Sure, sub the corn chips for celery with guac or roast some broccoli with garlic instead of potatoes (which by the way my non broccoli eating kid is LOVING!). Maybe try not to have cake or dessert every day. But don't make it an effort and don't be hard on yourself when it comes to food.
Jameela Jamil gave some good advice on Instagram, we don't need to come out of this thin or beautiful, we just need to come out of it alive (and preferably with our mental health in good form).
Exercise for mental health and general fitness. Don't worry about your body shape. For now, you're after endorphins more than anything.
Over 400 years ago, that literary giant that wrote Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes also said “all sorrows are less with bread”, and like his major work, that too stands the test of time.
We can bore each other to death with diet posts when we get our lives back.
And to paraphrase Jameela again, "Jiggle in peace".
Linking with #UnlimitedLinkParty
I could not agree more. I have plenty of time to exercise and am doing a decent job of it, so why not enjoy a cookie, glass of wine or some other comfort food when I want it. Solid advice!
ReplyDeleteKeeping your head, and those of your kids, above water is a full time job at the moment. I think we don't want to make it harder (or more boring) than it already is...
DeleteAll sorrows are absolutely less with bread. For me it's about getting through it without too much dietary damage and the walks are keeping me sane.
ReplyDeleteI've never eaten so much sugar and junk than I have since this all started. Knowing that everyone is in the same boat at least keeps the guilt away!
ReplyDeleteHi Lydia, unfortunately I'm of the healthy eating school but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy comfort food at times. I think it is about balance and sure enjoy comfort food but balance that with healthy alternatives. It isn't about being skinny it is about being healthy. Thanks for sharing at #MLSTL and the roast looks good!
ReplyDeleteI’m not saying you have to do that, but if sticking to a diet is making you feel bad about yourself, especially if you fail, then now is not the time to add extra bad emotions or boredom into the mix. I would also argue that the 5:2 diet is actually a bad health Routine not good health Even when not under lockdown. I have friends struggling to do their 2 days in ISO and I just don’t think it’s a good health decision to even try. Feeling bad about what you eat when you’re already lonely and under financial stress is more damaging than gaining a few kilos that you can easily lose later when life gets easier. That was my point.
DeleteI do need some Mother's Day ideas and noooo, why did I read your post? I'd already slowed down on my diet and this past week I think I'm moving backward. I'm trying to keep my mother happy with weekly menus full of comfort food and it's working. It's working for her and I'm right there eating with her and beginning to notice many of my baggy pants are fitting quite well now. Nooo, I just bought a bag of red potatoes and my home chef cousin gave me a simple and wonderful recipe to use them. Use them all. Jiggle in peace.
ReplyDeleteWe never have potatoes and under lockdown we’ve been having them about twice a week! Ha! The teens love them and I just feel bad that they’re so isolated. I think it’s easier for us living with our children and partners, but with our children, their life has stopped and they’ve lost all physical contact with their friends and I think that’s huge. So anything to make life a bit more fun or special, then go for it...food may not always be the thing you choose, but it’s unhelpful to make it a punishment...but as I said, I’m not a doctor.
DeleteThat is looks so good. I am trying to get better with my eating. It is hard though. #MLSTL
ReplyDeleteThe food looks good. I balance my food intake with my workouts. #MLSTL
ReplyDeleteI'm trying for "moderation in all things" (which has stood the test of time since 700BC so must be sound advice). Eating but trying to keep it under control, and walking as much as possible - but not killing myself. I'll be glad when this is finally over.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up with us at MLSTL and I've shared on my SM 😊
I’m dying for it to be over. I don’t think I’ve spent so much time at home since I was a child!!
Delete"Exercise for mental health and general fitness" is my takeaway. There are various opinions on the benefits of exercise for weight loss, but eating healthy, with some comfort food allowed and exercising for mental health and general fitness could be a wise way to go. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMental health is taking a big hit if you read the stats. Food is part of that. Too much junk will make you feel bad. Too much sugar and alcohol will make you feel bad. However, dieting also makes you feel bad. I think the goal for now should be getting thru this having as much fun and happiness you can, trying to keep your resilience and mental health in peak form.
DeleteWatching your sleep too is the other big one. A lot of people’s patterns are getting altered due to virus stress...
DeleteSo true. I feel that I have fattened my curves during ISO. Too much snacking! Must get a grip!
ReplyDeleteI feel exactly the same Lydia! Great words of advice. I'm walking and bike riding to try to combat some of the extras - I heard the phrase flatten the curve, not fatten the curves :) made me laugh anyway! #mlstl
ReplyDeleteYes, a healthy body is more important than the shape of the body.
ReplyDelete#MLSTL
I like that idea, exercise for the endorphins, don't worry about the jiggle!
ReplyDeleteI went to the store (my every other week grocery shop) and a big bag of chocolate ended up in the cart. OK, it's the mini-ones and so if I eat 3 of them at ounce, it feels totally decadent, but is really not that bad (So I tell myself). Yes, there is a lot of comfort food in my house... and if social media and the grocery store shelfs are accurate - everyone is baking up a storm! Not me... it's chocolate, not cookies or muffins for me.
ReplyDeleteWe have stacks of chocolate in the house and still do - I don't eat it. I have, however, been eating potatoes about three times a week. We don't normally have those so they're the bigtime treat for the kids. I didn't know this was weird until last night when a friend commented on it being the weirdest 'junk' food...(She was complaining about weight gain to me. I am a firm believer that ISO is boring enough, we don't have to make it more boring by talking diets...!)
DeleteI do not do the word DIET anymore. It was far too judgemental and negative in my life. However, I also want to keep eating treats and making sure I take care of my regular nutrition (since HNC it's a challenge anyway) so it's about 'no food is banned nor bad' but food has to nourish and heal me too. Been cooking more and enjoying my own cakes/biscuits instead of high prices elsewhere. Great post. Denyse #mlstl
ReplyDeleteI’m a big fan of ‘good mood food’ and trying to get that into the kids more than junk (thus the garlic roasted broccoli) but I’m not going to make myself feel bad for gaining a few pounds in this lockdown - and I really don’t want to listen to friends feel bad about snacking. I have hit the boredom barrier today - my mood is meh. Time to put on some Bakermat and feel good!!
DeleteForget diets altogether. They do not work in the long term because if they did they would stop existing of course and there are many commercial brands that would hate that to happen. We need a much stronger focus on mental health in these challenging times. Once I stopped dieting and fretting and comfort eating, my weight fell off and although the world would say I need to lose a bit more, I am happy with myself and that is a very sane place to be at last #StayClassyMama
ReplyDeleteI agree. I am surprised how little weight I've gained over the last 6 weeks when I've not been really paying attention at all to what I eat. (But I'm so bored of listening to people complain about their weight and talk diets - as if life isn't boring enough these days!)
DeleteMy eating is crap these days.
ReplyDeleteBut it's comforting.
#StayClassyMama
I'm all for surviving this time and doing the best we can in it, Lydia. While my husband and I have to be conscious since we're both borderline diabetics, we're eating well, yet sensibly. I'm not going to be beating myself up about missed deadlines and spending time lazing around at times!
ReplyDeleteI am having wine and snacks almost every night, I need something to looo forward to and make up for the daily workouts with Joe Wicks! Thanks for linking up with #stayclassymama
ReplyDeleteI love this and think it's very true. I am trying to be vaguely healthy during this time, as I need to be for health reasons but we are eating well and enjoying the ability to during this time. It helps
ReplyDeleteI think for mood, eating healthily is a good thing to aim for.
DeleteHunk, chunk or drunk is the phrase I've heard and I'm a bit of each! Thanks for linking up with #dreamteamlinky
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious...I've not heard that. A bit unkind I guess but it did make me laugh. Probably because I'm at least two of the three...hehehe
DeleteHaha! I love that... jiggle in peace. I think you are right, now isn't the time to be over thinking diets - well, not for everyone that is. I definitely can find a bit of happiness in a freshly baked loaf after a full on week of home school and work. Thank you for joining us for the #DreamTeamLinky
ReplyDeleteThe meal looks good! Thanks so much for linking up with me at my #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 12, open May 1 to 26. All party entries shared if social media buttons installed.
ReplyDelete