Don’t Overeat While Locking Down
While staying home all day, it is common to eat more than usual. It may be out of boredom, it may be for comfort, or it could be out of fear. Whatever the reason, try to be aware of how much you are consuming.
The first way to be aware of what you are consuming is being more conscious of how much you are eating. It is typical that we eat more than a single serving size, so here is an easy way to use your hand to know what a serving size is for each food group.
Start just by observing what you typically eat. You will likely be surprised that you are eating much more than the recommended amount – which means that looking at the nutritional information will not help because you surpass the serving size. can see a visual of the number of days you are straying from your healthy habits. Keep healthier options near you so that if you are tempted to snack on something, you can satisfy yourself with a better choice.
Consume lots of vegetables! Veggies help to slow the release of glucose, and decrease the risk of insulin resistance. They are low in calorie and high in fiber, which will help you feel fuller faster and therefore contribute to consuming less calories. Vegetables are also high in vitamins and minerals, which, as mentioned previously are important due to the impaired nutrient absorption. They also help to rid the body of toxins. It is recommended that you eat at least 8 servings a day! So if you are feeling hungry, and need a snack, consider some cucumber slices.
It will be difficult to stay away from all the treats. Many will be surgery, and high in calories and carbohydrates. It is especially easy to start snacking mindlessly as you walk by holiday cookies, chocolates, and pies. Don’t beat yourself up if you eat something that you know is not the best option. Consider keeping a log of what you are eating, because this will make you more conscious of what you are putting in your mouth. Mark a calendar if you have a sweet so you can see a visual of the number of days you are straying from your healthy habits. Keep healthier options near you so that if you are tempted to snack on something, you can satisfy yourself with a better choice.
Always be sure to keep up with your workouts, which I know can be difficult. We have workouts at on this site that can help. When we exercise, we tend to make healthier diet decisions. It will also help to burn off some of the extra calories we tend to consume from the greater number of social gatherings planned during this time of year.
Remember that your children will model your behavior. It is never too early to teach healthy habits. I know it can feel like giving them junk food will help comfort them during this hard time, but a poor diet will contribute to less energy, poor sleep, and weight gain as well as make for bad habits that will be harder to break when life returns to a more normal routine.