The "Covid 25"
Man, what a year 2020 has been. I’ve been pretty careful about doing any marketing during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are many companies out there doing the right thing and really helping people out in their time of need. Even all these companies that have sprung up to make and deliver masks. Yeah, they are making a few bucks. But they are providing a very valuable service to us all. Let them do their job, make their money as long as their hearts are in the right place, and they are doing it for the right reason.
The companies that are out there just to profit off our misery are another story. I was involved with one company (a big, successful company) that, right at the beginning of the crisis, wanted to figure out how to corner the market on their product and come out the other side as a much bigger, stronger company. To them, it was never about helping people or doing the right thing. Only what’s in it for them. Needless to say, I no longer have any association with that company.
So, this isn’t about me or my program. You can check it out or not. I’m not trying to sell you anything. What I do want to do is help people during this challenging time.
My wife came home the other day and started talking about the “Covid 25.” “What’s that” I asked, having only heard the number 19 all these months. She had been talking with some of her friends, and perusing her social media feeds, and people were talking about the extra 25 lbs. they have put on since being stuck and home or limited in their travel.
Ah, I get it now. Yeah, maybe that’s something I can help with. I try never to mention brands of foods because I don’t play favorites, but I want to be very specific with the information listed below.
So here goes. In order to lose a few pounds, the easiest way to do that is by lowering your caloric intake every day. Let’s look at some of our meals and a few ways to take off that extra 25 lbs.:
Breakfast:
Let’s start with breakfast. Many of us start out with toast or one of those yummy Costco double chocolate muffins. I love those things. If I tried, I could easily eat two of them. The only problem is they are about 740 calories each. Even eating one I’m not helping myself in my daily calorie count. The other problem with that muffin is that the type of food (baked goods, simple carbohydrate) may taste great but won’t last very long. In an hour I’ll be hungry again.
So, what should you eat? How about some Nature’s Path Pumpkin Flax granola, also from Costco, mixed with a container of low fat Greek yogurt, cutting out the milk. Instead of that 740-calorie muffin you have granola (260 calories) plus low-fat yogurt (80 calories) for a 340 calorie breakfast…400 calories less. Now, here’s the good news. The granola and yogurt will last you all morning and you won’t be as hungry as you would have been with the muffin. Awesome or what?
Breakfast: 340 calories
Lunch:
Now, for lunch. Let’s peel and eat a banana (about 105 calories). We can add a cheese stick for another 80 calories. I like the Sargento Sharp Cheddar-Jack cheese sticks that you can find in just about any grocery store (and surprisingly many a truck stop). That’s a 185-calorie lunch that will last until dinner. The banana is a complex carbohydrate that, again, is going to last you much longer so you won’t be hungry in an hour.
Lunch: 185 calories
Dinner:
Since we’re at about 525 calories we can splurge a little for dinner. I could be really good and have a salad or some other healthy food, but I’m feeling like a hamburger. I go through the local drive thru and get a decent burger that’s about 600 calories. Although they make some great French Fries, I don’t want to eat them because they’re loaded with calories and would add another 500 calories to my meal. Instead, I’ll add a cup of applesauce (90 calories).
Dinner: 690 calories (Total for the Day: 1,215 calories)
That puts me right at 1,215 calories for the day. That’s a great start. If we reduce our daily caloric intake to 500 less than our daily caloric allowance, we’ll lose an average of 1 lb. per week. If you’re daily intake is sitting around 2,200 (depending on age, height, weight and gender), then this meal, assuming you eat about 1200 calories every day, will help you lose 2 lbs. per week.
Easy enough? Now ya just have to do!
The last thing I’ll mention is to get a little exercise. We’ve all been cooped up to a certain degree. Time to get out and walk. Try to walk at least 20 minutes per day, 3 days per week. If you can walk 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week that’s even better. When you go walking, LEAVE YOUR CELL PHONE BEHIND! The walking is great for your body. The break from your cell phone is great for your mind.
Enjoy!
Gregory James is an author, leadership and wellness expert, helping people to live their best life.
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