Lockdown Weight Gain: Causes, Concerns, and Simple Solutions

Has looking at yourself in the mirror to gauge your weight gain become your new normal? Are you constantly weighing yourself on your bathroom scales? Is lockdown weight gain one of your main worries during the pandemic?

If yes, then you are not alone in this quarantine weight gain struggle.

Quarantine weight gain is a global phenomenon. Men and women across the world have reported weight gain as a result of restrictions placed on their lifestyle by the COVID lockdown.

The Reasons for Lockdown Weight Gain are Simple

Comfort Food

Stress eating is a major cause of weight gain. Health, economic, and psychological concerns keep you on the edge, and you turn to food for comfort, which is mostly junk food and snacks.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Gyms, parks, and all avenues of outdoor and indoor exercise have been closed. You are sitting at home, working or idling. You can have a 30-minute workout inside your home, but you lack the motivation to start.

Lack of Low-Level Activity

Walking to your car, walking into your office, walking about your office for meetings, etc., walking out of your office for breaks, and all the travel you used to do in the course of a working day have all been stopped. This may be low-level activity, but it contributes to the number of steps you take each day. Now you miss it all.

This combination of too much food and too little exercise leads to weight gain. If you are generally healthy and have no weigh or health issues, then you don’t have to worry about lockdown weight gain. Once lockdown eases and you get back to your normal routine, you will start losing your lockdown weight gain.

If you are already obese or overweight or have any chronic illness, then this additional weight gain could be dangerous. You will have to start managing your weight through your activities.

What You Can Do to Prevent Lockdown Weight Gain

If you do not have a weight problem, then relax and enjoy your time off. A little weight gain won’t hurt you. But, if you already have a weight problem, then you should take proactive action to prevent lockdown weight gain. Here are a few steps to help you achieve this.

Be Positive

A positive mindset will help you focus on the brighter side. You will be able to identify opportunities in this situation and act upon them. Start working on the things you can control. This will lift your spirits and help you get on with life without falling into comfort eating habits.

Eat Healthy

Takeaways are allowed in restaurants, but stop using them. Cook a simple meal filled with healthy vegetable dishes. Opt for fruit and vegetable salads, but go easy on the salad dressing. Rice or chapatti with vegetables, lentils, and salads will fill your stomach with a healthy mix of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

Doing Yoga 

One of the best forms of physical, mental, and spiritual practice, Yoga is best suited for this lockdown period. “Practice of yoga takes care of all these mental issues. Yoga, along with breathing and meditation, can be considered an all-around exercise that will take care of our body, mind, and soul

House-Workout

Working around the house is great exercise. Cleaning, dusting, washing, etc., give your whole body a good workout. Put on some music and dance your way through household chores. You will be fit as a fiddle during the lockdown and do not wear a mask at home.

If you want to exercise and don’t know what to do, just take help from social media. There are numerous online classes and instructions from various fitness gurus and professionals. Join an online class and get active.

Walk the Talk

A call can literally be a call to work out. Don’t sit or lounge as you speak to your loved ones. Walk around the house. By the time the call is finished, you will have given your legs a good workout.

Up and Down

There will be stairs in your apartment. If you can step out of your home, climb up and down the stairs. This will keep your legs in great shape while giving your heart and lungs a good workout.

Dance Away the Bulge

If you love music, instead of sitting and listening to music, get up and move with it. If you can dance, dance. If you can’t just move around and shake a leg. It will keep you fit.

Skipping is Good

If you are in good physical condition, you can try skipping. If you don’t have a skipping rope, improvise and use something else. Just be careful not to strain your knees too much at once. Begin slowly and proceed with a little caution.

Weight Training

Training with weights is possible at home. You just have to replace weights with something that is equally heavy, like a bag or provisions. You can also use your weight to work out. Squats, sit-ups, bridge, push-ups, etc., use your weight to strengthen your muscles. Check them out online and choose what you are comfortable with.

You can find creative ways of keeping fit during the lockdown. Remember that moderation is the key. If you are in the habit of exercising regularly, you will know what your body is capable of. If you are not used to physical exertion, then you will have to start slowly. Consult your doctor before you start any strenuous workout plan if you have any medical conditions.

With a little effort and ingenuity, you can have loads of fun keeping fit during this lockdown. Stay home, stay active, and stay healthy.

Shop Wisely

Before you go out shopping, make a list of groceries and provisions you want to buy. Indulge with a few items of packaged food and snacks. Buy from the list and don’t shop impulsively. This will prevent you from filling your cupboards with comfort and junk food.

Take a Break

Being cooped up inside will increase your craving for food. Take short breaks periodically. Go to your balcony, walk on the terrace, look at nature, and spend time outside your home, without forgetting your mask or compromising social distancing. This will divert your attention from food.

Make a Call

If you have a weight problem and fear your lockdown weight gain is going out of control, then call your dietitian and ask for help. You can work together to set goals and achieve them through dedicated effort.

In conclusion, we can say that lockdown weight gain is not injurious to health if your general health is good. If you are healthy, then take heart and be grateful that you have the means to gain weight in these tough times. If you are already fighting obesity, then you must take definitive action to stop lockdown weight gain.