Only 31 percent of us predominantly work remotely , according to a Gallup report from March 2017. But recent times have forced a teleworking situation on most of us for the unpredictable future.
There is a learning curve in all of this. Remember to shower, structure your day so that your work has clear boundaries, and other crucial things, such as the fact that there is a Zoom filter to help smooth out rough edges when you “get together” with your friends.
But not only do we all work from home: we are asked to stay home as much as possible. For those who often turn to comfort food, this can add even more stress to your life now that you’re stuck, potentially alone, with what you probably have in a kitchen full of food.
Although it may seem like a lonely and isolated moment, you are not alone: we are all trying to figure out how to handle this new (albeit temporary) rule. However, it is also important to note that none of this is normal, so we cannot expect to eat either.
And that’s fine, but we can still try to do our best every day. Today we will give you some tips to avoid eating from stress while we are trapped at home.
Set limits
When you have less structure in your day, your meals and snacks can begin to blur together. To help avoid this, make sure you have defined meals and snacks.
For example, avoid letting breakfast continue until your third snack. To make it a little easier, try writing your ideal or normal eating schedule in a food diary. For example, if you normally eat breakfast around 7 am, grab a snack at 9 am, and have lunch around 12 pm while you are in the office, keeping these hours while you are in quarantine can help you maintain structure and prevent you from eating and overeat without thinking throughout the day.
Be careful where you set up your workplace
Many of us eat just because the food is in front of us or because we are bored, two things that we are experiencing, especially now, while we are in social isolation. If you’re new to working from home, here’s a helpful tip: avoid working near the kitchen.
If you can avoid it, set up a work area that is more than an arm away from the pantry, counter, or refrigerator. If you are in warmer weather and have a back or front patio, working outdoors is useful for retiring from the kitchen, but also to make sure you get fresh air and sunlight.
If it is out of sight, it is out of mind. Move your snacks to the back of the pantry, to a place where you can’t see them right when you open the door. Alternatively, you can also move them to a completely separate place, such as the garage or a drawer / closet outside the kitchen that you don’t usually enter.
Instead of opting for “junk food” that is easily accessible and requires no preparation, make some nutritious snacks that are easy to eat when you’re really hungry. These can be as simple as vegetables and hummus, fruit and peanut butter, and boiled eggs with avocado.
Pay attention to the clock
We often tell people to listen to their bodies when it comes to emotional hunger and to focus less on the time the clock reads. But due to our current situation, many of our feelings have been replaced by stress and anxiety.
So while it may go against what we generally teach with intuitive eating, you will want to pay attention to the times when you are eating as everything can get a little cloudy.
For example, if you’re stressed, you may think you’re hungry, but a glance at the clock may remind you that you just had lunch half an hour ago.
Change your cooking strategy
Avoid making food easily accessible, such as on counter tops or in transparent containers, especially snack foods. Although this might have worked when you went to an office, it can be tricky if you are now working from home.
Instead, keep healthier foods in sight, like a bowl of fruit or jars of nuts and seeds (and get just a handful), so you can achieve something better if you’re really hungry.
Find other ways to be active
Yes, gyms and fitness studios are closed, but many places also stream workouts online and, in some cases, for free. Now is the time to be as active as you can be at home.
Now more than ever, we need the benefits of exercise to relieve mental stress. So instead of thinking of exercise as a means to burn calories, think of it as a stress-buster without food that can help brighten your mood. Go for a walk outside, go cycling, if you have stairs in your house, climb them. Do what you can to use that excess energy.
Rethink your drink
Or at least pay attention to how much you’re consuming. We are more stressed and anxious than usual with nowhere to go, so while it may seem like a natural habit to pour yourself a glass (or two) of wine, keep that in mind.
The first thing I would do in this situation is ask myself why I am consuming more alcohol than I want. Similar to snacks, it could be from boredom or even stress or anxiety. Once you identify the reasoning, it will be easier to find something to replace your glass of wine.
For example, if you’re bored, write a list of hobbies you enjoy and try one of these. If you’re stressed or anxious because of the current situation we find ourselves in, make a list of things to help you relieve stress. This could be going for a walk, playing with your pet, and calling friends or family.
However, if you feel like you are drinking more alcohol than usual and want to stop, talk to a medical professional or mental health professional for the proper guidance.
Don’t punish yourself mentally
Lastly, enjoy yourself a little and don’t be so strict with yourself.
Yes, we want to try and eat the best we can right now so that we feel good and keep our immune system healthy. But if you want a bowl of ice cream or some chocolate, that’s fine. We want to try to avoid excessive amounts, but definitely don’t punish yourself for indulging yourself.
