A lot of states may have eased their stay-at-home orders, but the recommendation is still to avoid going out unless necessary. The virus can still easily spread from person to person every time an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks.
This means that you’ve probably been mostly home for over half a year now. No trips to the gym and little to no outdoor physical activity, like walking long distances to work or to the market. Plus, with everything going on in the world, it’s just so tempting to live the couch potato life.
If you’ve been living an inactive lifestyle even before the pandemic, your health may be at risk.
The Dangers of Being Inactive and Overweight
A study published by the European Society of Cardiology and the World Congress of Cardiology found that people with sedentary lifestyles are twice as likely to die early compared to those with active lifestyles. The study involved gathering and analyzing the physical activity of over 23,146 respondents in relation to their risk of death. They found that the people who had an inactive lifestyle had two times greater risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who lived actively.
It makes sense, as having a sedentary lifestyle has a variety of effects on your body. You burn fewer calories, your metabolism slows down, and you lose endurance and muscle strength, too. These can all lead to increased weight gain. And when you build up too much weight, you’re more likely to develop heart diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Cholesterol buildup in your arteries and high blood pressure can lead to a deadly stroke or a heart attack. Plus, chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer can cause you to live in constant pain and discomfort.
You can never put a price on health. It’s important for you to keep your weight in check through proper diet and physical activity, even if you don’t have access to the gym.
Here are effective ways for you to lose weight from the comfort of your own home.
- Get Enough Sleep
The amount of sleep you get can affect your appetite. It’s recommended for adults to get around seven to nine hours of sleep every day. And if you sleep less than six, your body may experience a variety of problems, like daytime drowsiness, impaired concentration, and more. According to SleepFoundation.org, the two hormones that regulate your hunger are linked to sleep: ghrelin and leptin. The former stimulates your hunger, whereas the latter reduces it.
When you lack sleep, your leptin levels decrease, while your ghrelin spikes. This causes you to be hungrier throughout the day. You end up eating more to satisfy your hunger. Your body may also crave more calories to regain the energy you lost because of sleep deprivation.
- Create and Follow and Exercise Routine
You won’t lose weight after doing a single intense exercise session. Learn which workouts you enjoy the most and which ones make you lose the most weight. List them down to create a routine you can do regularly. If you don’t know where to start, get help from a fitness instructor. They’ll review your current weight and fitness goals to create a routine for you. Make sure to follow it to the letter to ensure you consistently and safely lose weight.
- Develop Healthier Eating Habits
It’s a given that healthy food like fruits and vegetables are best if you want to lose weight. You should also work on your eating habits if you want to lose weight effectively.
- Eat Your Breakfast – Like sleep, your first meal also dictates your appetite throughout the day. If you skip breakfast, you do end up cutting calories. However, you’ll feel more hungry throughout the day, causing you to eat more than you should.
- Stay Hydrated -Hydration also affects your energy levels. Stay hydrated with water throughout the day. If you want to make your regular sips more enjoyable, try drinking infused water flavors. You could also drink orange juice from time to time. It contains low calories and little to no fat. As for the pulp vs no pulp debate, it’s all a matter of preference.
- Control Your Portions – You could also eat less food during your meals in an effort to lose weight. Control the portions you eat with measuring cups. And if you think you’re not getting enough food, try to use smaller plates and bowls. This way, your food will look like it’s just enough or even plenty.
- Eat More Protein – Carbohydrates aren’t the only ones that can give you energy throughout the day. Proteins do the job just as well. After reducing your carb intake, balance it out with protein-rich food, like meats, eggs, yogurt, nuts, cheeses, and tofu.
Having an inactive lifestyle can lead to obesity, which can also cause a variety of life-threatening diseases. Don’t let yourself stay sedentary because you’re stuck at home. Use these suggestions to help yourself lose weight during this quarantine.
