I’m sure by this point you’ve seen the meme’s on social media about weight gain during the “Shelter In Place” order. You know the ones I’m talking about right? On the left we see your favorite fitness influencer all jacked and tan (and clearly resembling your current physique) while on the right we see your after picture, an image that more closely resembles the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
But let’s be honest, while it’s funny to look at those, none of us wants it to be our reality. Sure we might not actually look like our favorite fitness influencer, but we don’t need to backtrack just because we can’t get out. This time isn’t an excuse to let our nutrition fall to the wayside. In fact, I think it’s an opportunity for us to really dial it in.
Why you might ask? Well, how many times did you go to work last month and have a food day? I’m sure it was more than once or twice. What about that friendly coworker who brought in donuts for the whole department “just because?” Maybe you had a birthday party, a happy hour, and a date night all in one weekend. Sound familiar?
In our current situation, those things aren’t our reality. We have the ability to grab our eating habits by the horns and really focus on improvement. It doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul, but by building small, sustainable habits a little at a time you’ll be making big changes to your life long term.
So what are some ways you can take charge of your nutrition during this time? Here are 3 tips to help you get started.
- Create a menu for the week. Write down all the ingredients you’ll need for each meal so you don’t need to make unnecessary trips to the store throughout the week. This can be a great strategy any time but it’s especially important when you’re trying to #stayathome and only venture out when necessary.
- Only buy what’s on the list. Now that you know what you need, don’t get distracted. Only buy the items you’ve written down and avoid venturing down the aisles that cause you to mindlessly put things in your cart.
- Prepare what you can ahead of time. Leave any meat you’ll use in the next 2-3 days in your refrigerator so it doesn’t need to thaw and cut up your veggies before putting them away so you lessen your prep time the day of. It might seem like more work up front but you’ll be glad you did it when it comes time to cook.
If you utilize these tips, we’d love to see! Share your menus, your shopping experiences, and/or your meal prep for the week to social media and be sure to tag us @fivealarmcf.