the gym which gave me access to the larger weights that I need and want. Unfortunately the gym is closed and the largest weight I have at home is 10 pounds. Through trial and error I’ve found that tubes can give me the resistance I require to maintain and grow muscle. This is a warm up I like to do before I start my actual band and tube workout. My plan now calls for resistance training 4 times a week plus two or three-30 minute cardio sessions a week.
Simple, right? Remember, adding a little sweat and removing a few calories can add up to big changes! This is how it works:
If you burn an extra 150 calories a day + eliminate 150 calories a day for 6 days a week you will lose 2 pounds in a month. Really? Can it be that simple? Yes, it can:
300 extra calories/day x 6 days/week = 1800 calories lost per week
1800 calories x 4 weeks = 7200 calories lost. There are 3500 calories in a pound so that’s at least a 2 pound loss in a month with so little thought!
And remember, this means your bloat will be gone and your muscle tone will be much better! Can you do this? I think you can but it’s up to you! There’s no time like the present!
HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT YOUR BODY RIGHT NOW? PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.
If weight is an issue for you, here are some posts I think you will like:
5 WAYS TO AVOID WEIGHT GAIN WHEN YOU’RE WORKING FROM HOME
