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Being on lockdown during the current Covid 19 pandemic should not be an excuse to let go of your body and engage in an unhealthy lifestyle. If you have to stay indoors longer than usual, it is even more essential to adopt a healthy lifestyle. In that way, you can avoid putting yourself at risk for certain conditions linked to unhealthy living. By staying on top of your behavior when you are stuck at home, you can prevent yourself from developing things like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and muscle atrophy. Studies have shown that people who do not maintain a healthy lifestyle when stuck at home often find it difficult to resume normal activities after the home isolation period is over. Going back to work may prove challenging. So if you are going to be held at home, for whatever reason, here are some tips to help you stay healthy:
- Eat healthily
You would think that this tip does not require mentioning, but you will be surprised at the things you and I will eat when we are stuck at home. It’s fine to eat junk food once in a while, but going on a junk food bender during a lockdown can cause you many issues. 
So take some time and plan out your meals and snacks. For every 90% of whole, healthy foods, you can reward yourself with 10% of feel-good fare – or what some diet guru’s and personal trainers will call a “cheat-meal”.
- Get physical
Most people mistake physical exercise for body looks. It’s much more than that, exercise helps the body release stress, clear the mind, and it is good for the heart as it gets the blood flowing. When you are stuck at home, exercising can boost your sense of wellbeing and prevent you from suffering from dangerous health conditions like depression and anxiety.
- Read books
With online streaming sites being so popular, it is easy to get stuck on the couch and binge-watch tv shows. However, we tend to forget the negative impact of long hours watching tv on the eyes, back, and intellect. In order to stay healthy when you are stuck indoors try and incorporate reading some books in between your tv shows. Taking time off the screen and moving images can do you a lot of good in as far as your eyes are concerned. Audiobooks can also help you with the advantage of doing another activity while listening to the book.
- Feed the mind
Maintaining some level of intellect is another way you will stay healthy when stuck in the Coronavirus lock-down at home. There are many ways of keeping your brain active during a lockdown. You could play strategy and logic games that require you to think. You could also enroll in an online course or join forums that discuss highly intellectual topics.
- Take care of your mental health
When you are stuck indoors, you risk developing mental health problems, especially if you are alone. Taking care of your mental health is an absolute priority when you are locked down. You need to maintain contact with friends and family if you are going to be stuck indoors for a long time. You do not necessarily need it to be physical contact, video chats, texting, and phone calls can do just fine. 
There are many App and software programs that you can download to your mobile phone, tablet, laptop or desktop PC, most Chat Video programs have a version for any technical device you use. The most well-known and established ones are Skype, and WhatsApp, however ICQ, Line Facebook Messenger or Zoom are very good options. All of them are very easy to download and install, and use straight away to get in touch with family and friends all over the world.
- Find a project
Having a sense of purpose can play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy attitude when you are stuck at home. It does not even have to be a big project. Just a simple project with results can work wonders. You can embark on a simple project like redecorating a room or something a bit more challenging, like a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects. If you are into writing or journaling – this is the time to embark on writing that novel you always dreamed about creating. You have several weeks to do it, no other distractions perhaps – NOW is the time to do it.
- Improve yourself
When you are stuck at home, you could use that time to improve yourself. Learn a new skill that will help you get ahead when you eventually return out of your involuntary “hibernation” to the world. Educating yourself will remove the unhealthy feeling of being “stuck” and replace it with feelings of finding a new purpose. Find out about new ideas on how to earn an income, because the world we face after Covid 19 may very well be a very different one and we all will have to adapt and perhaps find additional sources of income very soon. Get a head-start and find out what’s out there! By the way – I’ll be sharing some tips and advice on work-from-home very soon, I’ve got some exciting news coming your way!
- Help others
Being helpful to other people while you are stuck at home can do wonders for your mental health. There are many ways of helping other people that you can try. One example would be to help older people do online shopping. Another example would be to take some time to listen to other people’s problems (although not too much to avoid being depressed yourself). You can dispense services directly linked to your profession, which can also help you stay fresh and sharp for when you eventually return to your work.
- Explore and expand your horizons
It is always healthy to explore and expand one’s horizons. The world has so much more to offer than what you already know or think. So when stuck at home, take time to explore other cultures, try new foods, explore YouTube for new recipes, check out travel blogs and watch programs on other countries – and above all, make sure you come out on the other side a better and stronger person.
- Do not miss your medical consultations
Lastly, if you have medical conditions or scheduled checkups, do not pass upon them. Instead, use technology to turn up for your medical appointments and consultations. If you have prescriptions to renew, you can also do that using telemedicine platforms and other technology. Most doctors and health professionals now use online platforms and video chat to do consultations, us them to your advantage – it is the way of the future, so you better get used to it!