A friendly note: If the topic of weight loss is triggering for you, then maybe click away and wait for our next post. This story is shared from a personal perspective and is not intended to be taken as health advice.
Weight loss seems to have become a taboo topic. I know it’s something we don’t talk about often on this platform. We’ve always intentionally placed more of an emphasis on healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. I feel like that’s the right approach to take. And I feel like, in general online, the idea of weight loss is discussed less and healthy lifestyles and body positivity are taking its place. And hallelujah! It’s about time. My teenage years were filled with quadruple page spreads in magazines full of ‘the latest weight loss tips’ with one particular tip always sticking in my mind “If you’re hungry, just chew on ice”. There was nothing like the heroin chic look of the ’90’s to send traditional media into a tailspin of telling women they were too big to be beautiful. Beauty norms have changed a lot since then. And although there are countless Instagram accounts dedicated to those on the quest for a Kim K arse, I think that in general, body positivity is starting to become the default stance. Anybody and all bodies are beautiful bodies.
But what happens when you do gain weight? An unwanted weight that you would like to then shift?
I’m not talking about stepping on the scales every day and fretting over a few pounds. I’m talking about gaining weight that means your clothes now don’t fit as they used to and you’re aware that your physique is changing. I’ve gained approximately 1 stone (14lbs/6.3kg) of unwanted weight in the last few months. I share that measurement because (aside from giving you full body measurements) it gives you an idea of where I’m at. This is not 1 stone away from some fantasy ‘ideal weight’ – I’ve long since acknowledged that I do not want to live a lifestyle that restricts me to the point of maintaining a tiny figure. My body is not built to be that size and I don’t want that pressure of maintaining a size and shape that is unnatural for me. The 1 stone I mention is over my average healthy weight. The scales, however, will not rule my life, I just want to fit nicely into my clothes again. My lifestyle choices now have me at a crossroads of whether I continue to gain weight or I make changes and lose the weight.
I could blame my recent weight gain on a number of things but I’m going to whittle it down to poor choices and stress. The ‘I’ve had a hard day, I deserve ice cream’ at 9pm at night. Feeling unmotivated to squeeze in a workout when I’m fretting about the state of the world, the safety of my loved ones or how to occupy my kids at home all day. But now as we settle into our new (but hopefully temporary) normal, I’m starting to see that I’m in need of a lifestyle change. This is a very personal thing to write about and I am writing it in hope that some of you will nod along and feel reassured that you’re not the only one. I’m sure there are a few of us who have let stress become the deciding factor for our lifestyle choices of late and are keen to get back onto a healthy rhythm.
Let me share with you the changes I’ll be making to improve my overall health and lose the unwanted weight I’ve gained of late. Please note that I’m not a health professional so these are personal choices I’m making. If you want to make any changes in your own lifestyle then do your research to make sure that approach is right for you.
Log My Food
All too easily I reach into the snack cupboard and mindlessly eat. But you can’t mindlessly eat when you’re tracking your food consumption. I’ve been an on/off user of MyFitnessPal for years. To get myself back on track now, I’ll be logging all of my food and exercise using the app. I’m keeping an eye on my caloric intake but also my macros breakdown (percentage of carbohydrate, fat and protein) in day. I’m not getting crazy strict on this, but that old saying “what gets measured, gets managed” comes to mind. And measuring what I eat in a day has certainly made me rethink my choices in the last week. Use this method with caution though if you anticipate it could lead to obsessive behaviour.
Reducing The Snack Quantity
My husband is king of the snacks. Chocolate, biscuits, crisps you name it, he buys it. But since we’re on week 5 of lockdown in our house, the snack cupboard has become increasingly loaded. And trust me, I’ve been doing my best to eat what’s in it. Gavin’s also the kind of guy that goes to the shop and returns with not two pastries but five. He’s tall, slim and puts away a lot of food. But I’ve been making suggestions that we improve the quality and reduce the quantity of the snack cupboard for our family’s health (as well as my own willpower). For my own snacking habits that means replacing rubbish chocolate bars with 70% dark chocolate. Replacing cheap biscuits with richer fancy ones so that you only eat one instead of seven. Improving the quality and reducing the quantity. Because I do not plan on denying myself a good snack. I just plan on avoiding a packet of Hobnobs of an afternoon.
Drink Water
When I drink water – properly drink water – I am peckish less often. This has proven to be true over many years. If I’m hydrated, I think clearer, I snack less and I’m less sluggish. I was in a bad habit of replacing water with tea a few weeks ago. If I was thirsty I would make a cup of tea instead of necking a glass of water. For me there’s no point in having a cup of tea unless I’m going to have a sweet treat with it. So even though tea is hydrating (I drink decaf), it was breeding a poor habit of snacking way more than I needed to. My new rule is that I can have a cup of tea if I have a glass of water first. 8 times out of 10, after that water I don’t want the tea.
Intermittent Fasting
I’ve dipped in and out of intermittent fasting for years. And to those who have never encountered it before it sounds a lot more serious than it actually is. There are a lot of health benefits to short term fasting that I’m not going to rhyme off here. If you’re interested, do your own research. But for me, intermittent fasting is basically just a way to reduce the amount of time I spend eating in a day. When fasting I only eat between 10.30am and 6.30pm. I’ve never been a breakfast person so a cup of black tea in the early morning suits me and this approach prevents me from my real vice which is late-night eating. I have a cup of peppermint tea in the evenings instead. When I’m eating this way I find myself with more energy, better digestion and it definitely helps me lose weight until a point, then it maintains my natural weight. I’m happy to discuss this more, but for fear of being accused that I’m pushing some kind of agenda or weight loss program (I’m not) I’m going to leave it here.
Don’t Skip Two Days In A Row
My lifestyle has become a lot more sedentary during lockdown. Yes, when I’m not working I’m running around after the kids all day. But being stuck at home without the usual errands to run or gym visits means that I’m nowhere near as active as I was. I can feel this in my body. I’m more creeky and sluggish. Finding it harder to gather the motivation for exercise in general. So to combat this, I’ve given myself a challenge to not go two days in a row without exercise. This means that skipping a day if I’m tired or working a lot is fine, but I need make sure I workout the next day to prevent falling back into a sedentary rut. Marking a little ‘x’ on my calendar on the days I workout is helping me stay accountable and keep track. I am aiming for a workout every day, but this challenge means that if one day gets away from me it’s no big deal and I just pick up the next day.
Outdoor Exercise
Now that spring has finally arrived I’m using the daily allowance for outdoor exercise for as long as it’s permitted. I’ve been going for a run or a walk every single day and it’s certainly helping with my energy levels, mental clarity and will contribute to the weight loss I’m aiming for. In the past I’ve had a great time using the Couch to 5k app, but this time I’m just sticking on a podcast and jogging intermittently to build up my stamina. I only do a short circuit of about 3k currently, but I’m mapping out a 5k to start next week. I won’t have time to do more than that in a day so I’ll be capped at that. I’m also thinking of doing some HIIT classes in the back garden in the coming weeks for a bit of variation.
Indoor Exercise
On the days when I can’t get outside or if I fancy adding some bodyweight training to my cardio, I’ll be doing indoor workouts. Some apps that I really rate are the 7 Minute Workout app for a quick sweat. I also like the Jillian Michaels app for workouts and oddly a Buttocks Workout app. Sometimes I get a bit bored of doing squats so I like that app for a variety of bum/core workouts that are short and to the point. I do love a bit of Joe Wicks HIIT on Youtube as well as Yoga with Adriene who’s catalogue of free workouts is astounding.
Whilst I’m aware this post does just reiterate a lot of healthy lifestyle advice and I probably could have called it “Ways to Stay Healthy During Lockdown”, I thought that would be dishonest. Yes, I’m trying to improve my mental and physical health, but my main motivation at the moment is weight loss. If you’re in any way interested, I’m happy to do an honest follow up on what’s worked/stuck and what hasn’t. And if you’re thinking about your own mental health, physical health or want to lose some unwanted weight like me then please do leave your thoughts in the comments. These things are much easier to do (and share) when we know we’re not alone.
Has your diet or lifestyle changed since lockdown?
What are your favourite healthy habits to regain?
Thanks for sharing Naomi. I am in the midst of trying to lose a serious amount of weight (several stones) and find my fitness pal really helpful too.
Another thing I have had to is stop beating myself up. I have always struggled to maintain a healthy weight but always did by exercising a lot and eating very healthily – – I put on a lot of weight due to back to back pregnancies and subsequent lack of energy and motivation whilst raising two small children, plus I have a childbirth injury that means I can’t do any of the exercise I used to (running/spinning/weight training are all out ).
I’ve been giving myself a hard time for so long but am now trying to be less hard on myself and instead focus on the positive changes I am making.
You are so right about being kind to yourself. I need to remind myself often too. It’s also reassuring that people who lose weight in a slow and sustainable way are much more likely to keep it off. So small, positive changes – Also… Enjoying life in general.
The combination of lockdown and a 5 week old baby is feeling like a slippery slope for my weight if I’m honest. I feel like I dont want to deny myself little pleasures but when you realise every meal has been eaten as fast as possible before she wakes or one handed while holding a crying baby (do they sense you are about to eat!?) I realise I’ve eaten without getting any enjoyment out of the food. Trying to be kind to myself in the strange maternity leave I didnt expect, but must start to make changes soon. Excercise and water being the first priorities. Great post, look forward to the updates.
Oh Emma please do cut yourself some slack. Drinking more water would definitely help you out, but I remember not having a second to get in exercise at 5 weeks post partum. You have a lot on your plate my dear and tons of time to worry about changes. Just up the water and a daily walk if you can (solo or with the pram) to stretch your legs and clear your mind. Everything else can wait.
Oooh this post has come at a good time for me! I lost the baby weight and then some when I had my now 2.5 year old, I did a buggy boot camp whilst on Mat leave and was in great shape. But redundancy, a new job, and the stress of working mum life has given me far too many excuses. I haven’t weighed myself, but I know from my clothes that I am not at a happy weight. Lockdown has given me the chance to lock carefully at my food intake and just cut back on the cr*p, and as my husband is home (he’s usually away a lot) I’m managing to fit in workouts at home around work and mum-ing. And the water thing is crucial too! I totally agree we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves at this time as it can be incredibly stressful, but similarly having a goal and some structure can also be really helpful. Eating lots of unhealthy stuff all day was certainly not making me feel good. Looking forward to hearing how you’re getting on, Naomi. Xx
Lockdown has been the opposite for me India! Way too much excuse to raid the snack cupboard and wear loose clothing. But I suppose it’s easier to plan and control your diet when at home versus when traveling or work so I just need to implement that plan.
I’ll keep you posted!
I started a weight loss plan just before lockdown. I didn’t think I had a problem with food but I had genuinely stopped caring a while ago and realised I didn’t feel comfortable and i was buying bigger sized clothes and deliberately avoiding jeans. I have lost about 8lbs and feel so so much better. I am stopping in a couple of weeks (to start a sensible maintenance diet) and don’t have any desire to be super skinny, but right now I feel like I have some energy back.
The energy is one of the biggest benefits for me too! When I’m a bit heavier than normal I’m often sluggish and less likely to exercise. Terribly cycle to get into. I’m avoiding jeans at the minute (so much easier during lockdown). So glad you were able to get back to what’s comfortable for you Jen!
I’ve been using Noom for the last 2 months, the longest I’ve ever stuck to any kind of “weight loss” plan, and I’ve lost a stone so far (1 more to go). It’s a tracker, but also deals with the psychology behind food etc. I’ve been in a bit of a blip since Easter (damn you chocolate eggs!) but trying to get back on track now. It’s not the cheapest but I’d definitely recommend having a go at the free trial.
Ruth I had a bit of a flirtation with that Noom app. I love the design and layout of it. But ultimately I’m not very good at sticking to things like that and am more successful when I go under my own steam. So glad you’ve had so much success though. Amazing how much psychology there is behind the choices we make.
I’ve lost 1.5 stones over the course of a year. I can’t count calories, weigh things, eat diet versions of things as life is busy and I want to enjoy what I eat. However, I’ve eaten more variety, I haven’t denied myself anything but if I’ve had cake with lunch, I’ll have a lighter evening meal, I’ve been mindful of portion size and I’ve tried to cut out all snacks. Noone ever starved between lunch and dinner. Good luck Naomi.
Noone ever starved between lunch and dinner made me giggle but so true. Going to repeat this to my self over and over!
Haha Karen, noon ever starved between lunch and dinner made me laugh too! I’m terrible for a 3pm snack. It’s my reward whilst my youngest is napping. So far I’ve factored that in by cutting out all other snacking. So important to keep the little pleasures. You’ve made me think about portion size though and you’re so right. That’s something I need to work on. Plates were always piled high in my family and I think I’ve carried that on!
Yes to all those strategies and they pretty much reflect what i try and do most of the time. However on lockdown i have been baking and boozing….. 2 things I rarely do at home under normal circumstances. The 4pm G&T in the garden is becoming quite the habit, eeeek! So thankyou for this post, its giving me a kick to get back into the way of a healthy routine. Good luck!!
I felt the same around 18 months ago and have made positive steps using similar tips as above.
The biggest thing for me was to remember that this was a long term change and small changes add up over time. If you are going to track your weight I would recommend not looking at anything less than a 4 week average. Day by day and week by week there are so many little changes that comparing too close together will hide your progress or trends.
I swear by Slimming World. After 2 pregnancies back to back (and the neo natal death of my first daughter) my body was wrecked. Slow and steady wins the race and over 6 months I lost 3 stone. I don’t own scales at home and by still attending group I’ve in the main kept the weight off. I hover between a total of 35-40lbs weight loss. I’m never going to be a skinny mini; I’m more of a Barbara Windsor type in height and curviness! I just need to train myself into liking clothes that suit a curvy, short arse figure!
I’d love to hear your update on this! I had about a stone to lose at the beginning of the year and had made progress, but regained it all with lockdown and have massively struggled to get back into healthier habits!
Hey Naomi – Great Post! And I totally agree, we need to stop focusing on the weight loss part of things and start talking more openly about living a healthy and happy lifestyle! It has been more than proven that physical and mental wellbeing go hand in hand… Therefore, to feel good about ourselves, especially since lockdown, we should think about what makes us feel good! I’ve been trying to drink more water, eat a few healthier meals (not cutting my favourite things out) and getting in those steps each day! These little goals can make a big difference to our overall wellbeing. I find the important thing is to not dive in to a complete lifestyle change. It’s more likely to stick with you if you make smaller steps!