Reach out to friends and family regularly to stay connected during self-quarantine.
As more and more of Michigan reopens amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, many have been home alone. In addition to adjusting to work-from-home environments and missing friends and family, living alone while quarantined can come with its own challenges.
Staying healthy and maintaining a healthy weight when grocery shopping comes with anxiety - and that can be tough. Never fear. Medical Weight Loss Clinic’s Marketing Director Fran Yee shared some great advice for those quarantined alone.
First, be sure to maintain a schedule. Yee says sticking to a regular schedule is important. She suggests breaking up the day in a familiar way “as if quarantine did not exist.”
That means waking up at a set time on weekdays – and sleeping in on weekends; making sure to take lunch at a regular time; setting aside time for chores, relaxing, doing crossword puzzles or other hobbies like reading.
Next, be sure to make time to cook healthy foods. And make it as easy as possible to go for those healthy options. For Fran, it means cooking with fresh vegetables – and often.
“I love roasting veggies in the oven, especially if I am worried about them going bad and not having a real plan for them,” she says. “This way, I already have cooked veggies on hand if I want to create a scramble in the morning for eggs, add them to a salad for lunch, or a veggie wrap with lean protein for a quick and easy dinner.
“I also will pre-make a few of our dressing recipes to have on-hand. It's nice to have a variety already at your fingertips.”
Staying on track also means staying active. When the gyms are closed and our routines are interrupted, finding new options is the best bet. Many gyms and fitness studios are offering online options during the quarantine. Instead of going to a class, it’s possible to find instructors online or on Instagram Live.
“My favorite yoga studio offers classes via Zoom which actually works out more in my favor now, as it was really hard to make it to my favorite classes with my favorite instructors since construction has ramped up,” says Yee. Road construction near the studio had made it a challenge to get to classes prior to the stay at home order. Online classes also eliminate other excuses to skip a class. Yee admits she can no longer say things like: “I am low on gas, traffic is bad or it’s really snowy out” to avoid a class. It’s easy to log right in at home.
Online fitness can bring you closer to instructors and other participants across the globe.
“I've also been introduced to new instructors all over the world - I never would have had the opportunity to take their classes!” says Yee. “My most recent class was with a New York City-based pilates and yoga instructor. The class only had 12 people - from Atlanta, South Carolina, Wales, Australia and Germany!”
As we work to build strength physically, it’s also crucial to keep tabs on our mental well-being. Being alone doesn’t have to feel lonely. It does take work to stay connected. Yee suggests having regular chats with friends, family members and coworkers. Try new video chat software or smart phone apps. Text and call those closest to you.
“You never know, they may be struggling as well,” Yee says. “And reaching out might be beneficial for all parties. For me, I love video chats on Zoom or FaceTime - there are so many apps now that encourage connectivity more than ever. If your therapist offers phone or video sessions, I highly recommend taking advantage of that as well.”
Reach out when and how you can. Ask for help if you need it. And go easy on yourself. These are difficult times.
If you’ve got questions about healthy weight loss, we have answers. Learn more about Medical Weight Loss Clinic at mwlc.com.
