AUTHOR LINDSAY DETWILER
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • About
  • Contact
  • READ FREE!
  • The Dark Side
Contemporary Romance Author

3 Ways to Overcome Pandemic Weight Gain

3/14/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture

3 Ways to Overcome Pandemic Weight Gain



As a high school English teacher, I am on my feet all day. Moving around the classroom, running to the copy room, and just the general responsibilities of teaching kept me active. But when Coronavirus shut down our school in March of 2020 and I became one of the many people worldwide who found themselves in a remote working environment, suddenly my life became very sedentary. 

I wasn't worried about it, in truth. With all of the anxiety and fear of a world pandemic, it didn't seem important to worry about my waistline anymore--plus, leggings make it easy to forget about the scale. So I continued on for months working from my desk in the corner of my living room and eating all sorts of comfort foods. This sedentary lifestyle and constant snacking, however, led to some unwanted consequences I'd face in 2021.

When life started to somewhat return to normal this spring in my area and schools opened back up, though, I found that one of the side effects of the pandemic was an unexpected one: my work pants no longer fit. And suddenly, all of the anxiety and fear from the past year turned into something else--frustration at myself for letting my health take a backseat to everything else.

If you, too, are feeling frustrated that your pants no longer fit like they used to and you've found that, like so many Americans, you've gained weight during the pandemic, I want you to know two things.

1. You are NOT alone. According to Market Watch, 40% of Americans gained significant weight during the pandemic.

2. Cut yourself some slack. You lived through a pandemic, for goodness sake. No one has been through anything like this in our lifetime.

I've always been a proponent for loving yourself no matter what. You are so much more than a number on the scale or a size on your clothing tag, truly. And especially in 2020 when so many of faced seemingly insurmountable hurdles in our relationships, workplaces, and health, you need to give yourself grace.

However, I also know that to be happy and confident, we have to feel our best. For me, the extra pounds not only meant a hit to my confidence level but also a hit to my energy levels. Losing my pandemic weight gain in 2021 is not about feeling sexy; it is about feeling good.

If you, too, are looking to shed not only the anxiety of 2020 but also the pounds that came with it, here are three quick tips I've found to be helpful as I navigate the newfound optimism I've found for 2021.

1. Get active again

Even if you are still working remotely, find a way to bring activity back into your life. It doesn't have to be a gym membership that gets you back into a routine of being physically active, and you don't have to run a marathon each day. Thirty minutes a day keeps me feeling alive and healthy and has definitely helped me shed some of the weight gain from those sedentary days early in the pandemic.

Go for a walk with your dog. Find a fitness channel on Youtube that offers free workouts, or even try some free weights. Just getting back into the routine of doing some exercise every day can help you feel more confident in yourself. Don't be afraid to get your children involved, either. Studies have shown that the pandemic has also led to more sedentary behaviors in our children due to remote learning, so take the kids out to the backyard for a game of catch or soccer. Moving your body helps alleviate stress and also helps you feel more energetic, allowing you to accomplish more of your goals in general.

For me, the addition of a three-month-old Great Dane puppy has been a huge motivator to get moving from my desk and get outside. He has definitely helped me shed some of the pounds gained during 2020--although he has also wreaked havoc on my sleep schedule, but that's another post entirely.

2. Keep track of your eating habits

When every single day felt the same, it was easy to fall out of healthy eating patterns. For me, food during the pandemic was a comfort and something to do. Furthermore, while I was working from home, it was much easier to grab all sorts of food during the work day. More accessible food led to more frequent snacking. This combined with my days spent in front of the computer was a toxic combination for my health.

Thus, in 2021, I'm getting a better handle on my nutrition. I know there are so many diets and fads out there, but I've found the best solutions to getting your eating under control are:

1. Eat plenty of foods that are good for your body, like vegetables.
2. Keep track of what you're eating.

For many of us, working on the "honor system" of just eating what you want can be problematic. So many of us use food as a way to soothe our emotions. By actually keeping track of what you consume, you can keep better track of what you are consuming, when, and how it is affecting your body.

I do not believe in starving yourself. I do not believe in restricting yourself. However, I do believe that my knowing what you are consuming and keeping track of your eating habits, you can better finetune your patterns to give you the best energy and best version of yourself.

One of the places you can start is by figuring out how many calories you need to fuel your body. So many times when we find we've gained weight, our tendency is to go into starvation mode and cut as many calories as we can. However, this can backfire and lead to all sorts of negative consequences as well. Thus, start by figuring out how many calories you need to fuel your body. A calorie calculator can help you analyze just how many calories you need to be your best self.

Once you know how many calories you should consume, keep track! Use a food diary, or find an app you love that you can input your food into. Don't forget to adjust your numbers for any exercise you are doing as well from tip one. It's helpful to know how many calories your activity is burning so you can adjust your diet to account for calories burned.

3. Be kind to yourself.

It has been such a hard year in so many ways. We've all dealt with fear, anxiety, health issues, and financial insecurity. Most of us have lost something, whether it be a loved one, a job, or our peace of mind.

So many of my friends have been so hard on themselves lately for letting their health slide this past year. However, I encourage you to be kind to yourself. You've lived through so much upheaval and turmoil. You are still living through it. 

I love the Lewis Carroll quote: "I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then."  The person you were at the beginning of 2020 isn't the same person you are now. You have grown and changed. You have weathered storms. You have survived.

A few pounds on the scale or some tight pants may seem like the end of the world. It is not. If we've learned anything this past year or so, it's that life is never certain. You have to enjoy the present, and you can't take anything for granted.

You are still here. You are strong. You are a warrior.

In 2021, my hope for you is that you find a way to be kind to yourself and to stop seeing your changes as a failure. Do what you can to find your confidence again. Take charge of your body and your health. However, know this: No matter what the scale says after 2020, you are beautiful, amazing, and worthy.


I want to know: Have you struggled with weight gain through the pandemic? And if so, what have you done to take control? 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Banners for Best Romance Book Blogs
    Author Lindsay Detwiler
    Picture
    *As an Amazon Affiliate, I get a small fee for any books purchased through the links below.
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Then Comes Love
    Who We Were Romantic Comedy
    Where Love Went
    Where Love Went Free Read Holiday
    To Say Goodbye
    Picture
    Remember When Lindsay Detwiler

    Archives

    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Categories

    All
    Aging
    Am Reading
    Animal
    Animals
    Animal Testing
    Author
    Author Chat
    Authors
    Bark Box
    Beach
    Beauty
    Beauty Blog
    Beauty Box
    Beauty Review
    Body Image
    Book
    Book Blog
    Book Review
    Books
    Book Sale
    Bookworm
    Box
    Caregiving
    Cat
    Chick Books
    Chick Lit
    Childfree
    Childless
    Children
    Classics
    Clothes
    Contemporary Romance
    Contest
    Cook
    Cosmetics
    Creative
    Creative Writing
    Cruelty Free
    Dad
    Dating
    Divorce
    Dog
    Dogs
    Dream
    Dreams
    Empowerment
    Facebook Live
    Family
    Fashion
    Father's Day
    Fear
    Female Writers
    Fiction
    Free
    Free Book
    Free Reads
    Friendship
    Fulfillment
    Funny
    Gaming
    Giveaway
    Good Books
    Graduation
    Growing Up
    Hair
    Holocaust
    Inspire
    Keith Urban
    Kindness
    Life
    Literary
    Literature
    Live Show
    Love
    Lularoe
    Makeup
    Maplewood
    Marriage
    Mastiff
    Modern Love
    Mom
    Mood Boosters
    Mother
    Mothering
    Mother's Day
    Movie
    Movie Review
    Must Read
    Netflix
    New Author
    New Release
    Organization
    Parents
    Pets
    Phobia
    Pieces Of My Heart
    Poet
    Poetry
    Prize
    Prizes
    Reading
    Refresh
    Relationships
    Review
    Reviews
    Romance
    Romantic Comedy
    Sale
    Self Care
    September 11th
    Show
    Simple Living
    Simply Love
    Stitch Fix
    Story
    Style
    Summer
    Sweet
    Sweet Romance
    Tattoo
    Teacher
    Teaching
    Tech
    Teenagers
    Television
    Thankful
    Thirty
    Tidying
    Valentine's Day
    Vegan
    Wedding
    Win
    Winter Blahs
    Woman
    Women
    Women's Fiction
    Writer
    Writing
    Young Adult

    RSS Feed

Lindsay Detwiler

  About
Contact
Hot Tree Publishing

Disclosure: 
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

This site is also a part of the Intellinfluence Program, where we receive free products and payment for posting about certain products.

We are also a participant in the Stitch Fix Influencer program, in which we receive fees when you click on the Stitch Fix advertisement. I am also a part of the Jane.com Affiliate program through ShareASale and earn fees when you purchase using the affiliate links.



​**This website uses Google Analytics to improve user experiences. We also use Adsense to create revenue and Amazon Affiliates.

Privacy Policy
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • About
  • Contact
  • READ FREE!
  • The Dark Side