Anxiety, stress, and staying at home make us eat more and opt for less healthy foods. In this article, we will share some tips for staying fit and healthy these days.
Staying at home for a more extended period, as a prevention measure for the new coronavirus, could increase the level of boredom and anxiety, which would lead to compulsive food intake and eating between meals. Instead, you could check out topreviewpro and use that time to get informed on various subjects. You could only benefit from it. According to nutrition and psychology experts, the secret is in discipline, physical activity, and drinking plenty of water.
“Being in our house, knowing that we cannot go out, causes worry, anxiety, and stress. Reading about this virus all day only increases them. So it is essential to be disciplined and try to continue with your usual routine, only from home “, says one of our sources, a clinical psychologist.
Stress and anxiety produce the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for making the body react when it is in dangerous situations. When the body continually generates it, it tends to expend a lot of energy, which is why the brain sends signals, trying to find a replacement for it. That is mostly replenished through foods like cakes (or something sweet), lots of carbohydrates, and processed foods.
Tips
According to nutritionists, at this stage, it is not recommended to aim at losing weight, because confinement and stress will make the goal more difficult. Ideally, you should only think about keeping the current weight and staying fit, even if you broke a couple of rules in the past few weeks. You can compensate for it when the quarantine is over.
The key to maintaining an ideal weight, according to our nutritionist, is to be disciplined. That includes regular physical activities and the right diet. Since your schedule may get out of control for the first few days, you can set the alarm to keep an eye on the time when you should prepare food and eat. Do that in case you forget to drink water regularly.
1. Eat healthy food
Being at home all day and having all kinds of food in your refrigerator could be tempting, and you could, little by little, loose control of it, especially if you’re used to eating smaller portions at a specific time.
Eating in one place, away from technology, will help you become more aware of your food.
The nutritionist explains that the technique of “seeing the plate” is very functional both to control what type of food you are consuming and how much. These days, choose to eat on a smaller plate, thus reducing your portions, especially if they are flours, carbohydrates, or sugars. That is because they increase stress and anxiety.
“Seeing our plate also gives us an analysis of what we are eating, if they are only carbohydrates, flours or if we have vegetables and fruits. Remember that it would be ideal for you to have a colorful and varied dish,” says the nutritionist. Look into snacks like Proper Popcorn for a little treat that is more fun that veggies and salad.
To have a varied and balanced portion, you have to divide it into four parts: ¼ must contain carbohydrates, the other ¼ protein, and ½ of the portion must be green. It could be a salad or some vegetables as a side dish.
You should avoid processed foods because, instead of satisfying hunger, they create the feeling of wanting to consume more. If you are used to eating them, don’t cut them overnight. Do it little by little, and the results will be better if you start consuming them only on weekends or once a week. Also, you should buy food only when you need it.
A varied dish will help you have a balanced diet in nutrients.
As we have previously mentioned, boredom causes anxiety and makes us eat more often. So to prevent “snacking,” it is essential to develop new, healthy habits. Your digestive system will benefit from consuming quality food. Therefore, you can choose fruits that you like and that are easy to eat. “Ideally, the snack should be fruit, because it provides the body with the nutrients it needs,” says our nutritionist.
If you think that the desire for something sweet wins, some foods like carrots, avocados, almonds, and cinnamon could help you, thanks to the nutrients that they are made of. Include them in your diet.
When you eat, always do it at a table, watching and enjoying your food. It is recommended that you do not do it in front of the television or with the cell phone nearby because your brain will not concentrate on food, and the satisfaction of fullness will take longer to arrive.
2. Drink a lot of water
Drinking enough water throughout the day, ideally between meals, will keep you hydrated. Also, it is better always to have water nearby to drink when you are thirsty, thus reducing food consumption, given the satiating effect of water.
You should consume at least eight glasses of pure water a day. If you don’t drink pure water because you don’t like it, you can add some flavor to it with slices of fruit or herbs. For example, you could add lemon slices, strawberry, and mint leaves.
Avoid sugary sodas and sugar from coffee or digestive drinks.
3.Exercise
It is important not to stop being physically active to maintain weight. Although it is difficult to do it at home, you can find a suitable spot for it somewhere in your room. If you are not used to exercising, you can start with daily activities like washing dishes after eating, sweeping your house one day and mopping the next, etc. Household chores help clear the mind, keep the body busy and active.
You could follow tutorials to practice some exercises at home. Yoga, for example, would be a perfect choice. Ideally, you should do it daily. Remember that physical activity is one of the vital factors when it comes to a healthy life. Many people claim that, with exercise and a healthy diet, they are more productive at work, sleep better, and manage stress better.