Quarantine Weight Gain is Real: What Should You Do About It?

Published on: 25 March 2021 Last Updated on: 06 May 2021

There’s no denying that quarantine weight gain is real. A survey found that close to 36% of the 19,903 people surveyed in over 140 countries shared that they have gained weight while in lockdown. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were committed to doing home workouts.

However, since most are not familiar with the training that would best suit them, many found it difficult to stick to a regimen. A considerable number of gym members haven’t been able to go back to gyms since the onset of the pandemic over a year ago.

Lockdown Weight Gain Is a Serious Matter-

Weight gain during the lockdown has signaled the waning motivation of individuals to work hard to keep their bodies healthy, and both mental and physical fatigue has become increasingly prevalent.

With increased levels of stress, gaining unnecessary weight only serves to put more strain on people’s health. This is why it’s necessary for people to take their health seriously. Obesity is a huge risk factor for COVID infection and complications.

Here are a few tips to start putting your health and wellness first:

Stick to an Exercise Routine:

It can be challenging, but you have to force yourself to stick to a workout routine. If you have fears of being exposed to the virus in a public environment, there are plenty of exercises that you can do at home.

In fact, you can download mobile apps to help you connect with other people so you can have a workout buddy to motivate you. You can also enroll in virtual workout classes if it helps you stay focused. If you prefer working out at home, you can use apps to help you craft a plan.

Start slow, and set aside at least 30 minutes a day, three to four times a week to focus on your workout.

If you prefer doing workouts with a personal trainer, you can ask your gym if they offer such a service.

If not, there are a number of personal trainers who advertise their services online. Some of them are willing to do online sessions. Try doing a variety of exercises, including yoga, bodyweight exercises, or running. Walking your dog for at least 30 minutes a day can help you lose weight, and dancing is also a great way to shed off some fat. You can watch YouTube videos of Zumba classes to get started. Not only will it help you lose weight, but it will also give your mental health a boost.

If you have any illnesses that may be exacerbated by exercise, consult your doctor. Ask for recommendations about what exercises would work best for your present condition. It’s okay if you need to start slowly; what’s important is that you make a change from leading a sedentary lifestyle.

Invest in Your Nutrition:

On top of your workout routines, you should also invest in your nutrition. Make sure that you are eating adequately and appropriately. Stick to a nutritional plan that best suits your health needs. It can be tempting to binge on comfort food because of the emotionally draining situation that we’re currently in, but your best bet would be to consume ample amounts of fruits and vegetables while cutting back on sugary food items and processed meals.

It might be a good time to develop your skills in the kitchen and get cooking. Making home-cooked meals is a great way to help you stick to your diet. In fact, a study has shown that individuals who consume home-cooked meals are less likely to gain weight.

Since you are in quarantine, use the time you have at your hands to experiment. Start meal planning so you can squash those cravings that you have late at night. Aside from food, you can also take supplements to help you lose weight. Choose healthy supplements that help you burn fat faster. You can learn more here.

Remember, you should aim for a balanced diet. It is unhealthy to follow crash diets that could affect your immune system. If you want to curb your eating routine by adopting methods such as intermittent fasting, be sure to ask your doctor first. While you may want to experiment in the kitchen, experimenting with new diets can be risky.

You need to be properly guided on how you should start and progress on a particular diet.

Follow a Routine:

Quarantine fatigue can cause you to lose focus. You can try to shake it off by following a routine. Ever since the pandemic disrupted our regular routines, many found it hard to cope, which resulted in behaviors that caused them to gain weight.

One way to combat this is to set up a new daily routine, which can help you maintain a sense of normalcy. You can start by setting a time for when to wake up, do chores, eat meals, work out, attend work or school, and sleep.

Once you get the hang of it, you can slowly incorporate meal planning to ensure that you are getting the right food in your system, helping you fight off obesity.

Getting the right amount of sleep can also help you strengthen your immune system. Aside from giving your body plenty of rest, following a sleep routine helps to fight off midnight cravings and prevent weight gain.

You have to make sure that you are getting quality, restful sleep so that your body is able to rest and recuperate. This way, you will be ready to take on a new day.

Endnote:

Now you have a deeper understanding of what quarantine weight is and how it can affect your risk for developing other chronic diseases. Try not to be too hard on yourself, as the last year has been difficult for everyone. Focus on formulating a new routine and sticking to it, and you’ll start seeing a difference in your physique in no time.

Read Also:

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Get Ready for the Skirt Season

Your legs are one of your best physical assets, and one (that is, two) of the very symbols of feminine power. When it comes to strength and sexiness, having a great set of pins gives you confidence when you are naked, or just when you want to show off enough to get heads turning. Of course, a great pair of legs is not just a gift for some women – and if you are not super blessed, you can still earn slender legs and knees.The skirt season is on a hype and you need to prepare yourself for that in advance. It is too easy to fall into the glum state where you feel like you “just don't have it” or it “isn't meant to be.” But this is silly! Every woman can have a great body all around, including spots where you might not realize you can trim down, like your knees. This is not a fairy tale. It is not something you can put off. The weather might warm up and the sun might come out tomorrow. So why not look your best? What Are The Benefits You Can Get From Skirt Season There are several benefits of making the proper usage of the skirt season you have to make sure that you do not fall in a trap. The Myth of Targeted Fat Loss: There is a myth going through the fitness community that if you do this or that exercise, you can achieve the target fat loss. Unfortunately, this is one aspect of your fitness journey that really is genetic in nature. Some people lose weight in their stomach first, some in their legs first, some in their face first. Some unlucky gals even lose breast tissue (which is technically fat) before they shed weight anywhere else. The trick here is to just stick it out. Keep moving forward. It can be disheartening when you have lost weight everywhere except where you really want to. But then, the overall weight loss is great for you in a lot of ways. If your legs are normally your last place to pour off the pudge, keep going and you’ll experience success. It will just take longer. Accept this fact. Accept that you’ll sometimes get frustrated and upset about it. But then, it won't be as bad. Hard Cardio: If you have ever heard of HIIT, keep in mind that this is a great way to take your burning of fat into the fifth gear. High-intensity interval training is basically moments of heavy cardio, followed by short rest periods. If you are in good enough shape to handle these kinds of classes, they are worth taking the time for. These blow long slow distance (otherwise known as the less enjoyable form of LSD) out of the water because of the sheer intensity, and the fact those 15 minutes of HIIT can accomplish more for you than an hour of LSD. Building Some Muscle: Many women are reluctant to lift weights unless it is in a cardio set. Part of this is because it seems dominated by men. Another part of it is because some people think it “doesn't look feminine.” Being female, you’re not going to lift weights and start looking like Arnold. What you’ll find is that every pound of muscle you build is an extra 50 calories a day you burn, just by living. Put on 5 to 10 pounds of muscle. That would be a huge boost to helping you lose your fat knees. The skirt season is all that one should be aware off while developing the health status of her body. Read Alos: 7 Ways To Kick Off Your Fitness Routine 5 Ways You Can Be Inhibiting Your Fitness

When Someone You Love Has an Addiction: 5 Tips on How to Help an Addict

Helping someone who has addiction problems can be a challenge. Unlike other health issues, people who are addicts will actively try to avoid getting help. Read this article to find out how to help an addict. 1. Know the Signs: In order to help someone who has addiction issues, first, you need to recognize that they have a problem. Learn the signs of addiction so you can see them in your loved ones. For example, you might notice mood swings, abrupt changes in sleeping pattern and appetite, and changes in physical appearance. Addicts may also try to frequently borrow money. When addiction becomes serious, the addict may no longer be able to keep up with their responsibilities. They might also stop enjoying some of the things they once liked to do. 2. How to Help an Addict? Establish Trust: If an addict feels you aren't someone they can trust, they might cut you out of their life. Avoid nagging, lecturing, and making personal attacks. In most cases, this sort of thing will just act as a trigger and cause the addict to indulge in their addiction even more. Instead, be patient and try to be understanding. Recognize that deciding to go into recovery can take time. You can't force an addict into recovery. But if you've established trust, you can guide them towards it when the time is right. 3. Take Care of Yourself: It's important that you take care of your own well-being when trying to help an addict. Set clear boundaries and don't let the addict overstep them. If you allow yourself to become stressed out by the situation, you're just going to make things worse in the long run. Also, you shouldn't engage in any addictive behaviors yourself. You won't have much credibility if you're telling them to get help while you're drinking a case of beer a day. 4. Don't Protect Them From Consequences: While this is difficult to do, it's often a bad move to protect your loved one from the consequences of their actions. Facing up to the results of their negative behavior is often what an addict needs to recognize they have a problem. If you shelter an addict from the consequences, you might just be preventing them from making a recovery. 5. Accept That It'll Take Time: If you want to provide good addiction support, you need to accept that it'll take time. Don't expect miracles. Recovering from addiction is a long road. In some cases, an addict might relapse. If this happens, you shouldn't overreact. For many addicts, relapse is a natural part of recovery. Be There for Your Loved Ones: Now you know a bit more about how to help an addict. It's important to remember that you can do everything right, and it still might not work out. Do what you can for your loved one, but don't allow it to become excessively detrimental to your own life. Want to know more about outpatient rehab? Then check out our blog post. Read Also: 9 Signs You Have A Prescription Opiate Addiction Is Someone You Know Suffering From A Benzodiazepine Addiction? Here’s How To Know

Spot It Early: 9 Common Signs of Addiction You Need to Look out For

Almost ten percent of Americans have used some sort of illicit drug in the past month. Many of those people won't develop any signs of addiction. Typically, people start to use drugs on a recreational basis and over time move from only using in a social setting to using on their own. As time goes on and the disease of addiction progresses, they will begin to exhibit more signs and engage in riskier behavior. Fortunately, there are ways to catch addictions while they are forming. You can approach a loved one before their habit becomes a real problem, but only if you know what to look for. Learn more here. 1. An Increase of Stress and Feelings of Paranoia: Most people turn to drugs and alcohol at stressful times in their life. If you know someone who has a history of turning to substances when they are upset and you find out they are going through a stressful period, you may want to reach out to lend them support. If you reach out and you notice your friend responds with feelings of paranoia, they may be already headed towards developing an addiction. Talk to them about their recent drug and alcohol use. 2. Changes in Behavior: Depending on how often you are able to see your loved one, you will be able to notice changes in their behavior developing. They may start to miss work more, have problems in school, and not care about showing up at social engagements. They may also start to isolate themselves more so that they are able to make more time for using. Their conversations will become dominated by talk of drug and alcohol use. And, they will most likely fall on hard financial times and constantly need more money. 3. Cold or Flu-Like Symptoms: Cold or flu-like symptoms can develop due to long term use of many drugs including meth and opioids. For those who inject the drugs, they will often develop a cough and a runny nose as well as puffy eyes. If you notice that your loved one has some of these symptoms but they don't want to go to the doctor, it could be because they have something to hide. 4. Manipulative Behavior: Drug and alcohol addictions are expensive. Depending on how much access a drug user has to cash, they may frequently be in need of more money to feed their habit. When combined with the threat of withdrawal symptoms, many addicts will choose to steal or manipulate their loved ones in order to get the money they need. They will come up with lies and tell stories in order to borrow more cash. They may also steal valuables from their loved ones that they can sell later for cash. 5. Unexplained Disappearances: Unexplained disappearances are a common indicator of addiction. In order to become an addict, you have to dedicate a lot of time to it. The more time an addict spends high, the less comfortable they tend to feel around friends and family members that don't use. Over time, they may start disappearing for a few hours. After a while, it could become more frequent with disappearances that last for days or even weeks. 6. Dishonesty: If you are using drugs and alcohol frequently, there are very few people in the world who will allow you to openly continue to your behavior. Many addicts feel they have to lie in order to support their habit. If you notice that you keep catching your loved one in lies but aren't sure what's at the root of it all, you should consider whether they might be using drugs or alcohol. 7. The frequency of Use: As mentioned earlier, many people who abuse substances start off by having more control over their use. Over time, they begin to develop a tolerance that causes their body to feel like it needs more just to get high. The more you ingest, the higher your chance of getting addicted. Many addicts feel like they can quit any time they want. This should be a red flag about someone's use since if the problem is being talked about, they probably should have already stopped. 8. Discovery of Drug Paraphernalia: If someone is using drugs, you may not always find their stash. But, you can usually find some evidence of their use, such as drug paraphernalia. Make sure if you confront a loved one about what you have found, that you have all your facts straight before you make the accusation. Most addicts will deny any evidence they are confronted with. 9. Development of a Tolerance: If you have been using drugs and alcohol yourself and you're concerned that you may be pushing it too far, you should consider whether or not you have developed a tolerance to the substances. Tolerance is your body's way of telling you that it has made a permanent adjustment to craving that substance. It's a dangerous indicator of addiction. Other Signs of Addiction: If you have any of the signs of addiction on this list, then it may be time for you to consider a recovery facility. But there is one more major sign left to mention - continuing despite negative consequences. If using substances has been leading to problems in your relationships or finances, then you need to take the problem seriously and get help today. Learn more about rehab here. More Helpful Advice: Now that you know the signs of addiction, you can keep an eye on your loved ones to make sure they stay safe and healthy. For more health and fitness advice, check out our other posts today. Read Also: Famous Alcoholics And The Symptoms Of Their Addiction How To Know If You Have An Addiction: 7 Common Signs Not On The Straight And Narrow: 4 Telltale Signs Of Drug Use In Teens

Quarantine Weight Gain is Real: What Should You Do About It?