The hardest part of fat loss in quarantine is this:
“Life is so stressful during these times that focusing on getting in better shape is impossible.”
Oh, wait…. That’s not it.
“Since the gyms have closed down, there is no way to exercise so the fat loss will have to wait.”
Hold on… That’s incorrect.
“Since OPEC went haywire, I’ve felt unsafe going to the grocery store, so we only eat pizza.”
Pardon me?
“There is nobody responsible for my progress but myself”
There it is!
Fat loss is always a challenge, but in this article, I will highlight 3 obstacles, and 3 strengths you have during this time – so you can still be the proud owner of a summer body.
New Routine
Without heading into work, you’ve got a whole set of behaviors and habits that have become your “new normal”.
Significant, lasting fat loss is all about behavior change – that’s why it can be so tough for folks to lose weight and keep it off long term. We need to adopt new understandings and new habits to change the way we interact with food if we want anything to stick to.
Getting out of bed at 8 am, and moseying over to the kitchen for some breakfast might be your quarantine schedule. Drinking day beers might be your new normal, because every day is Corona day, right?
No More Gym
Not being able to access the gym has a much larger effect than many people realize…. This means no more gym buddies, no more dojo, – this means no more reason to get to bed early, no more reason to eat healthily. What is there to throw away if you haven’t done any hard work in the first place?
Emotional Eating
Even though most people would automatically disqualify themselves here, it applies to almost every single person on the face of the earth. Food is more than just calories and nutrients. Food is social, food is information, food is feelings. We don’t eat 45P, 50C, 20F – we eat Turkey Chili.
Time at home, potential feelings of anxiety, depression, boredom, and influence from our partners (which can be positive) are at an all-time high.
That right there is a recipe for Emotional Eating. It doesn’t have to be an all-out binge episode for this to qualify – I’m even talking about little bites and tastes here and there throughout the day. Those all add up.
Action
Most people have freed up some time in their schedule. Even a small chunk of this time could be devoted to preparing healthy meals, exercise, and ensuring you’re in a good headspace.
Long story short – since your schedule is disrupted and everything is up in the air, now might be a better time than any to prioritize, and take action on what is important to you.
More importantly, when all this blows over, you will have crafted a “new normal” that should allow you to take this even further.
Accountability
In the moments in between work assignments, before bed, just after waking up, or whenever you decide to take a coffee break, there is only 1 person staring back at you in the mirror.
The act of self-isolation magnifies your personal accountability to a new extreme.
If there is one common thread I see among my most successful clients, it is the ability to realize that they are the primary entity responsible for their progress.
Enjoy the opportunity to take destiny into your own hands, and decide what it is you want from life.
Underdog Effect
There is a well-known strength and conditioning coach based out of North Vancouver who loves to go for runs while it’s cold, windy, and rainy outside.
I call this the underdog effect – he knows that the competition is sleeping. He knows that most people would want to stay inside and take it easy that day. So what does he do? He gets out and runs like his life depends on it.
Tell you what, you may not be competing against anyone but you can certainly compete against yourself.
Imagine two different people on two separate timelines. They are both you, but they diverge further and further every time you make a choice to be better or achieve more.
Every instance of self-discipline, consistency, or positive action drives “Person A” closer to achieving more of what they want, and the opposite is true for “Person B”.
While the world is in a crisis, and letting our bodies fall by the wayside is easier than ever, you are outside running in the pouring rain, so to speak.
Put it together
Anticipate the challenges of having your routine shaken up, find a way to sneak in some positive behaviors while things are still up in the air.
Pick an Action Item
- 30 – minutes of Daily Walking
- Wash/Chop Veggies for Healthy Meals every 3 days
- Home Workouts
Find a reason to continue making progress towards achieving your goals, despite the gyms being closed down.
Pick an Action Item
- Ask yourself, “Why is this important to me?”
- Get someone to hold you accountable for this.
- Take some progress photos
Prepare for emotional eating, it’s going to happen – it’s just a matter of how often, and to what degree.
Pick an Action Item
- Deep clean the kitchen, and ditch any foods that encourage overeating
- Eat meals without distractions, and learn to feel satisfied
- Forgive yourself if emotional eating occurs, it’s what you do next that counts most.
Don’t forget to take action, because that was the only thing that ever made a great change for anybody.
Pick an Action Item
- Schedule (using a calendar) activities that move you in the right direction
- Do something every single day, even if it only takes 5-minutes.
- Pick low-hanging fruit, decide to accomplish something that’s almost too easy.
Harness accountability, and all the powers it has to offer. It has the ability to transform your life if applied correctly.
Pick an Action Item
- Piggyback your habits. Eg. “Every day after I finish my coffee, I will write for 20 minutes”
- Use a journal to track your progress – (weight, intake, habits, etc.)
- Find a coach who will help keep you on track.
Be an underdog. If there’s anything that keeps a rebel soldier committed, it’s knowing that he is sleeping in the mud while foreign invaders drink tea with milk and sugar.
Pick an Action Item
- Ask yourself “Where could I be, if I decided to be Person A for 2 months?”.
- See every opportunity to take the easy road as a challenge.
- Fight tooth and nail for what you want, and life will deliver.
