LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — According to the American Psychological Association, the average American unintentionally gained about 30 pounds over the last year.
“Everyone is complaining about that unexpected weight gain of 15 to as many as 30 pounds,’ said Dr. Amy Lee, head of nutrition for Nucific.
Dr. Lee says the destruction of our daily routines makes a big impact on our health and weight. With many of us still working from home, it’s easy to snack all day, even when you’re not hungry.
Dr. Lee suggests cleaning up your environment to kick those temptations.
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“Look over to your kitchen right now and what are those things that will trigger you to snack and remove those things,” Dr. Lee added.
She says to skip the processed sugar and ‘snacky foods’ and replace them with fruits, vegetables, and options with lots of fiber.
“If you’re going to cheat on those things, you’re not going to be adding that much more carb density to your day,” Dr. Lee said.
Dylan Leach, a certified personal trainer at Protogym in Henderson, says nutrition is key to losing fat, but exercise can help accelerate the process.
“Anything movement on top of a good solid nutrition base is going to be beneficial toward what their goal is going to be,” Leach said.
Leach says not to worry too much about ‘bulking up’ while lifting weights. He says it can actually help you shed fat in the long run.
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“It’s very difficult to put muscle on,” Leach said. “Having lean muscle mass is going to make you burn more calories, so you will actually end up losing more fat quickly.”
Both agree that having a plan and making small improvements each day will help you reach the healthiest ‘you.’
"Set little goals and put it on your calendar, journal it in every day. Try to accomplish just a little more to get closer to meeting those goals,” Dr. Lee said.
