Matthew Boente MD – Simple Tips to Take Care of Yourself During Lockdown

Around the world many countries though that reopening would be a great idea but it looks as though many of us are set to see lockdown conditions come in once again. Something which many have spoken about was the way in which they behaved during the first lockdown, understandably coping with a tough time through the over-indulgence of food and alcohol. There are of course many of you who also took time to really care for yourself and that was certainly the smart move. Going into the possible lockdown, medical experts like Matthew Boente MD have been sharing some very simple tips which you can use to look after yourself. 

Extra Calories

One of the reasons why many of us gained that extra weight during the lockdown was down to the fact that we usually burn so many calories just living life, and these were no longer being burned. Think about your commute to work, meeting friends, picking the kids, up, all of this would  have burned calories. One key of being locked down then is to ensure that you are taking steps to burn extra calories. Walking up and down stairs, adding some press-ups or sit-ups to your day, just small actions which will see you burn more calories than usual. 

Five and Two 

On a personal level I have found that applying the five and two rule during lockdown has worked out really well for me. This means that for two days of the week I can eat what I like, of course within reason, and then on the other five days I just consume 1200 calories or less. What I decided to do with this five days was to also abstain from alcohol as I found that the distance between the morning coffee and that first glass of wine was getting shorter and shorter. This is a great way of living during lockdown because it gives you two days where you can be relaxed and enjoy some of the temptation, and then fr the rest of the week you are focused on eating and living well. 

Mental Wellbeing 

Be sure that you are not only looking after your physical health but your mental wellbeing too, this is going to be vitally important for you. Little things can keep you optimistic and upbeat, writing down 3 positive things in your life every morning, meditating for 15 minutes per day and ensuring that you are making the time to be as social as you can with your friends and family. All of this will help you to stay mentally sharp and strong during this tough, and abnormal time. 

The truth is that whilst it is easy to give into temptation, it is actually not much more difficult to live a healthy and clean lifestyle, even under the conditions that we are currently going through. If you have any further questions then please don’t hesitate to pop them in the comments section below, let’s get through this together.