Staying home because of the virus and social distancing have been challenging for us in many ways. Whether you’re home alone or with many family members, the stress and anxiety have created a new problem for a lot of us. Below are a few tips to avoid stress eating. Ask yourself:
- Do you feel like you need to be socially distanced from your refrigerator?
- Are you self-soothing with your favorite food / snack?
- At the end of the day, do you realize that you snacked all day?
- Have you baked or cooked all day out of boredom or the need for something to do?
Let’s come out of our staying home periods looking and feeling great. Remember, the whole point of staying home is for our health…and managing our weight is an important part of health.
Here are some tips to avoid excessive stress eating while staying home:
Don’t Deny Yourself Comfort Foods
Establish a healthy relationship with your favorites. Don’t cut them out of your life completely. Pre-portion them in snack-size bags. Schedule a special time of the day to enjoy them. Maybe it’s during a Zoom Happy Hour with friends. Or even first thing in the morning before everyone is awake. The key is to take time to enjoy them. Try keeping low calorie snacks to chew on like sunflower seeds (watch the sodium content) around the house.
Swap Out with Healthier Choices
Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins and minerals necessary for to you stay healthy and fight off infection. They’re a great alternative to cookies and treats and they are loaded with fiber to keep you feeling full longer.
Make sure to include some protein with every meal. Lean meats such as turkey and chicken are excellent options. Eggs are also a great protein source for breakfast instead of sugary cereals. Nuts and legumes are options for those looking to avoid animal products. Protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass and keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer.
Makeover Your Kitchen
You don’t need to paint it and replace the appliances. We’re talking about cleaning out the pantry, rearranging foods that are at eye level and clearing counters of snacks and foods that are bad for you. Now is the time to dust off the cookware and cookbooks. Homemade meals tend to be healthier because you can control exactly what goes into the dishes. And clear out your freezer to use frozen fruits and vegetables so you can cut down on trips to the grocery store and limit your risk to viral exposure.
Get and Stay Hydrated
Don’t forget to drink water. Proper hydration is very important for several reasons. When your mucous membranes in your nose and throat are properly hydrated, it can help prevent viral infections by keeping viruses from entering the body.
In addition, drinking water before and during meals can help limit the amount of food you eat by filling the stomach and giving you an earlier feeling of fullness. Also, sipping beverages can get you past that “need to snack” craving. Drinking a large glass of water infused with lemon or fruit or a cup of herbal tea with honey gives you a chance to think a minute about having a snack that is unnecessary.
Stay Mindful; Involve Friends and Family Members
Go easy on yourself. Remember to take a deep breath. Meditate. There are several great meditation apps, or YouTube videos to help you. Go for a walk if you can. Incorporate yoga or simple stretching. If you’re alone, enjoy video dining or exercising with family and friends virtually. There are a number of apps now that allow you to participate in group events online. These allow us to not only #stayhometogether but to #stayhealthytogether!
Have the past few weeks left you feeling anxious or tired? Would you like to build up your immune system or give yourself an energy boost? At Jersey Shore IV Hydration Therapy, we offer a variety of IV infusions. IV Hydration Therapy and booster shots help replace key nutrients and vitamins that your body naturally depletes each day. Each infusion is packed with essential vitamins and nutrients that will help to restore balance and address your individualized needs.
Contact us to schedule one of these hydrating IV drips now in order to look and feel great this Summer!
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