5 Easy Ways to Lose the 2020 "20"

We've heard of the freshmen fifteen.

Now we got the infamous 2020 twenty. No one blames anything (except 2020 of course) for the emotional eating that helped fill up the days of quarantine or even the extra bottle or two of wine since you didn't have to spend the money on an uber to go from the living room to your bedroom.

As many of us return to work, we are finding that our clothes don't quite fit the way we remember them fitting and pajammie pants aren't necessarily part of dress code like they were during the zoom meetings.

Here are five easy ways to help you shed those unwanted pounds without having to slave away at the gym and nearly die on a treadmill or feel like you're starving as you eat yet another salad for lunch.

1. Baby Steps

A big reason why people either give up on their New Year's goals is because they make goals too big or unrealistic goals. After a month or two has passed and we don't see the drastic results that we set out for, we feel discouraged and usually give up.

A great way to avoid this particular hurtle is to set smaller goals within the larger goals. It's great to set a goal like I want to lose xx amount of pounds this years or by this date. And it's even better for you to break that down. For example, for the month of January I've set my goal to be to eat out less and make more home cooked meals. With a busy work schedule, this can be difficult when you get home late and don't have the energy to make a meal and so simple to pick something up on the way home. An easy way to avoid this is to cook a lot of food on the day(s) that you're off so you have a variety of choices to pick from when you get home. Crockpot meals are a great idea because they involve minimal effort on your part (equaling less time consuming) and they make a large amount of food in one sitting.

Another small goal you can set for yourself is to strive to lose several pounds each month. For example say 1 pound a week or 4-5 pounds a month, this small goal is far less intimidating and demanding than your overall goal and this way you can feel accomplished if you lose a bit more than that instead of feeling discouraged that the pounds aren't simply falling off. Everybody's body is different, be patient and remember to love your body.

2. Drink Your Water

You have probably heard this a lot and I know it isn't easy. You don't have to be one of those guys that carries around a milk gallon filled with water (you always can, but that can feel very intimidating and hefty to carry around if you don't have a desk job).

Your body is mostly water and retains a lot of that liquid when your body isn't being adequately hydrated. On a daily basis you should be drinking about half of your weight in ounces. So for example, if you weigh 200 lbs you should be drinking approximately 100 oz of water. More if you have a high impact workout schedule or live in warm climates (but don't worry, you can work your way up to your goal. Baby steps!)

Easy ways to help drink more water (fluids really) are:

• Just make sure you're drinking. When you hear drink water you think of just that water, but there are so many options/variations that will help you reach your goal. Other than just plain water, you can drink tea (try to stick to herbal or fruity teas. Darker teas like black tea have caffeine in them and aren't as beneficial, but don't fret you can still count these drinks too! You can count about 50-75% of the ounces in caffeinated drinks as water), flavored water (watch out for things with high amounts of sugar), carbonated water with no added sugars, or even mix-ins. You want to avoid things like pop, sugary juices, or excessive amounts of coffee (more than 2 cups).
• Set a reminder. You can either set alarms on your phone to periodically go off during the day or you can download a water reminder app. I personally have a cute little water app called Plant Nanny. When I drink water, I get to "feed" my little plants. When I forget to drink water they get sad and even begin to wilt and the only way to make them happy again is to drink more water! It's fun and challenges me on a daily basis
• Get a thermos/reusable water bottle or keep cases of water in your car/work space. Keeping water on hand at all times will help not only remind you, but make it easy to stay on track. It can be fun to get a water bottle that has ounces marked on it so you can physically track your progress other than on an app.

3. Measure It Out

This will seem really tedious at first, but portion size is really important. Overeating is a big part of weight gain and a great way to minimize that is sticking to the recommended portion size. Having said this, this doesn't mean you shouldn't be eating. It's recommended that you eat 5 times a day: Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack, Dinner. For snacks try to stick to fruits or vegetables or nuts. Especially vegetables, allow a larger serving size which will make it easier to fill up. I've found that after a couple weeks of measuring things I was able to easily eyeball my portion sizes or memorize them (like 10 baby carrots is 35 calories).

You don't necessarily have to count your calories. Just by following recommended portion sizes you will be amazed with the changes not only to your body but your appetite!

4. You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

When you think of losing weight you think of healthy foods and all of the delicious fatty foods you have to sacrifice. But that isn't necessarily the case. Studies have show (and also from personal experience) that by completely cutting yourself off from junk food you are more likely to binge and over indulge on them when you do give in. So enjoy that greasy burger or that side of fries or those chips. You can always try to substitute some of these with healthier options such as whole wheat buns, kettle chips or kettle corn instead of popcorn.

But it's ok to still eat junk food. If you eat out or snack on chips more than 4 or 5 times a week, try to set out to only do it 3 or 4 then 2 or 3. Remember baby steps! Nobody expects you to cold turkey and it's actually better for your body if you slowly ease out the things that it has become accustom too.

This also goes for alcohol (I mean wine is just liquified grapes, right?). This rule kind of roles into the previous. You can still enjoy your treats, just remember to portion size. Not only will it help you lower the amount you consume, but you will be able to feel the physical changes in your body.

5. Go and Smell the Roses

Those of us who have seen our couches more than a treadmill probably break out in a sweat just thinking about going to the gym. But there are easy ways to add exercise into your daily life without having to sweat it out in front of strangers.

• Go for a walk in the neighborhood
• It's that time of year, shovel! I know the snow blower will get the job done quicker, but a shovel will work out your arms, core, legs and back (talk about cardio!)
• If you have an office job or even working from home, take a lap around the office every hour or so. Not only will this help stretch and relax your tense muscles, but it will add extra movement that you normally wouldn't have done.
• Squat it out. Instead of bending down to pick something up, squat for it
• While waiting in line at the grocery store, try doing some calf raises.
• Belt it out! Singing can burn calories. So put on your favorite songs and let it out! Or even have a mini dance party to help get that heartrate up.

Take Away(s)

Remember to take baby steps! Set small goals to celebrate along the way to your big goal. This will encourage you to stay on track.

Drink fluids. Water. Tea. Sparkling water. Sugar free juice.

It's ok to eat your fav foods, but portions will become your new best friends.

Move it! Any extra movement you can add to your daily routine will help.

And most importantly, don't give up on yourself!