BEIRUT: Quarantine requirements for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have kept us spending more time in our kitchens. For some, exercise has been limited to moving from the sitting room to the kitchen and back, several times a day. For others, the stress brought on by the situation has led to unhealthy eating habits. While it is normal to feel anxious, sad, uncertain and scared sometimes, maintaining a normal daily routine will help manage some of this stress. Write down a weekly plan — including all jobs, your exercise plan, your leisure activities and plan your meals and meal times. Here is some important healthy considerations to avoid weight gain: 1. Put a tentative schedule to your meals and try to stick to it. Planning is the key to healthy eating. 2. Tell all family members about your schedule so you help one another. 3. Do not ruin your sleeping pattern. Poor sleep can lead to a change of hormones that control hunger and appetite. A lack of sleep reduces the hormone leptin that suppresses appetite. 4. Stay hydrated. 5. Plan your food shopping ahead of time. Eat home-cooked meals.. 6. Think healthily and eat mindfully. On a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 means famishing, evaluate how hungry you are before eating. 7. Be aware of portion sizes. Use measuring spoons, cups, or scales. Do not depend on guesswork. 8. Enjoy family meals not only for strengthening family ties but also to encourage each other to eat healthily. 9. Think more fruits and vegetables. Whole grains, pulses, lean meats and healthy fats should be on the menu as well. 10. Eat your food in the kitchen, not in the TV room or bedroom. 11. Snacking does not need to be your enemy! Here are some filling and quick ideas for 200 calorie healthy snacks:  Medium banana and a tablespoon of honey  14 almonds with 2 tablespoons of raisins  Cup of chocolate pudding with a teaspoon of flaxseed  Half cup of edamame with 20g of dark chocolate  1 cup of berries and half a cup of yogurt (90g)  2 Rice cakes and a tablespoon and a half of peanut butter  Half cup of cottage cheese (arishe in Arabic) and a tablespoon of molasses  3 cups of popcorn with a half cup of juice filled with ice  A cup of carrot sticks and 4 tablespoons of humus dip  2 toasts of 30g with a slice of white cheese (45g) and a teaspoon of jam Randa’s tips and tricks: Identify the one time during the day when you feel the need to snack most. Delay the urge to snack until this time arrives. Whenever people around you are eating a tempting snack that you need to resist, go and grab your healthy snack to be on track with your plan. If and when you decide to eat a less healthy snack like creamy cakes or tarts, go for a small two-finger sized portion. Stay safe, stay healthy. *Randa Dunya Fahd is a renowned and skilled Lebanese nutritionist. Click here for more information about her work.