New Delhi( Tisha Bhatia ) : Because of the restrictions during these COVID times, we have already altered our physical activity by more than half. We are burning far fewer calories as compared to how much we would burn earlier on a typical workday. This is even more alarming because our daily intake of food has increased whilst sitting at home, be it binge-eating while watching TV shows, stress-eating due to anxiety or mental unrest. The current situation, which is here to stay for a long time combined with restrictions on daily movement and excess-eating, might have some severe consequences for our health & body weight. However, it’s not too late to get things in order.
While most people are taking a conscious effort to reduce oily food in their diet, sugar is an element that we are overlooking and neglecting. Even our coffee/tea doses for the day are filled with sugar! Just two cups of coffee/tea can account for around 80 calories from sugar, which is approximately equivalent to the calories burnt in a 2 km walk! And now that, most people have resorted to baking while at home, sugar is an element that has been overused intensely. This is why practicing sugar-distancing, along with social-distancing, is of prime importance and should become a priority.
Leading Nutritionist Ishi Khosla also provided her inputs to keep one’s diet in check, “Since our bodies are at rest, it’s important to remember that our diets can’t be the same as before. We need to cut down on the number of meals and maybe limit them to just two. When our movements get curtailed, our appetite falls, but cravings increase. We shouldn’t give in to those cravings. It’s important to restrict one’s diet without compromising on nutrition. Include immunity-boosting food like aloe vera, tulsi, coconut oil in the diet. Replace sugar with low-calorie sweeteners and keep hydrating! New realities mean that we need to look at food and diet in a new way.”
Lastly, it is imperative to remain positive during this pandemic. Eating on time can affect your alertness and productivity. Try and ensure that this lockdown is beneficial to you and helps you realize, reassess, and reorganize your routine to emerge stronger, fitter, and healthier. Don’t forget to keep sanitizing!
