A Quebec Nutritionist Shared Her Secrets To Staying Healthy While In Lockdown

Let's face it, it can be hard not to pig out with all of Montreal's awesome food delivery options right at our fingertips. And, when Premier François Legault mentioned that the red alert partial lockdown could last longer than the anticipated 28 days, we decided to speak with a Quebec nutritionist, Vanessa Daigle, about ways to build healthy habits during this time.

To start off, Vanessa let us know that there are no magical foods that can actually "boost" your immune system.

But, from ways to stop eating when you're bored to how to eat well on a strict budget and foods to avoid making you feel lazy, she provided some stellar advice for us all to consider right now.

Never forget: a healthy diet helps create a happy mind!

Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Editor's Choice: 3 More Municipalities In Quebec Will Be Entering 'Red Alert' As Of Monday At 11:59 p.m.

What are tips for people who can't help but eat when they're bored?

First, Vanessa says you need to question where your boredom is coming from.

"They should try to find hobbies to take their mind off it. To do this, a strategy must be found to systematically replace one behaviour with another in the short term," she told us.

"For example, if you're used to stopping at McDonald's on your way home from work, you could consider changing your route."

So, it seems the cure to eating while bored is simply to add something new into your routine.

What are the ways to eat healthy on a limited budget?

Vanessa provided three main tips to eat well while on a strict budget.

"Consume seasonal products, limit food waste and be open to unprocessed (or minimally processed) vegetable proteins."

She also reminded us to plan our grocery list ahead so that most of it doesn't end up in the garbage (or compost), which I know many of us are guilty of...

Plus, less food thrown out means less money wasted!

Which foods can cause people to feel lazy?

The short answer: anything with a lot of sugar.

"Foods that are high in fat or high in added sugar can have a negative effect on energy levels. Because they are harder to digest, fat absorption is often energy-intensive, which can cause you to feel lazy," the nutritionist let us know.

"As for sugars, they will give you a small, very temporary energy 'boost' that will be followed by a relapse."

So, I guess that mean candy shouldn't be on the top of our grocery list during this time...