Weight gain is a prevalent issue for many people. Being locked in the home for 24 hours may increase overeating, excessive sitting, strange behaviour, and rich in calories.
As the COVID19 cases increase across the world, here are some fantastic tips to avoid gaining weight during the lockdown:
- Be active with family and friends
Being at home, you can do activities, like sitting on the couch and laptop or TV, which are very common for many families. Inactivity may result in gaining weight, especially if you overeat.
Adding different kinds of physical activities with your family can be beneficial for weight control. For example, even walking with your family members is so simple that it can keep your mind away from food and allow you to be closer to your loved ones.
You can also stay active during the whole lockdown days by playing games like badminton and football.
- Eat healthy snacks
During the lockdown, unhealthy snacks like chips, cookies and others can gain weight. When these treats are effortless to access, you are more likely to consume these snacks unnecessarily. You can avoid these snacks in a lockdown by keeping the delicious treats out of sight.
Try to control your snacking habits if you find yourself having snacks just because there is a lot of food around and not because you’re hungry. It’s the best option to control and avoid snacking.
If you feel starving and need a snack, go for the sweet fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds that are those snacks that can make you feel fuller for a long time and don’t contain any extra sugars and unhealthy fats that lead towards weight gain.
- Watch the size of your portions
It can be an easy task to overload your plate and calories when under lockdown. Those who eat more significant portions tend to gain weight faster than those who eat in small amounts.
The best way to get out of this problem is to control the size of your portion and use small plates. To know an appropriate portion size, go through the food labels and the recommended serving sizes mentioned in the food recipes.
- Mindful eating
Being at home all the time often leads to multitasking during meals. Those who eat their food while watching television and laptop are more likely to overeat and gain weight. It is because one can’t have concentration and attention to the body.
To prevent distraction, eat mindfully and minimize the work and use of electronic devices. Try to eat slowly and thoroughly, which will help you recognize yourself better and your body’s fullness signals and fewer calories.
Taking a few deep breaths before you start eating could increase relaxation and help you to keep your full attention on the plate.
- Get proper sleep
Sleep deprivation is common during the lockdown, and it can cause weight gain. Those who don’t get enough sleep are used to being hungrier, consuming more calories, and exercising less.
Sleeping late could increase the hormone of your hunger level and can ultimately lead to a high intake of calories. Hence, one should take an adequate amount of sleep.