Working from home? Here are some tips to keep the lockdown pounds off – fitness

Coronavirus has forced us all into the boundaries of our homes since the past many months, and there seems to be no end in sight. While for some the lockdown has turned out to be a long vacation, for a lot of people the lockdown has been all about long hours of sitting in front of the computer, answering phone calls, attending Zoom meetings as they continue to work from home. The lockdown saw several phases, whether it was everyone discovering their inner chefs, the perpetual social media posts about Dalgona coffee or people taking to a new hobby, be it art or fitness. Though nothing lasted too long, and most people were back to whining their days away as they inhaled packet after packet of Maggi.

When the lockdown began, most of us thought that with all this extra time on our hands, we’d fix our sleeping schedules, invest time in being healthy, fit and finally take care of our skin. But alas, that was not to be. And a quick survey phone call to most of your friends will make you realise that they too, just like you, have become much unhealthier than when the lockdown was first announced.

Working from home is quite taxing as the boundaries between work and home have been completely blurred. We are constantly juggling between finishing office work and house work. Finishing a call while sweeping the floor? Bet we’ve all done that. With no discernable physical space to leave work at, most people are caught in an endless limbo of work putting in extra hours, missing meals and workouts. And unfortunately, health and well-being have taken a back seat.

As the virus is taking hold of the world, taking care of your health is imperative, as in such times having good health and immunity is a boon. With a few simple changes to your eating habits, you can be on your way to a healthy lifestyle.

Regular mealtimes

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Our bodies, like most other things, work well with discipline. If you have regular mealtimes, the body adapts accordingly and lets you know that it requires food only at those times. This can help prevent untimely snacking on unhealthy foods. Aside from proper meals, set the schedule for healthy snacks as well. More importantly, designate a particular place only meant for taking meal breaks and while eating avoid all other activities, like continuing work or watching television. This way you can enjoy your meals more and leave the table sufficiently satiated.

Hydrate

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The body needs approximately 3 litres of water on a daily basis, this changes based on your height, weight and the climate of the place you stay in. If you get dehydrated, it can directly affect your productivity, as a lack of water in the body results in headaches and fatigue. Keep water with you while working, not only will it help you stay refreshed as you work, it will also help in flushing out all the toxins from the body. With summer on in full swing, a glass of chilled water can help you cool down as well. Avoid sugary drinks as they just add empty calories to your daily intake and have no nutritional value, nor do they fill you up.

Focus on meal preparation

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Instead of just throwing the nearest thing you find in the microwave for your meal, take the time to select the ingredients and recipe to cook something nutritious. Even the act of cutting fruit to make a fruit salad can help take away the stress of the workday and provide a good meal. Meal preparation is also important as it affords you complete control over what you put into your body. If you do the preparation for your meals on time, it can help you organise your time for work in a better fashion.

Real food over junk

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Light, natural, and nutritious foods can go a long way in improving your health and in also keeping up your productivity. As they say, ‘You cannot outrun a bad diet’, so make healthy food choices and avoid easy-to-make instant food that does no good for the body. Focus on your bodies need for protein, fibre, healthy fats and vitamins. These foods can also help boost your immunity during the pandemic. The summer season offers you a variety of foods to choose from, all with immense nutrition benefits.

Control caffeine intake

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Coffee and tea are like air for a working professional. In offices all one does is type furiously away at their keyboards as they sip cup after cup of hot caffeinated drinks. However, too much coffee can trigger anxiety and increase your heart rate. It is also known to cause headaches and digestive issues. Tea, especially chai, also has quite an impact on your digestive system, and people often feel constipated after having too much of it. As easy as it may seem to just drink a cup and jump start a slow part of the day, coffee does not do any favours to your health. Avoid aerated drinks with caffeine as well, instead replace them with green tea or fresh juice.

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