Let’s face it, the lockdown has got us all holed up in our houses, working round the clock, constantly chopping on snacks & sleeping at odd hours. And in the long run, if you are not careful, we are all going to end up gaining a lot of weight and a load of unhealthy habits! So if we have to do something about getting our health back, we need to do it now, before it’s too late!

Here are 4 amazing activities you can indulge in daily during the lockdown. They are all indoor activities that the whole family can indulge in together!

Say Yes To Yoga!

Yoga is amazing for both your physical health, as well as your mental health. It is an easy and effective way to calm your mind and relax your body. Consider watching some easy-to-follow yoga video for beginners on YouTube and indulge in a new yoga pose daily. Consider beginning your day with a 15-20 minute yoga session to enjoy health benefits such as boosted metabolism, improved heart rate, balanced hormones, and improved immunity.

Dance Your Way To Health

Dancing is a super effective way to burn away calories and have fun while doing so! It also helps release stress, kick-starts your metabolism and helps your mind relax! Dancing for 20-30 minutes a day has been linked to improved lung and heart health, increased muscular strength, agility and flexibility! There are also a number of exercise music playlists available on music applications. So add some peppy tunes to your playlist, plug your earphones in and dance like no one’s watching!

Be A Cleanliness Freak

During the outbreak, it’s important that we keep everything at home squeaky clean… but did you ever think about the fitness benefits that a simple activity such as cleaning has to offer? Activities such as scrubbing, mopping and or doing the laundry make for a great workout, and can help burn up to 190 calories in around 20-30 minutes! So clean out that closet your mother has been telling you to clean out since last year or simply take on a small cleaning activity every day. You can even get your spouse and childrento indulge in this activity as well by allocating daily cleaning tasks to everyone.

Get Gardening

A hobby is always a good way to pass time and keep you mentally and physically engaged. It is fun, engaging and can certainly do wonders for your health! Just 30 minutes of gardening activities, such as digging, planting, preening and watering can help burn up to 100 calories! There are many easy tutorials online to help you start gardening in your home. You can even try growing your own herbs or vegetables! So whether you have a garden patch or a balcony, gardening is an easy activity that almost anyone can indulge!

These indoor activities will definitely help instilhealthy habits in you, your kids and family members and most importantly ensure you get the right amount of exercise while staying safe and staying indoors!

Eating too much sugar can have devastating effects on your health. It is also shown to contribute to obesity, heart disease, cancer, type-2 diabetes, and tooth decay. Sugar can be found naturally in many fruits and vegetables; however, it is the added sugars in processed food that are a cause for concern.

So, how do you cut down on sugar which is ubiquitous in food products these days? Here are a few tips you can follow:

1) Avoid Sugar-Loaded Drinks

Some of the popular beverages – sodas, energy/sports drinks, fruit drinks – available today contain obscene amounts of sugar. Even the so-called healthy drinks like smoothies and fruit juices have an excessive amount of sugar content.

Alternatives you can try:

• Water
• Herbal or fruit teas
• Sugar-free tea or coffee
• Sparkling water with lemon

2) Avoid Desserts

Most desserts have little to no nutritional value but have high sugar content. Eating these desserts spikes your blood sugar level and makes you feel tired, hungry, and crave even more sugar.

If you have a sweet tooth and can’t go without desserts, here are a few alternatives you can try:

• Fresh fruit
• Dates
• Greek yoghurt with fruit
• Baked fruits with cream

3) Pick Your Breakfast Wisely

Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. However, many breakfast options like breakfast bars, pancakes, muffins, jams, and waffles are packed with high levels of sugar.

Here’s what you should pick instead:

• Besan chilla
• Multigrain idlis
• Eggs (boiled, omelets, etc.)
• Oatmeal
• Avocado

4) Cut Down on Sugar-rich Sauces

While almost every household has ketchup, most people aren’t aware of the sugar content in it. For every 15-gram serving of ketchup, it contains 4 grams of sugar! Some of the other sauces that have high sugar content are sweet chili and barbecue sauces.

Alternatives you can try:

• Sugar-free ketchup
• Mayonnaise
• Yellow mustard
• Harissa paste

5) Increase Protein and Fat in Your Diet

Did you know that high sugar intake can lead to appetite and weight gain? Conversely, a diet high in protein and fat and low in added sugar reduces hunger and hence, food intake. Protein and fats in your diet help you feel fuller for a longer time. This reduces cravings and unhealthy snacking.

Some foods rich in protein and fats:

• Meat
• Fish
• Eggs
• Full-fat dairy
• Avocados
• Nuts

Cutting down your sugar intake can lead to many benefits and even help you lose weight. Avoiding obvious sources of sugars like desserts or soda may be easier. But always check the ingredients of the processed foods you purchase for hidden sugars.