Getting Back in Shape—One Step at a Time
The worst of the epidemic appears to be over, and a summer of increasing freedom lies ahead. But what if our summer clothes no longer fit? The past months of disrupted routines and near-constant stress and anxiety drove many to seek comfort in food, which means many of us have gained weight. Dietitian and author Paula Mee is worried that this will make us easy targets for companies peddling diet and weight-loss products. Thus, she suggests a more mindful approach based on establishing healthier habits: accepting that it was normal to gain weight during lockdown, examining your lifestyle factors that lead to weight gaining, and stocking up your fridge with healthier snacks.
The first step is to accept that it was natural and normal to turn to food for solace. ‘Lockdown brought physical and mental challenges,” says Mee. “People had to give up the gym and sports, and many reported not sleeping well. The uncertainty meant people spent more time in the kitchen, nibbling and snacking. Food was something they felt they could enjoy safely, and it offered consolation and distraction for many. ” This could explain why so many gained weight. A systematic review examining the impact of the lockdown on the bodyweight of 59,711 people from 32 countries found that up to 72% had put on weight.
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The third step is to stock up your fridge with healthy snacks. A study surveyed 120,000 healthy men and women over the course of 20 years. “It determined that weight gain was most strongly associated with the intake of crisps, potatoes without skins, sugar-sweetened beverages, and processed and unprocessed red meats,” says Mee. “The foods associated with weight loss were fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, and yogurts. ” Ultra-processed foods are high in salt, fat, sugar, and calories but low in nutrition. They trigger the brain’s reward pathways and cause cravings for more. So, you’d better have less-processed snacks at hand, like nuts, hard-boiled eggs, or natural yogurts with some chopped fruits.
“What I tell my clients is to take steps to accept the situation, look at their lifestyle, while making small changes over time to improve the quality of the food they eat. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do know those are habits that make for healthier lives,” says Mee.
The second step is to pay attention to your lifestyle factors, particularly sleep quality and stress levels. A lack of sleep is associated with imbalances in the hormones that control feelings of hunger and fullness. These hormonal fluctuations may lead to overeating due to craving sweet, high-fat, and salty foods. Chronic stress is also associated with those same cravings for calorie-dense foods. Most of us do not need snacks between meals but we have been more tempted than usual during lockdown. Learning to handle stress could help us stop snacking, something many of us have struggled with while working from home, with the fridge in close proximity.
