Beat the Quarantine 15

There’s no doubt you’ve spent more than your fair share of time at home over the last few months. You’ve also likely experienced plenty of stress and anxiety due to COVID-19 and all the lifestyle changes and concerns associated with it. All of these factors can add up to unintended weight gain. Whether you’ve gained a couple of pounds or more than you’d care to admit, now is as good a time as any to get back to healthier habits.

Here are three tips to help say goodbye to access weight:

• Get back into a routine. Even if you’re at home more than usual, it doesn’t give you license to hit the fridge all day long. Schedule meals and snacks and try to avoid eating in between.
• Eat more mindfully. Many people tend to eat when stressed, bored, lonely, etc. Try to recognize when you’re eating due to hunger or emotion. Also pay attention when eating – sit down, dish out a portion and savor it.
• Find new activities. If you don’t feel comfortable going to the gym or have lost your motivation to work out, it’s time to find fun new ways to be active. This can be as simple as dancing around your house, enjoying a daily stroll with the kids, or following an online workout. Not only will more activity help your weight, but it’s a great stress-reliever and improves your health in many other ways.

While monitoring your weight can help you track if you're adequately balancing energy intake and output, there are other ways to track your health. For example, you can set exercise goals or monitor how many fruits and vegetables you eat each day. It's more important to focus on healthy habits than the number on the scale.

Keep in mind that the overall state of your health is affected by far more than whether you come into contact with COVID-19. In fact, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly are some of the best ways to stay healthier overall.