COVID-19: Healthy habit disrupter

written by BRANDY (BAXTER) STAYMAN

REGISTERED DIETITIAN, OPTIMAL HEALTH NUTRITION COUNSELING

This year has been an overwhelming and stressful time for many as they have navigated the unknown waters of a global pandemic. That has translated into major disruptions for people’s healthy habits.

Most of us have been affected in some way or another – parents having to work from home while helping children through online school; adjusting to new schedules; or being laid off from work, to name a few examples. It’s no wonder we might have stopped some of our good habits or not put a lot of energy into forming healthier ones.

As we move forward into the last few months of 2020, there are things we can do to help get our health back in order and leave the year healthier than we came into it. In turn, refocusing on our good habits will provide many benefits: better quality of life, better stress management and improved immune systems, all of which are important during these times.

1. Give yourself grace.

We are all doing our best to survive and manage through tough times. Avoid guilting yourself about overeatingor not staying on track with exercise. Guilt can derail motivation for change and take a toll on mental health. Instead, work on accepting where you are and focus on taking steps forward.

2. Pick one to three specific, attainable changes to make.

Rather than going on an extremely restrictive diet or expectingto go from couch potato to marathoner overnight, choose a few goals you are confident you can accomplish. Once those become habits, focus on a few new ones. That will cause changes to enhance your life and not stress you out with unattainable expectations.

3. Make sleep a priority.

Sleep is your body’s opportunity to restore itself. Lack of sleep can wreak havoc on weight, immune systems, andability to cope with stress and regulate emotions. Lack of sleep can increase hunger hormones, which can lead to overeating. It can also make sugar cravings worse as the body seeks alternative energy sources. The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep per night for most adults.

4. As the seasons change, find ways to maintain your activity level.

Due to gym closings, changes in schedule or loss of motivation,we might have gotten out of a good exercise routine or failed to get into one this year. But exercise can help manage stress, boost the immune system, stop weight gain and help with weight loss. As the seasons change, find indoor activity alternatives to continue throughout the winter. There are many online exercise streaming services available that allow people to exercise from the comfort of home. Walking DVDs are another option and a great low-impact way to keep walking, no matter the weather. Phone apps have plenty of resources, including ones that can be done at a work-from-home desk.

5. Add just one cup of vegetables or fruit to your diet daily.

It is always more motivating to look at what you can addto your diet rather than what to take away. Only a small percentage of Americans consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Vegetables and fruit are crucial to overall health. The nutrients in them help boost immune systems, regulate blood pressure, help turn food into energy and create hormones, among many other functions. In addition, they can help make meals more filling and in turn help with portion control. The fiber they contain helps reduce cholesterol absorption. Almost everyone can benefit from more produce in the diet.

We have had many challenges thrown our way this year. Now that we have adjusted to our “new normal,” it is a perfect time to start refocusing on things we can control—our habits.

Brandy (Baxter) Stayman is a registered dietitian with Optimal Health Nutrition Counseling, a division of Capital Women’sCare. Nutrition questions can be submitted to her blog at brandnewyounutrition.wordpress.com/contact.

BRANDY (BAXTER) STAYMAN

REGISTERED DIETITIAN, OPTIMAL HEALTH NUTRITION COUNSELING