Staying Healthy And Fit

The current pandemic has put a lot of strain on our health and wellbeing. With more of us working or studying from home, it’s become challenging to complete our usual workouts and cook healthy meals. As the Bible says, our body is a temple, and we should be treating it that way every day, even during these difficult times. Today I’m going to share some simple tips to follow to help you keep healthy, fit, and active during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meal Planning

If you find yourself relying on takeout more often than before at the moment, you’ll want to start your week by meal planning and prepping for the week ahead. Take time at the weekend to put together a menu for the week, and if you are staying at home all day every day, this could also include breakfast, lunch, and snacks. This will then allow you to do a good grocery shop to stock up for the week ahead and minimize your chance of ordering fast food for dinner. Try to keep unhealthy meals to a minimum, and instead treat these as a special occasion or reward at the weekend for getting through another week.

Get Outside

While this can be challenging during the winter months, one of the best means of fighting off anxiety is to get out of the house once in a while. By going for a gentle walk to a nearby park or area of nature, you’ll find that you get some exercise, fresh air, and a change of scenery in one go. We are all spending so much time indoors at the moment, which can become increasingly unhealthy for everyone. If you have kids, make sure they are getting the chance to run around outdoors and let off some steam. We all need a break from screens each day, so by adding a lunchtime or afternoon walk into your day, you’ll get a chance to refresh your mind before heading back to work.

Find a Workout Routine You Enjoy

While keeping active is essential for your mental health and fighting off anxiety, health and fitness activities don’t have to feel like a chore. Try to find an activity you enjoy doing and look forward to each day. Whether that’s running, yoga, dancing, or another form of workout, you want something that you can immerse yourself in and complete easily at home. In order to encourage yourself to work out each day, why not equip yourself with some new workout clothing and equipment? Consider a fashionable and functional outfit from a brand such as a  Used By God Christian shirt, which you’ll look forward to putting on each day to workout. To ensure you stick to a workout routine, try to add your session to your schedule each day at the same time to build consistency and good habits.

Factor in Work Breaks

If you are working from home, no doubt you are spending the majority of your time sitting down and staring at screens. For anyone working in a small home office or at your dining table, you’ll need to make sure you get a change of scenery once in a while. Just five minutes walking away from your computer screen each hour can make a huge difference to your outlook during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you don’t use them already, consider wearing blue light blocking glasses for your work. These can help reduce problems sleeping and eye strain after a long day in front of your screen. While you may feel obliged to use video during work calls, if you can ever switch your camera off, take advantage of this once in a while for a more relaxed working setup. Wherever you are working, make sure you are comfortable sitting at home all day, whether that means staying in your pajama bottoms all day or investing in a comfortable Used By God Christian shirt.

Set Boundaries

One of the best ways of fighting off anxiety is by setting boundaries around your work and home life. Try to firmly stick to your set working hours as you would when working at your office, and when it comes to the end of your working day, try to refrain from looking at your laptop again until the next morning. It can be so tempting just to check your messages once more, but that soon results in you sitting in front of your laptop until midnight! Remember what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” Try to treat your mind and body in this way, by giving it a break from work and stress to reduce your chance of anxiety. By setting your personal boundaries and knowing your comfort levels in the current COVID-19 pandemic, you can ensure you look after yourself throughout this difficult period of time.

Create a Wind Down Routine

Having a solid night-time routine can help you to still achieve the recommended eight hours of sleep during this time. A lot of people have been struggling with sleeping and have experienced disturbing dreams recently, so try to implement a strict bedtime routine, so you go to sleep relaxed and in a good mood. A couple of hours before you sleep, switch off your screens and avoid social media. Relax by spending time with your family, reading, or running yourself a hot bath, all of which will help signal to your body that it’s time to rest soon. Avoid watching the news just before bedtime, as this can increase anxiety and stress levels instead of helping you relax.

Staying both mentally and physically healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic is incredibly challenging but is essential to help you continue living with some level of normality. By prioritizing your family’s health and fitness, you can still enjoy spending time together during this time. Set boundaries to ensure your work doesn’t overtake your personal life, and try to get a good amount of rest each day so you can tackle whatever challenges await you tomorrow.