Let me share with you how I gained and lost weight during quarantine. Pre-COVID, I was juggling three jobs. To and from work, I would ride my bike and/or walk in between. Most of the time, I was out of bed and on my feet. Also, I followed a regular meal schedule. I had a routine. I was up early in the morning and was out late at night. Busy bee, as my friends would call me.

How I gained weight during quarantine

When the government declared lockdown in March to curb COVID-19, like most of us I guess, I succumbed to a sedentary lifestyle. The first week served as a breather – a long-over due vacation on one of the best island destinations in the country to boot. On my second week of forced vacation though, I started feeling anxious. I could not help but worry about the uncertain future amidst the pandemic. Often, I would find myself in the four corners of my room, in bed, just staring at the ceiling with nothing to do. With anxiety came a big appetite. I turned to food, bad food that is, to make me feel better. Who doesn’t? While devouring hours and hours of Netflix and K-drama series, I was busy munching on a lot of junk, too.

Watch great movies and TV series on your phone, laptop or Smart TV. You just need a stable internet connection. Subscribe to Netflix by clicking here.

My favorite Netflix partner food was (and still is) Lay’s Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips. I could finish a big bag of chips in minutes. I had to have at least two bags in a movie marathon. And so, I had “fun” at the expense of my body. By the end of May, I had already gained an extra 20 lbs. Oh and by the way, I was already over and beyond my desired weight even before the lockdown started.

Turning Point

On June 1, the government eased restrictions. We were already allowed to swim in designated parts of the beach. It was when I began to “see” and feel the obvious changes. My pair of swimming shorts had already become too tight for comfort. Running from Station 2 to 1 suddenly became more laborious. There were more rest periods than the actual running. Further, because of my diet, I got gout. I was disabled for at least three days. I could not stand and walk and stayed in bed (again) watching Netflix (again).

It was time to make a choice. If I wanted to make the most of this “free” time, I must be fit. First things first. I needed to address my gout. I looked up home remedies for gout. My Mom shared to me about the wonders of apple cider vinegar. Thanks, Google! I learned that apple cider vinegar can help address gout and lose weight at the same time. And, that is how my apple cider vinegar obsession began.

How I lost weight during quarantine

• Apple cider vinegar. Regular intake of apple cider vinegar is probably one of the reasons why I lost weight. I take two tablespoons (15–30 ml) of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup (237 ml) of water once daily… sometimes twice- one in the morning and one before bedtime. Also, I read that taking too much of apple cider vinegar has side effects. I suggest you read more about it here before taking it.

My favorite brand of apple cider vinegar is the Bragg Organic (raw-unfiltered) Apple Cider Vinegar With The Mother. I tried Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar but I felt it did not give me the same heat- I was not perspiring as much.

• Active lifestyle. I resumed an active lifestyle by exercising daily at the beach and at home. Last June, I enrolled in a gym but I stopped after a month when they increased their fee by 50%.

• Drinking moderately. I minimized my alcoholic and soda beverage intake to once a week, sometimes every other week. Aside from less calories, it is also economical.

• Intermittent fasting. I eat everything during the eating window from 1 PM to 9 PM. No food intake outside this period.

• Eating slowly. I eat “rhythmically”. I intentionally enjoy munching my food and let my taste buds do their thing before swallowing. This is also one way of tricking your brain that your stomach is already full.

• Black coffee. I drink two cups of black coffee daily. I read that drinking coffee without cream and sugar can help you lose weight. Coffee also has antiaging effects.

• Water therapy. I drink water regularly. I bring a water tumbler with me all the time. Whenever I feel hungry, I gulp water. More often, we think we are hungry but actually we are just thirsty. So, drink up!

• Less white bread. I used to think white bread is better than rice. I read otherwise. Now, I eat rice, sometimes boiled camote.

• Less sugar. Admittedly, I am a sweet tooth. I love eating cakes, especially Contis’ Mango Bravo. So this one takes a lot of sacrifice on my part. Likewise, I love ice cream despite being lactose intolerant. I still eat my cake and ice cream but not so often. Besides, my family also has a history of diabetes. Avoiding sugar will certainly do me more good than harm.

• High fiber diet. I eat oatmeal with just hot water. No milk for me because, as I said, I am lactose intolerant. Likewise, I regularly eat fruits.

So that is how I gained and lost weight during quarantine. I hope I get to keep my eye on the ball and do not lose track.

Next fitness goal

My next fitness goal is to gain a little bit of muscle mass. Since I am lactose intolerant, I can not drink the regular whey protein. Hence, I resorted to hard boiled eggs. I consume at least two eggs per day for my protein intake.

My friend, Carla, who is also a fitness enthusiast, recommended Purely Inspired Organic Protein, a plant-based protein. We checked and found out that it was on sale. She ordered online for me. I tried it and it was good. I felt energetic without the upset stomach. It was a bit expensive though and hard to find. By the time I finished the jar, that is after a month, it was no longer on sale.

Fortunately, I discovered Athlene, a local brand. Athlene has a lot of variants. I bought the Athlene Active Pure Isolate Starter Pack for only P1,299.00. It comes in two flavors: chocolate and vanilla. Chocolate is my preference. The starter pack includes a free tumbler, too!

Athlene Active Pure Isolate is 100% Whey Protein Isolate.

• 25g of Protein per serving
• 0g of fat
• 0g of sugar

I am down to my last pack of Athlene. For my next purchase, I will try their strawberry variant. This is not sponsored. I just really love and believe in the product. For more product information, you may visit their website here. To check their ongoing promos, follow them on Facebook here.

Did you like my post about how I gained and lost weight during quarantine? How about you? What is your fitness goal?

The post HOW I GAINED AND LOST WEIGHT DURING QUARANTINE appeared first on JOEL JAWS ANDRADA.