Under quarantine for Corona virus?
Now, more than ever, you have the chance to make your health a priority!
But, you may have encountered some common stumbling blocks:
Common Issue #1: “The kids are home from school, and so I’m eating all their unhealthy food.”
Natasha’s Solution:
Keep healthy snacks in the house for yourself. Keep your snacks separate from your kids’ snacks. Prep your food by measuring/counting the portions before-hand and put them in individual containers, so you know the calorie content and don’t just overeat mindlessly. Also, keep a food diary … and write the foods down before you eat them. This will make you more aware of your snacking and help you get back on track quicker.
Dr. Marlowe’s Solution:
This is a great opportunity to maintain healthy habits even while you are surrounded by temptation. Two quick rules: (1) Don’t give your children anything you know is harmful. (It’s not ok to say, “I don’t play with loaded guns because they’re dangerous, but my children love to play cops & robbers, so I let them play with guns.”) If there is a food item which you know that no one should eat, don’t buy it for your children. (2) Don’t steal your children’s food. That’s just not right.
Common Issue #2: “The grocery stores have run out of healthy food. I bought unhealthy food.”
Natasha’s Solution:
Come in to the office and pick up some Healthy-Mind-Body-Spirit meal replacements. They are high in protein, low in fat, and low-glycemic. You have a choice of protein bars, shakes, soups, crepes, pudding, pizza, and cookies. Also, consider frozen meats, like frozen chicken and frozen fish. Don’t forget tuna and canned chicken. Mix together some Ranch powder and fat-free plain Greek yogurt. Then add the tuna/chicken. Amazing tuna/chicken salad!
Dr. Marlowe’s Solution:
A little more about the protein meal replacements. Since we imported them from France, they’re different than other protein bars/shakes. For one, they taste amazing. French people love good food. Also, the French just don’t put in all those chemicals that US manufacturers do. The food is more natural. No artificial sweetener after-taste. Most importantly, we didn’t go through the trouble of importing any item unless every employee in the office loved it.
Common Issue #3: “I find myself eating out of boredom. Mindless eating. I’m hungrier all the time.”
Natasha’s Solution:
Again, keep that food diary, writing down the foods before you eat them. This will help prevent mindless eating. Also, become more aware of your water consumption. Think back over the course of the day – did you drink enough water? If you don’t drink enough water, your brain could be subconsciously telling you that you’re thirsty, not hungry. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, when we are dehydrated.
Dr. Marlowe’s Solution:
Now is the time to get around to all those things you were fixing to do one day. This weekend, I cleaned my shed, sorted that old childhood stamp collection, mowed the lawn, and caught up on some reading. You have your own list of things you never thought you’d have time to get done. Now is that time!
Common Issue #4: “I’m fine in the morning. But, in the evenings, I get cravings – especially for carbs.”
Natasha’s Solution:
Evening hunger and cravings are more likely stress-induced. We understand that in these unprecedented times, there is plenty of stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. However, find ways to de-stress, whether it be going for walks (now that its getting warmer), doing yoga, or practicing meditation. Find some possibly productive ways of decreasing stress
Dr. Marlowe’s Solution:
90% of the time, evening carb-cravings come from eating the wrong foods earlier in the day. If you have just a little bit of sweetener in the coffee, or a bowl of cereal/grits/oatmeal, or some pancakes with your kids … those foods will set off cravings for the rest of the day. And those cravings will stimulate your appetite more than any medication can suppress it. Suppose for example you were seeing an allergist and found out you were allergic to cats. But, you volunteer at the cat shelter. At first, you stop working with the cats as soon as you find out you’re allergic. But, then 3-6 months later, you start going over to your sister’s house after church … and she has a cat. So you tell the allergist that the allergy pills are no longer working. Now, a bad allergist would simply change the medication and never get to the root of the problem. A good allergist would find out that you’re doing something that triggers the allergies. What foods have we talked about that are your triggers?
Common Issue #5: “I’m stressed and I stress eat.”
Natasha’s Solution:
Again, find ways to de-stress. Make a list of 5 things you can do to cope with stress besides eating food. Post that on your fridge. While you’re stuck at home, take time to re-discover some of the hobbies you have set aside because you’ve been too busy. Did you enjoy scrapbooking … puzzles … collecting … reading? What brought passion to your inner introvert?
Dr. Marlowe’s Solution:
Now more than ever, exercise is important for stress management. Researchers performed a medical study, dividing people in two groups: one group was given P axil (a very powerful anti-stress drug that causes weight gain), and the other group was told to either bike or run 20 minutes three times weekly. At the end of the 12-week study, both groups had the same improvement in Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Rating Scores.
Common Issue #6: “I can’t exercise because they closed my gym.”
Natasha’s Solution:
Go outside for a walk. If you have stairs at home, that’s a free piece of workout equipment! Set a timer on your phone for 10-30 minutes, play some music, and go up and down the stairs until the timer goes off. If you are homeschooling your kids, implement a recess or P.E. time period. During that time slot, get up and go out for a walk with them, or do some physical activity with them.
Dr. Marlowe’s Solution:
Lots of options. Walk or run outside. Purchase a mini-trampoline or stationary bike on Amazon. Put it in front of the TV. Commit to jumping on the trampoline or riding the bike for one episode daily of that show you are binge watching. Promise yourself you won’t watch that show unless you are on the trampoline/bike. Or, search for exercise programs on your favorite TV streaming service. Hulu, Netflix, AmazonPrime, Disney all have exercise programs you can stream to your TV. Many local exercise facilities are offering online fitness classes. Find out if your gym offers online classes for yoga, zumba, cardio, personal training, or strength training.