Leading a Healthier Lockdown Lifestyle
Lockdown has taken its toll on all of us. Of course, it’s important to follow guidelines and measures to control the spread of the coronavirus virus and bring this global pandemic to an end as quickly and effectively as possible. But staying at home all day every day and not seeing others who live outside of our households has proven difficult. It’s impacting us in many ways, but some of the most severe include our health. There are countless stories out there of people who are struggling. Struggling with weight as we increase our snacking and comfort eating and maintain unhealthier diets. Struggling with our fitness levels, as we slack on exercise now that the gyms, sports clubs and fitness classes are closed. Struggling with our mental health, as many of us suffer from tensions with those we live with, or loneliness because we live alone. All in all, this period could have proved an overall disaster for public health and wellbeing in more ways than the tragedy of the deaths and illness of those who have suffered with the virus and resultant disease. This is why it’s important that you begin to take active steps to implement a healthier lockdown lifestyle. Here are some suggestions to get you going in the right direction.
Eat Healthily
During a time of notable food shortages and when we are advised to go to the supermarket as little as possible (and are facing huge, socially distanced queueing systems when we do go to get food), it can be harder to maintain a healthy diet. But it’s important that you still try and don’t simply opt for frozen convenience food or long-life ready meals on a daily basis. Instead, focus on purchasing frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables that can last longer in our cupboards, but which can also provide us with essential vitamins and nutrients. Make sure each plate of food is balanced and that you’re also remembering to do things like drink enough water (eight glasses a day is recommended for the average adult to stay hydrated). Avoid snacking excessively out of boredom, and if you do want to snack, reach for healthier options with a long shelf life, like seeds and nuts. You should also try to avoid comfort eating, though this can be tempting. Again, if you do want to comfort eat, try to have healthier snacks rather than those filled with excess salts, excess sugars and saturated fats. If you’ve gained a lot of weight during this lockdown, you can start to tackle it now with a healthy diet. You can also look into non-invasive fat reduction methods. If you’ve lost excessive weight through stress or anxiety, it’s important to make sure you’re eating enough, regardless of appetite.
Exercise Sufficiently
It can seem difficult getting your recommended exercise while in lockdown. But it’s still so important that you get one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each and every week. Sure, gyms may be closed. But you can get a good workout at home. Follow online tutorials, book in for a virtual session with a personal trainer, or simply head outside for a socially distanced walk, jog, run or cycle. Small steps can make all the difference and something is always better than nothing.
Focus On Your Mental Health
This is an extremely trying time. Many of us have lost our sense of routine. Many of us are struggling financially. Many of us are concerned as to how much longer this will all go on and are feeling like there’s no stability around us. But it’s important to remember that there is always support. You can still call your doctor, a therapist, support groups or help lines. Your friends and family may be able to help with a virtual chat too. There are small day to day lifestyle changes you can implement to give you more of a sense of control over your life too. Try to maintain a routine rather than letting your sleep and eating schedule go out of the window. You might want to try practicing mindfulness. Self care really is key right now and it’s important to remember that you’re really not alone in all of this.
Lockdown is proving relatively difficult for many of us. But this only makes it all the more important to take care of yourself and maintain as healthy and positive a lifestyle as you possibly can. Hopefully, some of the above information will help with this!
