How to eat healthy and stay fit while at home

As we all #StayHome and welcome the daily restrictions to life, binge eating and binge watching seem to be the new normal. One would debate that with being less mobile and limited activity, is it still possible to maintain a healthy lifestyle? It is now time to get creative about how to manage your health and well-being under unprecedented circumstances. It is well understood it is impossible to eat the rainbow at every meal or work on your regular cardio routine while practicing social distancing. What seems possible is to eat nourishing foods, participate in daily physical activities and maintain relaxation practices to calm your mindset and improve your immune function.

This blog will cover the activities you can practice to provide a sense of control during this time of global uncertainty.

Schedule your meal times

It is very important to schedule your meals times to avoid overeating. Also, with a schedule in place you do not tend to eat more meals than usual. When your meals are planned, you tend to eat well. In between meal times you tend to binge more and eat unhealthy junk.

Create Balanced Meals

With limited options available and certain restrictions, it is important to be mindful while preparing for your meals. A balanced diet is recommended with protein, healthy fats and quality carbs, ideally in the form of starchy veggies (like potatoes, sweet potatoes and butternut squash) or whole grains. 

Hydration is key

The body is made of about 75 percent water. This is a great time to consume the recommended eight glasses per day of fluid. As we are less active due to the precautionary measures set in place we may not feel as thirsty. What can help is to set regular reminders or keep a bottle on your desk to remind and ensure we are hydrating our bodies. 

For flavour and additional nutrients, add slices of cucumber, lemon or orange to the humble glass of water. Avoid sweetened beverages such as soft drinks and soda because of high sugar content.

Stay physically active 

Its is very essential to squeeze in some physical activity during the day. The World Health Organization recommends 30 minutes of physical activity a day for adults, and one hour a day for children. As you cannot leave the house, find an exercise video online, dance to music, do some yoga, or walk up and down the stairs.

Avoid eating unhealthy foods

It is advisable to avoid foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt (heavily processed foods) that are not considered part of a healthy diet. It’s particularly important at this moment to avoid these foods, as they do not provide any nutritional benefit. Also a great exercise could be to stock up the house with healthy options and replace the junk. During break time schedule an activity to ensure you are not snacking up on junk or untimely meal. Calling a friend could also ensure you are connected to the outside world. 

Do not stress.  Stressing and uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic might bring our worst eating habits to the surface. But there are ways to maintain a balanced diet at home with what you have in your pantry or freezer or what is available at the local groceries. 

For maintaining calmness and keeping those stress busters in place, keep our contact handy. At Evolve brain training, we incorporate non-invasive treatments that can help one in keeping their stress levels in check, and eliminating it permanently. If you are interested in a free consultation on stress management in Dubai, fill out the contact form and we will get in touch with you!

Dr. Upasana Gala is the founder and CEO of Evolve Brain Training, a Neurofeedback-centered institute that focuses on using non-invasive brain training techniques to maximize the brain's true potential.