7 Proven Tips to Help You Stay in Shape During the Pandemic
Have you packed on the pounds sitting at home?
When it comes to staying in shape, people get it into their heads that they need to be constantly active or go on extreme diets to lose weight and feel better about themselves. With all the information available about how to stay in shape, you’d think the world would be full of fit people with healthy lifestyles.
But when you look around at your friends and family, you might notice that many of them aren’t exactly following the best fitness advice out there. That’s because there are many common tips about how to stay in shape that just doesn’t work for everyone.
Tip #1: Eat your veggies
Green leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and kale are loaded with vitamins and minerals that help boost your immune system. If you’re looking for a fresh way to eat more greens, make a large salad or other dish using plenty of raw veggies.
It’s important to wash them well before adding them, otherwise, they could carry salmonella or other bacteria (you don’t want those at a time like now). You can also use pre-washed bags of baby spinach and organic mixes that have been washed properly.
In general, if you’re not sure about whether food is clean, it’s better not to take chances; assume it isn’t safe until you can verify its safety.
Tip #2: Don’t skip breakfast
Skipping breakfast might seem like a quick way to cut calories, but research suggests it’s not an effective weight-loss strategy. If you eat breakfast, you’ll consume fewer calories throughout your day and increase your metabolism.
Plus, skipping meals can lead to a variety of nutrition problems (including low energy levels) and if you have diabetes, skipping breakfast may even cause dangerous blood sugar spikes later on.
Tip #3: Use high-intensity workouts
Research shows that high-intensity interval training may be more effective than moderate workouts at helping you burn fat. This is because, after each burst of activity, your body has to work extra hard to get back into homeostasis, that’s a fancy way of saying your metabolism spikes and then has to spend time returning to normal.
The upshot? You burn extra calories long after your workout is over. If you’re crunched for time, try circuit training: it involves a series of brief bursts of intense exercise followed by periods of rest or low-intensity work.
Workout routines like P90X incorporate circuit training by first performing a set number of reps (like 10), followed by short breaks, then doing another set, and so on.
Tip #4: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
When it comes to dehydration, you might be surprised to learn that there’s an upside to those annoying reminders, it’s a good thing. Dehydration is often caused by illnesses, stress, and lack of sleep, which are all things we can combat (at least a little) by staying hydrated.
The worst-case scenario is developing a condition called hyponatremia (low sodium levels), but as long as you drink enough water, your cells won’t absorb too much fluid and prevent your blood from flowing normally.
The best way for you to stay hydrated is simply by carrying around a water bottle; it should be big enough that you can fill it multiple times throughout your day.
Tip #5: Exercise at home
Exercising at home not only saves you time, but it also makes you less likely to skip a workout — you can’t exactly tell your boss that you didn’t make it to work because of congestion. Bonus: It gives you an excuse to catch up on your favorite Netflix shows.
Try buying an exercise DVD that uses your own body weight for resistance (think squats, push-ups, and crunches) and ask a friend or family member if they’d be willing to buddy up with you.
Tip #6: Reduce stress, increase sleep
Since your body uses energy when you’re awake and restorative energy when you sleep, getting enough rest is important. Try exercising during times of day that are less likely to be stressful and make it easier for you to fall asleep at night.
Reducing stress can have a big impact on fat loss, too: Stress hormones like cortisol can cause extra fat storage around your midsection. What’s more, stressed people tend to reach for calorie-dense comfort foods, which aren’t ideal if you’re looking to drop pounds.
So do what you can to reduce those sources of stress in your life and see how quickly a nice evening stroll burns off that belly fat.
Tip #7: Sleep 8 hours every night
Without adequate sleep, you’re more likely to eat more and exercise less. But even if you think you’re burning enough calories, especially with a desk job. The lack of sleep can add up over time. One study found that getting only 6 hours of sleep per night increased the risk for obesity by 15 percent, which is why experts recommend at least 8 hours of shut-eye every night.
If that’s not possible and your schedule requires wakefulness for too long during daylight hours, try taking a short nap (20 minutes is ideal) during your lunch break instead. As much as we need to function at work every day, it’s just as important for our bodies and minds to recharge so we can stay sharp.
Final Thoughts
Given your current situation, staying fit and healthy seems like a daunting task. But that doesn’t mean you should give up on yourself. Work with what you have available, you may not have access to a gym or fancy exercise equipment, but there are plenty of things you can do at home.
Research has shown that anything is better than nothing when it comes to physical activity and exercise. Use it or lose, when it comes to muscle.
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