Are you tired of quarantine weight gain? 5 ways to manage your lockdown weight, the Metabalance way!

My Facebook and Instagram feed in the last few months were flooded with food stories, videos, and pictures as most of my friends decided to wear their chef hat. Most of these people I know now have an increased waistline. Quarantine Weight is for real! Food is just one part of it. What added to the weight gain? Is there a way to lose the quarantine weight?

Before we share a solution with you, let us try and figure out what can be the possible causes of quarantine weight gain?

 Eating Unhealthy- Food was an escape to many during these times. Indulging in extravagant home-cooked meals, Pizzas, sugary foods, eating out of a packet, and especially desserts kept many of us sane.

 Sedentary Lifestyle- Despite the fact you might not be the most active person on the block, these times forced you to stay indoors and a forced sedentary lifestyle was not that easy for anyone.

 Hormone Health- We felt too many emotions in these few months. Stress whether mental, physical, or emotional always disrupts your hormone health.

 Lack of sleep- Staying awake for long-hours increases the urge and more than that the opportunity of binge-eating.

Weight-Management can get tricky but do not let this bog you down. It is advisable to involve an expert nutritionist, keep the goal in check, take one step at a time, and above all, be kind to yourself.   These are some 5 ways to manage your lockdown weight, like a pro!

1. Start with Detox

Imagine all the processed food, sugar, and junk you have enjoyed during this period. Now, one of the common mistakes while kick-starting your weight-loss journey will be not giving your body the chance to detox.  Detox in the form of diets and especially therapies can help eliminate toxins from your body, further improving your health and promoting weight loss. The age-old practices like drinking plenty of water, eliminating the intake of processed foods, eating antioxidant-rich foods, food high in prebiotics, and reducing the consumption of alcohol are one of the very few things you can try. Colon Hydrotherapy & Enema for weight-management, PEMF Therapy for stress reduction, and Ozone Therapy are a few therapies that are available at Metabalance Healthcare, and which your nutritionist and functional medicine expert might recommend.

2. Cut Carbohydrates

In this step, you will restrict your intake of carbohydrates including wheat, bread, biscuits, and so on. A diet that is low in carbohydrates can help you lower blood sugar levels and help raise good cholesterol. Water weight drops fast on a low carb diet, and in the initial days, it is common to feel unwell since there are going to be carb-withdrawal. However, many people feel excellent after this initial adaptation phase. The optimal carb intake varies between individuals, depending on activity levels, current metabolic health, and many other factors. Low-carb diets when done under the guidance of an expert nutritionist can result in better weight-loss when compared to calorie-restricted diets and low-fat diets that a few still recommend.

3. Include protein, good fat, and vegetables

Now that carbohydrates are out of your eating window, I suggest you stock up proteins, good fat, and vegetables. Did you know? High protein diets can also reduce food cravings, make you feel full, and reduce the desire for snacking. While vegetarians can stock up on beans, legumes, and soy, non-vegetarians along with these should stick to lean meats like whole eggs, chicken, fish, and seafood. Vegetables you can include in your diet should be high-fiber and low in carbs like broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, cucumber, lettuce, Brussel sprouts, and so on. Assemble all your meals with healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and butter. You might overindulge on these ingredients, the reason why we always recommend to carry the weight-loss journey under the guidance of an expert nutritionist for a pleasant and most importantly and effective experience.

4. Try lifting weight at least 3 times a week

Trust me. I am not a fan of heavy lifting either! But lifting weights can help you burn a lot more calories and can prevent slowing down metabolism, which in many body types can be a side effect of losing weight. There have been considerable studies in the past showing that it is while losing body fat you might end up gaining a bit of muscle mass. A good nutritionist along with a change in diet will always ask you to include some form of physical activity to make the process effective. If lifting weights is not an option – opt for cardio workouts like walking, jogging, running, cycling, or swimming. If you have a past injury, existing pain – it is advisable to consult a pain-management expert before you start any new physical exercises.

5. Say no to Sugar

Unless you have found a hack to healthy baking, I am afraid we will have to say goodbye to the quarantine baker. Most of us all our lives have been consuming an unhealthy amount of sugar in the form of candies, sweetmeat items, and desserts. You will be amazed to know there is hidden sugar in things we pick up to be a healthier option like canned vegetables, ready to cook soups, and cereals. Calories obtained from fructose are more likely to add fat around your belly. Cutting down on sugary foods mean a slimmer waistline as well as a lower risk of diabetes. Since your body gets all it needs from sugar naturally occurring in food, all this added sugar amounts to nothing but a lot of empty calories and unhealthy spikes in your blood glucose.