Quarantine has brought changes in us, some good and some, oh well, not so good. It has either set right our eating habits or worsened them. Let us all confess that we all crave certain food items all through the day, and in no way those food items are healthy. It is always better to take care of your health before the situation gets out of hand.
Here are some tips and tricks to avoid those food temptations that drag you far away from your health goals -
1. Drink more water - Drinking a sufficient amount of water throughout the day is extremely important. It is a widely known fact that water is important to stay hydrated as it helps you in different ways. It keeps a check on your diet. How? Well, let us explain. When you drink enough water throughout the day, you don't feel like stuffing all that tasty yet unhealthy stuff lying around in your house. Take sips of water from your pitcher every half an hour. During the breaks from work, drink water to feel full. Not only will this practice flush out all the toxins from your body, but make sure that you don't munch on all those snacks between meals.
A fun way to trick your mind - A more fun alternative for plain and boring water can be flavoured water. You may add all of your favourite things ranging from tangerine to lemons or even slices of cucumbers and mint leaves and enjoy your flavoured water all day.
2. Have more protein - It is an undeniable fact that proteins are good for your health. They are undoubtedly the energy-givers, and also help you stay in shape. But protein intake in every meal will also help you not crave any snacks for a long time. Proteins keep you full for a longer time than any other minerals. Protein takes time to digest, and therefore the stomach feels full. The body needs to work more to break the protein down, making it an ideal thing. You should intake at least some amount of protein in every meal.
Take our advice - For your breakfast, start taking more protein in the form of Peanut Butter. Between breakfast and lunch, most people crave unhealthy snacks. To avoid this, you should feel full of protein from peanut butter.
3. Mindful eating - A lot of people do not take their meals seriously. By mindful eating, we mean 2 things. First, focus on your food. We encounter a lot of people watching TV or reading books, or even eating food while doing some other work. All your focus should be on your food. When you eat mindfully, you start feeling full from the first bite as you will feel connected to your food and the flavours. Secondly, by mindful eating, we mean, eat your food keeping the portion in mind. Make a habit of filling your plate with all the minerals and required vitamins. We notice people not eating their green and raw vegetables. All they want to eat is the fried or cheesy food in large quantities, which is only a part of the entire spread. You should avoid doing both of these things.
4. Get enough sleep - Sleep deprivation affects the hormones, and thus your appetite gets disturbed. You can avoid the hormonal changes and save yourself from all the extra efforts to avoid eating something unhealthy just by sleeping properly. Sleep deprivation can lead to obesity. It is not just what you are eating which dominates your unhealthy eating habits. But also your lifestyle which has a great impact on it.
We recommend - Have your dinner early in the evening, 3 hours before going to bed. Switch off your phone at least 1 hour before bedtime. Read a good book or listen to slow music and dim the lights in the room. You will soon see a lot of difference in your general energy levels. You will have a positive mind and will also experience a lot of changes in your eating habits.
5. Replace all the junk with healthy snacks - What we eat is what we become. It is a fact that being around junk food will only want you to eat it. You should keep a check on your shopping list. Whenever you go out to buy groceries, always get healthy alternatives for the snacks that you love. Cutting out even small quantities of unhealthy fats would start making a lot of difference to you. Find out recipes that make the most boring of the vegetables into tasty munching delicacies. Stuff your refrigerator with cut fruits and vegetables. Baked chips over fried ones will be better. Sodas and fizzy drinks should be replaced with lime juice or flavoured water. Try new types of sauces and try dipping the veggies in those to have a different taste.
A pro tip - organise your refrigerator and cupboards in a way that every time you open them to grab a snack, you only see all the healthy snacks. You can even choose a particular snack for each day of the week. That way you can keep a check on the number of calories you intake.
6. Take proper meals - Skipping meals or not consuming adequate meals can lead you to temptations throughout the day. One should never skip a meal. Skipping a meal will make you fill your stomach with things that can never fill it like a meal. It will only make you sick over time. And yes, breakfasts are as important as the other meals of the day. Breakfasts act like the fuel that gives you the energy to start functioning for the day. No matter how late you always get for your work, breakfast should be your priority. A meal means a combination of food items that provides you with all the required minerals and vitamins. You need all the good things to feel good and live a healthy life. No amount of snacks, no matter how healthy, can ever make up for a good meal. Therefore, take your meals seriously.
These were some of the tips and tricks and things you should do to keep your unhealthy temptations in check.
Check out the Alpino website to have a look at all the healthy and natural snack options.
