Stress eating and related eating disorders have been on the rise. The cause? The coronavirus pandemic. With millions of people unsure of what the future holds and struggling financially, people are turning to food that lacks nutritional value. A method common for many people to cope with stress is to eat more or eat less. This fluctuation in your diet can have a detrimental effect on your health. It’s easier now more than ever for us stuck at home to scavenge the fridge or pantries for snacks. Now is the best time to focus on your diet and repair any nutritional deficiencies you may experience. Listed below are some tricks to eating healthy during the pandemic.
Plan your snack and meal times:
By this time, you have a pretty set routine of what you do on a daily basis from working to personal time. Take this same scheduling and apply it to your eating plan. For example, if you normally eat dinner at 6 PM, be consistent with that time. If you’re accustomed to snack mid-day, continue that. Try to normalize your eating times just as if you were in the office. You can’t be stuffing your face with food constantly when you’re at the office. Treat your home like it was the office during your working hours.
Stay hydrated:
Even before quarantine, some people did not drink enough water. There are a lot of side effects caused by dehydration, including headaches and fatigue. Both of these side effects wreak havoc on your work performance. Whether it’s keeping a water bottle or a glass of water by you all times, make sure you refill it constantly to ensure you get the proper hydration your body needs.
Eliminate distractions when eating:
Some of us have a bad habit of eating through our lunch break. Not focusing on our eating can trigger over-eating and you feeling less full. This is especially more tempting as we work from home and our colleagues are not there to judge that bad habit. When you take your lunch break, separate yourself as much as possible from work during that time. Relax, and enjoy your meal. You will see immediate improvement.