{"id":11127,"date":"2021-06-22T23:48:58","date_gmt":"2021-06-22T23:48:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=11127"},"modified":"2024-03-13T22:05:31","modified_gmt":"2024-03-13T22:05:31","slug":"re-embrace-healthy-habits-to-address-pandemic-related-weight-gain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/re-embrace-healthy-habits-to-address-pandemic-related-weight-gain\/","title":{"rendered":"Re-embrace healthy habits to address pandemic-related weight gain","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

As we begin emerging from the pandemic and putting on our hard pants, a lot of us are discovering an uncomfortable truth. We gained weight over the past year of Zoom meetings and virtual lockdowns. And while we might be in the process of ditching our masks, ditching the pounds is going to be more of a process.<\/p>\n

If this is a challenge you\u2019re facing, know that you aren\u2019t alone. A recent Harris Poll for the American Psychological Association<\/a> found that 42 percent of adults reported unwanted weight gain during the pandemic \u2014- with younger people even more likely to have gained weight. Gen Z adults reported gaining an average of 28 pounds while millennials saw an average 42-pound gain.<\/p>\n

Jeffrey Hooper, DO, with the MultiCare Center for Weight Loss and Wellness<\/a> in Tacoma, thinks that might actually be an undercount. \u201cPeople just stopped looking (at their scales),\u201d he says. \u201cThey didn\u2019t want to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

He recommends stepping on a scale at least once a week to get an idea of how you\u2019re doing. \u201cIt helps you keep an eye on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once you see the \u2014 ahem \u2014 scale of the problem, how do you address it? Start by recognizing the habits that caused it, says dietitian Alix Leestma, RD, with the MultiCare Center for Weight Loss and Wellness in Tacoma.<\/a><\/p>\n

At the top of the list is that we simply moved less during the pandemic. Gyms were closed and we were also more likely to depend on curbside delivery instead of walking the aisles of grocery stores regularly.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven avoiding the malls or getting together with friends to get out and just go do something reduced our activity,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Many of us also relied more on processed foods or takeout, rather than keeping our kitchens stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing that I\u2019ve heard a lot is people felt almost required to eat out at these small businesses to keep them alive,\u201d Leestma says.<\/p>\n

And many of us turned to unhealthy snacking to deal with the stress and boredom of lockdown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want people moving,\u201d Dr. Hooper says. Find a way to return to the hobbies you enjoyed before the pandemic, even if it\u2019s not something particularly active.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re tinkering in the garage, you\u2019re not thinking about those peanuts sitting on the table,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s when you\u2019re watching TV you\u2019re thinking of those. Get out there and tinker again. Get out there in the garden, get out there and take a walk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leestma agrees and suggests finding non-food ways to reward yourself for a tough day.<\/p>\n

\u201cFind yourself a book to read or give someone a phone call or buy a new pair of shoes,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Empty your pantry and refrigerator of the unhealthy snacks and foods you\u2019ve been turning to. Donate whatever food you can to a food bank so you won\u2019t feel they are wasted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need to do a whole 360,\u201d she says. \u201cAim for trying to improve food choices. Aim for more water, aim for one fresh fruit or vegetable a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also recommends setting routines and boundaries. \u201cAfter you\u2019ve had dinner, clean up the kitchen and set the boundary that it\u2019s closed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Snacks are fine \u2014 but be strategic, Dr. Hooper says. \u201cSnack in a predetermined way. If you don\u2019t set it up ahead of time, you\u2019ll go for the candy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The weight didn\u2019t come on overnight and it won\u2019t come off overnight either, Dr. Hooper cautions. For sustainable weight loss, don\u2019t expect to lose more than a pound or two per week, especially after the first month.<\/p>\n

But small losses can be big gains for your health, he says. From decreasing your risk of diabetes to reducing wear and tear on your joints, even 10 to 15 pounds of weight loss can make you healthier.<\/p>\n

Once you recognize the problem and start to address it, don\u2019t worry if the weight isn\u2019t coming off fast, Dr. Hooper says. \u201cBut if you aren\u2019t losing or you\u2019re gaining, it\u2019s probably time to come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

The MultiCare Center for Weight Loss and Wellness can help you with proven strategies to help you lose the weight and regain your health.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is going to take some work and some changes, some thoughtfulness,\u201d Leestma says. \u201cBut the benefits to your physical and emotional health and confidence make it all worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn more<\/a> about the weight loss support available through MultiCare\u2019s Center for Weight Loss and Wellness.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we begin emerging from the pandemic and putting on our hard pants, a lot of us are discovering an uncomfortable truth. We gained weight over the past year of Zoom meetings and virtual lockdowns. And while we might be in the process of ditching our masks, ditching the pounds is going to be more […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":315,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRe-embrace healthy habits for pandemic-related weight gain - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"While we might be in the process of ditching our masks, ditching the pounds is going to be more of a process.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/re-embrace-healthy-habits-to-address-pandemic-related-weight-gain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Re-embrace healthy habits to address pandemic-related weight gain - 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