Tips for Losing and Maintaining Weight during the Corona Period

Did you know that according to the Ministry of Health’s statistics 50% of the population in Israel are expected to gain 5-7 kg. during their time spent at home because of the coronavirus crisis?
In order to help us through these times in a healthy way, our dietician Moran Kilsey has some tips to help us maintain a healthy weight and maybe even lose some.

Tip about snacking

During our extended time at home, we often find ourselves looking to eat more than usual. Have you stopped to ask yourself if you really need that snack? Many times we snack out of boredom, or even just because we are only just a tiny bit hungry… so if you are going to have that snack anyway, try to choose healthy ones that contain low amounts of fat and sugar (oil-free popcorn, cut-up vegetables, fruit, nuts, dates). Did you know that in one 70 g. packet of Bisli there are 3Tips for Losing and Maintaining Weight during the Corona Period50 calories? For the same amount of calories you can eat two slices of bread + two tablespoons of cheese + a small vegetable salad with a teaspoon of oil + fruit!

You can also stop before you snack, and ask yourself- am I really hungry? If the answer is yes, it’s better to choose a more filling dish (such as yogurt with fruit, or even a sandwich). If the answer is no- ask yourself whether you really want to eat. Try to recognize the feeling that causes you to turn to food. Then think about how you can overcome that feeling in another way that isn’t through eating, perhaps a small distraction will help (such as calling a friend, taking a shower, finding an activity to overcome the boredom, exercise, etc.)A recipe for a healthy snack:

A recipe for a healthy snack:

Oven-cooked chickpeas

Ingredients:

A tin of chickpeas

Spices according to taste: salt, black pepper, cumin (if you like spicy food add some chili flakes)

2 teaspoons of olive oil

Method:

Mix the spices with the olive oil and pour over the chickpeas.

Bake for 15-20 minutes in the oven until they start to turn golden.

A tip on planning meals

it’s not simple to maintain healthy eating habits during this time… do you manage to eat 3 meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner? Spreading meals throughout the day helps us feel full and reduces the needy for snacking. Many people skip breakfast to save on calories as they feel that breakfast opens up their appetite. In fact, skipping this meal can result in us eating more during the day, mainly snacks and more in the evenings due to increased hunger. To avoid this we should try to plan ahead. Prepare a large amount of cooked food that will last a few days so that when you are hungry you’ll have food ready to eat.

A tip on fruit and vegetables

During tough times like these it’s easy to take the easy route and choose ready-made and processed food that doesn’t contribute much to our health. To stay healthy and also lose weight it’s important to eat fruit and vegetables throughout the day. Incorporating them into your diet will contribute to you feeling full and provide you with vitamins and minerals essential to your health. You can use vegetables in stews, pies, soups or stir fries, or bake them in the oven, eat them fresh or cut up in a salad. It’s recommended to eat fruits whole or as part of a meal, for example- yogurt with fruit. For those looking to lose weight, adding vegetables to a meal can allow for you to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you consume which will also reduce the amount of calories. Another small tip- if when you eat fruit you cut it up it can give you the feeling that you are eating more and satisfy your snack craving.
A warm recommendation: at Leket we recommend you buy fruit and vegetables from local farmers.

A tip on caffeine

Are you consuming more coffee since you’ve been at home? And can it help you lose weight? Here are a few things you should know:
The World Health Organization recommends consuming up to 300 mg of caffeine per day (equivalent to three cups of instant coffee). The effect of caffeine is felt within just 15 minutes!
The sensible consumption of caffeine can help you overcome tiredness and increase your ability to concentrate and think clearly and sharply. What time can you consume coffee until without it affecting your sleep? Many people say during these times they are going to sleep later and even finding it difficult to fall asleep. The common recommendation is to drink coffee until the afternoon because half the amount of caffeine is eliminated from the body within 5 hours, and after 10 hours around 75 percent.
The question of all questions- does caffeine help us lose weight? Unfortunately there is no definitive answer and studies on the topic are contradictory. If you are dieting it’s best not to rely on caffeine for the cause…

A tip on separating carbohydrates and proteins

Does separating proteins and carbohydrates in a meal contribute to weight loss? The answer is no. Each food group is digested in a different area of the digestive system. Natural foods are combined of different layers of the food pyramid. For example, milk is a protein for all of us but it also contains a fair amount of carbohydrates and fat. This is true for many other foods such as rice, legumes and more, which means you can’t separate the different food groups anyway. In addition, no scientific research has been made to back up this claim. So what’s recommended? Eat a balanced diet- carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, fruit and vegetables. Together or separate? That comes down to taste!

Recent Posts

Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletters & updates

Follow Us

Celebrate Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Volunteer, Create Chesed Project and more

Learn More

Send Ecards for All Occasions

Send eCards for friends and family & support Leket Israel

Send eCards
לקט ישראל

לקט ישראל

Skip to content