With many of us currently on home-quarantine, boredom strikes faster and easier than normal, which could be prompting us to indulge further in unhealthy activities like being a couch potato or pigging out. Combine that with the occasional bouts of anxiety because of all the headlines lately. We could all be taking this break to bond with our families more, but instead, we’re falling into this trap of uncertainty that some of us may have trouble coping with.
Thus, nourishing our minds and bodies are highly crucial at this point. Rather than watching TV or surfing the net all day, let’s rise on our feet and do a little challenge: glowing up!
Self-care is the least we can do to stay healthy and feel good about ourselves during this stressful time. Drop the feeds for the meantime, and focus on getting a little makeover.
Losing Weight
Many of us like to use our vacations to get back in shape. Exercising is the way to go, but that will be more effective with a healthier diet.
Don’t skip breakfast. People who do so tend to eat more throughout the day, adding up their BMI. Just skip the processed food for breakfast and stick to whole-grain cereal topped with fruits. Add low-fat dairy, too, if you’re not lactose-intolerant.
For the rest of your meals, be sure to have fruits and veggies. Start lunch or dinner with a salad or broth-based soup. Fill up with vitamin- and fiber-rich food to reduce your sweet cravings. Include fruits and veggies in your snacks, too, and swap junk foods for healthy ketogenic diet snacks or anything low-fat, protein-rich, and low-sugar.
Avoid midnight snacks, too! Brush your teeth immediately after dinner to lessen the temptation of making another kitchen trip late at night. And of course, drink plenty of water and avoid sugary drinks!
Clearing Skin
Due to the circumstances, stress remains our skin’s enemy despite being at home. Hence, avoid websites showing devastating news every day. Try yoga, breathing exercises, or meditating to calm your mind. Your skin will thank you for it.
Check your home’s air quality, too. Indoor air isn’t entirely clean, so regularly replace filters, use the fan in the range when you cook, and run a humidifier if your skin is drying out.
Don’t skip sunscreen, too, even if you’re just indoors, because sunlight penetrates windows. If you’re under prescription meds and your skin is breaking out, consult your doctor because it could be the medicine’s doing.
Most importantly, get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation releases more stress hormones to our bodies, rendering our skincare regimens useless. Get a full 7-8 hours of slumber every night and watch your skin thrive.
Getting Lush Locks
Damaged hair can be restored by kitchen products. Apple cider vinegar mixed with olive oil and egg whites works wonders. Use it as a hair mask before shampooing. For a simpler and quicker version, just mix egg whites with your shampoo.
If you keep botanical oils in your cupboard, coat your locks with those, too, then wash them away with shampoo after 30 minutes. When you dry your hair, just wrap the towel around your head and don’t rub to stop the growth of split-ends.
Your humidifier is beneficial to your hair, too. It helps add moisture to dry and damaged hair, so run it at night. If you sleep with a ponytail on, get used to taking them off; tying your hair daily damages it further, so let it breathe.
Eat healthy, too. Add omega-3-rich food to your healthy meal plan. Your hair, nails, and whole body will rejoice from them.
When things get back to normal again, you can repeat the challenge on your next vacation, with no more dreadful headlines stressing you out that time, hopefully. For now, make it your goal to overcome this with a glow-up.
