Maintaining a healthy weight and developing good habits in times of COVID-19
Given this atypical situation of confinement, we have more time to try new recipes and increase our food intake, although we do not always make the best decisions when it comes to choosing the right ingredients. It is important to moderate portions and make more conscious choices, because our physical activity is greatly reduced and this causes weight gain and a decrease in muscle mass due to the energy imbalance.
Moderation in eating is a general tip, but we must put special emphasis on it in these times of teleworking and sedentary lifestyle. In this way, we also avoid the feeling of drowsiness and heaviness, which is counterproductive when it comes to staying active and productive at home.
We have more time and resources to make the most of this situation, planning meals consciously and generating new eating habits.
A serving is the amount of food expressed in household measurements that provides a certain amount of nutrient.
It is important to select foods from each group and combine them, taking the recommended portions as a reference, so that it is possible to avoid excesses or deficiencies that lead to diseases.
| FOOD GROUPS | ADULT WOMAN 2200 KCAL | ADULT MAN 2700 KCAL |
| CEREALS AND LEGUMES | 5 SERVINGS | 7 SERVINGS |
| VEGETABLES AND FRUITS | 5 SERVINGS | 6 SERVINGS |
| MILK AND DERIVATIVES | 2 SERVINGS | 2 SERVINGS |
| MEATS AND DERIVATIVES | 2 SERVINGS | 2 SERVINGS |
| OILS AND FATS | 2 SERVINGS | 3 SERVINGS |
| SUGARS AND SWEETS | 4 SERVINGS | 5 SERVINGS |
| FOOD GROUPS | HOME MEASUREMENT equivalent to 1 serving |
| CEREALS AND LEGUMES | |
| Small or French bread | 1 unit |
| Cake | 1 unit |
| Sliced bread | 2 slices |
| Cooked dry noodles | 2 cups cooked |
| Cooked rice | 1 cup cooked |
| VEGETABLES AND FRUITS | |
| Mandarins | 3 units |
| Apple | 1 unit |
| Banana | ½ unit |
| Pumpkin in cubes | 1 cup cubed |
| Carrot | 1 medium unit |
| Tomato | 1 medium unit |
| DAIRY AND DERIVATIVES | |
| Milk | 1 cup |
| Low-fat cheese | 3 slices |
| Ricotta | ½ cup |
| MEATS AND DERIVATIVES | |
| Beef | 1 medium steak |
| Chicken | ½ dam |
| Stiff | 2 slices |
| Egg | 1 unit |
| Fish | 1 steak |
| FATS AND OILS | |
| Oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Mayonnaise | 1 teaspoon |
| Peanut | ¼ cup |
| Walnuts | 7 units |
| SUGARS AND SWEETS | |
| Sugar | 3 teaspoons |
| Jam | 1 tablespoon |
| Honey | 1 tablespoon |
A varied diet will ensure the inclusion and use of all the nutrients necessary to maintain health and perform better at work.
Food implies a set of meanings and emotions that transcend nutritional needs, therefore variety does not only refer to the nutritional content of foods, but also to the combination of different colors, flavors, smells, textures, and shapes that favor the achievement of a more attractive dish and a more pleasant presentation to the senses, making eating an act of pleasure, in addition to satisfying the appetite and covering nutritional needs.
The Food-Based Dietary Guidelines They are a practical tool whose objective is to facilitate information about food by improving the level of knowledge and attitudes to promote a healthy diet.
Gianella Pedemonte
Bachelor of Nutrition
