Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » Lose Weight Safely » Experts offer advice on healthy eating, exercise during pandemic – Evening News and Tribune

SOUTHERN INDIANA It can be challenging to stick to healthy habits amid the coronavirus pandemic, and as people spend more time at home, it can lead to overeating and lack of exercise.

As people adjust to social distancing and the stress of life during a pandemic, the News and Tribune spoke with local experts and educators to learn more about ways people can keep healthy, prevent weight gain and stay active.

Dr. Lanny Gore is a bariatric surgeon at Baptist Health Floyd, and he shared some advice he gives his patients who are pursuing weight loss. Right now, he is recommending that people avoid stocking up on unhealthy foods. Instead of keeping a supply of chips and cookies, they could stick to healthy snacks such as vegetables.

I tell my patients, as long as you have bad food in the cupboard or fridge, youre probably going to eat it theres a high chance youre going to end up eating it out of boredom, he said. Be careful what you stock up on.

He encourages people to stock up on foods such as frozen vegetables and start meal planning. It also might be helpful for people to prepare a large quantity of foods such as chicken breasts to store in the freezer or fridge for later meals.

Gore also recommends that people download apps such as MyFitnessPal for calorie counting in order to be more mindful of what kinds of foods they are eating. Overeating out of stress or boredom can occur frequently as people stay at home, and they are both examples of mindless eating, he said.

Trying just to be more aware of behavior is probably the biggest thing, he said. Counting calories, that is a form of working against mindless eating.

Exercise is also an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, and the stay-at-home order doesnt mean people cant stay active, according to Gore. He encourages people to seek out free YouTube exercise classes, and he notes that certain gyms are now offering video-based exercise programs to members. He also urges people to get outside for exercise as they are maintaining a safe distance.

For those trying to lose weight at this time, Gore emphasizes that diets such as intermittent fasting or the keto diet have the potential to be successful, but only if people are staying under the calorie goal.

Its all about getting calories under certain goal with whatever strategy works for you, he said. Some fasting works if youre able to limit your intake over a few hours and you can stay under your calorie goal doing that. If youre starving throughout the day and you overeat because youre so hungry, its not good strategy.

Sellersburg resident Casey Joy Schneider has worked as a personal trainer for about 16 years, and for seven years, she has owned Outlast Strength and Conditioning, a gym in Jeffersonville, with her husband. She said it is important to set daily goals for fitness and nutrition as people are stuck at home, such as drinking 100 ounces of water each day and exercising for 30 minutes.

She encourages people to enjoy nice weather by getting out for a run, walk or bicycle ride. If they are staying inside, they can use live workouts on social media she is offering free workouts during the pandemic available to people who send her a Facebook message, and there are plenty more out there, she said.

People could do basic exercises such as jabs, squats and kicks, and they might just march in place for 30 minutes while watching TV, Schneider said. For those interested in weightlifting, items such as bags of grout or other heavy objects could be used in place of weights.

Drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep make people less likely to snack as much, she said. It also helps to keep track of how much you are eating.

Try to stick with the same habits youve done whether youre home or not, she said. If you are having problem with snacking, try to limit to one serving size and count it out. Maybe get a little plate or bowl instead of taking the entire bag to couch.

Janet Steffens, director at the Floyd County Purdue Extension, said meal planning at the beginning of the week can help people handle issues such as overeating during this time. She has recently been providing videos through the Purdue Extension on making meals amid the pandemic.

Thats one way to always use up food you have in the refrigerator or pantry and incorporate what you have in the meal plan, she said. Plan for breakfast, lunch and supper each day of the week, and also some planned snacks. When you write those out, set regular times for meals and snacks that should provide enough good nutrition, especially if it includes fruits, veggies and whole grains. If you include healthy foods, you should feel satisfied and not as tempted to grab something to eat.

Gina Brown, director of Let Us Learn in New Albany, has been teaching virtual cooking classes to encourage kids and families to make healthy food during the pandemic, and her videos have included lessons on making snacks such as hummus.

She usually tries to keep healthy foods such as produce in her house, and she encourages people to always have vegetables on hand, whether fresh or frozen. She also encourages healthy substitutes for snacks for example, you could substitute an unhealthy crunchy snack with roasted chickpeas seasoned with salt and spices, or you could eat an apple to fill you up.

Brown also advises people to keep themselves occupied to avoid eating out of boredom.

My thing is that Im not a stress eater, but a bored eater, and it helps just being able get up and move and maybe just get some water, she said.

Link:
Experts offer advice on healthy eating, exercise during pandemic - Evening News and Tribune

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » Lose Weight Safely » Experts offer advice on healthy eating, exercise during pandemic – Evening News and Tribune