How to Prevent Overeating When You're Working from Home

COVID-19 has triggered quite a few memes as people are sitting lazily at home; they are finding any source to get some entertainment. One such meme shows gaining 19 pounds due to the work from home state for the Corona related social distancing issue.

A lot of people are facing eating disorder issues during this period. The anxiety related to the strategies to cope with this lockdown situation is a reason behind this. Researchers have proved that people are dealing with a critical situation. So you should be aware beforehand to stay in shape while getting a long day’s gap from work. These days should not be successful in flattening the curves in your body and should rather be productive.

To stop Coronavirus from creating a pandemic, you should not fall in the trap of overeating or stress- eating, which will not leave you even after Corona leaves the world.

Ways to Prevent Overeating When You’re Working from Home

Setting an eating schedule:

If you wish to prevent stress eating or mindless eating, then a consistent routine should be set which will regulate the blood sugar level and insulin level. The hunger hormones also stay in control and you do not feel like eating junks or cookies at an irregular time.

The best way to set the meal schedule is followed here:

Eat your breakfast within an hour, after you wake up. After the night-long rest, the body needs some food to get going.

Eat three meals a day, and that is the best way to stay filled. The meals should take place within four to five hours during the daytime.

The choice of snacks should be made wisely. Snacking is an obvious part of our food habit and we cannot check to have some snacks especially between lunch and dinner. For snacking if you choose the fried items or items containing refined sugar, then these are sure to add some calories to our body which will be hard to get worked out. So choosing fruits, berries or dry fruits or salads will be an intelligent step to stay fit.

There are some other methods other than meal schedule and we will be discussing below:

Self-control:

You need to understand why the sudden hunger or just wish to eat something is uncontrollable. If you realize that you are eating too large a meal or eating too often then you have already identified the problem.

Now ask yourself that is it hunger that makes you eat or is it just the wanting to eat something that compels you to eat food. Also, check the emotional state of yours before actually having a food.

For instance, check if you are feeling bored, grieved, stressed or lonely. In any uncomfortable state of mind, food acts as a healer as eating something tasty provides a comforting feeling. But these unnecessary binging makes you obese if you carry on with this habit for the long term. If you are facing the overeating issue with a long time and could not combat it on your own, then seek professional help.

Temptation removal:

You know there is the jar of cookie at the shelf or the chocolate bars are there in the refrigerator, so it is quite obvious that you will turn to the kitchen when it is not actually the time for your schedule eating. Visual exposure makes one feel hungry, if not physically then, mentally.

Frequent snacking or overeating is a result of keeping eatables at a near sight like the shelf of kitchen or dining tables. These may add to the good look of your interior but actually it will not help you to stay in shape.

If you keep these goodies, basically the tempting foods like fries, chips or chocolates, candies, cupcakes and such things in your pantry or cupboard then this eating disorder can be controlled.

No meal-skip:

If you deprive your body from the regular meals, to get a thinner self, then it will crave for food all the more, and at wrong times. You may feel like eating too much and will consecutively eat a lot of junk food to satiate yourself.

A highly restrictive diet is not helpful as depriving your body of food, while you are going through a stressful time, does not help in long term weight loss. In fact, it may cause harm to the physical and mental health as well.

Proper hydration of body:

While you are stuck at home, you can practice the healthy habits which otherwise you have excused yourself off, showing the busy life schedule or pressure of office work. If you drink ample water then your body will stay in a hydrated condition which will prevent the overeating issue that is related to stress.

Not only drinking water helps in this state, but you can also have fresh fruits to have water intake. This way you will be getting rid of all the unwanted calories in the form of sugar and oil in your snacks.

Conclusion:

Getting bored while stuck at home is obvious, so try to make some moves. To get rid of stress resulting from boredom, try the workouts that you have listed for long on Youtube. Try the new form of aerobics or yoga, because now you have time to spend on them like never before.

Physical activity is a great mood booster as it helps the secretion of happy hormones. Also try anything that you have not done earlier, like singing, gardening, reading a favorite book or watching the movies on online sites. All these hobbies will keep you happy and the stress will vanish from your life.