Concerned about Quarantine weight gain
Life under lockdown presents a whole new set of challenges and disrupts the daily routines of millions of people around the world. It has a negative impact on many people's mental and physical health and is a major cause of weight gain, contributing to the so-called "Quarantine" You are not alone if you are concerned about your weight during the pandemic. Even while in quarantine, you can take several steps to stay within your target weight range. This article discusses some of the causes of quarantine weight gain, as well as simple strategies for dealing with it.
Causes
Stress
For starters, the pandemic's health concerns, financial difficulties, and uncertainty may all contribute to increased stress levels. Stress, in turn, can lead to weight gain. In fact, one study linked chronic stress and high cortisol levels to increased food cravings and weight gain.
Factors Influencing Mental Health
Furthermore, quarantine may have a negative impact on your mental health by exacerbating issues such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Depression and anxiety have been linked to long-term weight gain in studies. Furthermore, human and animal studies suggest that social isolation and loneliness are associated with an increased risk of weight gain.
Sedentary lifestyle
Changes in your daily routine may also play a role in your weight gain. Not only do many people find it difficult to prepare healthy meals and snacks on their own, but working from home may increase your risk of overheating due to boredom or stress. Furthermore, many gyms, parks, and sports facilities have been closed as a result of COVID-19, making it much more difficult to maintain a regular workout routine. Because incorporating physical activity into your daily routine is more difficult, it is all too easy to fall into a sedentary lifestyle.
Tips for quarantine weight loss
Stay hydrated
When it comes to losing weight, what you drink can be just as important as what you eat. Soda, sweet tea, and sports drinks are typically high in added sugar and low in essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. These drinks not only increase your calorie intake, but also increase your risk of weight gain.Drinking more water, on the other hand, can help you feel fuller for longer, lowering your daily calorie intake. A study of 24 older adults with excess weight and obesity, for example, found that drinking 16.9 ounces (500 mL) of water before breakfast reduced the number of calories consumed at that meal by 13%.
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Get A Second OpinionPhysical activity
While going to the gym may not be an option right now, there are plenty of other ways to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Take a walk around your neighborhood, do some bodyweight exercises like pushups, or look online for a home workout routine. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga, aerobics, and Pilates are just a few examples of exercises that can be done almost anywhere with little or no equipment. These activities not only burn extra calories to prevent weight gain but also help with stress and anxiety management.
Healthy foods
Eating healthy is much easier when your fridge is stocked with nutritious produce such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Keeping junk foods like chips, cookies, and cakes on hand, on the other hand, may increase your risk of overeating. Fill your shopping cart with nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes the next time you go grocery shopping. When shopping at a supermarket, try to shop around the perimeter, which is usually where the majority of the fresh and healthy foods are located. While it is acceptable to order from your favorite restaurants on occasion, try to find a few new recipes to prepare at home at least once a week.
Prepare meals at home
Cooking is an excellent way to improve the quality of your diet while experimenting with new foods and flavors. Furthermore, preparing healthy meals at home puts you in control of what you put on your plate, making it simple to incorporate more high-quality foods. A large study of 11,396 people found that eating home-cooked meals more frequently resulted in better overall diet quality. Furthermore, those who ate more than 5 home-cooked meals per week were 28% less likely to be overweight and 24% less likely to be overweight when compared to those who ate home-cooked meals less than 3 times per week.
Maintain a routine
When you don't leave the house very often, it's easy to neglect your daily routine.Making and sticking to a schedule is an excellent way to develop healthy habits while establishing a sense of normalcy. Set aside times to wake up and go to bed, dress even if you work from home, and take regular breaks throughout the day. You could also try planning your meals for the week and scheduling time for meal preparation. Surprisingly, studies have linked meal planning to improved diet quality, increased food variety, and healthy body weight. Creating a routine can also ensure that you exercise consistently, which can aid in weight loss.
Ease up on yourself
While changing your daily routine may be more difficult as a result of the pandemic's new challenges, taking a few small steps can put you on the path to better long-term health.
If you have more free time, quarantine may allow you to learn more about nutrition and healthy eating — but jumping into a fad diet or restrictive eating plan is not advised.
Making gradual changes to your diet and lifestyle, on the other hand, is far more effective for promoting long-term health and sustainable weight loss.
Remember that even if you're trying to lose weight, you don't have to give up all of your favorite foods. While it is best not to overindulge in unhealthy snacks and treats, you can enjoy them in moderation as part of a nutritious, well-rounded diet.
Conclusion
If you're gaining weight while in quarantine, you're not alone. Increased stress, loneliness, or anxiety, as well as decreased physical activity or disruptions to your daily routine, could all contribute to it.
Several simple, quarantine-friendly steps can help you maintain or even lose weight while in quarantine. These include developing a daily routine, drinking more water, and engaging in physical activity.
Remember to be gentle with yourself and make small changes to your diet or lifestyle at a time.
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Book an AppointmentFrequently Asked Questions
- Consume a high-protein breakfast.
- Sugary drinks and fruit juice should be avoided
- Before meals, drink some water
- Eat foods that will help you lose weight
- Consume soluble fiber
- Make a cup of coffee or tea.
- Consume slowly
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As a result, chronic stress, or poorly managed stress, can cause elevated cortisol levels, which stimulate your appetite, resulting in weight gain or difficulty losing unwanted pounds. Cortisol not only promotes weight gain, but it can also influence where the weight is placed.