MANY now complain of lockdown weight gain. It's no surprise that being cooped up indoors has led to poor eating habits that, coupled with the lack of exercise, has resulted in people becoming fat.
With restrictions now being eased and life returning to normal, it's time to take action and get our health back on track, especially with year-end feasting and festivities coming up.
Nurul Asilah Ahmad, a dietitian with HealthifyMe, a health and fitness app, says the Covid-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on human health, with sudden lifestyle changes brought on by physical distancing and isolation at home.
With stress levels also at an all-time high, more people have started turning to emotional eating. Nurul Asilah says the relationship between stress and emotional eating is well established.
"Hearing or reading continuously about Covid-19 can be quite stressful. It has been shown that people under stress crave more high fat and high sugar foods, since the body under stress requires more energy to function."
These habits naturally lead to overeating, increasing the risk of obesity and developing diseases later in life.
Being overweight or obese leaves individuals with both short and long-term health consequences. They become more susceptible to infections and have an increased risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular problems and hypertension.
"The pandemic has changed how we work, think and eat, but the key question is whether all these new habits are likely to stick permanently," she says.
TURNING BACK
Generally, negative food behaviours or habits, such as increased intake of foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt, emotional eating, skipping meals, overindulging or even strict dieting due to poor food access, are all reversible.
However, the recovery period is rarely rapid and requires support, explains Nurul Asilah.
"With the right support and guidance, you can break from unhealthy lifestyle patterns, regain your health and find joy and quality in life again."
Mindful eating is one method that helps people gain control over their eating behaviour. It helps us to recognise and cope with emotions and physical sensations.
Nurul Asilah says it has been used to treat many health conditions such as eating disorders, mental problems and food-related behaviours.
Mindful eating is about using our sense of mindfulness to reach a state of full attention to our body cues, which includes craving, fullness and hunger.
"Mindful eating has been linked to weight loss and optimum health maintenance."
Most weight-loss programmes don't work long-term unless we are able to monitor and be mindful of what we eat every day, she adds.
Binge eating, emotional eating and eating in response to cravings have been significantly linked to weight gain and regaining weight after successful weight loss.
Huge exposure to stress may also cause us to overeat and gain excessive weight. Mindful eating not only helps us reduce weight, but it may also help us reduce stress, says Nurul Asilah.
"By changing the way we think about food, the negative feelings that may be associated with eating are replaced with better self-control, positive attitude towards food and awareness."
GET STARTED
Adopting mindful eating is not a short-term process and may take more than a few adjustments in the way we approach our meals, but it is doable. Here are some tips:
MAKE A GROCERY LIST
Consider whether the foods on your shopping list are needs or wants, and take note of their health value.
SLOW DOWN
Slowing down is one of the best ways to get our mind and body to communicate what we really need for our health. Ways to slow down include sitting down to eat, chewing more and sparing more time to eat a meal.
AVOID MULTITASKING WHILE EATING
Multitasking and eating is a recipe for ignoring your body's needs and wants. When we are distracted, it's harder to listen to our body's signals about food and other needs.
FESTIVE FEASTING
With year-end festivities coming up, how can Malaysians practise mindful eating in the midst of celebrations and our natural love for food?
The added emotional changes during holidays, multiple social gatherings and the availability of traditional family dishes can all be triggers for us to overeat.
However, you can enjoy your food without going too far. Here are some tips:
*Eat light snacks or meals before going out to visit your family members.
* Eating a nutritious light snack or simply drinking plenty of water before leaving the house will keep your appetite under control and prevent overeating.
* Look around before filling up your plate. At a family buffet, it is advisable to browse the food table first before putting anything on your plate.
* Try to choose fruits and vegetables first if they are served. By evaluating all available options, you may be less inclined to overeat on every single meal
* Pick a smaller plate and connect with your food. You may crave less if you see less food on your plate. Smaller plates also help with portion control.
* Take a moment to really see the food on your plate, to smell the aroma, and let the flavours rest on your tongue before swallowing
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