We all know how important it is to stay healthy, especially during a pandemic. However, the nature of COVID-19 has upended many of the healthy habits we may have built over the years. Plus, we’re all overcome with the fear of getting sick and the stress of an unstable economy. Many people don’t feel like they have money to spare on healthy choices and aren’t sure how to find exercise options and positive diet choices they can afford.
If you’ve gained some weight during quarantine or fallen off your exercise routine, you don’t need to despair. These tools can help you discover new, affordable ways to honor your body’s nutritional, physical, and psychological needs. Here are some healthy yet affordable habits that will get you back on track.
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Exercise Daily
If you’re used to the gym, exercising at home can feel impossible. Gym goers get used to having access to plenty of equipment, and bringing that experience home is pretty pricey. Fortunately, there are a ton of low-budget ways to work out at home.
For example, you can utilize furniture for your workouts. Grab a chair for chair dips, or use your kitchen counter to get in some push-ups. You can also get in an effective, affordable workout by performing wall sits or dancing to your favorite music.
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Eat Right
The pandemic is super stressful, and for many of us, stress is the fastest diet sink there is. When we get anxious, we tend to turn to junky comfort foods and neglect our real nutritional needs. These foods just wind up leaving us more anxious, creating a vicious cycle. We have to break this cycle in order to thrive.
The first step is addressing your diet. Focus on making nutritious meals that use shelf-stable ingredients. Still stock up on fruits and veggies, but use them wisely to ensure that you don’t end up wasting money. For example, if you buy avocados and squash, use the avocados in the first half of the week and squash in the second. Familiarize yourself with how long certain fresh foods last, and plan your meals accordingly.
The next step is to honor the urge to eat junk. This doesn't mean just keep eating junk—although if you have an unhealthy snack now and then, it’s truly not the end of the world. What it does mean is recognizing what that junk food does for you, as well as how it’s making a dent on your food budget. If you’re eating to self-soothe, then you know you need to find some other method of self-soothing. Otherwise, you’ll just get stuck battling those same cravings, or else replacing it with some other unhealthy coping mechanism.
Be Kind to Yourself
On the topic of self-soothing, it’s no wonder so many of us need some form of comfort right now. It’s a deeply uncomfortable time. You need to be kind to yourself in order to combat the stress and fear coming from all directions right now.
Come up with a list of activities or sensations that make you feel happy—and these need not be expensive, too. These could be anything from making some sort of art to lighting a candle to listening to a favorite album (get a good pair of headphones that tunes out other noises for ultimate relaxation). Collect these positive experiences, and try to do one every day. These little gifts to yourself will add up, and you’ll have an easier time spotting the good in the world.
Rebuilding these healthy habits is a great, effective way to get yourself back on track. Whether you’re shooting for weight loss, improved health metrics, or just want to feel better, these are sure to help. When you exercise, eat right, and treat yourself with kindness, your body—and wallet—will thank you.
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