It would not be wrong to say that health is a significant concern for everyone these days, especially in today’s age, when the world is trying to adjust to the new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of us have to spend plenty of time in front of computer screens while working from home.
This situation has become both tedious and frustrating for us and poses a severe threat to our health. Thus it is now imperative to develop a healthy lifestyle and switch to a proper fitness routine.
Keeping fit is significant for a healthy body. It helps improve your overall well-being by upgrading your quality of life by increasing energy, elevating mood, regularizing sleep, reducing anxiety, and helping manage depression.
If you plan to work on a routine that helps you reach your fitness goals and don’t know where to start, we have brought you some tips to help you get up and establish a lifestyle. It enables you to stay healthy and motivated during this overwhelming pandemic situation.
1. Adopt a Workout Routine
As the coronavirus has affected and restricted many of our daily activities, finding the motivation to workout and exercise might have become problematic. Don’t forget that you can never overlook physical activity benefits and the importance of exercise in developing a healthy lifestyle and keeping fit.
As the current situation is taking a frustrating turn for many, physical activity can be a beneficial treatment strategy to manage depression and anxiety symptoms. Going to the gym is not possible during this time of self-isolation. You can start with a vertical workout at home and stay fit.
Just a few minutes of exercise will keep you healthy, active, and fit during this self-isolation period.
2. Practice Mindfulness
Staying mindful of your activities and paying attention to the moment you live will nurture your mind and sense of being. This practice has proven useful to help overcome anxiety, manage stress, and feeling of loneliness.
Practicing mindfulness is not something complicated or intensive. You can apply it to everything you do. You can exercise mindful eating by eating your meals with concentration without any electronic or other distractions. Sit down properly and take a moment to cherish your foods.
You can practice the same with your breathing, and it proves beneficial in the long run. Mindful breathing involves breathing slowly and extending your breath while you exhale. It provides a sense of tranquillity and calms down your parasympathetic nervous system. It instills a feeling of inner peace in you.
3. Cut out Sodium, Added Sugar, and Saturated fat
Processed foods tend to have excess quantities of sodium, added sugar, and unhealthy fats. Consuming these foods may result in unwanted weight gain and health issues. To stay fit during these times, you need to check the nutrition label before picking your food items. It is necessary to make healthy choices. While picking up food items from grocery stores, keep the following points in mind:
Sodium: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention commends that your sodium intake should be less than 2,300 milligrams per day. It makes a bit less than a teaspoon.
Added sugar: Women are recommended not to take more than 25 grams (six teaspoons) a day, and men’s sugar intake should not exceed 37 grams (nine teaspoons) per day.
Saturated fat: try to avoid saturated and unhealthy fat as much as you can. Instead, add healthy fats to your diet. You can find these fats in salmon and avocados. Besides providing you energy, these fats also support cell function and promote the absorption of nutrients in your body.
4. Take a Healthy and Balanced Diet
A healthy and nutrient-rich diet is a crucial component when it comes to staying healthy and fit. Consuming a healthy diet helps improve your immune system, which is significant to combat COVID-19.
A healthy diet includes various fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, whole grain foods such as oatmeal, barley, brown rice, and more. Healthy protein is as essential as grains in your daily diet. Besides developing healthy eating habits, keep in mind to stay hydrated throughout the day, and avoid excessive caffeine intake in the form of coffee or black tea. Instead, go for herbal tea such as peppermint or green tea regulating digestion, and chamomile tea, improving your sleep.
5. Stay Updated with the Right Information
As we all know, these times are pretty problematic and uncertain. You may come across information overload. It becomes difficult to distinguish between authentic and fabricated information resulting in stress and anxiety.
Staying updated with the right information from reliable sources is significant. Only try to get updates from authentic sources and pages—major platforms like WHO provide reliable and verified information on the pandemic.
Final Word
Health should be a priority for all of us. One of the significant signs that show you’re compromising on your diet and fitness is a feeling of lethargy and laziness. If you always feel low on energy, there might be chances your health is being affected by your lifestyle and eating habits.
If your hair seems drier than they used to be, your skin is turning drier, and your nails have become fragile enough to break with ease, these are strong indications of poor nutrition and an unhealthy lifestyle. It is time you give up on your sedentary lifestyle and start following the tips mentioned above to beat the pandemic.
