I have a belly and struggle with food cravings.
I lead a mostly inactive lifestyle since I’m permanently working from home, and I find it difficult to lift heavy objects now. I only go out to try new restaurants or socialize with friends, and I get about 5-6 hours of sleep each night.
I’ve never worked out before, but now feels like the right time to start. Where should I begin, and how can I tell if it’s effective? Can I expect to see any results after 20-25 days?
Begin by focusing on nutrition.
Some of your low energy is likely due to not fueling your body properly. Once you manage your macronutrients and ensure you’re getting the right caloric intake, add in light and consistent exercise. Start with 30 minutes of brisk walking (as if you’re late) every other day, then increase to daily walks. After that, alternate between 30 minutes one day and an hour the next.
Soon, your body will inform you of the next steps to take.
I generally agree with this, but I understand that making a lot of changes at once can be tough. Start small with a simple routine, like waking up at a specific time and getting yourself ready for the day. Wash your face, drink a glass of water, brush your teeth, get dressed, and make your bed. This way, you’ve already made a positive change in your mind. After that, focus on your food and exercise. Building some easy, positive habits will help you gain momentum to tackle the more challenging ones. It’s all a mindset, and you need to train it like a muscle. I had to overcome this mindset myself; it’s challenging but achievable. Feel free to DM me if you want specific tips based on where you are right now.
Set small goals for your eating habits and exercise. Start by choosing ONE healthy habit to focus on for three weeks, then add another healthy habit while eliminating a bad one.
For example:
Drink more water: Remove sugary drinks (soda, juice, beer) from your routine and replace them with water. If you drink alcohol, opt for clearer options like vodka soda or gin and tonic.
Increase raw vegetables and fruits: Eat two pieces of raw veggies before each meal to help fill you up and burn fat. Examples include an apple with a carrot or carrot with celery.
Choose steel-cut or rolled oats for breakfast: Limit added sugar since oats are a good source of fiber.
Incorporate an avocado daily for three weeks.
Satisfy sugar cravings with fruit: For instance, if you crave pie, try cold grapes instead.
Get your protein from whole foods, not powder: If you do use protein powder, check the sugar content.
For small fitness goals over three weeks:
You can increase the numbers after the first week, but consistency is key.
These are just examples; make small changes and do them daily for three weeks. Focus on consistency and building better habits. Keep a record of your achievements and add another small change to your routine for another three-week countdown. Continue this for four months, six months, or a year, but concentrate on one three-week goal at a time and commit to your daily tasks.
Good luck!
No, you can’t expect to see results in such a short timeframe without harmful substances. It typically takes about three months for the first small results and around a year for significant changes. It’s better to set realistic expectations to avoid getting discouraged.
In my opinion, as a beginner, you should aim for six sets per week for each muscle group, pushing to technical failure with each set. Focus on isolation exercises to ensure you adequately stress the muscles (compound exercises primarily target the main muscle they work). You can do these in a circuit format, taking about 30 minutes, three times a week, focusing either on upper or lower body first. A full-body workout in an hour can be too much for most people, and you need at least 48 hours of rest between sessions for the same muscle group. This approach helped me gain 10 kg naturally over a year while maintaining a similar body fat percentage. The Weller Bands app has good circuit workouts.
This isn’t medical advice, but increasing your intake of meat and eggs may help with food cravings. When cravings hit, try drinking two glasses of water and avoid buying junk food.
Here’s a relevant article: Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis - PMC
Yes, I have ADHD, so I use a lot of list apps. On my daily list, I include eating extra protein through protein powder and regular meals (aiming for about 80-100g total). I also make sure to check off two servings of vegetables, two servings of fruit, and two 30-minute sessions of walking or HIIT workouts from YouTube, along with outdoor walks. I try to focus on the basics, even though it can feel complicated.
If you eat more meat and eggs, you might not need protein powder.
That’s not true! Have you seen how much eggs cost now? Haha!
Dance in your room to your favorite songs and lose yourself in the music. As you become more comfortable with your body, you’ll naturally start incorporating other activities.
What foods are you craving? Do you like to cook?
I try to prep some meals and snacks in advance so that I have healthy options ready on lazy days. I make lentil cottage pie with sweet potato mash and batch freeze it. On a day when I’m feeling lazy or in pain (I have arthritis), I can just take it from the freezer and reheat it in my instant pot.
For snacks, I pre-wash, peel, and cut fruit and veggies, keeping them in a container at the front of the fridge. This way, they’re the first thing I see when I open the door, making it easy to grab them without any extra effort.
There are many bodyweight exercises you can do at home, such as push-ups and squats.
You can also gradually shift your diet toward a ketogenic or carnivore diet and learn how to incorporate fasting.