If you have been trying to lose weight or, at the very least, maintain your weight, how do you do this when you are staying home during a pandemic?
In March of 2020, the start of the coronavirus pandemic, 9 out of 10 Americans stayed home. In July 2020 nearly 60% of American were still staying home. Nearly 60% of households stockpiled food.
Eating at home all the time is unusual for most people, but it creates a great opportunity to manage your nutrition. You can control 100% of your meals and what they contain. If you want to eat healthy and manage your weight, now is the time to do it.
Here are a few guidelines to think about:
Eating healthy has always been important but during this pandemic it’s even more important because you want to keep and build a strong immune system. Limit your junk foods and eat fresh, natural foods as much as you can. Nutritious foods will keep your level of vitamins and minerals high and help boost your immunity.
If you are concerned about shopping at the grocery store, buying food online and having it delivered is an option. In major cities in America you can find grocery store chains that deliver to homes as well as chains such as Costco and Walmart.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers. Try to limit your processed foods because they usually contain more fat, sugar, salt, and preservatives. Read the labels on cans to see what is in the food you are buying. Fresh is always better.
Emotional eating is tempting especially in times when so many things are unknown. Comfort foods like pizza, mac and cheese, and burgers and fries are fine occasionally but not every day. Manage your emotions and know when you are eating emotionally. Meal planning can help you get control. You can think rationally about the foods you should be eating.
Limit your time in the kitchen. You are home all day and its easy to float in and out of the kitchen and snack. Limit the foods you leave out on the counter. Try not to buy quick to eat packaged foods because it encourages snacking. Again, use your meal planning to stay on track. It is easy to consume a lot of calories quickly simply by snacking more throughout the day.
During these challenging times, it is comforting to reach for an alcoholic drink. Alcohol has little nutritional value and contains a lot of empty calories. Limit your alcohol consumption and practice moderation. Try substituting an alcoholic drink with sparkling water, hot tea or kombucha occasionally.
