No one wants to see all their hard work go down the toilet *without TP of course, because that's the hottest commodity in the game right now*.
So let's get proactive & maintain what we've worked for OR use this time as the opportunity to focus on yourself and your health & blossom into whoever or whatever you want to be!
Here are some tactical tips & strategies to help with getting/staying lean while being cooped up because of quarantine:
Exercise daily for minimum of 30 minutes
Always try to aim for 30 minutes MINIMUM of daily movement.
As long as you are capable and aren't suffering from any impairments or injuries, it should be a non negotiable for your health in general.
Even on a rest day, at least move your body around for 30 minutes…don’t get sucked into the couch!
Choose whatever you prefer...walk, climb stairs, bodyweight exercises, weights, resistance bands, etc.) And if you aren't able to physically exercise or move around due to injuries or you're physically impaired, exercise your M.I.N.D. Read some pages or chapters in a book, articles online, meditate, breathing exercises, etc. There's something for everyone.
Stick to normal sleep routine
You don’t want to let your normal sleep routine to get all out of whack…that’ll mess with your sleep cycle & you’ll have crappy sleep, and everything spirals down from there—aka, your energy levels, food choices, etc.
Never a bad idea to aim for the 7-8 recommended hours per night!
Stretch daily for at least 10 minutes
Don’t let stretching sit on the backburner. Make it a priority to stretch every day for at least 10 minutes.
Stretching helps you lengthen your muscles and repair them. It allows your muscles to recover & prevents injuries so you can keep grinding through quarantine. If you need a good full body stretch to follow, check out my go-to stretch routine here.
Keep hydrated
Drink that H20.
It can be tough to make sure you're drinking enough water throughout the day, but staying hydrated is super important for our health, which we really need to be taking care of especially right now.
Be proactive and set a timer if you have to every 30 minutes or whatever works for you to remind yourself to drink water.
Eat your last meal no later than 2.5 hours before bed
If ya want a snack & you still have calories left over after dinner, have at it! *assuming it’s a healthy one* ;). I’m just recommending you to not eat a full-out meal right before bed. You want to give your body time to digest before going to bed. Going to bed with a full stomach will likely interrupt your sleep, and you’ll feel uncomfortable when you get in bed, and likely when you wake up the next morning too.
Know what you’re eating
If tracking calories is what works for you, then by all means, go for it.
MyFitnessPal is a great app for keeping track of your calories.
If it’s not a healthy practice for you to track calories because you get obsessive or have struggled with an eating disorder or some of the symptoms, this may not be a good idea for you. Instead, just make sure you’re eating well-balanced, nutritious meals and focus on having a healthy relationship with food & exercise.
Try intermittent fasting
If you’re not doing much before noon, try to consume only liquids such as water, tea, and/or black coffee before noon. Then have your food at your ‘eating window’ of 12:00-8:00pm. If you’re new to it, it can be tough to get adjusted to at first, but after 3-4 days, your body will get used to it. And your eating window doesn't have to be those exact 8 hours, that's just a general example. It could be more like 11:00am-7:00pm, etc. There’s a lot of benefits that can come from eating this way in regards to better digestion, weight management, etc. So if you're curious about it, there's no better time than the present to see if it's right for you!
But if it doesn’t work for your lifestyle, ignore this one.
Channel your stress
Stress & emotional eating is incredibly common. If you’re trying to get or stay lean during this confinement situation, understanding whether you’re actually hungry or just stressed, anxious, or even bored is going to be important. Come up with a list of things you can do if you catch yourself wanting to eat out of emotion, like meditating for a few minutes, calling a family member or friend, going for a walk, etc.
Hope these tips/strategies help! Reach out if you need any further advice or guidance.
Keep a positive & progressive outlook and we'll come out of this mess even stronger!
xo Mackenzie.