Getting Your Diet Back On Track After The Lockdown: A Practical Guide

The endless-seeming pandemic has posed numerous obstacles for households, particularly in the areas of nutrition and physical activity.

Being stuck indoors and left unable to go out as often as we’d like to has left us all with a lot of pent-up energy. The current crisis has also caused a lot of stress, which has pushed many of us away from the healthy diet and into the arms of comfort food.

The result is that many of us have put on a few pounds during the lockdown; in fact, the phenomenon is so common that it has a cute nickname, the COVID-15.

Whether you’ve gained 15 pounds, or just a few, now that the lockdown is easing and you’re preparing to get back to some semblance of normal, you should consider getting your diet back on track.

If, like me, you’ve indulged a little too much over the past few months, then here are some easy tips to get your diet back on track.

Sneak Fruit And Veg Back Into Your Diet

With so many tasty, processed treats out there to tempt you, it’s easy to shun boring fruit and vegetables in favour of sweet, salty snacks. However, fruit and vegetables are a vital part of a balanced, healthy diet, so you need to get back into the habit of eating them regularly.

Try to sneak them into your diet, by putting them into rich smoothies or thick sauces. For this, you’ll need a quality blender that can blitz everything up into a tasty concoction. Check out this guide to using a blender to find out which blenders are best and what you can do with your new blender. You can then use this handy gadget to help you get you back on a healthy diet.

Stop Buying Processed Treats

Get rid of the temptation by taking sugary snacks, ice cream and crisps out of your shopping basket. If you’ve already got a lot of snacks at home, then consider donating them to a food bank: not only will you rid yourself of temptation, but also do some good for those who need it the most.

Instead of buying unhealthy, processed snacks, stock up on fruit, vegetable and nuts to munch on during the day. If you want something a little indulgent, then check out the healthy flavoured snack packs of nuts and dried fruit, or buy crackers instead of crisps.

Eat Foods That Keep You Feeling Fuller For Longer

Eating foods that don’t fill you up can lead to snacking. Small, healthy snacks are an essential part of a balanced diet, but regularly eating salty or sugary processed treats, or too many snacks advertised as ‘healthy’, can hinder your progress.

As such, you should try to eat foods that will keep you feeling full for longer, such as oats, whole grains and starchy foods like potatoes. These foods will make you feel full so that you won’t be as tempted to snack.

Create A Meal Plan

One of the most common reasons behind the increase in weight over this time is a lack of structure. Many individuals find themselves filling up on snacks during the day, then struggling to eat regular meals. As such, now that life is getting back to normal, you need to start getting back into an eating routine.

The best way to do that is to create a meal plan that’s full of healthy but also tasty meals, with a few small snacks thrown in to keep you going if you get peckish between meals. If you’re not sure how to create your own meal plan, then try using a readymade meal plan, or adapting it to suit your preferences.