Tips for Successful Weight Loss at Home - Amid COVID-19 Stay Home Directives

Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of them obese, according to a fact sheet by Obesity Canada, a leading obesity charity, made up of healthcare professionals, researchers, and policy makers.

Overweight and obesity is such a big problem that it has been declared a global epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the global health body, obesity is today's most blatantly visible – yet most neglected – public health problem.

Although still largely ignored, overweight and obesity pose a major risk for chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and certain forms of cancer (including endometrial, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and colon), according to the WHO.

And with the recent directive for people to stay at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus, overweight and obesity pose an even greater threat to the health of people in lockdown.

While people are becoming more conscious about the need for weight loss and good weight managment day by day, success rates for weight loss are quite low.

That notwithstanding, and even with gyms closed or restricted during the pandemic, there are things you can do at home to improve your fitness level and lose weight permanently.

Yes, you can lose weight at home, but it takes time, discipline, and effort. 

In this article, we have put together some top tips on things you can do around the house to promote weight loss.

1. Get Yourself Checked for Underlying Conditions

As already mentioned, obesity contributes to many diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

Moreover, many medical issues can make you gain weight. Conditions such as hypothyroidism, diabetes, depression, or insomnia, birth control pills, and other medications can contribute to weight gain.

If you have any of the above medical conditions that cause weight gain, your ability to lose weight naturally will be highly compromised. Before you start your weight loss journey, you should consult your doctor and rely on professional advice on losing weight safely.

If you are diagnosed with anything that might be contributing to your weight gain, you should get the condition treated first. Otherwise, you might not get the full result of your hard work.

2. Eat Healthily

Many weight loss programs claim they can make you lose weight without changing your diet. You should always take those programs with a grain of salt. The number one way of losing weight is to control one’s diet and how many calories they consume. There is no substitute for eating healthy if you want to lose weight.

Try to include as many fruits and vegetables as possible in your diet. Fifty percent of your daily intake should come from plants, fruits, and vegetables. These fiber-dense foods will make you full without consuming too many calories, and most importantly, plant-based foods contain many essential vitamins and minerals.

These nutrients improve your immunity and metabolism. An improved metabolic rate will help you lose weight fast and keep it off.

If it is hard for you to source your nutrients only from fruits and veggies, you can consider green supplements. You can learn more about green supplements on TrueHealthDiary blog and similar sources online.  

Another essential element is protein. Protein takes much longer than carbs to digest. So, protein-rich and fiber-dense foods will keep you feeling full for longer.

According to studies, people who have a protein-rich breakfast, eat a lot less throughout the day than people who skip breakfast. Beans, nuts, and lentils can be great options for proteins too.

3. Watch Those Portion Sizes

Even when you are eating healthy foods, you have to watch the portions you eat. You should always keep your portion sizes in mind before indulging. When you are trying to lose weight, your portion sizes should be enough to provide you the calories you need - but no more than that.

Every single food item has its ideal portion size listed in its packaging. Getting a kitchen scale and measuring and weighing your food is a great way to control portion sizes. So, every time you are serving something, just measure the recommended amount.

If you are struggling to maintain portion sizes, you can also get single-serving packages for everything. That way, you won’t have to worry about weighing everything about overeating.

4. Engage in Physical Activity

If you have a few extra pounds of stubborn fat, the only way to get rid of it is by burning it off. Physical activity is essential to burn off fat.

When you work out or do any physical activity, your body breaks down previously stored fats to source energy.

Physical activity also causes hormone secretion. When you exercise, your body releases endomorphin and dopamine - the feelgood hormones are great for our bodies and minds.

5. Monitor

Self-monitoring is essential when it comes to losing weight. You have to keep track of how much you are consuming and how it is affecting your body. You can start a diary and note your daily consumption and weight update.

If it is hard for you to keep a diary, you can install a weight tracker app. The only thing you need to do is to make entries of whatever you eat.

To make it even more comfortable, you can use weight tracking websites. They will analyze your progress for you.

6. Quit Liquid Calories

Some people often overlook what they drink and focus on the solids they eat when they go on a diet.  However, it is just as important to watch those quite calories in the beverages we like so much.

We all love a good fizzy drink. You might think there is nothing wrong with just a soda, but the truth is these drinks contain a lot of sugar, which is enough to send all your efforts to the drain.

In the United States, the vending machines are filled with sugary drinks and juices, whereas in Japan the drinks you see in vending machines are generally various teas and low sugar drinks.

Studies have proven that vending machine choices can have a significant impact on the population’s weight. So, beware what you are drinking from readily available vending machines at work, school or even malls.

Try to avoid calories when you are just quenching your thirst. Even your teas and coffees should contain less sugar.

7. Set Short-time Goals

Losing weight isn’t a matter of a day. You'll need to be committed to your plan for quite some time. This time depends on how much you need to lose and how your physical conditions are. To avoid getting distracted and being hopeless, you should set some short period goals for yourself.

These goals should always be attainable. This way, you will have a deadline in front of you, and you won’t get distracted.

After you achieve what you aimed for, you will feel satisfied. This sense of satisfaction will inspire you to work harder.

8. Reward Yourself

Weight loss journeys can sometimes be hard. Quieting our favorite food is not easy at all. But don’t be too harsh. Depriving yourself can cause other complications and will make you lose motivation more than the weight.

When you set your goals, set some rewards as well, when you achieve your goals, treat yourself. The reward can be anything - favorite ice cream, some chocolate, or even a cheat meal. But rewards shouldn’t be too frequent.

To Sum Up

Losing weight is not a piece of cake (quite literally, too). You need to be focused and determined. Weight loss requires healthy incremental and permanent lifestyle changes.

Also keep in mind that weight loss programs are not one size fits all. Customizing a plan to your specific goals and knowing what will work to boost your motivation is essential.

Do what suits you better and believe that you can lose weight. If you put your mind, body, and soul into it, you will achieve it.