The COVID-19 lockdown has definitely affected millions of people all over the world. It disrupts our day-to-day activities, limits our interaction with others, and forces us to stay indoors. What else can we do inside our home but lazing around and to eat? It’s no wonder the obesity rate in the country has increased dramatically during the pandemic. According to a survey commissioned by Gelesis, approximately 71 million individuals in the US have gained weight since the start of the pandemic.
The sudden change in lifestyle and day to day schedules are one of the major causes of weight gain in Americans. People are also more stressed during the lockdown because of their limited activities. They can no longer visit and meet up with their family and friends, attend gatherings,and spend time outdoors as freely as they used to. With this, most of us resort to one thing that we can easily do at home — eat.
Unfortunately, unhealthy weight gain poses many health risks, especially to older adults. It increases your risk to lifestyle diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disorder, stroke, sleep apnea, and even cancer. Managing weight while on the lockdown is important to keep yourself healthy. Here are the 5 simple tips on how to manage a healthy weight in the wake of a pandemic.
Maintain a healthy routine
Your stress levels and anxiety has likely increased during the lockdown because you were caught off guard with all the surrounding events. Many people didn’t expect the virus to spread so quickly, and more so, many people didn’t expect it to last so long. Since everything is so sudden, we didn’t know what to do with so much to spend indoors. The first step you can take is to develop a new, healthy routine that can keep you busy and keep your mind distracted from the kitchen.
Stay active
Staying physically active has been a struggle that many individuals, including older adults, face during the pandemic. Since the gyms are closed during this time, you can opt to take a walk or do brisk jog around your house. Yoga is also a great option. There are so many yoga videos that you can find online and follow from home.
Eat a healthy diet
The pandemic required us to stock-up on the necessities- including food. Since we’re spending so much time at home, it’s pretty very difficult to resist the temptation of all the snack food.. When grocery shopping, make sure to aim for healthy foods. Tr adding these foods to your diet:
– Vegetables
– Fruits
– Whole grains
– Protein
Stay hydrated
Dehydration is one of the conditions experienced by many seniors. As you age, it becomes harder to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. Despite this, it’s important to drink enough water as it helps flush away the toxins in your body and helps improve your immune system. Aside from that, drinking water can help make you feel full; thus, distracting your attention away from food.
Maintain a positive perspective
Your mental health is as important as your physical health. Keeping your mind active and your perspective positive is crucial to fight off stress, anxiety and depression brought by the pandemic. Give your mental health some TLC in the wake of the pandemic by doing mental exercises, getting adequate sleep, and keeping in touch with your loved ones. Aside from that, drinking water can help make you feel full; thus, distracting your attention away from food.
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