This autumn is bursting with good games such as tier list, which means that we will spend many hours together on the couch or office chair. And so, especially in combination with all those gingerbread cookies and Christmas dinners, we are not entering a too healthy period. Patricia Schutte, the nutritionist at the Netherlands Nutrition Center, helps us through the winter months with a few tips.
Stand up in your seat, at least half an hour a day
It is of course a logical principle: for a healthy lifestyle, not only good and varied food is important, but also plenty of exercises. And traditional gaming is not very suitable for that. Schutte: “Gaming is an activity that requires little movement because you usually just sit still. If you still eat throughout the day, it is unhealthy for your vitality and your fitness. You are also very mentally active while playing, but physical exertion is especially important for a truly healthy lifestyle. It is, therefore, necessary to exercise actively for half an hour every day. ” So in the middle of a long World of Warcraft session, it pays to do some sprints.
Know what you are eating, even while you are eating
Gamers have their hand’s full playing games. Also literally. If you are hungry while gaming, eating with one hand is an attractive option. Certainly considering that with that other, freehand you might be able to give a cross in FIFA or use a few attacks in Guild Wars 2. “Don’t do it”, Schutte recommends. “When eating it is important that you do it with attention, then you are not. People who eat unnoticed generally eat more. You will not receive the signal from your body that you are satisfied, because you are busy with other things.”
Drink makes you fatter than you would like
“For gamers, it is especially useful to pay attention to what they drink with dinner,” says Schutte. Well, such a bottle of cola is of course handy (even when it is empty, although probably only the real clan players know what we are referring to), but healthy is different. “Choose water and tea, and not all kinds of sweetened and alcoholic drinks. They provide extra calories that you actually have to burn, and you don’t burn those if you sit still while gaming.”
Don’t make it too difficult for yourself
It is a myth that gamers do not like to come into the kitchen, because lukewarm beer of course does not taste like anything. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to use those kitchen appliances for other purposes as well. And you don’t even have to stand behind the stove sweaty. “Preparing a meal doesn’t have to take long. Depending on your budget, you can, for example, opt for semi-finished products. So buy potatoes that have already been cut and peeled, opt for pre-washed vegetables and buy meat that is prepared quickly. You can also opt for ready-made meals that are healthy, there are plenty of them. For example, meals with a generous portion of vegetables, some meat substitutes, and little potatoes, pasta, and rice, ”says Schutte.
Just don’t eat at all while gaming
The last tip is actually the most logical. Schutte already indicated it a bit in tip two, but you would do well to just not eat at all if you are gaming. “The very best? Take a break three times a day, when you go to the toilet for example, and then immediately eat a good bread or hot meal. ” So if you stick with it and don’t snack in between, you are well on your way to a healthier life. Certainly combined with the other tips.
Bonus tip – Performance-enhancing foods do not exist
Unfortunately, but true: magic food does not exist. “For a good performance, knowing a lot about the game and playing it a lot is the most important thing,” says Schutte. Yet Schutte does have another motto that helps you on the online battlefield. “If you spend a lot of time at the PC and don’t go outside, you get pretty dull. That is not good for your concentration. You think you can win by sitting at the computer for a long time, but it is more sensible to go for the block.”