Pandemic weight gain. A story and a lesson. That’s me on the left in a photo taken last year at this time. I’m happy to have a few friends over and wearing a sweater and skirt that still fit, but sure don’t fit like they used to before two things happened. I needed a hip replacement so I couldn’t walk or run and I guess the constant pain made me drink more, eat more and care less. I never weighed myself. Perhaps, for many of us the pain of the pandemic added to new habits to soothe ourselves by drinking more, eating more and caring less?

Hips Don’t Lie

After my long needed right hip replacement in August I had to stop drinking alcohol due to the medications I was taking and I certainly didn’t want to increase my fall risk!

The Liquid Portion of Portion Control

I learned to love a new ritual of enjoying sparkling waters, tonic water and fresh limes in a tall glass filled with ice. Amazingly refreshing. I upped my mixer game and discovered “refreshingly light” tonic from Fever Tree which as fewer calories without any artificial sweeteners you would find in diet tonics.

You Don’t Need to Eat That Much.

I stopped eating big meals and then decided to start skipping breakfast and lunch having only coffee in the morning and orange juice midday mixed with sparkling water. The hydrating was so good for my skin too! I wan’t hungry at all. I ate whatever I wanted for dinner but usually healthy stuff because I’m a dietitian and I like that style of cooking. But, I ate a cookie or small piece of cake every night if I wanted one. Let’s face it, pandemic lifestyle = TV binge watching and that often leads to binge eating late at night too. I love potato chips, so would buy the best and measure out a small bowl to enjoy while watching TV series. From Last Tango in Halifax to The Restaurant to Delicious to endless other series that have faded into the pandemic past of my brain, I enjoyed this ritual of one bowl of potato chips with my non-alcoholic over ice drinks.

Back to Movement.

I still haven’t started doing any long walks. I tried a few months ago but walking over 3 miles around Chastain Park with all the hills really hurt my hip. It was a set back. So I have learned I can walk but not that far quite yet and my hip surgeon did tell me to avoid the hilly terrain. Ooops. But I do walk and climb stairs easily now and dance! I still don’t weigh myself but my clothes tell me I’ve lost a bunch of weight and my stomach is flatter. Thank goodness!

Every day, twice a day I do sort of push ups by leaning over on my dresser or kitchen counter and with my arms I do a weighted plank and count up to 21. It’s really helped my arms and my abs. Some say, why don’t you do yoga? I am still not good with getting up and down off of the floor. Yoga requires that. I love swimming, but no pools open during the pandemic. They are slowing opening now so I’ll get back to that soon I hope.

The Second Pandemic?

The data on the number of people who have gained weight during this pandemic is staggering.

Here is a link to one of the first research studies on body weight changes during the lockdown conducted by nutrition researchers in a number of nations. HERE if you want to read a science based account of what’s been observed by so many.

Also, this is interesting and disturbing….a February 2021 Harris Poll, shows that a majority of adults (61%) experienced undesired weight changes – weight gain or loss – since the pandemic started, with 42% reporting they gained more weight than they intended. Of those, they gained an average of 29 pounds (the median amount gained was 15 pounds) and 10% said they gained more than 50 pounds. 

Please watch this You Tube video report from my friend and colleague Phil Lempert on the report on Pandemic Weight Gain from a survey conducted in February 2021 by the American Psychological Association (APA).

And it’s affected a lot of younger people too. For some reason, especially the millennials.

The weight gain was across the generations and sexes: 39% of men gained an average of 37 lbs, while 45% of women gained 22 lbs. 52% of Gen Z gained 28 lbs. Millenials topped the list at 41% weight gain for 48% of the generation. 41% of Xers gained 21 lbs, 37% of boomers gained 16 lbs and those over 76 years old – 25% reported they gained weight. 

But why????

Adults also reported unwanted changes in sleep and increased alcohol consumption. Two in 3 (67%) said they have been sleeping more or less than desired since the pandemic started. Nearly 1 in 4 adults (23%) reported drinking more alcohol to cope with their stress.“We’ve been concerned throughout this pandemic about the level of prolonged stress, exacerbated by the grief, trauma and isolation that Americans are experiencing. This survey reveals a secondary crisis that is likely to have persistent, serious mental and physical health consequences for years to come,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr, PhD, APA’s chief executive officer.

Nice if you can afford it

As you know Peloton sales are way up, but they’re so expensive and only for those who can pay the big bucks for in home state of the art exercise equipment. Oh well. On the other hand, virtual exercise class participation viewing is UP too and often free.

Happy and Healthy!

Losing weight after gaining weight is joyful and puts a pep in your step and last night for the first time in a long time on my way to meet friends at a restaurant, men on the sidewalk in Buckhead turned to say, “Oh, hello!” I was wearing a mask so they couldn’t see my sly smile. I had just experienced the good side of weight bias and disability bias and this was it in action. I felt sort of invisible or felt people looking away when I weighed more and walked with a limp because of my sore hip. Now, I glide when I walk. I am always a pretty happy person as you can see in my “before” pictures but I’m much happier now that the new pink dress on the right fits me so well.

Some of the Pandemic Weight Plan recipe ideas I’ve enjoyed over the past year of life, lessons, and losses.