3 Simple Changes to Help You Lose Weight When You Return to Work.
We learned a lot as a result of the coronavirus epidemic, including how much—and in what ways—our environment influences our health. Maybe you put on weight by sitting at a desk all day at home rather than moving about at an office.
As a result of having more time to fit in your exercises and prepare nutritious meals while working from home, you may have also lost weight.
These five simple modifications can help you achieve your goals, whether you want to drop the weight you gained or keep it off. They don’t all have to be done at once.
Start with the option that appears the simplest to you, then layer the others as you go.
Giving yourself forgiveness if you “fall off” is important since consistency doesn’t require being great all the time. One habit at a time, go back to it when you’re ready.
Here are five simple adjustments to make in order to reduce weight.
Eat breakfast to re-energize.
As you dash out the door, resist the urge to resume your old practice of skipping breakfast. Skipping breakfast was linked to being overweight and obese, according to a 2020 meta-analysis published in Obesity Research & Clinical Practice.
Plan ahead by preparing high-protein breakfast dishes and getting up early to provide time for breakfast. We even offer a few high-protein breakfast dishes that you can prepare ahead of time for a quicker, healthier start.
You will be able to focus more clearly at work if you have a breakfast that is high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. You will also avoid blood sugar swings and cravings for carbohydrates later in the day if you do this.
Aim for 20 to 30 grams of protein and 8 to 10 grams of fiber for breakfast. You will have sustained energy for hours thanks to this combination, some healthy fat, and slowed digestion. The foods’ whole-wheat bread, berries, and oatmeal are rich in fiber. It might be more challenging to get adequate protein.
To add an additional 5 to 10 grams of protein to your coffee, stir in a little amount of protein powder. or cook two eggs, which provide 12 grams of protein in total.
To add fiber and healthy fat, serve with avocado toast on whole-wheat bread. About 13 grams of protein are included in a half-cup serving of Greek yogurt. To feel fuller for longer, choose Greek yogurt made with whole milk or 2%, and avoid sugarier varieties.
Take a lunch break
Because you work from home, you probably already make lunch every day. The only thing left to do is get a pretty lunchbox, stuff it, and take it to work. Yes, this will take a little longer to prepare, but you may end up eating a noon lunch with hundreds less calories.
Larger amounts than what you would prepare at home are served in restaurants and cafes, which implies that they contain more calories, carbs, fat, salt, and sugar.
This is not to say that you can never eat out. However, if you do it every day, both the calories and the money will mount up. Select one day each week when you’ll get your preferred salad from a local restaurant, and on the other days, pack a lunch.
Unsure about what to bring? Life is easier when there are leftovers, or if you prepare a soup or slow-cooker dinner on Sunday and dish it out for the week.
Bagged salad kits are a practical method to include veggies; all you need to do is add a simple protein source, such as edamame, beans, or tuna. Sandwiches are easy to make as well; just make sure you top them with plenty of veggies like arugula, tomato, and cucumber. Choose whole-wheat bread or a wrap to add more fiber to your diet.
Attempt this: A Month of Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work
Take a stroll
Before attempting this easy habit—walking—avoid falling victim to TikTok diet fads and detoxes. People pre2020 were walking 7,000 to 10,000 steps each day without even realizing it, which is one reason why they acquired weight during the epidemic.
You would walk to the train or car, to work, around the office, to fetch lunch, to the vehicle, from the parking lot to the gym, and so on and so forth till you reached your home.
People’s daily steps fell to 2,000 to 5,000 when COVID-19 required many of us to work from home, and they lost daily calorie burn they weren’t even aware they had been doing.
Before you get discouraged by the idea of increasing your daily step count from 2,000 to 10,000, take heart from recent research that suggested the sweet spot may really be closer to 7,000 steps per day, or around 3.5 miles.
When the office opens, getting this won’t be as difficult as you imagine. Your daily steps will automatically rise when you return to work, whether you travel by rail, bicycle, or foot from the suburbs.
If arranging walks become a habit for you while working from home, continue it once your office is open.
Make a decision on your walking schedule. Will you walk before or after work, at lunch, or all of the above? You don’t need to walk continuously for 30 to 45 minutes since little adjustments add up.
Make it into two or three 15-minute excursions. You’ll not only start to see movement on the scale, but you’ll also feel better mentally and work more effectively the rest of the day. Have a pair of walking shoes that have been recommended by a podiatrist as well.
Use this simple walking plan to lose weight without going to the gym.
Plan your exercise sessions.
Making time for exercise is always crucial if you want to enhance the likelihood that you’ll do it. When you go back to the workplace, it will be even more important. That’s because you’ll regrettably lose time in your day owing to commuting once again.
Choose your course of action first. Will you start taking lessons at a gym again? Will you visit a gym? Or are you going to keep working out at home? Next, schedule your workouts. If your schedule has changed while working from home for more than a year, it’s okay (most of ours are).
You may now choose to sleep in and work out in the evening if you choose. The optimum time to arrange it is at whatever time you want to perform it.
Benefit from working from home on weekends and other days. Avoid scheduling exercises on days when you have to go to the office if you only work there two days a week. Instead, exercise on the days when you are at home.
Run out of time? Walking every day coupled with HIIT-style exercises that combine strength training with short bursts of cardio will be the most successful combination.
Be mindful of your alcohol consumption
Remember the pleasant hours you had with coworkers after work? If you often drink with friends, you could have drastically reduced your use of alcohol during the epidemic. After returning to work, you can get a never-ending stream of invites to social gatherings over beverages.
Be aware that drinking alcohol may add up in calories very rapidly. There are around 120 calories in one 5-ounce glass of wine, one 12-ounce beer, and one-half ounce of booze.
The food that is served accompanying is another consideration; it usually consists of processed carbs like chips and fries, which, if consumed in excess, may lead to fat storage. Here’s a not-so-fun fact:
when you consume alcohol, your body prioritizes getting rid of the alcohol instead of burning the calories from the food you’re consuming.
While you do not need to completely abstain, set up mechanisms to make healthy choices simple. For instance, you may restrict the number of evenings per week that you spend out. Rather than two or three, enjoy one drink.
To avoid arriving to a table of delicious apps famished, bring a healthy lunch you can eat in the afternoon before heading out. And don’t forget to stay hydrated all day long and when you’re out and about.