With quarantine baking and comfort eating on the rise, and with gyms and fitness studios still mostly closed due to the coronavirus crisis, its no wonder that worries about the so-called "quarantine 15" (think: "freshman 15") are surfacing.
Weight concerns are deeply rooted in our culture, but the truth is, you have a lot to worry about right now, from staying healthy and homeschooling your kids to finances and shopping for groceries. Worrying about gaining a few pounds during a pandemic only adds to your stress. Heres why you should stress less about quarantine weight gain.
Even if you have a solid grocery game plan in place, pictures of empty shelves and reports of hard-to-come-by delivery spots tell a story: You might not be able to get all the fresh, frozen and canned produce or other ingredients you usually buy to create well-balanced meals. This is an unprecedented time and it calls for a lot of compassion and grace. Be proud of yourself that youre doing the best you can.
Dont sweat it if youre not doing hard core HIIT workouts in your living room. The reality is that exercise isnt that helpful when it comes to losing weight. Studies suggest that when you participate in a sweat session, you unknowingly compensate for the extra work by either eating a little more (because youre hungrier) or moving a little less (because your body worked hard enough) throughout the day. Plus, even if you go out for a 30-minute run, the average woman burns about 260 calories not that much more than the typical protein bar that you might snack on afterward. Exercise has far-reaching health benefits, but dont expect exercise alone to nudge the scale much.
If you listen, your body will tell you when its hungry, when its thirsty, when your mind needs some entertainment, when your nerves need calming and when you need sleep. The trouble is that we often ignore these signals. If you open up the lines of communication, you might discover that as your activity levels slow down, so does your appetite, or you might find that an emotional need is driving your hunger, in which case, you might be better served by turning to a non-food alternative.
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In one study, monitoring food intake was linked with an increase in stress levels and cutting calories was linked with an increase in the stress hormone, cortisol. While this may not be true for everyone, its good evidence that worrying about your weight can make you more miserable during an already difficult time.
News of the coronavirus reminds us daily that those who are most vulnerable include people with chronic conditions, like diabetes and heart disease, that are related to diet and lifestyle factors. So while you shouldnt worry about your weight, its still a good idea to live as healthfully as possible. Here are some ways you can do that.
Give up grazing. When youre constantly picking at food, youre undermining your own hunger and fullness cues because youre never allowing yourself to become moderately hungry or comfortably full.
Pay more attention to your hunger and fullness levels. Begin to gauge your hunger. Can you find the zone where you feel somewhat hungry rather than unpleasantly hangry? Or how it feels to be reasonably full rather than uncomfortably so?
Develop skills to deal with emotional hunger. Food can certainly be a source of comfort, and its natural and 100 percent healthy to eat for reasons other than hunger sometimes, but once you learn to listen to what your body is telling you, you can answer the call with what it really needs. For example, when youre tired, go to bed a little earlier and when youre feeling restless, find a change in scenery, whether thats heading to a different room or heading outside.
Try a new recipe. Start to tailor your taste toward nutritious meals by exploring new recipes. Do a recipe search by listing the ingredients you have available into the search field.
Get some movement in your day. You dont have to be drenched in sweat to get the health- and mood-boosting benefits of exercise. And remember, some beats none!
Create helpful routines. Set up your work-from-home station in a room other than the kitchen or bedroom, if possible. Your kitchen is a zone for eating and your bedroom a zone for sleeping, so find another zone for working.
Health & Wellness
Do a social media diet. Studies suggest that spending a lot of time on social media is linked with anxiety and depression and body image concerns. If youre constantly checking your social feeds for likes or if the feeds you follow lead you to feel like you should lose weight or use your quarantine time to get ultra-fit, find the mute or unfollow buttons and use them. That goes for accounts that make offensive COVID-weight gain jokes, too.
Learn to appreciate your body. Your health isnt just about the nutritious foods youre eating or the ways that youre staying active its also about how you talk to and about yourself. To tap into more appreciation, try positive affirmations. Studies suggest this practice may help boost your self-esteem and enable you to buffer stress better.
Excerpt from:
Worried about 'quarantine 15'? Now's not the time to stress about the scale - Yahoo Lifestyle
