For anyone who’s been overeating during quarantine:

I don’t think I have ever opened my fridge as much as I have in the last month. If it weren’t for the long mirror in my bathroom, I wouldn’t have realized that I’ve gone too far with my eating.

Some of us might be doing a great job of maintaining a healthy diet. If so, I am so proud! If not, I understand! We’re isolated, stressed, bored, seeking relief, and suppressing emotions. So, what is the unconscious, most frequent solution? Food.

Today, I woke up with a bunch of emotions screaming “this is enough!” I want to get back to my healthy diet and exercise regime—against all odds.

Here’s what I’m doing to keep some balance during quarantine:

1. Controlling stress and anxiety.
Most of us seek comfort in food when we’re stressed out. The obvious solution is to try and calm ourselves down as much as we can. We should take the right protective measures, stay home, and keep reminding ourselves that all of this will eventually be over. Meditate, read, watch a movie, listen to soothing music, or do whatever brings some kind of comfort. No stress means no unnecessary food consumption.

2. Finding another alternative for food.
I’ve noticed that whenever I’m bored, I head to the fridge and eat. Food has been my unconscious way of distracting or entertaining myself. Now, before heading to the kitchen I ask myself whether I’m really hungry or not. If not, I pause and think of another alternative such as journaling, drawing, working out, or planning the future.

3. Changing the way we snack.
I get it. What is there to do in a quarantine besides eating? And then, what about eating shortly after eating? But, we can at least switch from unhealthy snacking to a healthy one. For instance, I’ve replaced my chocolate intake with carob cookies. Instead of munching on all types of nuts, I’ve decided to stick to only a few types which are naturally low in calories—such as almonds and cashews.

4. Ruminate about the future.
Regardless of how long the lockdown is going to take place, it will eventually come to an end. Let’s think about the future and how difficult it will be to get rid of all the fat and negative effects we have brought into our bodies. Let’s consider this quarantine our chance to build a better, healthier future—right now.

5. Motivate ourselves through others.
I’m following athletes, yogis, and nutritionists on social media—and we can all do this. They’re my source of motivation and inspiration. If we can’t do it alone, we can seek the indirect help of others to put us back on track.

6. COVID-19 for inspiration.
One of the things that COVID-19 can teach us is the importance of a healthy body. We should realize by now that we shouldn’t take our lungs for granted—nor our immune system. This could be completely irrelevant or unrelated, but we can use the outbreak as a motivation for the future. If we want to fight viruses, then we should support our bodies and not overeat.

7. Think of the lifestyle we’re creating.
We might think that overeating is temporary—we’ll regain instant balance once the quarantine is over—but we’re not sure when this is going to end. Returning to a healthy diet won’t happen in a flash. Overeating right now allows our bodies to get accustomed to it and it won’t be easy to break the habit in the future. Let’s be vigilant about the type of lifestyle we’re creating for the long-term.

8. Create an opportunity to become healthier.
Really, how many times have we wished that we had the time to cook? We’re either out, too busy, too tired, or too lazy. Now is our chance to create the lifestyle we have always wanted. We can finally cook healthy meals and explore with them. Who knows? We might want to incorporate that one hour of cooking into our future routine because it’s so damn awesome!

Just remember, we are all struggling to find a balance between the pain, the food, the isolation, and the fear. Together we can make it through.

~

Elephant’s Continually-updating Coronavirus Diary. ~ Waylon
How to Enjoy Life Amidst the Coronavirus Fear: Your Go-To Guide from Books to Podcasts & Wellness Practices.
What the Coronavirus is Teaching Me: 5 Lessons from Uncertain Times.
The Artist’s Stay-at-Home & Stay Sane Guide.
10 Simple Ways to Boost your Immunity without Leaving the House.