How I Avoided the Quarantine 15
We’re almost 4 months into the post covid-19 lockdown in my area and not overdoing it was a relatable issue for many people. Everyone was on the lookout for the best home workout programs due to gyms being closed, all my friends were stressed about how many carbs they were eating, and don’t forget the (many) workout challenge tags on Instagram. Some may think it's problematic but honestly, I think it's great evidence that most people do want to live a healthy lifestyle and the mandatory lockdown forced people to be creative and more thoughtful in how to achieve that goal. At least in my social circle, my friends are more active and conscious of their physical health. We shared recipes, videos of us working out, and confided in one another about how to cope with the lack of social interaction.
What helped me the most was probably how aware I was of the reality that if I am at home, I usually eat more. It was necessary that I planned what to eat each day and while I didn’t exactly count calories, I only purchased foods that I am most successful with keeping the weight off and my portions were small. For about 3 months, I loaded up on veggies, lots of salads, and I didn’t eat any pasta (my weakness). It also helped that I moved to a new place and didn’t buy a microwave for a while so almost everything was cooked from scratch. I fully support the CICO (calories in vs calories out) mantra and when people ask me how I lose weight, it's simply take in less calories and move more. I went on walks, danced a lot in my living room, and when I was not in the mood to exercise I didn’t prepare any large meals. I had salad for lunch almost every day and drink lots of water. I’m a big fan of the prepared salad kits at the grocery store. I used to buy romaine and chop up my salads on my own but life is so much easier when you aren’t in the kitchen for hours everyday. I learned how to cook pork chops, new chicken breast recipes, and I love making meatballs! Eggs are also great sources of protein and pretty much a staple when I’m serious about the low carb life.
Delicious shredded tacos I made a few weeks ago!
Moving forward, my goal is to continue watching what I eat and incorporating more physical activity. As we all know, one of the hardest things about having a social life is balancing the dinners/drinks with friends. I’ve noticed that since the social restrictions have started lifting, I’ve justified eating out more which shouldn’t be a problem as long as I am also burning those calories. My specific goal starting out is to have at least 90 minutes of aerobic exercise a week. Starting out with smaller goals will help me in the long run because I have a tendency to overdue things (and eventually burn out).
So, tell me if you had success or struggles with maintaining your physical health during the lockdown. I want to know what worked for you and ways you overcame challenges!
