The pandemic has created many barriers, we are unable to meet with friends and family, we can no longer go to restaurants so no more lunch meetings or have friends over for dinner on weekends. We are working from home or having some downtime while business is quiet.
All of this creates a huge opportunity to improve your diet.
Our daily routine is one of the biggest reasons why we eat what we eat. If you have lunch meetings or entertain clients then you have to eat out.
If you are invited to dinner or have made plans with friends these are all scenarios in which you do not have total control over the food you eat. Yes, you can control what you order but many people crumble under temptation and social pressure and end up eating extra, ordering high-calorie foods and that’s before we even talk about alcohol consumption.
Now all of that is gone.
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No dinners, no restaurants, no social pressure, not even your local coffee shop is open.
Think positive and look to see the opportunity in this crisis, your environment has created the greatest opportunity for you to improve your diet.
You now are in a position where you have 100% control of what you eat on a daily basis. While I hope we are never in this social and economic situation ever again, you would be foolish to not take advantage of this situation if your work or social circumstances were an obstacle to your fitness goals. Not only from a vanity perspective but also for your health.
Those with the strongest immune system will stand a greater chance of speedy recovery if contracting the COVID 19 virus from eating fruits, vegetables and exercise.
Those with the highest risk with low immune systems from a nutrient-poor diet from fast or convenient foods and health conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, improving your diet will help to improve ALL of those conditions.
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If you have been fortunate enough to avoid the virus then now is the time to reinforce the ability for your body to heal, strengthen and thrive. Now that that food availability is now under more control, all excuses are out the window.
You do have the time.
You don’t have to go out.
You are able to cook.
Now is the golden opportunity to do something about your diet and create new habits that can carry over to when then pandemic is finally over.
WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR DIET
- Change the way you shop. Avoid the snack isles, instead of picking up your favourite snacks, juices or alcoholic drinks, fill your basket (physical or online) with INGREDIENTS. How many times have you finished a weekly shop then open the fridge and realise you have nothing for dinner and end up ordering a takeaway?
It’s because all you bought was crap! There was nothing you could actually piece together and make a meal out of.
Purchase a list of proteins, fish or chicken, lamb and beef. Then a list of carbohydrates, rice, noodles/pasta, potatoes, quinoa. Then finally vegetables and leafy greens, salad ingredients and fruits.
- Try new things. Experiment with new recipes or perfect older ones, expand your pallet so that you can find what you really enjoy. Healthy foods are full of flavour but you won’t realise that if all you’ve done is hammer your taste buds with buttered or oily, salty foods from fast-food chains and restaurants. Look at my Instagram feed for recipe inspiration (https://www.instagram.com/nathan_jordine/) if you don’t know where to start or download my free recipe books from my website (https://www.nsjcoaching.com/recipes).
- Make more time for exercise at least 3 to five times a week. Whether you managed to get the equipment or not the internet is bombarded with home workouts and live training sessions that you can follow in real-time or repeat within 24 hours. Time or money is not an issue so do it!
Stay safe and stay healthy, you have the power to implement both, every day.
Make the most of it,
Nathan
Follow Nathan on Instagram on the link below for the most up to date health and wellness advice and to experience his personal training sessions on Instagram live.