During the pandemic, staying in shape and eating healthy became much more difficult. This is because all of our activities blend when your bedroom becomes the office, the gym, and where you relax. I know many people who had a hard time getting into the zone to exercise without going to the gym to be in a different environment. However, some people have even strengthened their healthy habits during this trying time. But now that things are starting to go back to normal again, you may find yourself actually gaining weight. Keep reading to learn my best tips for managing weight gain after the COVID-19 pandemic!

If you need an extra boost to get your back into your healthy eating and exercise habits, try my Fearlessly Fit over 50 Club Membership. I guide you through each workout step by step and show you how to incorporate better nutrition and intermittent fasting into your life!

Weight gain was prevalent during the pandemic

61% of Americans gained weight during the pandemic, and now we struggle to lose those dreaded COVID-19 – pounds, that is (a play on the “freshman 15” pounds). This time has been very much a disruption of our lifestyles, with gyms closed, fitness classes canceled, and more stress than most of us can remember in our lifetime. 

Let’s look at why some people gained weight and others didn’t but are NOW struggling with weight gain. 

Why did some people gain weight in the first place?

• Quarantine and not leaving the house – snacking at an all-time high
• Drinking more alcohol – 23% of adults reported more drinking
• Stress eating
• Ordering in – instead of going out (no control over meals)
• More sedentary – move less – Netflix sounded so good
• Work more 

Stress can also create a plethora of problems that make it harder to get the weight off. These can include:

• Stress or emotional eating
• Loss of appetite
• Lack of motivation to exercise
• Trouble sleeping
• Irregular eating patterns, like skipping a meal or eating additional snacks
• Change in food preferences, like eating high-calorie foods

The impacts of working from home

Initially, working from home sounded like a dream for many people. You’re not stuck in an unpleasant commute, dealing with grumpy co-workers or high pressure at the job and deadlines. Some people also used the extra time gained to work even more. 

For those with kids at home, stress increased threefold. First, many had to switch to home school or deal with difficult tech as their public schools navigated online. Second, kids were stuck at home studying from home instead of going to college for those almost empty nesters. Finally, some parents had their kids move home altogether as the pressure of loneliness and disconnect continued during the pandemic. 

However, a few people managed to stay on top of their workouts and eating strategies. It was one of the only things we could control during the hard year. You planned how much and when you exercised and planning meals ahead so that the bi-weekly grocery trip had everything you needed to eat healthy, well-balanced meals. It worked like a charm; you could keep stress at a minimum with those techniques.

In many places worldwide, restaurants are open, we are allowed to travel, the gyms and fitness studios are open again, and NOW you’re gaining weight. You wonder why this is happening and what you can do about it.

3 Tips to Manage Weight Gain After the Pandemic 

 

1. Portion control

After almost 1.5 years, we are free to roam again and enjoying life outside the house. No wonder we indulge a little more in a new restaurant or our favorite foods in our favorite restaurant. Eating out is so much fun! We see people enjoying themselves, and the wine might be flowing a little bit more as well.

Go back to your old healthy habits as soon as you can – like right now! Instead of ordering everything on the menu – order wisely. I don’t want you to forgo the mussels in wine sauce and baguette if that is what you want to eat but keep an eye on how much you eat – portion control is key, especially when eating out. Don’t order everything all at once. Start with the main course and see if you still have room. Keep in mind that you want to be 80% full. That means that you could eat more, but if did you eat more, you would be stuffed. 

2. Exercise for health

During the pandemic, you stuck to your exercise routine and made time for it. Now you may feel bored and don’t want to be tied to your home exercise routine. You might replace that exercise time you had with doing errands or driving into work again without even noticing it. So you stopped exercising as much as during the pandemic. 

Make exercise part of your day again instead of feeling bad that you don’t make time for your routine anymore. Incorporate more day-to-day activities back into your life, like walking to the metro, playing tennis with your friends, or walking with your neighbor. Not only will this make you move more, but it adds the social aspect back into our lives that we’ve been craving for so long. Once you feel more in control of how your life flows again, you can start adding a regular routine that fits in with your life now.

3. Hold yourself accountable 

It feels so good to do all the things that you missed for so long that you get a little “loosey-goosey” and perhaps are thinking, “I’ve been doing all the right things for so long a little cheating is ok.” 

Inconsistency and a lack of accountability will change the outcome of your fitness and health goals. All the good intentions are not producing the results you want if you don’t track them. Use your wearable to see who much you move every day. Perhaps log your food on MyFitnessPal to find out what you’re eating daily and if that is consistent with your weight loss goals.

Small changes will add up, and consistency is key. You don’t have to do fad diets and boot camps to see results. Instead, start with baby steps, stay committed and be patient. Then, go back to those healthy habits you followed before you started to celebrate and you’ll lose the weight and get back to your fitness routine.