As lockdown measures are imposed, all of our daily routines have been well and truly shaken up. Our activity levels, eating schedules and nutritional habits have had a massive upheaval. Therefore, we need to adjust so we don’t lose sight of our weight loss and health goals.
I’ve noticed some people are coping well with quarantine saying they’re fitter and healthier due to more free time on their hands. Others are not doing so well saying they’re fatter, their mental health is suffering, stress is banging on the door due to so much uncertainty, some are drinking more, there’s loneliness and the list goes on. There’s no denying this is unchartered waters for many of us. And to top it off this situation is not going away anytime soon!
A challenge for many people is uncontrolled eating. If you’re in danger of putting on what’s been coined ‘the lockdown stone’ then keep reading because my nutrition adjustments that I recommend during lockdown will really help you.
TIP 1 – BE MINDFUL OF OVERALL FOOD INTAKE
As you know I am not a fan of calorie counting but an absolute raving fan of eating good nutrients. Nonetheless, you still need to be mindful of the overall daily volume of food you consume.
For any weight-based goal, we need to consider tempering our overall food volume based on our new energy expenditure during these lockdown times which has likely decreased. The energy we gain from the foods and drinks we consume are used to produce energy. When our energy needs are met, excess calories are stored in our bloodstream, muscles, fat tissue and so on. Once energy is produced and used, it’s gone.
This means that we can alter our bodyweight by manipulating the balance of energy coming in with the energy being used for movement and supporting bodily functions.
Since we are advised to stay at home, without access to gyms and fitness facilities, our energy expenditure has likely been reduced. We now need to be very mindful of our food intake so it doesn’t exceed our new normal daily energy expenditure.
TIP 2 – GET CREATIVE IN THE KITCHEN
We all have a lot more time on our hands, so make the most of it by trying new meal prep methods, recipes, flavours, textures and so on. You’ll develop your skills with food preparation and build up an arsenal of healthy, time-friendly options to choose from when the lockdown is lifted.
Here’s 3 tasty recipes to get you started:
GRIDDLED CHICKEN WITH QUINOA GREEK SALAD
CACAO & PISTACHIO ALMOND ENERGY BALLS
TIP 3 – CREATE THE IDEAL FOOD ENVIROMENT
Your food environment refers to the visibility of foods, how easy the foods you have are to eat i.e. do they need preparing, cooking first, their palatability and so on.
If we want to avoid overeating and making poor nutritional choices, we need to control our environment and limit the availability of poor food choices. Instead, we need to make it easier and more enjoyable to consume healthy, nutrient-dense foods.
Here’s some examples of how you can do this:
• Buying as few pre-packaged and pre-made foods as possible. Instead, stock up on single-ingredient foods that require preparation and cooking before they can be eaten
• Avoiding buying unhealthy treats you know you’ll overeat and drink e.g. biscuits, pizza, crisps, alcohol
• Have fruit and veg bowls out so you’re more likely to reach for them instead of unhealthy calorie-dense snacks
• Have ‘food free windows’ during the day when nothing except water passes your lips
TIP 4 – USE SUPPLEMENTS AS A BACKUP
A balanced diet will almost always provide us with all the nutrients we need for our goals. As such, a well-balanced diet is something that you should prioritise and master before supplements are even considered. Supplements should never be used as an excuse to eat poorly!
Setting this aside there is no doubt that the lockdown measures have made following a balanced diet a bit trickier e.g. sometimes we can’t get certain things, we’re also under more stress due to uncertainty about the future, money etc and so this will lower our immune system which is not what we want!
Given these circumstances, I think it’s very wise to alleviate any potential nutritional holes with effective supplementation.
The key supplements I recommend are:
I wrote a comprehensive blog on these supplements, why you should take them, and generally how to boost your immune system during these times which you can read HERE.
As always, I’m here to help if you need me. I’m trying to stay strong, positive, and active so I can show up to help my friends, clients and family and those less fortunate.
Love Gaynor x
