Sometimes, you might not be in a situation where you can follow a strict healthcare regimen to keep yourselves fit. A good example would be the current coronavirus lockdown during which gyms are a no-go and you may not be able to find healthy superfoods in nearby groceries. Do not worry. Follow these simple tips and you will be able to keep maintain your health even during these difficult times.
Tips for maintaining your health
Non-starchy veggies
Vegetables can be roughly divided into two groups — starchy and non-starchy. Starchy vegetables tend to have more carbs and calories than non-starchy ones. These include items like potatoes, navy beans, corn, etc. Eating them in large quantities will obviously affect your weight. So make sure that you fill at least half your plate with non-starchy veggies like carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and so on.
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Non-starchy vegetables “are low in calories but packed with nutrients, fiber and water… By replacing some of the starch and protein of your meal with non-starchy vegetables, you can still eat a similar amount of food — but with fewer calories… This simple strategy also saves you the hassle of worrying about serving sizes and calories,” according to Healthline.
Plate and glass size
Replace all the existing plates you use to eat a meal with smaller ones. This will instantly reduce the portion size of the meals you eat. If you continue using a large plate, you may not be able to resist packing it to the brim and eating everything on it. This would have been okay under normal circumstances where you would also be adhering to a workout schedule.
But during difficult times when you are not doing much physically, using smaller plates is the best way to keep food consumption in check. Smaller glasses will also reduce your intake of alcohol and other beverages.
Meditate
Just as physical care is necessary, mental care is also essential. And the best way to keep your mental state healthy is through meditation since it requires almost zero physical effort on your part. The only thing you need to do is to keep yourself calm for some time.
“Research suggests that meditation can help you handle stress, improve memory and awareness, and lower blood pressure. One study found that people who meditated for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for a month (11 hours total) saw changes in a part of the brain involved in self-regulation,” according to Independent.
A meditation practice like Falun Gong can even be practiced free of cost, and while sitting inside.
Sleep
Some believe that they can get away with sleeping for just a few hours. The truth is that the average human being needs about 6 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every day. Anything less than that risks damaging your body and even your psychological condition.
“When you don’t sleep, you stop producing leptin, which are appetite suppressants, and you start producing ghrelin, which increases appetite,” Dr. Rachel Carlton Abrams, board certified in family medicine and integrative medicine, said to Class Pass.
Junk food exposure
Replace all the junk food in your refrigerator and cupboards with healthy alternatives. For instance, instead of sugary snacks, you can place cut fruit in the fridge. So every time you get the itch to nibble something sweet and open the fridge, you will only be able to eat fruit. The less you expose yourself to junk food, the easier it will be to maintain your health.
