Does this sound familiar yet? You roll out of bed about an hour after you planned with just enough time to grab a cup of coffee or eat a bowl of cheerios. Maybe you shower, or maybe you brush your hair. Or maybe not. And within 20 minutes, you’re sitting down at your “desk” to start work for the day. Five o’clock (or maybe 4 o’clock) comes, and you “cook” your dinner at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Soon your latest baked goods (or boxed salty carbs) are beckoning, and you’re on the couch watching TV. Another day down, and it’s safe to say the novelty of staying at home has worn off.

It’s the new routine for many of us as we continue to quarantine, and it’s probably not the healthiest thing for our bodies or our minds. Let’s be honest though—it’s hard enough to stick to a health routine when the world doesn’t feel like it’s ending. And with shelter-in-place recommendations or stay-at-home orders, it’s even easier to let work or screen time—or even family time or home improvement—take priority over our mental and physical health.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can—and probably should—find ways to eat healthy and be active even now. After all, Utah’s coronavirus response plan includes working remotely in 3 of the 4 economic recovery phases, meaning this new routine really could be the new normal for a long time.

In 2017 Envision Utah partnered with Get Healthy Utah and Heart+Mind Strategies to study how Utahns feel about healthy living. Among other things, we found that most of us are not quite as healthy as we think. That’s important because many of us—even a majority of us—are at increased risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, depression, and other chronic illnesses.

On the other hand, eating healthy and being active allows us to better take care of ourselves and means we can stay healthy enough to be there for our families and loved ones. Good health also makes it easier to help create the kind of future we want. (Not to mention, new studies are finding that obesity may be one of the most important predictors of severe coronavirus illnesses, especially in younger patients. Read the full study here ➝)

So, without further ado, here’s the Envision Utah guide to staying active and eating right during the coronavirus pandemic.

Staying active throughout the day
Research shows that taking just 30 minutes each day for exercise not only helps us establish needed routines, but also boosts our endorphin levels and improves our mental health. But before you lace up your running shoes or dust off those old weights, know that you can weave physical activity into your schedule throughout the day. Going for a walk, doing jumping jacks, and even stretching are all great ways to stay active during quarantine. And you can do all those things with your kids—or while watching a Zoom webinar.

We reached out to our social media followers to ask how they’re staying active during isolation, and they had some awesome ideas to share:

There are plenty of ways to get creative about exercise, so don’t feel like you have to start a P90X routine or be hard on yourself. There’s no right or wrong way to exercise in quarantine, especially when you’re having fun with it.

Eating right
Just as important as staying active, eating healthy is a big part of both our mental and physical health—and especially important for keeping our immune systems in good shape. Easier said than done though, right? Especially with kids. But here are 3 steps to help make it happen:

  1. Plan your meals, and involve your kids too.
    Whether it’s setting the table or teaching them the secret family recipes you want to pass on, this is the time to make eating together a positive and routine experience for the whole family! You can also skip the grocery store and use healthy meal kit delivery services to make cooking healthy meals fun and easier with less hassle if that’s something you’re into.

  2. Focus on nutrition-packed foods.
    Nutrition.org recommends stocking up on nutrition-packed foods that will stay fresh for a week or longer such as sturdy fresh fruit, low sodium canned veggies, soups and broths, etc. Make sure your meals emphasize whole grains, veggies, and fruits, keeping meat portions smaller. To limit your trips to the grocery store, try to build a multi-week supply of less perishable foods and foods that can be frozen — cheeses, carbs, canned fruits and veggies, eggs, meats, frozen veggies, etc. The more time that passes in quarantine the more videos and health-focused recipes are sprouting up on the internet, so if you’re getting sick of the dishes you know how to cook give them a look!

  3. It’s okay to eat comfort food with kids…and with yourself!
    Comfort food is called comfort food for a reason. And while it shouldn’t be served at every meal, during this stressful and confusing time cooking, baking, and consuming comfort foods is exactly what we need every now and then. Bake the cookies, scoop up the mac and cheese, and most importantly, enjoy!

Stay Informed
Check out the links below for some more resources on staying active and eating right during the Coronavirus Pandemic!

Making Health and Nutrition a Priority During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic:
https://nutrition.org/making-health-and-nutrition-a-priority-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/

The Challenges of Feeding Kids During Coronavirus:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/parenting/coronavirus-kids-cooking.html

Bankrate’s Healthy Boundaries for Families During COVID-19 Guide:
https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/homeowners-insurance/healthy-boundaries-covid-19/

You Can Take Care of Yourself in Coronavirus Quarantine or Isolation, Starting Right Now:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/style/self-care/isolation-exercise-meditation-coronavirus.html

Resources to Get Kids Moving at Home:
https://www.activeschoolsus.org/news-and-resources/2019-11-22-resources-for-home/

Supporting Kids During the Coronavirus:
https://childmind.org/article/supporting-kids-during-the-covid-19-crisis/

Betime & Mental Health: 19 Apps for Parents Amid Covid:
https://myslumberyard.com/blog/bedtime-apps-for-kids-covid/

Remaining Physically Active While Staying Home:
https://childmind.org/article/supporting-kids-during-the-covid-19-crisis/

Really, Really Short Workouts:
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/really-really-short-workouts

We at Envision Utah encourage Utahns to take this time as an opportunity to prioritize their mental and physical wellbeing, not just in response to coronavirus, but as a long-term investment in their health.

Whether it’s quick workouts, taking the kids for a walk around the block, cooking a healthy portion of vegetables, or just getting some sunshine, we hope you’re staying healthy and happy during quarantine.