Saturday, June 19, 2021

This is how lockdown made me more health conscious

LOCKDOWN made me realize how important it is to take care of my body.

When the gyms closed and we were locked inside for most of the day, it was so easy to lounge around the house and not be active.

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Before the pandemic, I took the train and walked to work every day, but since I worked from home last year, I only walked 3,149 steps per day on average – a huge drop from 8,069 steps in 2019.

Only now did I realize how important walking was for my fitness.

Towards the end of the initial lockdown, I noticed that my clothes were tighter than before and I knew that I had to change my lifestyle through regular exercise.

I started exercising at home and thanks to YouTubers Lily Sabri and Chloe Ting, I’ve been able to incorporate fun daily exercises into my life.

But that wasn’t enough.

As the second lockdown began, I also became much more conscious of the food I was eating, trying to find answers to basic questions about what to do to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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Questions like:

  • How Much Sugar, Fat, Carbohydrates, and Protein Should I Consume Daily?
  • Which foods are the most nutritious?
  • What’s my BMI?
  • Am I a healthy weight?
  • How Much Exercise Should I Do Each Week?

These were all questions I found answers to on the NHS website – answers that frankly shocked me.

Before the lockdown, my eating habits were really bad. I only ate one full meal or sometimes two meals a day.

Oxford Mail: Sweet Potato Salad with BaconSweet potato salad with bacon

I didn’t even think of breakfast on the way to work. Then I would stop by for lunch sometimes, which was most likely a store-bought menu item – a packet of chips, sandwiches, and fruit.

On the way home I would buy myself a snack – something like a candy bar or a milkshake – and when I got home I often ate high-carb dinners.

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But now I’ve changed my diet. I prepare my meals so that I am more organized and know exactly what I want to eat every day.

I eat three nutritious meals a day and during the third lockdown decided to exercise twice a day – morning and evening.

Oxford Mail: Yogurt pouch with fruits and honey (left) and overnight oats with fruits and chia seeds (right). These are my breakfast favoritesYogurt pouch with fruits and honey (left) and overnight oats with fruits and chia seeds (right). These are my breakfast favorites

I used to think that eating healthy all the time would be boring, but I’ve learned how to taste good food like vegetables. In the age of the internet and social media, there really is no excuse for failing to find delicious healthy recipes. Just experiment, you’ll be surprised how something as simple as oatmeal can be transformed.

Now that the gyms are open, I also do more cardio exercises like running on the treadmill or cycling on the exercise bike.

These are all things I didn’t do before the lockdown, and so despite the challenge of this pandemic, a good thing that came out for me is my new healthy lifestyle.

ALSO READ: Bicester Yoga Teacher Launches Lockdown App

No, I don’t count every single calorie I eat or feel bad about missing a workout, but I understand my body better and know what to do to keep it healthy.

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source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/this-is-how-lockdown-made-me-more-health-conscious/

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