CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 2

01 How Our Health Has Been Challenged ....................................................... 4

02 You Are What You Eat .................................................................................. 7

03 Risks Of Excessive Weight Gain .................................................................. 11

04 Health In A Lockdown ................................................................................ 15

05 Unhealthy Eating Habits ............................................................................. 18

06 The Right Diet ............................................................................................. 22

07 Exercise Helps ............................................................................................... 26

CONCLUSION .......................................................................................... 37

3 AUDIOBOOK COLLECTIONS

6 BOOK COLLECTIONS

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HOW TO BE HEALTHY DURING

A PANDEMIC

INTRODUCTION

At the dawn of the year 2020, the world began to experience the most unpredicted, unanticipated, and shocking event since World War II. The coronavirus took the entire human race unaware and ushered in a halt to life as we all have known it. Lives were lost, companies downsized to maintain survival, economies shutdown and human activities had to be brought to a halt. For the first time in about a century, the entire human race retreated to find cover in the safety of their homes as physical human contact was reduced to curb the spread of the deadly virus. Governments of different countries across the world followed the rules given by the World Health Organization and asked its citizens to stay at home or, in popular terms, go on a lockdown.

Going to work and holding down a job no longer mattered. All that mattered was survival and to that, everyone had to get holed up at home. This was a first-time experience for our modern world. For about two to three months, human activities were at an all-time low as the pandemic ravaged lives across the world. Boredom became almost a human companion because every known human distraction was taken off. No more weekend games or hanging out with the boys for a bottle of beer or even shopping with the girls. Worst of all, the world of sports also went on a break as the players themselves needed to be on lockdown.

Chatting, watching movies and social media trends were the only possible getaways for people. But for most persons, eating became almost a natural distraction. It has been observed that boredom makes people develop an unhealthy affinity for food and the lockdown proved this to be true.

Within the first few months of the lockdown, studies revealed that over 60% of American adults gained weight. Most health experts attributed these weight gains to unhealthy eating and poor dieting. Most persons ate anything and at any time. With no gym to burn off the unwanted fats, most persons developed health-related issues. The excessive weight gain during the lockdown exceeded that of the holidays. The extra time was largely spent in doing anything pleasurable. Most fitness enthusiasts lost their appetite and motivation to work out at home, and some fell into severe

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unhealthy habits. It was reported that alcohol consumption shot up by 23% during the pandemic. The lockdown helped curb the spread of the pandemic and the health effect of being in the lockdown for some became a source of concern. It is said that health is wealth; therefore, your health should be prioritized. Unfavourable situations are unpredictable, but despite that, we must know how to stay healthy. Staying healthy is not limited to working out but also eating right and the lockdown revealed that many people do not know how to eat right. Some awful and hilarious food combinations were experimented on by people who just wanted to keep busy, but they didn't know that these trials were hazardous.

History has shown us that we may not always be prepared when these invisible human enemies come, but we can best prepare ourselves to stay healthy. There are lots of advantages of being healthy, as will be discussed in this book and it is important that health tops your budget list. The bulk of this book focuses on how to stay healthy during a lockdown. As earlier stated, any disease or situation can take the world unaware, but the best that can be done is to be prepared. Should a lockdown happen and you are unable to go to the gym or go to work or have fun on the beach or something, you should be able to stay healthy. Different chapters address different matters. One chapter talks about the effect of the pandemic on our health, while another chapter discusses the challenge posed to our health by weight gain. The take-home package of this book is the chapter that deals with a healthy diet and how to make them.

See this book as your go-to manual in time of a pandemic, not that we want one to happen, but you know that this is life and certain realities might be inevitable, so we can't be too prepared. The next few pages of this book are lifesavers. Stay glued to them!

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01 HOW OUR HEALTH HAS BEEN CHALLENGED

he Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which was first noticed in 2019 and came to the fore at the dawn of 2020, attained a pandemic status and became a global affair affecting everyone

and every race. The world was almost in a survival race. Every country sought a way to defeat or limit its spread, so it was decided that a lockdown was the best option. This lockdown was the first of its kind in the new world. The last time the world was in such turmoil was in 1918 when the flu was being battled. Most persons who witnessed the flu either sadly died or were elderly so the issue of a lockdown was relatively new to the new world. For most people, the lockdowns and quarantines imposed by governments to slow the spread of the virus have been the first time their freedom of movement and daily life got severely restricted. Previous pandemics, such as the Hong Kong flu in 1968, brought guidelines on hand-washing and social distancing but did not require a total lockdown.

Why the Lockdown?

During the early stages of the virus, not so much was known about it and the World Health Organization was not close to getting a vaccine. At that time, it was speculated that it could take up to two years or more for a vaccine to be developed and then administered.

Countless number of people were dying and much of the apprehension was caused by the fact that the virus looked mysterious and alien to anything the world had seen. After a while, it was discovered that a possible way to curb the spread of the virus was to limit physical human interactions such as handshakes, hugs, and other forms of tactile gestures that represented physical human relationships.

To fully enforce this, different countries asked its citizens to stay at home indefinitely until there was considerable progress in research. China was the first to implement a complete lockdown in Wuhan

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where it was first discovered, after which, at least 16 other cities tried to contain the virus, then the world followed, which can now be described as the largest quarantine in human history.

This new stay-at-home order was not like a holiday or vacation where you had your pubs, spa, malls, luxury hotels, and fancy restaurants in operation.

Economic activities were shut down and all that left in operation were pharmacies and stores where people could access food items and sanitary materials. There were no visitations or grand celebrations taking place. Organisations and business meetings took place virtually. Everything was changed. Slowly, every day began to look the same because the activities that gave each day meaning were no longer there. Boredom became almost an unwelcomed presence in different homes. For months, this cycle continued and people stayed at home hoping for a glimpse of light in our fight against the virus.

How effective was the lockdown?

The lockdown was the first big step taken in our quest to limit the spread of the virus across the globe. Different studies proved that the lockdown was essential in preventing further loss of human lives. Although the economic implications of the lockdown were severe, it went a long way to buy the world some time to figure things out. People died from the virus around the world; however, a potential loss of more lives was prevented.

Studies showed that there was a fall in infections in countries such as China, Germany and Spain after lockdown measures were implemented in those countries. In China, it was observed that there was a drop at the rate at which the infection level doubled. Prior to the lockdown, it took two days for the number of infected cases to double up, but during the lockdown, it took about four days for that to happen.

Furthermore, experts said that Italy's five-week lockdown prevented about 200,000 people from getting admitted to the hospital from cases related to the virus. Also, there was a 45% drop in the transmission rate of the virus during the lockdown in Italy.

At the beginning of April, the lockdown combined with other measures such as travel restrictions and social distancing was speculated to have prevented about 530 million infections across China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France and the USA. From the reports above, it can be agreed that the lockdown was quite effective. On the other side of the coin, it came with its own challenges. One major challenge posed by the lockdown was the untold hardship low-income countries suffered. Some countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America were severely affected and became

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economically vulnerable as a result of the lockdown. Another effect of the lockdown, which probably is the most severe, is the health challenges it posed. While the virus raged outside, the lockdown became an avenue where people developed health concerns that threatened their overall wellbeing.

The health challenge posed by the lockdown

The lockdown negatively impacted the health of people around the world. Parents and children alike battled the effect of having their life paused by the pandemic. Research showed that the lockdown affected people's health mentally, emotionally and physically. It is important to know how the lockdown affected the health of people to be best prepared for it. Most times, people are anxious because they have no clue what they are dealing with. This uncertainty creates anxiety and depression in people.

It is important to note that health care became a priority to those with covid-19 related cases during the lockdown, which meant that other health concerns, though severe, were considered secondary. The surge in the number of positive cases became almost too much for the health sector to handle. Most countries solicited help from private citizens to donate their properties to be used as isolation centres because most health facilities were filled up and the cases increased daily.

This situation is common during a lockdown. For instance, if you had a headache, you might not access your doctor as freely as you could because your case was considered less important and not of high priority. For these reasons, it is important for everyone to know how to stay healthy should another lockdown happen.

This book seeks to address lockdown and the health of individuals. The covid-19 inspired lockdown will probably not be the only lockdown that the world will experience, this book will prepare you ahead of time to stay healthy in every aspect of your life.

Let's discuss how the lockdown affected our health:

Mental health

The lockdown left a lot of people already suffering from mental health concerns with fresh issues to deal with. Most online sites that deal with mental health-related issues reported a surge in the number of people that called them for help. School children were distraught at not having to go to school, while adults were frustrated by not being able to work. Some families battled the concern of losing

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their jobs as most companies and organizations cut down on their staff to ensure their survival. If the lockdown had not come in, people would have continued their lives. This is not to say that the lockdown was detrimental, but to point to the fact that the pandemic came with a lot of disadvantages that exceeded its economic impact.

Some persons got into depression because they could not see the people they loved. For some, the fear of losing a loved one left them paranoid, while others suffered severe inconveniences. A doctor at a medical facility in Texas said he witnessed about 40% increase in the number of people that called because of mental health problems during the first few months of the pandemic.

The mental instability triggered a bridge in most relationships. Couples got frustrated at spending so much time with their spouse fighting and some could no longer bear the toxic behaviour of their partner and asked for a divorce. Within the first few months of the lockdown, most couples filed for divorce from their partners, and experts traced this to mental health-related crisis. In some homes, domestic violence became prevalent. Suicide cases also escalated. In the chapters ahead, taking care of your mental health will be discussed in detail.

Eating disorders, weight gain, and poor physical health

During the lockdown, it was gathered that the increased time people had to spend with family and to be idle couples with the lack of gym facilities and an upset to fitness routine intensified eating disorders in some persons. Some persons could not access their prescribed diet and had to rely on food that was not compatible with their health. Vegetarians found it hard to stay with their diet and some on a strict diet fell short of their standard. Most person's emotional health got wrecked by anxiety and depression and as such, some of them got into emotional eating. For most people, when things get tough or stressful, they tend to find comfort in food. Some people overeat or binge-eat several times a week to suppress negative emotions or fill a void. This overindulgence also gives room for poor self-perception and also triggers excessive weight gain.

During the lockdown, most people looked out for what would give them temporary emotional relief or whatever would trigger the feel-good factor in them and most times, food supplies this emotion in many people. During the lockdown, most homemade meals were high on calories, and most people who eat on impulse do not consider the nutritional value of what they eat. The lack of outdoor exercise also meant people struggled to stay fit, and some got excessively out of shape. People who were enthusiastic about being fit suddenly lost track of their routines because facilities were shut down and they lost the motivation to work out.

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This excessive weight gain left people with fresh health concerns such as diabetes, high blood pressure and increased sugar level. All these show that the major concern in a pandemic is not only about containing the virus or disease but also ensuring that people are healthy and fit.

In the next chapter, we will look at how the things we eat can affect who we are and how we look. Read on!

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02 YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

here is something very humorous about the lockdown. Most persons went into the lockdown looking like models, all fit and muscular, and by the end of the lockdown, they could not even

describe how they looked. For some who looked for every opportunity to flaunt their biceps, post lockdown was all covering their clothes and keeping it simple. The secret to the change in people's physical appearance is simply tied to their diet. As simple as a plate of cake and a cup of ice cream or a plate of Kentucky Fried Chicken, it could decide how appealing, comfortable, and ultimately healthy look. Eating is the most pleasurable human activity that is available for all age groups. Unlike sex, which is restricted to people within the age of consent or, in simple terms, people whom the law recognizes to be adults, food is open to everyone at any age.

The first thing a person is given when they are born is food. It could be natural breast milk or something else, but the human body and food have this relationship that continues until a person's last day. This age-long human companion wields so much power over one's health, the human body and mind that most persons are not aware of.

Food, the key to health

The debate over what constitutes a healthy life has been ongoing for quite a while until recently when it became generally agreed that there is a relationship between food and health. Health experts have attributed many health concerns faced by the elderly to the detrimental choices they made in their 20s and 30s as it concerns their diet. Sad enough, not everyone realizes the magnitude of power that proper eating time holds. Probably if everyone realized this, some trips to the doctor would probably be spent at the spa or somewhere more fun. The phrase "you are what you eat" has been around for over a century, and it has done its best to open people up to the power their choice of diet holds over their health. During the 1800s, a similar phrase was used in French and Germany to imply that food controls a person's health.

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Thomas Edison, the great American inventor, gave a quote, "We are digging our graves with our teeth,” which was actually revised in late 1600 by the English physician and naturalist Thomas Moffett: "Men dig their graves with their own teeth and die by those fated instruments more than the weapons of their enemies." Our health is a product of what we decide to put into our bellies. "You are what you eat" implies that what you choose to eat impacts your body and overall health. In a recent statistic published by The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on the causes of death in America, the result showed that many nutritionists and health experts believed that eight of the top 10 causes of death on that list were directly related to people's nutrition and lifestyle.

The pain of pleasure

While food is a pleasurable activity, it is not primarily meant for pleasure. For instance, most healthy meals and balanced diets might not be as pleasurable to consume as eating your favourite French fries or KFC. Studies have shown that most regular 9-5 workers indulge in the unhealthiest lifestyle regarding their nutrition. Some persons rely all day on coffee and sometimes exceed the daily dose of caffeine. Lots of fries and takeaways alongside soft drinks and ice cream. Out of pleasure, some people eat what their body and health do not need. Our bodies rely heavily on a balanced diet consisting of more proteins, vegetables, water and a little bit of fat and carbohydrate. Most persons overindulge the body in drinks highly dosed with sugar and food heavily soaked with fat because they feel nice to eat. Eating your favourite dessert is pleasurable, but it is important to watch and ensure you are not exceeding the daily calorie limit. Else, you might sure be digging your own grave with your nice set of teeth.

All part of you

Eating goes beyond filling up a hungry stomach or doing something to pass the time. During the lockdown, most people ate to pass the time than to quench their hunger. During every lockdown, it is important to note that the excessive time available will leave you hungry, and sometimes, you stand the chance of overindulging yourself in the wrong diet. Most persons have experienced alarming weight gain and emotional fluctuations. These problems in emotions have been traced to their diet. Eating affects every part of you. You are indeed what you eat. In case of a lockdown, it is important to note that how healthy you will be during and after the lockdown is based on how healthy you eat. Food affects every part of you. Your physical appearance, your mood and emotions and even how you think are results of the things you feed on. To experience health in all these areas, eating right is highly recommended.

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Food and your appeal

The goal of some people is to look "young, rich and attractive." Now, while it is not scientifically proven that food will make you rich, it has been medically agreed that your diet can help you stay young and also make you physically appealing. Have you ever gone to your closet and discovered that your favourite trouser no longer fits? Is your preferred shirt looking like a crop top? Then you must have added some pounds. Those pounds did not come on their own. They came with the plate. Exercise is not the only thing that shapes your physical appearance. What you slide into your stomach is even more effective in determining if you will have your dream figure or you will have to keep dreaming for a while.

Eating the wrong diet will result in weight gain and this weight gain changes how we look. The face adds more flesh. The thighs grow bigger. The stomach seems to protrude and expand. These changes in the body boil down to the fact that the body has taken in more calories than needed. Most of these calories come from fatty foods. These fats become stored up in the body. The World Health Organization said that overweight and obesity are results of energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Exercise will help burn off these unwanted fats but eating right will keep the body in the right position. It is important to state that no single food has the sole power to make you excessively fat, but eating the wrong diet and not exercising will leave us experiencing an unwanted change in our body. Processed foods high in added fat, sugar, and salt are very well guaranteed to do the job of making you look bigger or fatter than you would like to.

Weight in the lockdown

The primary cause of weight gain during a lockdown has been traced to overeating or a sedimentary lifestyle. During a lockdown, people are excessively inclined to food and stand the chance of eating more than they need. During a lockdown, most persons routinely eat, sleep, watch the TV, get on social media, and then back to the kitchen. At the end of these risky routines, the person's physical appeal would have been altered. No one likes to hear an unwanted compliment such as "hey, you've grown fatter". It is almost like a knife in the chest.

Food and the skin

Another side benefit of the right diet is that it gives the skin the right foundation to glow. Eating right and healthy allows the body to produce collagen, which is responsible for skin elasticity. Too

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much of refined sugar is unhealthy to the skin, in that it attaches to collagen and breaks it down. This process, which is called glycation, results in fine lines and wrinkles. Everyone wants a pretty skin, but to get it, we have to watch our diet.

Food and the brain

The brain is responsible for a person's thought life, senses, movement, breathing, heartbeat and mood. The brain never goes on break or takes time off in a day. It is always working all day long. For the brain to perform constantly, it needs something to act as fuel, and that fuel is what we eat. All these show that there is more to food than filling the stomach. Food affects not just our hungry stomach but every part of us.

For the brain to produce and work effectively, it needs to be fed properly. To put it in a simpler term, what we eat directly impacts the structure and function of the brain and, ultimately, a person's mood.

Many emotionally fluctuating people are the way they are because of poor eating habits or the quality of food they consume. When high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are eaten, they nourish the brain and protect it from oxidative stress. Consuming mainly processed foods and meals that are high in refined sugar are quite harmful to the brain. Aside from affecting the regulation of insulin in the body, they also result in oxidative stress. Studies have also proved that mood disorders such as depression can occur when the brain is not functioning as it should. As stated earlier, our diet has a huge role to play in the health of the brain. For many people, it might come as a shock that there is a relationship between food and mood, but it should be noted so one can pay maximum attention to what they consume. Research proved that those who eat traditional foods or food with a high concentration of nutrients stand a lower risk of being depressed than those who consume refined and processed food.

Traditional foods tend to be closer to nature in that they contain more vegetables, fruits, unprocessed grains and fish with a small number of lean meats and dairy. Take some time to observe how you feel when you eat food that contains mostly vegetables and how you feel after eating junk food. Some persons said they felt fit and better about themselves.

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Food and the cell

Food is an essential factor in health because the nutrients from what we eat provide structure, function, and wholeness of every little cell in our body, from the skin and hair to the muscles, bones, digestive and even immune systems. We may not feel what is going on in the body when we eat, but we are constantly repairing, healing and rebuilding our body via our diet.

Lots of activities take place in our body every day. For instance, our body is in the business of producing new cells every day or replacing the ones that are no longer functional, and to do this, it requires the nutrient from what we eat. When all we consume are highly processed foods, we give our body little or nothing to work with. Our body instead relies on a diet highly rich in nutrients. So what we eat goes beyond feeling good. It is responsible for the daily transaction our body undertakes. Healthy food will include food that is free of additives, colourings, flavourings and sweeteners.

Health concerns

Most diseases that people battle are related to what they eat, especially foods that contain chemical additives and ultra-processed foods. These foods increase the chances of getting diseases into the body and affect some vital organs. Ultra-processed foods such as those in restaurants or fast foods are prepared to make them extra tasty because additives are added to them. These kinds of foods are becoming popular, affordable and available. Most persons indulge in them to satisfy their cravings and hunger, but most of these foods lack essential nutrients. Processed foods like canned foods, sugar-coated dried fruits, soda, sugary or packaged snack foods, packaged bread, buns and pastries, fish or chicken nuggets and instant noodle soups are not totally healthy for habitual eating.

During a lockdown, it is important to focus on eating whole foods rather than these quick fixes. Most persons live mainly on snacks and fail to realize that it is heavily detrimental to the body. While you might be tempted to overindulge, realize that there are some risks associated with the wrong diet.

The next chapter will focus solely on the risk of gaining weight or, let's say, what happens when you get overweight.

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03 RISKS OF EXCESSIVE WEIGHT GAIN

he conversation of this book is centred on knowing how to live a healthy life during a lockdown. Having discovered that a lockdown can hit any time and take everyone unawares,

it is safer to be armed with knowledge. Most persons who do not pay attention to their health during a lockdown end up with health conditions that could have been avoided.

Lockdown routine

In the first few months of the lockdown, a survey was taken on how most families spent their lockdown and the discovery was alarming. It was discovered that most persons spent their day in unhealthy activities. The excessive free time most persons had was a bit alien to them. People were used to their daily work-inspired routine that they did not know what to do with the bundle of free time they had. The absence of social events and gatherings amplified the boredom people were saddled with. A computer analyst whose firm had shut down said he got so bored that he lost track of time because every day looked the same. To make himself happy, he resorted to drinking. Most activities people do to cope with boredom are always triggered by emotions that need immediate gratification and sometimes they always prove to be detrimental to the health.

The survey discovered that young people spent most of their time on their phones using social media or watching TV while older folks (people above 60) slept, ate or did nothing meaningful. The rate people consumed food spiked. It was gathered that most grocery stores ran out of supplies in a week than they did in six months. Most of what people purchased were processed foods, canned drinks, salted meat and other foods that are risky for the health.

It was also realized that many people during the lockdown gave up on their personal care. People stopped looking after their health and began living a sedimentary lifestyle. Even people who were enthusiastic about fitness gradually lost track of their routines. Although gyms were shut down,

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people could take care of their health by watching what they ate and also engaging in some indoor sporting activities.

The major concern of most persons during the lockdown was to avoid getting the virus. People stopped paying attention to their personal wellbeing. Most persons developed health issues because they were not eating right. For some, the meals they had in-between consisted of sugary processed foods. Little attention was paid to eating right or even watching the combination. Of course, these data cannot be generalized as there were some people who used the lockdown to stay fit, but a majority of the population of the world fell into the category of the people who stopped being diligent in watching what they eat.

No movement

One of the major reasons eating in lockdown has to be done with diligence is the lack of movement. People who live in areas where it was needed to observe strict lockdown rules could not go out for a walk or a run. Before the lockdown, the daily activities of people helped them move their bodies or stretch a bit. Some persons walk down to the bus or train station while others walk on the stairs in their offices. All of these activities had significant effect on the body. During a lockdown, there is a high possibility that outdoor movement will be restricted. Out of caution, you might not want to go out for fear of getting the virus yourself. So, physical movement tends to be limited.

The elementary lifestyle on its own poses a threat to people's health. As stated earlier, eating is the most indulged activity in a lockdown, and when people eat without exercising, fat is stored up. This lack of movement or physical activity leads to body pains and puts those with heart-related concerns at great risk of worsening their condition. It is safe to say that during a lockdown, inactivity is the major source of health concerns. When people eat and do not expend energy, the body is endangered.

Dangers of a sedentary lifestyle

This is probably one of the biggest disadvantages of the lockdown. Everyone must have had a friend or relative who seems to have a bond with lying all day on the bed or sitting on the couch and surfing the internet, then walk to the kitchen to pick up something to eat, gulps it down and returns to their favourite spot, which is the bed. A sedentary lifestyle is a life of inactivity when a person does nothing to exercise the body. Lockdowns can bring a perfect excuse not to live healthily. Everyone has the temptation of sitting all day in front of the TV with our favourite dessert or snack on a plate in front of us and afterward retire to bed. Human nature finds it easy to slide into poor habits. Poor habits

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are comfortable but expensive in the long-term to the body. It is easy to live a bed-to-couch lifestyle and fail to realize that your organs need to be active. They need to be energized not just by food alone but by activity.

Aside from the lockdown, our daily lives are almost a sedentary one. Most people spend their day on sedentary activities. Even at work, you sit all day. On your way home, you sit on the bus or train. What happens to people who live such a lifestyle is that their muscles lose strength. This lack of deliberate activity affects the muscle because it is not being used. Even the bone gets weaker because it is not in use and it may lose some mineral contents, especially if your diet is poor. Imagine how poor your body would function if you leave it without proper exercise or diet for three months.

A sedentary lifestyle results in poor body metabolism and blood circulation. Also, you burn fewer calories and enter a position where it becomes easy for you to gain weight. Since your metabolism is affected, you might have trouble breaking down the sugar and fat stored in your body. A sedentary lifestyle puts you at the risk of getting certain unfriendly diseases. For example, a person who sits all day eating and watching TV will likely develop obesity, especially if their diet is poor. It can also trigger diabetes because excess sugar becomes stored up. Studies have also shown that colon cancer is a strong possibility with such a lifestyle.

Why do you gain weight in a lockdown?

It has become public knowledge that weight gain is triggered by many factors, including poor dieting and inactivity. The chances of gaining weight during a lockdown are high because most persons rely on quick-fix food and do not exercise. This way of life is bound to cause them to gain weight.

Nutritionists have revealed that most people are anxious during a lockdown, which leads them to an unhealthy relationship with food. The scary news around the world, the loss of lives and jobs and other sad occurrences leave some persons in a state of constant anxiety. Periods of uncertainty have been found to increase anxiety for those who have an unhealthy relationship with food. For some people, not seeing their loved ones, celebrating events, or doing what they usually do makes them fall back to food and, in worse cases, drugs.

It is natural to worry about being okay during a lockdown, but it is equally important to note that anxiety can lead you into poor habits. People do things just to temporarily feel okay. Some people eat just to feel like they are doing something they want to do. Medically, weight gain and stress almost go hand in hand. People have different ways they respond and react to stress, anxiety and low mood.

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The tendency to use food as a coping mechanism often leaves people feeling exposed and vulnerable to weight gain.

When you gain weight

Generally, there is no health benefit of being overweight. As you will see in subsequent chapters, it can be worked on and also prevented during a lockdown. There is absolutely no need to be apprehensive if you gained weight during the lockdown or you are prone to gaining weight. See this discussion as a remedy. Information is like a weapon. You can use it to protect yourself. Information becomes destructive when it leads to self-criticism and hate when you despise yourself for making the wrong choices that have made you vulnerable or put you at a risk of contracting diseases.

Your mental health is key in deciding your growth. You need to safeguard your headspace from self-condemnation. You need to learn to avoid self-criticism. Your attitude should be, "I made the wrong choices before, but now I know better." Use the information you are receiving now to protect yourself, which is the main purpose of this book, to give you the best health during a lockdown. We have discovered that the possibility of getting unhealthy during a lockdown is high, so it becomes a priority to know how to go into the lockdown healthy and come out even healthier.

Away from the side talk, the slimmer a person is, the better for them. Weight gain is mostly caused by fat in the body and this fat goes a long way to hinder certain activities in the body. A person's productivity can be hampered because they are overweight. Studies have shown that being overweight in itself is a threat to the life of a person. Being overweight has the potential to affect a person's joints, breathing, sleep, mood, and energy levels. So being overweight can affect a person's entire quality of life. Being overweight goes beyond a social issue with a stigma attached to it. It is a medical concern to be taken with all seriousness.

Obesity

Being obese means that someone weighs at least 20% more than their height because there is so much fat in the body. When a person has the habit of eating more than they burn up fat, fat becomes stored up in the body and gets to a point where it poses serious threats to the person's health and they stand the chance of developing weight-related health problems. Unlike before when being obese or overweight was mostly associated with older people, these days, children and young adults alike stand the risk of being obese. These days, the diet of the population is mostly processed and high in

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sugar content. Children snack heavily on foods that are super attractive because of additives and colouring.

Most parents actually endangered their children during the lockdown by indulging them heavily in snacks and drinks. On many occasions, some parents have confessed to giving their kids whatever they wanted to let them have some time for themselves and all kids have a likening for foods that are not healthy for them. Some of the reasons people get obese are results of unhealthy food choices such as fast food, high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks and beverages, eating bigger portions of food, and living a less-active lifestyle. Obesity is an enemy of the body and the mind, in that the individual will easily get tired and run out of breath. It causes the person to be uncomfortable and unproductive. In severe conditions, it can lead to death.

Some risks of being overweight include:

High blood pressure: when the blood pressure is high, it overworks the heart and high blood pressure damages the heart and arteries. Having a large body size sometimes can mean that the heart would have to work a lot harder to supply blood to other parts of the body. Losing weight will reduce your high blood pressure. To lose weight, you have to eat right and workout.

Type 2 diabetes: Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the world. It happens when blood sugar is very high. High blood sugar is a major cause of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, amputation, and blindness. Inactivity, poor diet and excess weight around the waist region has been said to trigger an increase in blood sugar. Most people with diabetes are overweight. To prevent being at risk of diabetes, watch your diet and exercise.

Heart diseases: When the heart cannot get all the blood it needs, the body becomes susceptible to heart attack, cardiac arrest, heart failure, chest pain, or abnormal heart rhythm. Losing weight will help prevent this.

Stroke: When blood supply to the brain is inhibited, then a stroke is likely to occur. Being overweight and obese has been known to increase high blood pressure and high blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke. When the blood pressure has been lowered, chances of a stroke are slimmer, and to reduce your blood pressure, you have to watch your diet and also exercise.

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Cancer: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Cancer occurs when a cell in the body grows excessively. The cancerous cells sometimes spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver. Eating has been traced to be a leading cause of cancer. What people eat can lead to excessive growth of some cells in the colon or other parts of the body.

Being overweight can cause the following types of cancers,

• breast (after menopause)

• colon and rectum

• endometrium (lining of the uterus)

• gallbladder

• kidney

Sleep Apnoea: This is a condition where a person temporarily stops breathing during sleep. This can cause people to lose focus and even lead to heart failure. An overweight person is likely to have more fat stored around his or her neck region and this may cause the airway to be smaller. A smaller airway can make breathing difficult or even stop for a while. Losing weight will help to decrease neck size and lessen inflammation.

Osteoarthritis: This is a common weight problem that causes joint pain. Although aging can trigger it, excess weight can put more load on the joints and cause serious discomfort.

Kidney disease: Too much weight can lead to kidney disease in that obesity triggers high blood pressure and an increases sugar level, which pressures your kidney.

In the next chapter, we will discover how possible it is to be healthy during a lockdown.

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04 HEALTH IN A LOCKDOWN

rom the first chapter of this book, we have established the idea that a lockdown presents an opportunity for most people to get acquainted with unhealthy habits such as consuming the

wrong diet and not exercising. However, opening the mind to information concerning healthy eating can significantly help.

Although there is a lot of inactivity globally with no work or human activity that can help people stay healthy, it is still possible to be healthy during a lockdown against all odds. Some people might think it is an impossible task to stay fit during the lockdown, but it is a highly possible task. You can go into the lockdown and come out even fitter than you went in. It all depends on your approach towards the season.

Decisions, the trigger of power.

Just before you get the nuggets on how to stay healthy and fit during a lockdown, it is important to understand that everything starts with a decision. Just like it was stated earlier, this book is to arm you ahead of any unforeseen situation and prepare you to decide to be fit and prioritize your health no matter what, but everything boils down to your decision.

Decisions are the trigger of power. Everything and everyone works based on the decisions they have made. Decisions trigger the flow of power, human power in the area we have decided to work on.

During a lockdown, it is important to decide to be healthy. This decision will affect all areas of your life. To be healthy during a lockdown is going to highly depend on your realization that your health could be affected. Most people end up with big stomachs, an increased waistline, puffy faces and signs of excessive fat in the body because they did not decide otherwise.

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Life always presents us with options. We have the option to give in to excuses and fall on the side with the least resistance, where we just take things as they come. We also have the power to decide that we will get the best. It is all in our hands. What you decide is what you experience. Just a little hint: to not make a decision is the same as deciding to let things take you unawares. If you have not said to yourself that your health is your priority, you probably will be among the countless thousands or possibly millions who complain about having health complications during the lockdown.

Decisions trigger power because it unlocks your will to work, it makes you aware, it awakens your consciousness in a particular area such that your mind gets out to work. Let's take it away from health for a while. Imagine that you decide to increase your monthly income from £200 to £1000 in a month. The moment you make that decision you automatically unlock your creative genius. You release your mind to think of ways to achieve this plan or dream. Your mind begins to think of what to do, skills to develop and any relevant training to undertake, just anything to get running. All that power has been lying powerless within you. It only took a decision, a serious decision to trigger it. The same principle can be said of your health. The moment you decide to stay on the side of health no matter what, you have set yourself to be on the safe side.

Commitment

Decisions are not just lifeless. They are powerless without commitment. When there is a lockdown and you have decided to take your health seriously, the next thing to do is to figure out how to actualize your dream and commit to it. It is often said that if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. That statement is true. Almost every person battling with an unhealthy condition wishes they were healthy but change never happens with just wishes. It takes work.

When you make a decision to be healthy, you have to commit to it. If you decide to reduce your blood pressure, you would have to eliminate soda and sugary food from your diet and exercise a bit to get your body rolling. Just saying you have decided to be healthy is not enough, you have to commit to it. Your commitment takes place every day, not just some days.

There is the temptation of flowing with the dull tone of the day and get lazy. Sometimes you will feel like just snacking and consuming unhealthy stuff and stay in front of the TV consuming all the negative stuff and filling your mind with information that makes you nervous. You have to decide that you will be healthy all around, spirit, soul and body. To do this, health must be a priority.

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Priority

During a lockdown, people get to prioritize a lot of things except in areas of their health. This point is closely tied to making a decision but, in this case, health will be the top item in your scale of preference. Some people take the lockdown as a time to improve their skills, get some certifications and network, which is fine, but they don't make their health a priority. To be healthy during a lockdown, health has to be your priority. When you wake in the morning, you have to think of staying in shape. Living the whole of the day healthily and safe. Do not improve your career but neglect your health. Spending all day in front of the computer is not good for your health. Spending all day surfing the net is not okay for your health, especially if what you are reading is junk to your mind.

Prioritize your health. Let it be what predicts what you will do. When you want to eat something, the question you ask yourself before gulping it down is, "does it aid my decision to be healthy?" if your answer is no, drop it. The more conscious you are of your health, the better for you.

No excuses

The biggest enemy of change is an excuse. The lockdown provides you with the perfect excuse to forget your health because everything about life, as you know it, is altered. The lack of gym facilities or a chance to go for a walk makes some people feel like it is not their fault that they are eating wrong and not getting enough exercise. You can be healthy even while you are in your house but don't buy those excuses.

Some persons utilized the lockdown to achieve their perfect shape. There is ample free time during a lockdown and you decide what to do with it. You can decide to eat right and discipline your body to stay in shape or you can decide to allow yourself to think that it is not your fault. Excuses only harm you. We can blame the world for what happens to us, but at the end of the day, the power to respond lies solely with us. You can decide to turn your health around. It all depends on you.

Create a routine

Excessive free time during a lockdown can be a good or bad thing for the health. It is bad if it is not utilized to make you healthy. When there is excessive free time, it is possible to become undisciplined and let time slide away. This poor use of time creates excessive boredom, leading people to develop an unhealthy desire for food.

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When you have a routine, it becomes easier to focus on being productive in a way that keeps you healthy. So, when there is a lockdown, you already know there will be lots of free time with no social activities such as your job, the gym or friends to hang out with. You have to decide to create a routine of what you will do daily to affect your body and mind. You must decide every day to do something that keeps you sound. Health is not just about having little or no extra fat, it involves a clear and healthy mind and a lockdown can sometimes put your mind in a bad place due to the negative news going around, which can make you anxious.

You can have time to exercise, read uplifting materials and also specify things you will snack on and the time you will and will not eat. Your routine ensures that there is a structure in your life. Nothing goes in and out, especially junks. When you create a lockdown routine, you restrict both mental and food junk. At the end of a lockdown, you will emerge more disciplined, mentally fit, emotionally clear and physically fit.

True state of health

A person can be deemed healthy when their mind and body functions all right. Your diet can be so poor that it affects your mind. You can work out and be so muscular, but if you expose your mind to the wrong information that will get you depressed, you are not healthy. As much as you want to be muscular and fit, you should take care of your mind and emotions by observing what you read, eat and watch.

It is not worth focusing on the number of people that have died during a pandemic because the knowledge might end up leaving you worried, especially if you are prone to anxiety. You are truly healthy when you are in a good physical and mental state.

Eat right

What you eat is mostly responsible for how healthy you will be during a lockdown. It is highly possible to be healthy during a lockdown, especially if you eat right. During a lockdown, many people eat junk and other unhealthy meals that have little or no nutrients. To be healthy, you have to eat the right diet and eliminate junk from your table. Take less soda drinks, sugary foods and processed foods. Eat whole foods.

In the next chapter, certain unhealthy lockdown habits and diet will be discussed to avoid them.

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05 UNHEALTHY EATING HABITS

ost of the reasons why people add weight during a lockdown are owing to their diet. People eat anything and at any time and expect to be healthy. In the second chapter, it was explained

that what you eat has a direct impact on how healthy you will be. It is safe to say that it is impossible to be healthy when you eat wrongly.

During a lockdown, there is a strong possibility and tendency to develop poor nutritional habits that are detrimental to your health, which includes awful food combinations. Habits are powerful. They determine what you do and how often you do them. When a person develops unhealthy eating habits, then they have a problem.

If you developed an unhealthy eating habit, you might want to seriously consider changing them because habits decide how consistent you will be. When you have excess free time, it is possible to lose your sense of order and organisation and slide into some unhealthy habits. Let's look at the concept of habits closely.

What are habits

Every day, humans perform actions as long as they are alive. Scientists believe that about 40% of human action and behaviour comes from habit. Habits form the major part of the decisions people make. They determine how happy or unhappy a person is and will be. Everyone has a habit, either good or bad. Good habits enhance our productivity and improve the quality of our lives, while the bad ones do the exact opposite. From when a child gains consciousness of their actions and their being, they begin to form and develop habits that will grow with them and affect their lives. It is the responsibility of those around them to ensure only positive habits are allowed to grow.

Habits are basically what a person does on a consistent basis in certain aspects of their lives. People have unhealthy financial habits, which means they have some actions that they do consistently that

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do not help them grow their finances or attain their goals. There are certain unhealthy eating habits that will not let us actualize our goals of being healthy especially during a lockdown. Some of these habits were formed before or during the lockdown. If they are not worked on, they will jeopardize your quest to be fit, free from extra weight and the risks associated with it.

What causes bad habits

A lot of factors have been found to cause people to develop poor habits, including unhealthy eating habits. For example, most habits are formed as a response to stress and boredom. People form bad habits to cope with stress and boredom. From biting your nails to overeating and spending so much time on the internet, people will do just anything to stop being bored.

Our body isn't really wired to stop things easily; instead, it gets used to it after a while and it sticks. During a lockdown, boredom is almost inevitable. The lack of purposeful activities gives you much time, which leaves you bored. Some of the things you would rather spend your time doing are no longer available, so in your boredom, you develop poor eating habits.

Change your habits, transform your life

The key to living a better life is to change what stops you from living your best life, which is always your poor habits. For instance, to get more productive, you would have to eliminate procrastination and laziness. The moment you alter your poor habits, you have truly started your journey of change. Change is easy. It is all about working on your poor habits.

Identify them

To improve your poor habits, you have to identify them. Everyone knows what is wrong. It is almost like intuition. We are born with the knowledge of what is wrong or right, meaning we all know what is wrong or right. We can all identify our poor eating habits. Think and make a list of all the unhealthy things you do when it comes to food and then set out to change them because they can be changed.

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Unhealthy eating habits

Have you ever seen someone full after eating a heavy plate of meal but still asks for more or orders a dessert? That habit is not always healthy. Some people eat continuously, where over a period of time they develop breathing issues and have difficulties sleeping. Their body has taken far more than needed. Unhealthy eating habits account for weight problems more than anything else.

The best nutritionists and dieticians will tell you that no one is perfect when it comes to eating. From time to time, we all show a little bit of poor attitude when it comes to food, especially our favourite, but some people have developed habits that they do consistently. These poor eating habits result in weight gain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and a series of potential health problems.

Get rid of these

1. Quick fix: Most people have developed the habit of not taking some time to plan what they will eat. When they get hungry, they go for a quick fix like noodles or fast food. This habit will make it difficult for such an individual to be healthy. They will always go for the shortcuts or an easy way out. The body loves these unhealthy foods because the taste feels nice, but it does not need them. To remedy this, take some time to plan for what you will eat and if possible, prepare it ahead of time. Ensure you prepare foods that are high in nutrients and vegetables. When you plan your meal, you won't get to eat junk in reaction to your hunger. Try and press pause on the pizza delivery and enjoy some good healthy homemade food. Are you going to completely avoid these quick foods? Not at all. The concern here is that you do not make these foods habitual.

2. Processed foods: Some people crave and love processed foods, and these foods are fatty and salty and have been stripped of nutrients. They only offer a pleasant taste and soothe the cravings but are highly unhealthy.

3. Love for sugar: Candy, sweets, chocolates, cookies, soda should be reduced. Most people eat for the fun of the taste without minding the calorie being consumed. Some of these foods lack nutrients. The body can do more with vegetables than these quick-fix foods.

4. Eating without being hungry. This is also known as mindless eating and could be linked to ‘emotional’ eating. This happens when food becomes what you do to overcome boredom or tiredness. When you eat because you are sad or bored, you will

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eat without taking inventory of what goes into your body and that's not healthy or smart. Be sure to eat for the right reasons.

5. Unfocused eating: Some people eat and chat, watch TV or surf the net. Some even play video games. This is a poor eating habit. You stand a chance to overeat. Try to eliminate distractions when you are eating so you can know when you are full and need to draw the curtain.

6. Large portions: Large portions will certainly lead to over-eating. The body does not need large quantities to work. Eating large quantities will aid your weight than anything else. It is important to watch your portion and ensure you stop eating once you are full. When we eat in a focused environment, we easily get filled.

7. Too many liquids: Alcohol, juice, soda and sweet teas all contain sugar. Some people are addicted to these liquids without realizing they are detrimental to the body. Replace these liquids with water.

8. Over-eating: This happens when people eat more than they need but keep eating because they enjoy eating. The body malfunctions when it is over-fed.

9. Late-night eating: Late-night eating is unhealthy for the body, but some people have an affinity for it. After dinner, brush your teeth and imagine you have closed for the day in terms of eating. If you feel hungry, don't quickly go to the kitchen. Take water and wait a while.

10. Round-the-clock snacking: Snacking on high-calorie snacks that are void of nutrients is detrimental to the body. Try to replace these snacks with fruits like carrots.

11. Fast eating: When you eat in a hurry, you won't know when you have exceeded your limit. Fast eating makes people overeat.

Habits can be broken

Just the way they were developed, habits can also be broken or changed. If you have a poor eating habit you picked up from a lockdown or prior to a lockdown, they can be changed, but they will require your full commitment and cooperation. Unhealthy eating habits would have to be substituted for healthier ones. They just can't go without something new coming in. For example, you need to have a plan ahead of time for how you will respond when you face the stress or boredom

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that prompts your bad habit. Knowing what to do when you feel bored will help you cope better or else you will fall back to how it used to be before.

If you tend to eat late at night, you need to think of what you will do when the hunger pangs come calling at 11 pm. You can decide to drink water or remind yourself of the dangers of eating by that time. By preparing ahead of time, you put yourself in the position to replace unhealthy habits with better ones.

Secondly, try to eliminate possible triggers. For example, try to keep less processed and unhealthy foods in your house. The less sugary foods in your house, the easier it is for you to focus. Replace the canned food with foods that have more nutrients. Try blending some fruits yourself to make your drink. Have more fruit juice than soda in your house. When all you crave for are not within reach, it becomes easier to focus.

Even if you slip sometimes, which is bound to happen, it is important that you continue in your quest. Also, get yourself to be accountable to someone who can help you stay on track without judging you when you fail because it might happen. To be more audacious, it will happen.

Furthermore, try eating with smaller plates. Don't eat with large plates. You will keep eating even when you are full. Starting this may be tough, but you just need to get on with the new habit. As you continue, it will become easier for you. Take some time to understand which area you need to work on. The next chapter will show you some homemade lockdown recipes for weight loss and how to prepare them.

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06 THE RIGHT DIET

or those who put on excess weight during the lockdown and those who would love to know what to feed on during a lockdown, this chapter is your answer. Everything about weight loss is

about eating right mixed with exercise. Shedding off weight is mainly about focusing on what you eat and preventing weight gain is also about watching what you eat. To be totally healthy, you should know what to eat and what to stay away from.

Begin the little changes

Most times, people spend more time complaining about how they look or worrying that they would soon look out of shape. Worrying over your weight does not help you actualize your goal of losing weight; instead, it makes you depressed and affects your self-perception. Worrying makes you lose confidence in yourself. The first step in your weight loss journey would be to eliminate worry and anxiety. All you will need to do is to make little changes to what you eat and how you live. Do not rush yourself. See it as a journey to health that should be taken gradually. Rushing yourself might get you anxious. Day by day, make little changes to your habit, diet and lifestyle.

The choice to alter your daily life for good will take you to your desired goal. For instance, you can decide to stop stocking your house with processed foods and depend more on natural food items that are high in nutrients. You can decide to take water instead of soft drinks or your favourite sugary juice. The decision to spend a few minutes exercising will pay off both mentally and physically. All you need to be healthy is a daily decision to make and enforce positive changes in your life.

Change what you eat

Make up your mind to eat only things that are high on nutrients. Avoid fatty food and other high-calorie foods that increase your chances of gaining weight. During a lockdown, it is important you

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pay more attention to the nutritional value of what you eat, including what your kids eat if you have kids. Avoid raising your children on unhealthy foods such as fries and burgers. Teach your children to eat lots of vegetables and drink plenty of water. A healthy family is wealthy.

Eliminate and avoid the following:

During a lockdown or when trying to lose weight, do your best to reduce how often you take the following foods.

a. French Fries and Potato Chips: French fries and potato chips are extremely high in calories and are easy to consume in large quantities. Staying far from French fries and potato chips is best for your health.

b. Sugar-sweetened beverages, like soft drinks are high in sugar and have little or no nutritional value. Studies have linked obesity to excessive consumption of soft drinks. The body thrives more on natural sugar than processed sugar.

c. White Bread: White bread is refined and high in sugar. During a lockdown, it is best to avoid food that contains refined sugar.

d. Candy Bars chocolates and sweets: these kinds of foods or snacks are high in sugar content and sugar definitely is not your friend.

e. Fruit juice: Not all fruit juice is healthy. Some of them have added sugar than natural fruits. A lot of them have been processed. It is more health-effective to take an orange than a cup of orange juice.

f. Pastries, Cookies and Cakes: these foods are high in calories but have little nutritional value. For a person trying to lose weight, it is best to avoid them.

g. Alcohol changes the body metabolism and lowers inhibition which means there is a tendency to eat unhealthy food. Aside from losing weight, alcohol consumption has little advantage to the body.

h. Ice cream: ice cream is tasty but highly unhealthy. It is safe and best to reduce your intake.

i. Coffee: caffeine is a natural stimulant, able to deprive you of sleep. Most persons tend to indulge in late night snacks if they can’t sleep.

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Losing weight or being healthy does not mean your food must be tasteless or bitter. It can be sweet and it should be delicious, but it must contain little calories. Calories are what make some food healthier than others.

To lose weight and stay in shape, certain foods are recommended.

1. Leafy Greens: this includes spinach, collards, swiss chards, kale and others. They are loaded with fibre and are low in calories and carbohydrates. They are healthy for weight loss.

2. Salmon: this type of fatty fish is healthy because they are rich in nutrients and low in calories. It is a high-quality protein and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Cruciferous Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts are super rich in fibre and should be present in your food.

4. Avocados are a great source of vitamins and are rich in omega-3 fatty acid which is healthy.

5. Whole grains are the seeds of grass-like plants called cereals. Some of the most common varieties are corn, rice, and wheat.

6. Beans: Lentils, black beans, kidney beans and some other beans are rich in protein and can make you full on time. It is an easy homemade meal that can help in weight loss. Beans contain fewer calories and it takes some time for one to get hungry after eating beans. Beans should be a serious part of your daily diet. Beans can lower blood sugar, decrease cholesterol in the body.

Here are some healthy recipe ideas

1. Healthy Chicken Taco Soup: soup is generally a great recipe for weight loss, especially when high in protein. It is easy to make this at home during the lockdown or even regular family meals

What you will need:

✓ Chicken breast ✓ Red and green bell peppers ✓ Onion ✓ Tomatoes ✓ Green chilies

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✓ Chicken broth ✓ Avocado or coconut oil ✓ Garlic ✓ Lime juice

Heat a large pot in medium heat. Once it is hot, add avocado or coconut oil alongside peppers, onion, and garlic. Wait for the onion to become translucent, then add your chicken, tomatoes, green chilies, spices, lime juice, and chicken broth. Stir it properly to mix and allow the soup to cook for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is soft and easy to shred. Once the chicken is tender, take a fork and shred it, then serve it with fresh coriander, diced red onion, and fresh lime wedges.

2. Caribbean Steamed Fish: this is a healthy meal and is easy to make at home.

What you will need:

✓ Fish

✓ Lime juice

✓ okra

✓ Crushed garlic

✓ Black, red and green pepper

✓ Thyme

✓ vegetables

Recipe

First of all, season the fish with lime juice, crushed garlic, black pepper, salt and a little thyme.

In a large, wide heavy bottom pot over medium heat, add oil and butter. When the butter has melted, sauté carrots, red and green pepper, and onion until it has softened. This should take about 5 minutes. Add garlic slices and pepper and cook for just a minute or two. Add water and bring to a boil. Add fish to the pot. Spoon some of the vegetables on top of the fish. Add okra and a little thyme. Cover the pot and lower the heat to simmer, then cook for 15 minutes until the fish is done. Remove from heat and serve.

What you will need: Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

✓ Butter lettuce or romaine lettuce hearts

✓ Low-sodium chicken broth

✓ Hoisin sauce

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✓ Low-sodium soy sauce

✓ Rice vinegar

✓ Asian sesame oil

✓ Chili garlic sauce

✓ Corn starch

✓ Canola or avocado oil divided

✓ Cashews, coarsely chopped

✓ Shrimp cut into small cubes

✓ Garlic

✓ Red bell pepper seeded and diced

✓ Green onions

✓ Chopped coriander

✓ Carrot cut into thin strips

Steps:

Divide the lettuce into leaves and set it aside. whisk together the chicken broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, and corn starch in a small bowl and set it aside. In a skillet, heat ½ tablespoon canola or avocado oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the shrimp and stir fry for two minutes. Put the shrimp in a separate bowl and remove any juice from the pan.

In the same skillet, heat the other ½ tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat and add garlic, bell pepper, green onions, and carrots. Stir fry until tender crisp, this should take 2 minutes. Add the shrimp to the pan and add the cashews and coriander. Spoon the shrimp mixture evenly onto lettuce leaves.

There are a whole lot of foods you can eat during a lockdown to lose weight and be healthy.

In the next and final chapter, the place of exercise will be discussed.

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07 EXERCISE HELPS

n previous chapters, it was discovered that eating without exercising leads to unwanted fats being stored in the body. When people eat and live a lifestyle that is void of exercise, they put their health

in danger. Exercise is vital for weight loss. The body needs to be stretched. Going about your normal day without exercise is what puts you at a greater risk of developing certain diseases.

Studies have shown that lack of exercise is the main cause of heart disease in most persons. Constant feasting without working overworks the organ. Exercise helps to strike a balance between eating and also being healthy. Recently, statistics have shown that the possibility of people developing heart-related concerns has increased because of the lifestyle and diet. Most of what we eat are processed foods with high calories, and sometimes, people do not take into account that the body needs to release some of these stored up calories. Exercise can prevent or even reverse the effects of certain diseases. Exercise lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, which may prevent a heart attack.

Exercise not only helps in losing weight, it also helps in staying in shape. Those who maintain a consistent life of exercise reduce the risks of developing colon and breast cancer.

During a lockdown

One thing that highlights a lockdown is that businesses and social centres are shut down except for a few places considered to offer essential services. In countries where the lockdown measures are enforced with maximum strictness, people can barely go out for a drive or a run or even stroll with their dog. The gym is not available; your buddies are not there to motivate you, so there is every opportunity and excuse to think that it is impossible to exercise and stay fit during such time.

Even without going for a walk or a run or even visiting the gym, there are indoor exercise routines that can help keep the body in shape added to your healthy dieting. Exercising during the lockdown is easy and simple.

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Have a routine

For a start, you will not want to feel overwhelmed by doing it every day. You can decide to spend a specific amount of time, a certain number of days a week. For instance, twenty minutes of exercise three times a week is good enough for a start. You can lose so much weight if you stay consistent. Of course, the longer you work out, the better for your weight loss journey. So instead of waking up in the morning and eating a heavy meal, you can take the first thirty minutes to exercise your body. You do not need to go to a gym to stay fit during a lockdown. You can be as healthy as possible just by having an exercise routine. After a while, you can increase the timing from twenty to forty-five minutes or even an hour.

You can utilize the aid of social media to know exactly what to do. If you have internet access, you can go on your YouTube and access a whole lot of exercise routines from different coaches and trainers. If you look around your house, you will see things that can be used for exercises, such as your staircase, a bag of flour or wood or even a rope for skipping. Bring out your innovative best and get yourself in shape. You can do other exercises with your own bodyweight without needing any extra help or material.

Things you can do at home.

Planks: Create a little space in the corner of your house and if you have a yoga mat, set it up there. Even if you don't have a mat or a carpet, you can position a towel to protect your arms. Get into position: lie on your front with your forearms on the floor (parallel to each other), toes tucked under, then push up your body weight, so you are resting on your forearms and your feet. Keep your body in a straight line and endure a bit. You can set a timer for a minute if you can last that long or half a minute. You will be building your muscles this way.

Step-ups: You can use a low chair or bench for this. You need to get something that won't meet but can carry your full weight. Stand in front of the chair, step up with one foot, bring the other up, stand up on the step. Step backward using the same leg. Repeat on the other side. Set a specific number of times you want to do that and observe how your body reacts to it.

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Weights: If you have dumbbells at home, that's a huge plus, but if you do not, you can improvise. Get some heavy stuff like bags or irons and lift them. You can fill up a container with sand and lift it. This will help keep your muscles fit and sharp.

Skipping: Probably the easiest. All you need is a rope long enough for you to jump. This will help your heartbeat and also cause you to sweat and burn off some fat.

You can also join some virtual exercise classes and team up with other people who are trying to lose weight or stay fit. The association is healthy for you and provides you the opportunity to make new friends, though online.

There are some apps that can help you stay fit. This is the 21st century. Almost everything is digital. Utilize your phone and get some new ways of staying healthy.

Remember, it is possible to be healthy in a lockdown. All you need is to eat right; exercise and you will live better.

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CONCLUSION

It is in your hands

Everything discussed here will remain a weapon in your hands, but you would have to use it for your defence. Knowledge on its own lacks power; it is action that wields change. Staying healthy is a possibility and that depends on your everyday choice. Every decision you make determines if you will be healthy or unhealthy.

Decide that you will eliminate unhealthy habits and embrace positive ones. Decide to change your diet and exercise. Eliminate excuses and you will live healthier than you have ever done.

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