A new report shows most Americans admit to gaining weight since the pandemic started.
In fact, a run repeat survey shows 35% admitted to gaining weight and 71% of those gained more than five pounds.
Thanks to a list of the top foods bought at the grocery store chain Kroger, you can tell that many pounds are a result of stress eating. Included in the list are four-cheese Mexican blend shredded cheese, heavy whipping cream, party-size bags of chocolate, and varieties of wine. Needless to say, these items are full of fattening sugar, sodium, and carbs.
So if getting back into shape is on your to-do list for 2021, there are some things you can do now to start the new year off healthy.
First, according to lifehack.org, when exercising try high-intensity interval training.
Why run on a treadmill for hours on end, when 10-minutes of basically sprinting as fast you can be just as effective at burning fat? One study compared a group that cycled for 45 minutes at a lower intensity, to a group that did a high-intensity workout. The results were basically the same. So the same amount of fat burned in less time.
Next -- ditch the alcohol and try green tea.
Lifehack.org says green tea is one of the best fat burners around because it helps by inhibiting the enzyme in your body that suppresses norepinephrine, which is your body’s fat-burning hormone.
Green tea has even been seen in one study to burn nearly 6 grams of fat in one cup.
Finally, try cold showers.
It may be tough in the wintertime, but some studies have shown cold showers and weight loss are connected.
That’s because when you put your body in a colder environment it has to work to warm you up, and the top way it does that is by burning fat.
A study from 2009 shows cold showers can increase fat burning by up to 15 times as much as a warm shower.
That averages out to around 9 lbs a year on average, just by taking cold showers.
Of course, dieticians and health professionals everywhere will tell you to cut out the sugar, eat more vegetables, and stay active.
Doing these things can get you on the right track to having a healthier 2021.