Avoid becoming a couch potato during lockdown with these simple tips

Say hello to good health with these easy-to-follow suggestions.




Maintaining one’s health is of utmost importance, especially doing the lockdown. “This is because, having to continuously sit at home with limited interaction with the outside world can lead to increased stress levels in many people. Hence, it is important to take measures to maintain one’s fitness,” shared Preety Tyagi, nutritionist and founder, MY22BMI.

Over-eating during these difficult days is something that’s troubling almost everyone. Being at home all day makes a person turn towards the refrigerator and the kitchen a bit too often. With no physical activity and too many opportunities to snack and binge eat while sitting on your couch can have adverse effects on our body, weight and overall health,” she adds.

Tyagi suggests some easy ways to keep a check and not over-indulge.

Monitor your eating schedule

Maintain a food log or journal and jot down what you ate and at what time. Also, mention how many glasses of water you’ve consumed. This serves as a powerful tool to connect your brain with your physical and emotional hunger. Since boredom can turn people towards food, a food journal can help you understand whether it’s a boredom call or real hunger.

Binge on fruits and vegetables

Foods that are high in fibre keep us feeling full and give us energy for longer. Also, these foods are excellent for maintaining gut health. High fibre foods are also generally high in vitamins and minerals, and hence provide us with a great balance of essential vitamins and help keep us healthy.

Physical workouts

Indulge in physical workout every day. Having a sedentary life not only leads to weight gain, it can also put one at risk of developing many heart and lifestyle diseases. Additionally, physical activity also helps keep you feeling energised and in a good mood as exercising releases certain hormones and brain enzymes that are responsible for bringing the mind to a state of happiness. Hence, a physical workout will help people remain fit, both physically and mentally.

Water

Drink enough water, it is essential to keep you hydrated, both physically and mentally. Also, often enough when our bodies are thirsty, our hormones may trick us into believing that we are hungry. This is something that often leads us to overeating or binge eating. So it’s important to rule out the possibility of hunger before consuming extra calories. So every time you feel like eating a snack in between meals, first drink a whole glass of water. Give your mind and body two minutes to realise the act. If you still feel hungry, grab a healthy snack.

Keep some healthy snacks handy

It’s important to munch on something that is not only nutritious but also keeps you full for longer. Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, coconut flakes, fresh coconut, coconut water are all good sources of healthy fats that also keep our energy up. Not just that, these help you stay full and keep your food and sugar cravings under control for longer.

You can also try this immunity-boosting drink

Flu Fighter Immunity Booster Recipe

Ingredients

10 to 12 – Lemons, halved and juiced (reserve about 6 to 8 lemon halves to boil)
200g- Large piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 to 3-inch – Piece of turmeric root, peeled and sliced
3tbsp – Honey or agave nectar
1tsp – Cayenne pepper (red pepper powder)
4 cups – Filtered water

Method

*Place all the ingredients in a large pot over medium heat and bring to boil.
*Once it boils, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes.
*Strain out the large pieces of ginger, turmeric and lemon rinds.
*Once it cools down, strain and pour into a glass jar and store in fridge.
*Drink 8-10 ounces a day, warmed or cold, to boost your immunity.

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