In my blog last week, I talked about how I experienced some lock down weight gain and how I wanted to give my workout more energy in several ways. This week, I’m talking more on the subject of the pounds I gained and what I’m doing about it on the whole other than focusing on my workouts.
Don’t Be Afraid of the “Quarantine 15”
Lockdown weight gain isn’t something to be ashamed of or afraid of. It’s not something to feel bad about and none of us should be hard on ourselves about it. The Quarantine 15 is a cute nickname and all because it rhymes, but it’s not based on any specific number or figure. A lot of us put on some pounds, it’s been a rough time.
I didn’t see the number change too much on the bathroom scale, to be honest. That said, I did experience lockdown weight gain in the form of gained fat. How? My body composition changed. I have more fat but less muscle. It reads similarly on the scale, but it doesn’t look the same on me.
I’m a personal trainer, and I love to work out, but restrictions – and my mental mood, for that matter – held me back. I didn’t eat as healthfully as I should have. I didn’t exercise the same way as I used to. For me, it wasn’t possible to keep up my old habits under the new circumstances. That’s fine. It was a tough time.
Where I live, everything is open now. I’m not quite “there yet” in terms of being ready to go back to normal the way things used to be. That said, I am ready to take a look at my lockdown weight gain and start easing back into the habits I used to have and that I enjoyed.
Beating Lockdown Weight Gain with Motivation and a Positive Attitude
So, here’s how I’m taking on my lockdown weight gain. I’m not going to feel bad about how I got here or what was lost. Nothing good comes from that kind of attitude. Instead, I’m accepting that this is my starting point, and that I’m ready to step back into my old body again.
Here are the main things I’ve done to get my efforts started in a positive way, to stay motivated and think long-term.
- Eating foods to increase metabolism, not drag it through the floor
- Allowing myself one reasonably portioned dessert per day, not one huge one per meal…
- Reworking my workout for killer fat burning
- Improving my strength training with LIPONITRO to energize me
- Getting back into couples yoga with Bree
As you can see, none of this is extreme. That’s not the point. I want to dump my lockdown weight gain by rebuilding lifestyle habits I love, not stress myself over the short term. Follow my progress here and on Facebook and Twitter.