COVID-19 has created a perfect storm for gaining weight. Here are some safe ways to get fit as we emerge from the pandemic
During the pandemic, it’s been easy to lose track of things. Many of us have occasionally lost sight of time as the days spent working from home tend to blur together. Disconnected, we might have forgotten to check in on our favorite televisions shows, sports teams, or even current events. And as we pull out our summer wardrobe from a year ago, a lot of us are starting to notice that we haven’t exactly stayed on top of our weight.
A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that 42 percent of U.S. adults are reporting undesired weight gain since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. On average, those respondents say they’ve gained 29 pounds during that time. Another study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) collected data from Bluetooth-connected smart scales found that those people gained an average of nearly 2 pounds every month. Experts don’t believe that’s a coincidence.
“It’s been a terrible time for the patients I counsel,” says Jenny Hegmann, MS, RD, LDN, a licensed bariatric dietician at the Center for Weight Management and Bariatric Surgery North Andover office at Lowell General Hospital, an affiliate of Tufts Medical Center. “All the patients I see have struggled more than usual during this time. The pandemic has amplified the things that tend to cause people to gain weight.”
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MAY 2021
TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER
The reasons behind people gaining the so-called “COVID 15” are not new. But as Hegmann points out, the circumstances surrounding the pandemic—the lockdowns and economic downturn—have worsened the impact of several key risk factors in weight gain. They include:
• Increased stress due to economic uncertainty, added responsibility with children remote learning from the home, fear of the virus itself, and an overall sense of isolation that can lead to stress eating.
• Anxiety can also lead to lack of quality sleep that can impact your metabolism.
• With more people working from home or unemployed, there is breakdown in meal structure and easier access to snacks.
• There might be an extra reliance on fast food from the drive-thru because of a reluctance to go to the grocery store or a sit-down restaurant that emphasizes healthier eating.
• With gyms closed and public parks and recreation areas more crowded, people might decide to stay home where they experience a general lack of physical activity and exercise.
• Due to unease about being in a hospital or clinical setting, many people might be putting off important medical appointments and health screenings, including consultations about their weight.
Before and After
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The overall result of this weight gain is much more serious than the mere inconvenience of having to buy a new bathing suit. Being overweight or obese is associated with increased risk of everything from diabetes to heart disease to stroke to certain types of cancer. Even gaining a few extra pounds can impact blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and sleep apnea. And once you put on that weight, it’s difficult to turn back the clock.
“We know the statistics of how hard it is to take weight off,” says Jillian Reece, RD, LDN, CSOWM, Clinical Bariatric Dietician at the Weight and Wellness Center at Tufts Medical Center. “Even if you lose weight, it’s much easier to put it back on than to keep it off. And it’s easy for that to get out of control. That’s why it’s important to get back in better patterns right now.”
Dieticians Reece and Hegmann have suggestions on how to do just that. They both know that it’s difficult to control the amount of stress you experience, especially during this unprecedented time. But you can find new and more productive ways to deal with that stress. Instead of using food as a coping mechanism, Reece suggests instituting new behaviors. For instance, listening to relaxing music or even taking up yoga. In fact, finding any way to be physically active—from going for a hike to just walking around the house—can both help relieve stress and have the added benefit of burning calories in your fight to maintain weight.
There are other ways to build exercise back into your schedule as well. Instead of going to a crowded gym where you might not feel safe, the warming weather means that more parks and outdoors areas will be open. And if you still don’t feel safe in public, there are apps, YouTube videos, and home-based equipment like resistance bands that you can pull out for a quick workout.
“Try to look at exercise in snack-sized portions,” says Reece. “Grab movement in smaller chunks between five and 15 minutes. Just walk into the room next door, go up and down the stairs a couple times, or take a couple of laps around the yard.”
Another way to relieve stress and combat weight gain is to add structure back into your daily meal planning. One helpful routine is to keep a written record of everything you eat and drink each day. There are even apps to help you count your calories, scan nutritional information, and make yourself aware of what you’re putting into your body. Experts also suggest setting up a regular meal schedule. This will help you minimize grazing and snacking in between meals.
“It’s important to have some regularity in a life that’s no longer so regular,” says Hegmann. “Set a time to have lunch; figure out what time dinner goes well with everyone’s schedule in the evenings. This is good for the body because it helps regulate hunger and curbs cravings. It also allows you to better plan what you are going to eat.”
Hegmann also points out that, with the kids spending more time at home, this could provide an opportunity to get the whole family involved in healthy shopping, cooking, and nutrition, in general.
And if you ever feel like all of this is too much to handle on your own, if you feel your weight is getting out of control, the pandemic has also opened up an additional avenue by which to seek assistance: Telehealth. Now more than ever, providers like Tufts Medical Center and Lowell General Hospital are able to conduct consultations, counseling, and follow-up exams from the comfort of your living room through video conferencing on your phone, computer, or tablet.
“This is not about temporary fad diets or going on a strenuous exercise program. This is about changing little things day in and day out,” says Hegmann. “It’s a lifestyle change, and those changes are really difficult. We’re here to help.”
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Bariatric Weight Loss Care Close to Home
6 Tips for a Trimmer You
• Set a daily wake-up time and bed time
• Plan your meals ahead, if possible
• Have a structured eating pattern; focusing breakfast, lunch and dinner and snack if appropriate
• Dress up for work or as if you are going out every morning—if you are always in sweatpants or other loose-fitting clothes, it’s easier to ignore weight gain
Create a daily routine
Focus on nutrient dense foods
• Be sure to include whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats
• Try to buy whole foods such as apples, eggs or beans instead of heavily processed foods such as potato chips or granola bars whenever possible
• Get creative in the kitchen – you may have time to try new, healthy recipes
Think about how much you are eating
• Manage your portions by using smaller plates or buying single serve items
• Make ½ of your plate non-starchy veggies, ¼ plate whole grain, carbohydrates or starches, and ¼ plate lean protein
Schedule regular exercise
• Try an online workout class or a free app
• Gardening/housework still counts
• Walking outside while staying physically distanced from others is a great way to get vitamin D
Get enough sleep
Take steps to manage
your stress
• Meditation, yoga, and a mindfulness practice can help
• Be aware of mindless eating which can be due to stress, anxiety and depression can result in weight gain
Is weight loss surgery right for you?
For some people who have struggled with weight loss, surgery may be an option. There are a number of surgical weight loss procedures that can not only help you shed pounds, they can also have significant impact on your health, decreasing the incidence of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes It is important to learn more about these options and determine if you are a good candidate for weight loss surgery.
You may be a candidate for weight loss surgery if you:
Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or higher
Are more than 100 pounds overweight
Are at least 18 years of age (due to insurance eligibility reasons)
Are experiencing health problems linked to obesity (high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or cholesterol)
Have previously tried other ways to lose weight without success
Although you might be a good candidate for weight loss surgery, that doesn’t always mean that surgery is the right option for you.
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