10 effective tips to help you lose weight

How I lost almost 40 pounds after the pandemic

It’s taken almost 13 months but I have cracked 200 at last.

The pandemic led to bad habits and a ballooning of my body. It has not been an easy road, something of a rollercoaster, but here are 10 tips that might help you on your journey:

1) Read a lot about how others lost weight and got into shape. I don’t mean the gurus of diet and fitness books, but average people. Medium is a terrific source to understand what works — and there are many different methods. Find the ones that fit your personality.

2) Track what you eat. My go-to is MyFitnessPal. It’s a habit you must create to understand how what you are eating impacts you. Eating bad food adds up quickly. Know your calorie limit and stay below it, but also pay attention to other important areas like carbs and sugars.

3) Avoid processed foods as much as possible. Lots of fruits, vegetables, and proteins (limit red meat to no more than once a week).

4) No soda. I have never been a big soda drinker. It’s really bad for you. Water and green tea are much better options. I still drink coffee too with skim milk but no sugar and only in the morning. I also opt for tomato and orange juice as an alternative.

5) Avoid alcohol. I have not been a drinker since I was 25 outside of an occasional glass of wine at a social function.

6) Walk daily at a pace that gets your heart rate up. I walk 2–5 miles per day. Thanks to my family, I have a treadmill under my desk that I use daily (even during Zoom meetings).

7) Resistance train at least every other day. You don’t need dumbbells. Invest $20 in resistance bands or at very least do push-ups and planks.

8. Be consistent and persistent. It’s easy to put it on, especially as we age. Hard work is required and you will have days when you say why am I bothering?! My trend line has gone down, up and down. Don’t give up.

9) Invest in a scale where you can track your weight and other body measurements. Weigh yourself daily and don’t be discouraged if the results take time, because they will. A pound or 2 a week is a positive trend.

10) Invest in an Apple Watch or Fitbit to track your overall health. I also have a low-cost blood pressure monitor, which is also helpful.

Please add your own tips in the comments below!