• Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Write for Australian Women Online
  • Advertise With Us
  • Horoscopes
  • Style
  • Shoe Boutique
  • eFashion
  • Weight Watchers Australia

Australian Women Online

Business, career, health and lifestyle content for women

  • Home
  • BLOG
  • BOOKS
  • BUSINESS
  • CAREER
  • COOKING
  • HEALTH
  • LIFESTYLE
    • Automotive
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Pets
    • Relationships
    • Your Home
    • Your Money
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • TRAVEL
    • Discount Holidays
You are here: Home / HEALTH / Why you need to ‘Maintain Not Gain’ during Isolation

Why you need to ‘Maintain Not Gain’ during Isolation

7 May 2020 by Amelia Phillips

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Print
  • WhatsApp

By Amelia Phillips, Accredited Eimele nutritionist and exercise scientist

Whether its funny memes about gaining weight or talk amongst the chat boxes, everyone is worried about what impact self-isolation will have on their health (and their waistline!) There is so much attention on trying to lose weight in isolation on social media and the news instead of focusing on how to stay healthy throughout this time. We are in the middle of a pandemic therefore we don’t need added stress and negative emotions. Between home schooling children along with trying to work from home and just general anxiety about health, there is enough to stress about! The focus needs to shift to “maintain not gain”.

Most people often forget that it is even harder to lose weight in isolation. Incidental exercise dramatically drops. Think about it. You are stuck at home with your basic steps consisting of moving from your bed to your desk to the fridge. This affects our NEATS (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis). We often underestimate the impact that has on our daily calorie expenditure. If you don’t believe me, compare the number of steps you take on a “go into the office” workday compared to working from home.

In terms of maintaining and not gaining, if we have come out the other side having maintained and not gained that is a big win! Maintaining and not gaining is simple. All we have to do is make sure to not eat more calories than we have burned each day. A few things I like to do to make sure I don’t overeat are as follows:

    1. Practice intermittent fasting for 12h-14/day: this is one of the easiest ways to curb your appetite and trigger fat burning. If you stop eating at 9pm, don’t eat again until 9am. What that does is narrow the window when you do eat, so breaky, lunch and dinner are closer, preventing sugar spikes and snacking.
    2. Eat liquid foods: for example, porridge, soups and shakes. My favourite are the Eimele range of products as they deliver complete nutrition whilst giving you that satisfied feeling, are full of fibre and protein and are delicious!
    3. Find healthy swaps: if you have a sweet tooth, don’t kid yourself that you can go cold turkey all the time. Find a much healthier alternative that satisfies the craving without breaking the calories bank. For example, if you’re craving chocolate, have a powdered hot chocolate. If you’re craving chips, have some air popped popcorn.

Of course, there are other factors that affect our health such as loneliness, worry, relationship and family issues, plus a lack of sunlight, which can all affect both our physical and mental health. Instead of focusing on physical weight focus on the below instead which I like to call taking your MEDS everyday. This refers to:

  • Mindfulness: Be it meditation, relaxation or spirituality. Having mindful moments everyday is important.
  • Exercise: 150 minutes per week (21 min per day) od moderate to intense activity is the recommendation.
  • Diet: following a predominantly whole food, plant first diet, not overeating, in a social enjoyable way.
  • Sleep: 7 – 9 hours per night, 20min power naps (if you need), deep breathing before sleep and a tip; have a hot shower before bed (the body goes into a deeper sleep on a falling body temperature)
Amelia Phillips

Pictured: Amelia Phillips, a highly-regarded nutritionist and exercise scientist, who appears regularly in the media. Photo: Supplied.

You May Also Like:

Filed Under: HEALTH

Ads by Google
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

New Content

  • The Long-Term Benefits of Property Investment in Singapore for Wealth Building
  • How to Start a Successful Career in Nutrition
  • Best One-Piece Swimsuits to Wear in 2023
  • Identifying Potential Clients and Building Relationships with Them
  • Trending: Vegan Bags in 2023
  • 9 Solar Benefits You Can’t Ignore
  • The Social Benefits of Running: How Running Can Help You Build Relationships
  • Cheek to Chic: How to Achieve the Ultimate Glowing Makeup with Ease
  • How to Transform Your Bathroom Without Breaking the Bank
  • Why You Should Book Yourself a Photoshoot
Technogym

Popular Content

  • Moore Weekly Stars
  • Sexy and Stylish Short Hairstyles for Women Over 60
  • Top 9 Cars for Women in Australia
  • International Women's Day Debate 2016: 'Men and women - equal at last?'
  • Sass & Bide Let It Shine Embellished Mini Skirt Metal
  • Sass & Bide Dream City Boxy Bomber Jacket Forest Green
  • Eggs Do Not Need to be Refrigerated at Supermarkets says Food Safety Regulator
  • Advertise with Australian Women Online
  • CHARLES & KEITH Double-Wired Aviator Shades
  • The 10 Best Side Dishes For Ribs

Australian Women Online © Copyright 2007 - 2023 Deborah Robinson ABN 38 119 171 979 · All Rights Reserved