Maintaining a good diet during lockdown
It’s important for our physical and mental health, especially during the current lockdown restrictions, that we maintain a good diet. Here are some of our top tips to help you:
Plan ahead
Planning meals in advance helps you to stick to the healthier and more nutritional options. If you don’t plan ahead you will more than likely get to dinner time and not know what to cook. This often leads us to making the most convenient, but likely unhealthiest, meals.
A great way to plan ahead is to make use of your freezer and batch cook healthy meals. You can read our top freezer hacks here.
Ensure you’re getting all your nutrients
It’s super important to ensure you’re still getting all of the normal nutrients in your meals. Nutrients that help support your immune system include vitamins A and C and Zinc. You can find vitamin A in sweet potato and spinach and vitamin C in tomatoes, peppers and berries. Zinc can be found in dairy, bread and meat.
Oily fish is great to have in your cupboard as it has a long shelf life and is rich in omega-3, which can improve mental wellbeing. It’s also a great source of vitamin D, something we all need more of right now as we’re staying at home and not getting as much sun exposure as we’re used to.
Opt for healthy snacks
It can be too easy to go for a biscuit or piece of chocolate. Instead, opt for healthy snacks such as berries, nuts and dried fruits
Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated throughout the day is essential for functioning and feeling your best. You can sip on water, squash, tea or coffee, but try to minimise caffeine in the afternoon so it doesn’t affect your sleep. Why not try a herbal tea instead?
As well as maintaining a good diet, you should also be exercising regularly. You can read our blog on staying active during lockdown here.