How To Reverse The Pandemic Covid 15

The stress from a pandemic may have lead to weight gain 

I received samples of various products that I decided to include in my article

 Are your jeans a bit too tight? The past couple of months have been stressful for most everyone. Having to stay at home or having to be an essential worker has taken a toll on everyone. Then throw in homeschooling and entertaining kids. Most everyone is tired of living this way and I am not sure if anyone is happy that we are going through this C lung virus pandemic thing. Maybe the people who are making money from this respiratory virus are happy but I am not quite sure. The saying we are all in this together can be annoying but we really are all in it together when it comes to not enjoying life right now. Life for most is stressful right now and the stress of dealing with life right now has lead to weight gain or the COVID 15. I like to think of the COVID 15 as the weight that most first-year college students gain.

 The reasons that a lot of people have gained weight could be from boredom, stress eating, or even taking up a new hobby of baking. Everyone has different ways to cope with change and stress and for some, it is with food. My coping strategies lately have been cleaning, gardening, and stockpiling. Cleaning has always been the way I deal with my stress so if you see me mad cleaning, watch out. 

You thought social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic was going to be your excuse to stress eat and binge-watch television all day?

 It is hard to believe that we have had to stay at home or shelter in place for 4 months now. It seems like there is no end in sight for this deadly for some lung virus. Just when we think that things are getting better, things start going bad again. I am referring to this virus that affects the lungs as having to stay in from recess because of a few kids who can't follow the rules. I really don't like the rule of social distancing and having to wear a face mask but they do work. Right now we are being asked to wear a face mask when exercising but I am unable to do so because of my asthma. Exercise helps asthma so I am running on paths that are empty so I can avoid people.

 People that I know who have caught the virus, look back and say that they were not wearing a mask and that they were not social distancing-ie they were at a party or another gathering of people.  I have also known a few people who were exposed to the virus but did not get a positive viral test thanks to wearing a mask and social distancing.

 Whatever the reasons that you put on the pounds or that your clothes don't fit, now is a perfect time to stop the weight gain.  A period like this is actually the worst time to be slacking on healthy habits like exercise and a healthy diet. A viral outbreak is a time that you need to keep your immune system strong so it can fight off the germs. A healthy body can be the start to a healthy immune system. 

 Stress is at an all-time high as there are so many unanswered questions like when is this all going to end, what about my job, what about school? Stress can lead to unhealthy habits so taming the stress may be a start to losing that excess weight gain. I know easier said than done. I know this seems hard if not impossible but I am hoping that I can give you some tips and encouragement so you can take the first step to gain back your health.

Go for a daily walk even when you don't feel like it

 One of the best ways to deal with stress and keep your body healthy is walking. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for your body and mind. I don't want to hear any excuses about why you can't exercise. You have to put a fitness routine into your schedule and force yourself to workout. I go running first thing in the morning and I too have to push myself to get out the door. On days that the humidity is affecting my asthma, it is even harder for me to go running but I do it and when I finish my daily exercise, I always feel better. My son even gets the exercise thing. He hates waking up early but he realizes that if he waits to go running later in the day it is too hot. Get that daily exercise in and it is ok to use a natural energy drink or even drink a cup of coffee if you need some energy. Coffe is loaded with healthy antioxidants so it is a healthy drink for exercise.

 You may not have time in the morning to go for a walk as you have to go to work but make time for that exercise after work. You can even use these tips to sneak in exercise throughout the day. If you have kids don't let them be your excuse for not exercising. Be a healthy role model and teach your kids the importance of exercise for the body. These exercise tips for moms might help you. Exercise helps you have a healthy heart and a healthy immune system. 

Do curbside grocery pickup

 One of the best ways to eat healthy foods and follow a healthy diet plan is to shop for your groceries online and pick them up through curbside grocery pickup. When you do contactless grocery shopping, you make better choices in food selection. That bag of chips or a gallon of ice cream can't tempt you and somehow jump into your grocery cart. The food that you should not be eating won't make it into your fridge when you don't add it to your online food list. The best tip when shopping for food online is to do it after you eat so you are not hungry and do it after the kids are in bed so you can make wise choices. Fill that online shopping cart up with plenty of fruits and veggies as they are loaded with nutrition and fiber.

Eat plenty of fiber  

 Fiber helps keep you full longer so you can resist the snacks. Having foods that have fiber in them at every meal with fill you up faster so you don't reach for a 2nd helping of food. So make sure to include a serving of fruit or veggies with every meal and some of these foods that are high in fiber. Fiber can help you lose weight faster and another simple way to get more fiber into your body is with my favorite fiber supplement or these delicious healthy homemade fiber bars that are great for breakfast. 

Save 10% on Regular Girl with my coupon code MOMKNOBEST10

Get plenty of sleep

 Sleep is so beneficial to the body and can help with stress. Sleep can even help you lose weight. When you don't get enough sleep your body is not only tired but it is hard to make smart choices when you are tired. So again, force yourself to get 6-8 hours of sleep. Yes, it is hard to go to bed when you have a million things to do or you simply are not tired. Sometimes a bedtime snack that has carbs and protein in it can help you get tired. Yes, it is ok to eat after 7PM  and it may help you lose weight. These 12 sleep tips will also help you get the sleep that you need to feel well-rested.

If you have insomnia, like me then you need to try CBD Gummies as they help me fall asleep with no side effects. CBD Oil is made from a natural plant called hemp and it does not contain any mind-altering THC. I even give my boys CBD for pain relief as it is a natural pain reliever.

Ditch the yoga pants 

 Those yoga pants may be comfortable but they are causing you to gain weight. The problem with any pants with an elastic waistband is you don't realize that you are gaining weight. So those extra pounds lead to more. Now that you are heading back to work you realize that your work clothes no longer fit and that is no leading to stress that makes you want to eat more. So get dressed in clothes that have zippers and buttons, so you can realize when you are starting to gain weight.

 Getting dressed in clothes other than yoga pants may lift your mood. You might actually want to do something other than binge-watching TV. I have been guilty of staying in my running clothes all day as I am not leaving the house. I need to work on getting dressed for the day.

Self-care

 Take care of yourself. That means more than me time. I think most of us are tired of me-time and need some time with others outside of our house. So comb your hair, shave those legs(I am speaking to myself here), put on makeup, and your face mask. Then call a friend up and safely get together at an outdoor location. Make sure to social distance still as the C Virus is still here. This would be a great time to go for a walk with a friend as you can combine exercise with social time. I love it when I can combine exercise with errands and I will bike to the store.

Help others

 Just because we are in a viral pandemic doesn't mean we can't help others out. Doing something for others like volunteering at a food drive will help boost your mood and help with stress. Doing something like helping an elderly neighbor cut their grass or shop for food will keep you away from the fridge and get those feel-good hormones going. Just boosting the way you feel can lead to you making healthy choices that will lead to weight loss.

Give yourself some grace and some love

 Don't let that number on the scale define who you are. You should never feel bad about the way you look as we are unique people and were made to be of all sizes. Love yourself and stop the body shaming with yourself. Don't look at this as trying to lose weight but rather as an opportunity to make your body healthy so it can be strong with healthy immune support so you won't be more suspectable to the dumb lung virus.

Save 20% on the FitTrack Dara with code TARAP20  

 I have fallen in the trap about that dumb number on the scale and I have learned to focus on making my body stronger. I recently discovered a unique fitness tracker that helps me see my fitness progress without focusing on my body weight. With this fitness measurement tool, I can see that I am losing body fat and gaining body muscles.

Wear a mask

 A face mask will not only help stop the spread of the C lung virus but it can help you lose weight. It is impossible to eat when you have a face mask on. So a plus of going back to work to a place that requires you to wear a face mask is you will eat less. So stop complaining about having to wear a face mask and think of it as the best weight loss tool.

Drink more water

 Sometimes the simple act of drinking more water can help you with weight loss. Most people don't realize that they are thirsty and will reach for food instead of water. That can lead to eating more calories than you need. So make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Did you know that the average person should be drinking at least 64 ounces of water per day, more if exercising or it is hot outside? So before you reach for a snack, drink a glass of water first. Chances are the water will satisfy you and you won't want that snack. While coffee and tea count for your water intake, water is still the best thirst quencher. So guzzle water and sip the coffee.

 To encourage yourself to drink more water, keep a large water bottle near you and refill it often. Plain water can get boring so infuse some calorie-free flavor into your water with Pure Inventions Water Infusion Drops. These delicious sugar-free drops naturally sweeten your water and they are also caffeine and gluten-free. The Pure Inventions come in so many yummy flavors and I love that the bottles are the perfect size to take on the go. A couple drops are all you need to make your boring water exciting so you will guzzle it all up. The Water Infusion Drops come is so many delicious flavors and each bottle contains 30-60 servings. There are no artificial sweeteners in the Water Infusion Drops and they would be perfect in ice tea and coffee. Check out the below recipe for a delicious drink that uses the flavor drops.

Cranberry Peach Breeze
Beverage preparation by the glass:
Fill a 16-20 oz glass with ice
Add your favorite water (flat or sparkling)
Add one full dropper of Pure Inventions Cranberry + Elderberry
Add one full dropper of Pure Inventions Peach Green Tea
Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon
Shake or stir
Garnish with a slice of lemon

Try new healthy recipes

 Losing weight is never easy but sometimes just changing what you eat in one meal can make all the difference. Starting your day with a high protein/ high fiber meal that is loaded with nutrition can help you lose weight. Making your first meal of the day nourishing and nutritious can help you make smart food choices for the rest of the day. My favorite healthy breakfast is a high protein smoothie that I sometimes make into a smoothie bowl. This protein smoothie is loaded with fiber, lots of superfoods and so delicious. Protein and fiber will satisfy your hunger and keep you full for hours. That means you won't be tempted to snack on unhealthy junk food.

Smoothie bowls are so delicious and made into many different flavors. So you can have a different flavor every day of the week. I like to stock my freezer with frozen fruits like blueberries, mangos, and strawberries and there are always several different flavors of protein powders. Right now I am enjoying Living Fuel protein powder as it is filled with so many superfoods so it is a complete meal. Check out some easy smoothie bowl recipes that I found on their website.

Living Fuel Berry Bowl
1 cup of frozen blueberries (or any frozen fruit you want)
1 scoop of Living Fuel SuperBerry Ultimate
1 scoop of Living Fuel LivingProtein
¼ cup of spring water

Place all of these ingredients in your blender and blend or pulse. If it gets stuck add just another tablespoon of water. Place into a bowl and top with puffed rice or fresh fruits, nuts, oatmeal, granola, or anything that makes your heart sing!

SuperGreens Pineapple Bowl

1 cup of Frozen Pineapple (or any frozen fruit)

1 scoop Living Fuel SuperGreens

1 scoop Living Fuel LivingProtein

¼ cup cold spring water or, coconut milk

Blend all in your blender or super bullet, if needed add an additional tablespoon of water.

Pour into a bowl, smooth and top with fresh pineapple, berries, kiwi, granola, dark chocolate, pepita seeds, nuts, or ANYTHING you like!

Here are some other healthy recipes that you might enjoy

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Protein Breakfast Cookies

https://www.momknowsbest.net/2015/05/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-breakfast-cookies.html

No Peel Summer Apple Crisp

https://www.momknowsbest.net/2020/06/no-peel-apple-crisp-recipe-with-knively.html

Easy Beet Hummus

https://www.momknowsbest.net/2017/12/easy-beet-white-bean-hummus.html

Roasted Rainbow Brussels Sprouts

 https://www.momknowsbest.net/2018/12/roasted-rainbow-brussels-sprouts-made.html

Try some new healthy products

 Now is the best time to take care of your health as this virus and other viruses will always be here. A healthy body can resist those germs so that you don't get sick. I have also found that when a healthy person does get infected, they are able to recover faster from an illness that is caused by a virus. My family had some type of sickness go through our house earlier this year, which had me questioning if I should take some time off from exercise when I am sick. While my husband and son were sick for two weeks, I was only sick for 4 days. At the time I was exercising and eating healthy food while my husband was not. So adding some healthy supplements to your diet is always a good thing. Sure supplements may be pricey but doctor visits, hospital stays, and having to take time off from work can add up quickly.

 Some healthy supplements that I am enjoying right now have dual body benefits as they can also help you with your fitness plan. Powerlife products were developed by a guy, Tony Horton, who looks amazing at 60 years old. Tony embodies the idea of active aging — which means you can stay adventurous, active, and energized for as long as you want, with the right support. At 55, I like the way that Tony thinks as I know that exercise and healthy eating are making me look and feel amazing.

 I am enjoying a vanilla High Impact Plant Protein powder that I mix with their strawberry-flavored Foundation Four supplement. These two products make an amazing drink that has protein, probiotics, essential magnesium, and two servings of vegetables so I am getting some awesome nutrition. Powerlife also sent me their High Impact Endurance supplement that has Hawaiian Astaxanthin and elevATP that is made to designed to deliver a powerful, steady supply of energy and support natural muscle recovery. This supplement has lots of antioxidants in it and can help with athletic performance and body composition.

It may take time to see results

We have been in this pandemic for over 4 months and the excess weight did not come on overnight. So be patient with yourself while you make these healthy changes that hopefully will become healthy habits. Just wake up every day and try your best. Wake up believing in yourself and tell yourself that you are an amazingly beautiful person who can have a healthy body. If you don't exercise or eat something healthy one day, just try again the next day. Gaining health is not always easy but feeling better with more energy makes it all worth it.

My Life Through A Virus Pandemic

I am so ready for this virus pandemic to be over

 These past four months have been tough on my whole family but we have survived and had plenty of things to be thankful for. I think most of us have had struggles and worries over this respiratory lung virus thing. For so many this C lung virus or covid has drastically changed the way we live. The lung virus that can be deadly for some has changed the way we do things and has kept us inside for way too long.

 I remember the day that I last stepped foot into a store like a special event of my life but the sad thing was it not so special. The day was March 13, 2020, the day after my family got the news that changed our life. My college son just got word that he would not be going back to school for a while and my younger boys were told that their school would be closed for three weeks. My husband called and said he would be working from home.  So here is how I prepared for the virus.


The last trip to the grocery store had a lasting impression

  Four months ago when I made my last grocery store trip is stuck in my head like the 9/11 question of "where were you when you found out the news of the plane crashing into the towers." I can remember the exact moment that I pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store and almost all the parking spots were full. I was just at the store to get some extra food for my college kid and I was not prepared to panic buy until I walked into the crowded store. I can still see the empty store shelves in my head. I was not prepared for the long lines to buy my stockpile food. I remember just buying way too many boxes of pasta and crackers. I remember the asthma attack that took me three days to recover from. All the hand sanitizer that people were using and having to stand near the cleaning products flared up my asthma and filled my lungs with mucus. To this day I have not been inside that grocery store and instead have been doing curbside grocery pickup. I have heard from others that grocery stores have changed inside. So I am still kind of choosing to quarantine at home.

My first time inside a store after four months of the virus outbreak

 Just last week, I got brave enough to go inside a store. I won't lie about being afraid of the C virus when it first broke out in my state. Having asthma has kept me from going inside stores in more ways than just catching the virus. At first, it was me being afraid of catching the virus, and then it was having to smell the chemicals from the cleaning products. I did not want to suffer from an asthma attack again. I only decide to go inside Sprouts because I had coupons for free food that were going to expire. So I chose a time and day when I knew that the store would not be crowded so I would not have to wait in a long line to pay for my food. I put on my face covering before I went into the store. That grocery store trip had me thankful for grocery store pickup.

 I did fine with selecting my food and I was glad that the store was not crowded as I had a hard time following the arrows on the floor. I also had a hard time wearing a face mask as it made my breathing hard. Once I got to the checkout, I was glad that my younger son was with me to do the paying part. It was the cashier spraying cleaner on the conveyor belt that had me coughing and I was 6 feet away. Again the cleaning products caused my asthma to flare up and it took three days to get all the mucus out of my lungs. So staying at home is still a thing for me.


I am getting better at gardening

 When this crazy virus thing all started, I had a desire to grow food. I don't have a green thumb but the food shortages had me wanting to grow food. Gardening is helping me cope with all this craziness. Seeing my indoor cherry tomato plant thriving is giving me a sense of purpose. I even have a small garden outside. I am amazed that I am able to grow spinach, kale, and beets in the sandy soil of New Mexico. My outdoor tomatoes are not doing well so I was happy to have found a tomato plant at Lowes that already had green tomatoes on it and a pepper plant that had flowers on it. They were marked down and I hope that I will get plenty of veggies from them. My husband made fun of me for buying these huge vegetable plants and said it was like buying fish from the store. I told my husband that growing food is helping me get through this pandemic.

I think having my freezers full is a good thing just in case the virus causes food shortages again. I even discovered that my neighbor's tree has edible fruit on it. All these years, I thought that it was an ornamental cherry tree but my new neighbor told me that you can eat the cherries. So now I have plenty of cherries in my freezer.

Exercise helps me too    

 My daily fitness routine has helped me cope with the effects of the virus. When I am out running with my boys, I forget about what is going with the world. I listen to music and use this time to pray. I also discovered a peach tree while running. This tree is loaded with peaches so I am hoping that the person will need some help with harvesting the peaches. So I can get some fresh organic peaches for my freezer for my smoothies.

My college kid went back to school

 My middle son went back to school last week. His academy is going to be a close campus so things will be safer for him. It was hard to see my son leave after having him home for four months. Plus I may not see him until next summer as he will be going on a ship for 9 months this fall. My oldest son also left last month to go overseas for a year.

 I did gain a new office once my son left for school. So it felt good to move out of my bathroom office and into my son's bedroom. I now have a desk to work at. Now I have to start thinking of my younger boys and their schooling. My boys have recovered from the COVID slide so I am not worried about them attending school. If school starts next month, the boys will be doing online classes for 3 days and attending school for 2 days. So I want to make the dining room the schoolroom for the boys. Maybe they will be more productive if they are not doing online learning in their bedroom. I just hope that the boys will be challenged with the online school as I have no clue about homeschooling. I also started boosting my kid's immune system so they will hopefully stay healthy while going to school.


A new grandbaby

 My daughter is having another baby this month. So I am excited to be a grandma again. Anticipating a new life helps me forget about the crap that covid is causing. I have been enjoying my grandma playdates with my granddaughter while my daughter has her doctor's appointments. I am glad that they live close by so I can help my daughter out after the baby comes.

Church food events

 Last month my church had three Convoy of Hope Food events and my family had a great time helping distribute the food. Our church was able to give out boxes of food to over 600 cars in a drive-through set up in the church parking lot. Convoy of Hope delivered semi-trucks of food to our church. Then the boys and I helped unload the food from the pallets onto tables so other people could load them into cars. The boxes contained produce and dairy items. I had never seen so much milk. My pastor was able to get other items donated from places around our town so I had fun blessing others. It was also great to talk with other church members while we served.

The hot tub

The hot tub that we bought in April finally arrived and I am glad that we bought a hot tub. The pools here will not be opening so the hot tub is helping us while we have to stay at home. The boys love splashing in the hot tub during the day while my husband and I enjoy relaxing in the hot tub at night. The hot tub is now a part of my 12 sleep tips.


Eating at a restaurant

 My college son has a favorite restaurant and likes to eat there every time he comes home from school. So we went there right before he went back to school. I am glad that we were able to eat outside on their patio. It was different eating at a restaurant as we had to wear a face mask while we walk to our table. Up until now, we have only done take out so getting out of the house felt good.

Baking is still a thing

 My younger son and I have still been baking. My son is getting great at making cheesecakes and frog bread. While I have been making plenty of no-peel apple crisps to use up all the apples we received from the school lunches. I also have been making homemade bread and had fun making Focaccia Bread Flowers. Baking helps me relax and I love eating the goodies. I am now trying to think of new recipes that use the Five Minute Chef device as it makes cooking so easy for my boys. That way they can help with making dinner.

Counting my blessings

 For the most part, I am taking it one day at a time. Thinking of the future stresses me out as well as watching the news. I am thankful that my family is all healthy and that my husband has a job. My husband is still working out of the home but leaves once a day to inspect places to make sure they are following the governor's orders. I try to keep a positive outlook on this viral pandemic and my prayer list is long. I am tired of hearing a couple of quotes like "we are all in this together" and "stay healthy" as I hear them too much. I am not sure what my new normal will be but I will keep saying His name as my faith in Jesus is helping me get through this tough time. I need to just be like my son and relax in the hot tub often.