Need to Lose or Avoid a Second Round of the Quarantine-15?
Anecdotally, we are definitely seeing weight gain. You can put on 30 pounds really quickly—you can do it in three months. ~ Dr. John Morton, Yale New Haven Health System (1)
For many, the Quarantine 15 is very real. COVID-19 has created the perfect storm for weight gain. Staying home, most people are sitting more/moving less, eating comfort foods and feeling anxious over the deadly pandemic. According to a recent Web MD poll, 47% of women and 22% of men have reported weight gain since March. (2)
The Quarantine Diet: More Sugar, Carbs, Alcohol
Among the WebMD readers, 70% cited “stress eating” as a main cause of their weight gain. (2) Why do we crave pizza, chocolate and wine during the quarantine? Dr. Bryan Robinson of The Right Mindset explains, “Our comfort foods can act like a “natural tranquilizer” that calms us down in times of peril. But what feels like a satisfying solution on the immediate grows into a bigger metabolic problem in the long run. Comfort eating traps us in a stress-eating cycle that actually adds to our stress level.” (3)
When our nutrition is in the gutter, chronically elevated levels of cortisol keep our internal alarm systems on around the clock. Our bodies were not designed for chronic stress nor to use food for comfort.
The Quarantine Workout: Clicking a Keyboard, Teaching Kids, Feeding the Family
Under the best of circumstances, Americans don’t get enough movement. Only about 25% of Americans get the recommended amount of weekly exercise (150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of cardio plus two sessions of strength training). A recent study found that Americans are exercising less than usual during the pandemic and sitting and looking at screens more. (4) Compounding that, the study found that those who scaled back on exercise during the pandemic have also reported poorer mental health than those who maintained regular exercise.
Regain Control
Change the narrative: From Weight Gain to Getting Healthy
Instead of ruminating over the Quarantine 15, look at this time as an opportunity to get healthy and lose weight. This is a huge opportunity for change. Rise to the occasion so you can live a long and healthy life.
Organize your Days: Plan your Food and Schedule your Workout
- Set a daily wake-up time and bed time.
- Dress up for work every morning—if you wear sweatpants or other loose-fitting clothes every day, it’s easier to ignore weight gain.
- Plan your meals ahead
- Renew your interest in food and cooking
- Cook a week’s worth of meals (or at least the protein portions)
- Include whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats.
Schedule in your exercise, including work breaks
- Open your mind to new forms of exercise, particularly if social distancing keeps you from your gym.
- Consider hiking, biking and playground workouts
- Exercise in the morning when motivation is highest
Take Care of your Mind: Make Stress Reduction a Priority
Calming our thinking mind—the part that perseverates on past and future thoughts that we cannot control—is key to reducing stress. Consider some form of meditation.
- Click here for access to a 15-minute beginning meditation
- Take a relaxing stroll through the neighborhood
- Eat mindfully.
- Practice the art of savoring—food, a flower bed, a child’s hug.
Get some help. These are trying times. Check your health insurance and EAPs—many are offering free online therapy sessions.
SOURCES
- Katella, K. Quarantine 15? What to do About Weight Gain During the Pandemic. (2020) Yale Medicine Website https://www.yalemedicine.org/stories/quarantine-15-weight-gain-pandemic/
- Koenig, D. Quarantine Weight Gain Not a Joking Matter. Accessed August, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200521/quarantine-weight-gain-not-a-joking-matter
- Robinson, B. What is Quaratine 15? Psychology Today. (2020) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-right-mindset/202003/what-is-quarantine-15
- Ducharme, J. COVID-19 is Making Americans Even More Sedentary. The Effects Could be Long-Lasting. Time, 2020. Accessed August 2020. https://time.com/5831678/covid-19-americans-exercise/
