8 strategies to fuel your body during a pandemic

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3 years ago

1.. Eat like clockwork

Our bodies love routine and tend to perform best with repetition. This is especially true of eating. Without the structure of a regular work or school day, or when your “desk” is within arm's length of your fridge, it can be easier to eat erratically.

Try to eat at around the same time each day. This can help regulate hunger and fullness cues, leading to more mindful decisions about what and when to eat.

Aim to eat a balanced meal every three to four hours. Add a snack when meals are more than five hours apart. Include at least three food groups for a meal and two for a snack, and try to include protein whenever you eat.

2.Prioritise sleep

Sleep quality and quantity are tied to the way we eat. A lack of sleep is associated with higher levels of the hormone grehlin, which signals hunger, and lower amounts of leptin, the hormone that signals fullness.

Poor sleep quality and quantity also seem to be correlated with an enhanced reward response to foods that seem irresistible — salty, sweet, oily — and that can lead us to reach more often for those foods.

The best way to support your sleep is to practise good sleep habits. Try going to bed and waking up at consistent times each day. Put screens away an hour before bedtime, and avoid caffeine eight hours before you go to sleep.

3.Stock a nutritious pantry

These days, trips to the grocery store are often less frequent — especially if you are quarantined for illness or exposure. Stocking up on nutritious foods that can be stored for several weeks is a good practice as you are prepared, no matter what the situation. This practice makes it easier to throw together easy, healthy meals using what you have on hand.

Pantry staples may include canned and dried beans, brown rice, whole grain pasta, oatmeal and whole grain cereals, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almonds, canned tuna, peanut butter, and dried fruit.

4.Shop for the freezer

One of the biggest casualties of infrequent grocery shopping is fresh fruits and vegetables, which tend to spoil within a week. Shop for produce that lasts longer such as carrots, potatoes, cabbage, apples, oranges, yams, celery, and sweet potatoes.

If you have the freezer space stock up on frozen vegetables and fruit, which are flash-frozen right after being picked to lock in most of their nutrients. Not only do these products last a long time but they can also be less expensive and as equally nutritious as fresh vegetables.

5.Cook creatively

There are many ways to build balanced, nutritious meals by combining protein with a starch and a vegetable. Keep an arsenal of creative “no recipe” creations or ideas that allow you to cook with what you have. Some options may include soups and stews, frittatas, casseroles, stir-fries, burritos, and pasta dishes.

Challenge yourself to invent a meal based on ingredients available as this can stretch the time between grocery trips — which saves money, shrinks food waste, and develops your creative cooking skills in the kitchen.

6.Pack a lunch

Heading back to work? Consider packing a lunch. Bringing your own lunch may be necessary anyway, as workplace cafeterias and eateries may be closed or have limited service. Bringing food from home tends to result in a more nutritious meal and can help to avoid areas where people congregate to purchase and eat food. To avoid using a communal microwave, there are also several portable products on the market that both heat and keep your food hot.

7.Snack with intention

Many people tend to snack more when they are stressed, and this is a normal response. Just make sure that these foods don't displace regular, balanced meals.

To be more conscious about snacking, use a bowl or plate rather than eating directly out of a container. This helps you see how much you're eating and can slow how quickly you eat. Most importantly, if you're going to have a snack, enjoy it!

8.Keep moving

Move your body when working from home or quarantining. It is more important than ever to have a consistent exercise routine. In addition to the numerous benefits of physical activity, including boosting your immune system, exercise can have a positive impact on how and what you eat. A recent study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that the more participants exercised, the more likely they were to eat nutrient-dense foods, like fruits and vegetables, rather than less nutritious snacks. People who exercise may be more likely to be motivated to fuel their body properly.

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