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Five tips for losing the lockdown lbs

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted more than just our health. We’ve been cooped up at home, missing our friends and family, with many of our normal daily activities taken away from us.

By Wayne BurdenPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Losing the lockdown weight gain with a personal trainer

A side effect of the Covid-19 pandemic has been weight gain. After all, we all need a bit of comfort after a hard day of juggling work, home-schooling, drawing rainbows and baking banana bread. Let’s face it, a bar of chocolate and a glass of wine is the ultimate temptation when stress levels are high.

As life begins to return to a new normal, you may be starting to think about shedding some of your pandemic pounds. But it’s hard to know where to start. Should you give your eating habits an overhaul or hire a personal trainer? View personal trainer prices.

Here are five tips to help you to lose weight safely and effectively.

Invest in a personal trainer

If you’re struggling to lose weight, it’s worth considering hiring a local personal trainer. They’ll talk through your goals, give you advice on your eating habits and create a personalised fitness regime which is customised to your individual fitness levels, ability and goals.

A personal trainer also adds a layer of accountability, helping you to stay motivated and committed to your weight loss goals. After all, you won’t want to admit that you haven’t been sticking to the programme!

Plan your meals

Planning your meals in advance can help you to lose weight. It can be tempting to order a takeaway or turn to ready meals after a stressful day, which are loaded with calories, fat and salt. If you’ve planned out your meals in advance, you’ll be less likely to give into temptation.

Batch cooking is also a great idea to save time and keep yourself eating healthily. When you’re cooking a nutritious meal such as cottage pie, lasagne, curry or spaghetti bolognese, try making an extra portion and put it in your freezer. You can then defrost and reheat it when you’re in a rush for a quick, healthy meal.

Limit snacking

We all have times of the day when we’re prone to snacking, whether it’s when you’ve just got home from work or when you sit down in an evening to watch television. You might have eaten healthy, nutritious meals all day but it can be easily thrown off course by a snap decision to snack.

Hunger pangs can sometimes be a sign of thirst rather than hunger, so try having a glass of water when you feel the urge to snack. If that doesn’t work, try snacking on healthier options such as fruit, vegetables, cereal bars or nuts. You could always look into hiring a nutritionist to put your diet in check.

Get moving

The basic principle of weight loss is to move more and eat less. You don’t necessarily need to do an intense HIIT class or an hour long run – a short walk around the block is a great place to start. You can build up the duration and intensity of your exercise as time goes on.

You can add small amounts of activity into your daily life, for example parking at the far end of the supermarket car park or choosing to use the stairs instead of taking the lift. Every little bit of activity makes a difference.

Sort out your sleep schedule

Poor sleep schedules have been linked to weight gain. If you’re tired, you’re less likely to exercise or to prepare healthy meals. You’re also much more likely to snack.

Try to go to bed and wake up at a consistent time, aiming for around 8 hours of sleep each night. You’ll have more energy in the daytime, meaning that you’ll be more likely to stick to your weight loss regime.

Take home message

It can be hard to lose weight, especially during such a stressful period of your life. However, good eating habits, a regular sleep schedule and increased levels of exercise are the key to succeeding in losing the lockdown pounds.

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