Lock down your weight in lockdown.
If you’re like me and most “normal” people, then you’re probably having to practise a little social distancing from the fridge…
We’re all ‘silk-worming’ our way through goodies that we don’t (physically) need during this uncertain time – disruption, boredom, stress, cabin fever, “cos it’s there” and many other reasons.
Most of us will gain a few kilos in the next few weeks. But there are several basic things you can do to manage this.. But before I cover those, the most important thing is to strengthen and support immunity… And the the bonus is, that the 2 go hand-in-hand!
Here are some super-easy tips to help you with both weightloss and strengthening immunity:
- Don’t go “on diet” – Going “on a diet” implies that you need to go “off a diet”. Rather work with daily, sustainable, small changes.
- Have a daily routine.
- Workout every day…A big stress-reliever, head-clearer and kilojoule-burner! We have launched a bodyweight (or kettlebell) workout that you can do every day at home, in a very small space.
And it’s simple to do! Go to: http://wotd.ikff.za.net
(Note: Don’t train if you’re feeling run-down). - Limit (or cut out) all sugar – Make your house “safe”…if it’s there (newsflash!), you’ll eat it.
- Eat any fruits in season (instead of sugar, cakes etc). Eat a spoon (or two) of Raw Honey or a few dates if you’re craving something sweet.
- Cut out any/all soft drinks. Make your drink of choice water, or tea (with fresh ginger+turmeric+honey), or kombucha, or my personal favourite, which is coffee with fresh cream + cinnamon. If you don’t like the idea of fresh cream, you can add our MCT oil. (MCT oil is wonderful for weight-loss, giving you sustained energy and satiety when on lower kilojoules).
- On chilly, rainy days, eat heat-producing foods: Fill up on veggie-laden soup and complex carbs (brown rice, lentils, chick peas etc), rather than pies, breads and cakes. Include heat-producing foods such as chillies, ginger, red and black peppers, turmeric and curries.
- Limit/eliminate the booze – This makes you a fat-storing machine. Plus, it can also increase appetite.
- Sleep more – It reduces cortisol. The less you sleep, the fatter you get.
- Green smoothies or salads/veggies every day. Aim for 5-6 portions of different coloured fruits and veg every day. Prepare them in a way that you enjoy: Make them as tasty as possible – Blend/bake/steam with butter/olive oil. Add immune boosting herbs and spices (oreganum, sage, garlic, onions) to get everyone in the house onboard.
- Include healthy fats – butter, olive oil (for cold foods) and coconut oil (for hot cooking/baking), nuts, seeds and avos. When you get enough fats, you’ll crave less junk and eat better! So don’t be shy about eating good fats – They will help you lose fat.
- Protein! This is super-important to keep your body on track, healthy and feeling satisfied without junk or sugar! Whey Power, Leanplex, Pea Power and EnduraShake are all options if you’d like an economical change from chicken and red meat. (Price per serving is ~a large bottle of water). Some quick and easy Whey Power recipes
- Keep your portions small. Make sure you’re actually hungry before going for another feed.(And not bored, thirsty, procrastinatng etc)
- Consider donating some of your grocery/booze/sweetie/fastfood/treats-money to a charity that is supplying food to the most vulnerable…both fellow-humans and fellow-furries. This will lighten your spirit, strengthen your immune system, and place perspective in each of your meals.