Covid weight gain. I know so many people who were on the right track at the start of 2020, getting fit, working hard, eating smart, in a healthy lifestyle routine and then BAM - the rug got pulled out from under them and everything was upside down. Working from home. Kids schooling at home. No rhyme or reason to the days. Sleeping in, staying in PJs later and later, right into your zoom meetings. Munchies everywhere, no set schedules for meals. Gyms closed and no equipment anywhere for purchase. Six weeks to slow the curve, how much could our healthy habits get off track, right? Except 6 weeks became 12 weeks, and then before we knew it, we were ringing in the new year in our homes, making new fitness resolutions, because 2021 came up rather quickly and so did the weight gain, right? Egads!! How do we turn this around?
We all know that weight loss is based on calories in and calories out. If we burn more than we consume, we can lose weight. Simple right? But how are you tracking those calories? Are you accounting for every little treat? Alcohol? Measuring portions or are you having "helpings"? You could say I had chicken for dinner, but how was that chicken cooked? Was it deep fried or grilled? Did you smother it in cheese? How many ounces was it? Also, the 3500 calorie per pound formula is dead. That was never based on science. It was based on a short term study performed after World War II and its findings were misinterpreted. Weight loss is based on age, weight, gender, and body composition. It's all about metabolism. Someone who is in a 500 calorie deficit for 7 days to equal 3500 calorie deficit a week is not going to lose 52 pounds in a year based on that formula.
So much more needs to be considered...think about it, who will lose weight faster from the following: Old or young? Active or inactive? Male or female?
People who have gained this weight can not lose it with just exercise alone. But you can incorporate high intensity strength training with a caloric deficit and see things turn around rather quickly. Even if your gym closed for good, even if you and the kids are still managing work and school from home, there are so many options to get back on track with very little to no equipment. Forget about endless hours of cardio. Forget giant weight stacks and heavy equipment. All you need are some bands and if you don't have those, your bodyweight will work just fine! Also, caloric restriction is necessary to reverse the "Covid 15".
Most would think that cardio be the fastest way to do this? Cardio workouts do not have a sufficient metabolic effect to burn fat quickly and efficiently. For example, 30 minutes of walking on the treadmill seems like it would be a good workout to most. However, a man weighing 165 pounds would only burn 210 calories in that time, walking at 4.o mph. That's a snack size bag of Cheez-its! Walking is healthy yes, but not enough to burn off the extra weight. Additionally, this type of steady state cardio produces much less of an afterburn compared to the afterburn from high intensity resistance training, which lasts anywhere from 12-96 hours! The best exercises for this type of EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) effect are high-intensity and focus on multi-joint movements such as squats, deadlifts, pushups, pullups, dips, and lunges. Aim for no more than 30 minutes, using 70-85% of 1 RM for 6-10 repetitions and keep rest between sets to 10-30 seconds. Keep in mind that if you can go longer than 3 minutes, it's not high intensity. High intensity training or HIIT resets the resting metabolic rate, spurring the weight to come off more quickly than other methods.
Here is a sample workout that can be done with resistance bands or bodyweight. Work for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds for 3 rounds, with 30 seconds rest between rounds.
Squat jumps
Inch worms to pushup
Reverse lunges
Mountain climbers
Skater jumps
Broad jumps
Pushups
Air squats
Burpees
If you’re ready to commit to make a change and switch up your mindset, why not join us for the Love Your Body 6 week challenge, starting April 10th? (Use code LYB20 to save $20 through 4/4/21).
Or reach out to me for something more customized for your specific goals! Summer is right around the corner! What better time to start a new healthier way of life?!
Comments