While many people have complained of gaining weight since they are staying at home during Covid, there are, however, many people, including myself, who have learned how to get fit from home even if you can’t get to a gym.
I Recently Heard of a Guy
I recently read a story of a guy who lost 41 kilos in the 5 months we have been confined at home because of this Virus. He didn’t do it by going to a gym. His story is pretty amazing.
As I understand, this guy did not use some fad diet. By eating 5 to 6 small meals a day and spending many hours walking, he got incredible results!
I did something similar myself and I achieved results. They were not quite so remarkable as his 41 kilos in 5 months. His results are pretty amazing! Since January, I lost 20 pounds and lowered my A1C blood sugar levels, by walking and watching my diet. Losing weight can be done, and you don’t need a gym. While others are complaining of being bored and packing on the pounds, you can lose weight!
Begin with the End in Mind
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Steven Covey, in his classic, best-selling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, gave the often quoted maxim, “Begin with the end in mind.” He also said, “Goals are pure fantasy unless you have a specific plan to achieve them.”
In order to accomplish anything of significance, you first have to decide what it is you want to do. There are many Olympic gold medal winners. They did not just go out on the day of the Olympics and do a pole vault or any other major win, without first putting forth day-to-day effort.
I do not know of any magic pill to make the weight magically disappear, even though there have been many claims to do this. You need a goal, so when you are discouraged and tired, you don’t go and blow it by quitting.
How to Get Fit from Home
This gentleman I mentioned at the beginning of this post, had a plan. He didn’t like being unhealthy and decided all the things he could do if he was healthier. He decided to eat in a healthy way and get out and walk. First, he walked as far as he could, gradually he walked farther and before he realized it he was walking several hours a day.
I can’t express it strongly enough, you need motivation that will carry you through the difficult times.
Dr. Jason Fung has many, many videos on intermittent fasting. This is one of the shorter ones.
There is no one right diet for everyone. The fellow I mentioned at the top of the page, found that 5 or 6 small meals a day helped him become healthier. I have used intermittent fasting. The Mediterranean diet is also a tried and true healthy diet.
It Must Be Sustainable
You must have something that is sustainable. It may be a great idea, but unless you can live with it day in and day out it will not work in the long run.
I began my weight loss journey back in 2013. I joined a weight loss group for support, and I had great and noble ideas, Somehow, they were not working. Not until I got serious; with an end goal in mind, I did begin to see results.
You often hear of Lifestyle Changes. It is seriously true. You can’t eat junk food and expect to have optimum health.
The Carrot on the End of the Stick
If you want to be successful in weight loss, or in anything for that matter, you need to have a goal set in front of you. When days seem long, and you want to veer from your course, you need that carrot on the end of the stick, to keep you going in the right direction.
In case, you have never heard of the “carrot on the end of the stick” metaphor… In the day when donkeys were used as field labor, to keep those stubborn mules going they would place a carrot on the end of a stick, dangling just out of reach of their nose. The donkey, it is said, would keep moving forward in hopes of reaching that carrot on the end of the stick.
If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.
– Lewis Carroll
Why so many fail losing weight and keeping it off, in my opinion, is because they do not have that carrot at the end of the stick to keep them going when times get tough.
Insulin Resistance
An insulin-resistant person has too much insulin in their blood, and the body is not using it properly. With too much insulin in the body, you end up increasing your fat storage and you have less ability to use the stored fat to fuel your body’s needs
By keeping your blood sugar levels down where they belong, it decreases the body’s need to produce more insulin to deal with the excess blood glucose (blood sugar). It is in your own best interest to keep from eating high glycemic index foods which will spike your blood sugar levels. I found this list of foods and their glycemic index. They are listed in 3 categories. Low GI foods (20-49), Moderate GI foods (50-69), and High GI foods (70-100).
11 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar
1- Plan Your Meals
When you plan your meals out in advance, you can choose well-balanced, healthy options. As a rule, with planning on your side, your blood sugar should be stable.
Research suggests that during World War I and World War II sugar was not as readily available. During this time there were fewer incidents of diabetes. When sugar is more readily available, there is also an increase in diabetes.
2- Drink Water
It is recommended to drink 8 glasses of water a day. By drinking adequate water, your body releases plenty of urine. Excess blood glucose is released in your urine. As a cautionary note, if you have kidney or heart trouble, do not drink excessive amounts of water as it could cause an imbalance in your system.
3- High Protein
High protein foods can help stabilize your blood sugar. Nuts and eggs have a zero glycemic index. They would be a good choice to keep you satiated and your blood sugar low. There are other healthy choices such as beans, cold-water fish, and chicken.
4- Fruit
Most fruit (except for pineapple, melons, and overripe bananas) have a low glycemic index (GI) of 55 or less. This is because most fruits contain a large quantity of water and fiber. This balances the naturally occurring fruit sugars – fructose – in fruit. However, as the fruit ripens, its sugar content increases and so does the glycemic index of the fruit.
5- Vegetables – Raw, Cooked, or Roasted
Choose low-carb veggies. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and asparagus are all low glycemic vegetables. Onions, eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini are all great to include in your diet.
Yams are a great choice (white potatoes have a high glycemic index) on the other hand, sweet potatoes are very nutritious and have a much lower glycemic index than white potatoes. Research shows that the flesh of the sweet potato has a lot of fiber. This is good news for everyone who wants to increase their fiber intake.
6- Cucumbers
The glycemic index of cucumbers comes in very low at 15. They also contain a hormone needed by the pancreas to produce insulin. The enzyme erepsin in cucumbers works toward breaking down excessive protein in the kidneys.
7- Sea Vegetables
Gram for gram, sea vegetables are higher in minerals and vitamins than any other class of food. Algaes such as chlorella and spirulina are two of the most nutrient-dense foods available and are whole, perfect superfoods.
8- Whole Grains
Oatmeal and oat bran contain fiber. Fiber slows digestion and helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. Pumpernickel bread and 100 percent stone-ground whole wheat bread have low GI scores of 55 or less on the GI scale.
9- Nuts
Most nuts have a low GI score, between 0 and 20. The cashew is an exception with a GI of 22. When choosing nuts; walnuts, almonds, and macadamias are great choices.
10- Exercise!
The American Diabetes Association says that “Physical activity can lower your blood sugar up to 24 hours or more after your workout by making your body more sensitive to insulin.” By checking your blood sugar level before and after exercise, you will see how your body responds to exercise.
According to the CDC a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise, 5 times a week, and two days of strength training exercise are recommended.
11- Weigh Yourself Regularly
For adults who are overweight, it is helpful to use a scale at regular daily, weekly, or monthly intervals to help them lose weight.
One two-year US research study suggests that men respond well to weight loss when they weigh themselves daily.
With frequent use of the scale, it is much easier to see small deviations and correct them before the weight on the scale climbs out of control.
Weigh yourself regularly. Keep track of your weight on a regular basis to help you make necessary adjustments before change becomes difficult.
With adolescents or those with eating disorders, however, it may be best to put the scale away.
Symptoms of Blood Levels that are Too High
If your blood sugar level is too high, you may experience:
- Increased thirst.
- Frequent urination.
- Fatigue.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Shortness of breath.
- Stomach pain.
- Fruity breath odor.
- A very dry mouth.
- A rapid heartbeat
Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)
Signs and symptoms of a low blood sugar level may include:
- Shakiness or nervousness
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Sweating
- Hunger
- Nausea
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Difficulty speaking
- Confusion
In Conclusion
You need to keep the end in mind if you are going to reach your goal. As Lewis Carroll said, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. It takes making a plan and working that plan to get you on the road to better health. How to get fit from home? Make and follow a healthy plan.
Please Leave a Comment
I would love to hear from you. Do you have any success stories to tell of getting fit at home? Success stories especially during this Covid 19 time?
Disclaimer: If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. No content on this site should be substituted for direct medical advice from your doctor or another qualified healthcare practitioner. The information contained here is for informational purposes only. It is from my research and personal experience.
Thanks so much for this article on weight loss, I really appreciate the example of the guy that lost 41kg in 5 months, I know exercise plays a key role in our health generally and that was what was mentioned as well.
I like that point of carrots, and also your conclusion on why people are not losing weight , it is because they do not have that carrot at the end of the stick to keep them going when times get tough. I also appreciate as you mention it is your opinion.
Hi Eunice, Thanks for stopping by with a comment! If we don’t have a good reason (the carrot) to press on toward our goal, it is so easy to slip back into bad habits. Our bodies were made to move. They are quite efficient engines that require less fuel (food) than most of us realize. It is great when we can get these things in balance and have a great, efficient running machine (our body).
Right now I am doing the keto diet which is supposed to starve cancer. Since insulin is a huge thing in the cancer world I like some of the points you have suggested on how to lower your sugar levels.
Another thing I really enjoyed reading about was exercising. Recently I just read a report that says if you use weights to exercise cancer cells die. So I am also incorporating that into my daily routine. Thank you for some of the new tips I just discovered on your site.
Hi Jagi, Thanks for stopping by with a comment. Yes the Big C is something we all want to stay away from. Cancer is everyone’s nightmare. It does help to start with healthy habits. Good food and exercise go hand in hand. Some people have had great success with the keto diet. I have never tried it, but many have and had good results.
All the best!
You’re post rocked. It’s dead-on on its subject. I’m in the weight loss nitche my self and I can’t find anything wrong the sweet potatoes. Not too many people know that about the sweet potatoes. They are actually better for your waist than white potatoes. You may not believe me, carrots are more fattening than sweet potatoes.
Your article is so dead on cool especially during this pandemic very good