Leading a healthy lifestyle has no finish line and no stopping point. If you want to live a well-balanced, healthy life, it has to just become part of who you are. I default to mostly healthy choices each and every day. But sometimes, extra eats and drinks here and there add up, the stresses of life take over, and I find myself a few pounds heavier than I like to be at.
Like many people, 2020 has been a challenging year for me. I never envisioned myself taking care of my 1-year old 24/7 while running my freelance content creation business, but here I am. I’m not comfortable having a nanny come to my home to watch my baby girl as I had been doing pre-pandemic, so I’ve done the best I can at making it all work well while still practicing self-care.
Though I am very grateful to be able to work only part-time while my little is so young, which has helped me manage it all, what has come along with being a new mom and this pandemic situation is that I have found myself with not as much energy to devote to being super fit. I’ve continued a very active lifestyle and eat mostly healthy. But quite honestly, I just have not felt like putting in that extra effort to have definition in my abs and arms. It’s challenging to have energy for everything when you’re still doing 3 am wake-ups with a teething baby half the time and trying to get work done with a toddler needing constant attention!
With that being said, I’ve decided that I’d like to devote the next couple of weeks to feeling my very best. My goal is to drop a few pounds before the holiday season begins, and there are a number of tried-and-true things that I do to quickly and safely drop weight. And so today, I’m sharing my go-to ways to lose weight with you.
5 things I do to drop 5 pounds
#1 – Closely track my eats.
The overall basic gist of losing weight is that you need to burn more calories than you’re taking in. Let’s face it: We all want a quick fix, but there’s no easy way to get around putting in the work!
Abs are made in the kitchen, and the most important thing that I do to quickly shed fat is to eat less calories and track everything I eat in the MyFitnessPal app. I aim for a nice balance of carbs, fat, and protein and often plan out my day’s eats ahead of time. It’s also helpful to make mostly all of my meals at home, since restaurant meals tend to be more caloric. When eating out, it’s hard to estimate how much you’re really eating.
Adding in HIIT (mostly in my basement during the pandemic) is one of go-to weight loss strategies.
#2 – Add in more HIIT.
I consistently exercise, so when I’m working on toning up, I ask myself, how can I increase the intensity and results? One way I like to do so is by incorporating more high intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, into my workout routine.
HIIT workouts include intense bursts of exercise coupled with short periods of less intense activity or rest. Benefits of HIIT include helping your body to burn more calories long after that workout is over and improving aerobic capacity. I always feel energized after HIIT workouts, and I feel like the intervals usually make it fly by.
Looking for HIIT workouts to try? Check out these routines:
- Election Hangover HIIT Workout (I’m working on creating a 2020 Election workout now that an entire election has happened and I’m still doing this routine that I created in 2016!)
- Shoulder, Bicep & Leg Burner HIIT Workout
- 40 Minute Full-Body HIIT Routine
- HIIT Cardio & Strength Workout
#3 – Drink more tea.
Tea is my go-to warm beverage of choice, and when I’m trying to drop a few pounds, I usually drink two cups daily. My favorite kind, antioxidant-rich green tea, has been shown to help speed up metabolism. Often at nighttime when I want a little something but am not really hungry, I’ll sip on a cup of comforting peppermint tea and it usually satisfies my craving.
#4 – Increase my yoga sessions.
Stress has long been known to trigger emotional eating. In addition to that factor, stress has also been found to create a chain reaction that slows metabolism.
Since I’ve found 2020 to be a stressful year and it’s definitely affected my motivation level, I’ve been making it a priority lately to do yoga most days. I typically fit in around 20 minutes of yoga, and it definitely makes a difference. Coupled with yoga for me is breathwork and meditation. Taking deep breaths, practicing a few breathing techniques, and clearing out my mind a bit is a great natural stress reliever. In addition to making my body feel more limber and less stressed, this practice helps me to relax and set a positive mindset for the day.
#5 – Amp up my food volume.
I normally eat fresh produce every day, but when I want to tone up, I pile on extra fruits and veggies. Why? Because fruits and veggies are volume foods, meaning you can eat a lot of them for not many calories. Eating mostly whole foods equates to eating a lot of fiber, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer and helps bowel movements to be healthy and regular.
I have been using my fitness pal religiously for the past 8 weeks and I have seen a dramatic change in my weight. It is something that I hope to keep up longterm.
That’s awesome!! It really is a great tool to better understand how much you’re eating. I could easily eat way too many carbs, so I like using it to make sure I’m getting in my protein & fats too!