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Are you wondering how to stay healthy during these trying times?
More of us are home now and our daily routines are disrupted. Some of us are out- of -work and wondering how we are going to pay our bills. Some are around their children and spouses more than usual and are learning to adjust. With all of these different stressors, it can be easy to turn to food for comfort, don’t. Use this extra time you may have, to improve your health. If you find yourself snacking or grazing all day, set yourself up for success. Have healthy, low- calorie foods prepared for snacking. Having fresh fruits and vegetables available like carrots sticks, celery, radishes, cucumbers, and pepper strips are great for satisfying that urge. You can even dip them in some hummus! Other options are to have an apple or an orange, etc. Do not turn to chips and unhealthy foods that are just going to increase your cravings! Try to maintain some sort of regular eating schedule. Don’t skip meals and then overindulge on unhealthy foods. In fact, you can use this extra time to search for new recipes to try that are healthy! We can all still go to the grocery store, so you should be able to have food on-hand to cook. It is also a great time to start tracking your food. One of the biggest excuses I hear is that people do not have time to track their food. Well, now you do. There are great apps you can download for free on your cell phone or even your laptop. Myfitnesspal is what I use. Livestrong, myplate is another one that I have used too. They are both free, and they get easier and less time consuming the more you use them. |
Once you log a food, it is in the system and then all you have to do is select it next time. These apps will help you to determine how many calories you should be consuming. I am also an advocate of tracking macros to make sure that you are eating a balanced diet with your protein, carbs, and fat. These apps will automatically figure these amounts for you. Just be honest about your activity level when entering your info!!
Now that we want to work on our diet, how about some exercise? All of the “stay at home” orders say that you can go outside to exercise (if the wind isn’t blowing 80 mph!). There are also plenty of exercises you can do at home. YouTube is a great source as well as Instagram. You can download beginner videos to get you started. Don’t forget that walking is one of the best things you can do at any time, too!! The other aspect of this pandemic is to stay connected with friends and family. You want to take care of your mental health, too. You may need to disconnect from the news and social media. Use the opportunity to connect with friends you may not have had contact with, etc. Let’s emerge from this pandemic healthier than when it started. Make this bad situation into something good. There is no time like now to get started! Stay strong! If anyone has any topics or questions, please feel free to email me at naiche72@gmail.com, or join me on Facebook at The Daily pursuit of healthyness. |
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