Presently, the coronavirus pandemic has altered life as we know it. The lifestyle of many during the pandemic has taken a tumble, while others have been jolted around a little. Stepping aside from the seriousness of the issue, there are many memes and jokes in circulation regarding weight gain and boredom as people are cooped up in their homes with little to occupy themselves with. Here we are going to take a look at some of the worst eating habits that the pandemic has caused people to fall into!
Ditching the Fresh Produce
For some reason, people are very fearful of the fresh produce during the pandemic. The coronavirus is not a food-borne disease, but perhaps it has something to do with the viral videos of people coughing, sneezing and even spitting on the fresh produce in grocery stores, deliberately in most cases. As alarming as that may be, it’s always been a kitchen prep rule that you should thoroughly wash your fruits and vegetable before consuming them or cooking with them. There’s no reason to fear the veg aisle, guys – load ‘em up! Canned and frozen just won’t cut it!
Mindless Snacking
Before the pandemic, you were possibly the person who would have a busy workday and then get home to throw yourself on the sofa and nurse a bag of crisps or a bar of chocolate, a cup of cocoa, a platter of snacks, etc. Well, now that you are at home all of the time, even if you are working from home, the availability of food is probably going to make you mindlessly munch on something as you go on about your day. You’re likely visiting the pantry about 124 times more often than usual. Hello, weight gain!
Ignoring Hunger Cues
Are you opening the fridge door each time you grow bored? You already know you shouldn’t be doing that. It’s best to listen to your body and only consume food when your body is asking you for fuel. Try to see food for what it is – fuel for your body. Try to keep your meals satiating when you do sit down. This means sitting for a meal that has the right portions of fat, protein, and carbs that is going to help your body work at its optimal state.
Emotional Eating
This is an emotional time for everyone. The pandemic has people anxious, stressed and restless. It isn’t easy to cope with. Unfortunately, it might be particularly difficult for you to keep the extra pounds off if you happen to be an emotional eater. You’re locked away in your home with your emotions all day and you can’t even take a walk in the park to get some fresh air. It’s tough. But it’s important to keep your emotional eating in check because it’s going to be tougher to lose all that extra weight after the lockdowns end and life resumes as usual. Of course, we don’t even know when that will be for some parts of the world, which makes it even more important. It could help to find another outlet for your emotions, like music, art or writing.
No Set Meal Times
If you are fortunate enough to be able to work from home, it is best that you keep your meal structure as it was. Have your lunch during your regular work-time lunch hours and switch off the computer at your regular end-of workday. This is helpful because it can help you not to snack as you work and help you take the time to prepare yourself a healthy, decent meal for dinner. Don’t fall into the trap of making every hour snack hour just because you’re at home. Avoid the pantry and the kitchen during specific hours in the day, even if you aren’t working from home. This will help you avoid the temptation to indulge in a snack or two.
These are all the habits that dietitians will want you to avoid and it is going to be a serious challenge. In fact, it may be your biggest challenge, if your weaknesses happen to be boredom and the availability of plenty of food. It’s going to be harder to try to change these habits if you have already allowed them to form, too. Of course, it is most certainly worth it. Kick these habits to the curb before they ruin your health!