Tips For Losing The Quarantine 15

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A survey of more than 3,000 adults found that more than 61 percent of Americans report having gained unwanted weight during the pandemic. The stay-at-home order had so many unpredictable ripple effects that impacted the way we move and eat. Think of those who used to walk to and from work every day. Even if it was just a 15-minute walk each way, that’s a 30-minute walk that’s no longer happening five days a week. It’s a good chunk of the moderate aerobic activity experts recommend, gone. Just like that. Then of course there are those who relied on the gym for their workouts. They needed the social and/or competitive environment of a public workout space to push themselves. Or maybe they simply didn’t have the room at home to work out. But the gyms shut down.

Eating habits changed, too. There’s no doubt this pandemic brought a tremendous amount of stress into our lives, and stress makes us want to eat more. What does it make us want in particular? Certainly not kale or lean chicken breast. We want comfort food. Give us the carbs and cheese and sugar. It’s kind of a shock that some people only gained 15 pounds during this time. But now with vaccines rolling out and more businesses opening up, some of us are facing the reality that we may need to slip out of our sweatpants and into real clothes again. So we got some insight from certified nutrition and wellness consultant Diamond Ivey of IV Wellness on what not to eat when trying to lose the quarantine 15.

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Ditch the nutrition-less food

If you’re looking to lose weight, there isn’t room in your diet for foods that don’t provide nutrition, and there certainly isn’t room for foods that won’t make you feel full. “Avoid empty calories such as chips, cookies, ice cream, candy, soda, dressings, and sauces,” Ivey advises. “All of these foods are high in calories, have low nutritional value and will leave you still hungry.” Luckily, there are versions of all of these foods that can offer nutrition – like homemade veggie chips using things like kale or beets, flourless oatmeal cookies sweetened with dates, “frozen yogurt” made from simple blended frozen bananas, and other clever substitutions.

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Put fiber first

When it comes to foods that help satiate you and regulate blood sugar levels, Ivey says fiber is the way to go. “Increase your fiber! Fiber will leave you feeling fuller longer, she shared. “Some fiber-rich foods include apples, strawberries, bananas, air-popped popcorn, broccoli, brussel sprouts, black beans, oats, chia seeds, and almonds.” In addition to helping you feel full for hours, fiber can also help prevent constipation. Staying regular can be an important part of staying in touch with hunger cues and regulating your appetite. We have a list of  plenty of high fiber foods and even tips on how to add roughage to your dessert.

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Socialize strategically

Stress can cause food cravings for many reasons. The stress hormone can cause us to feel like we need to eat more. The presence of a stressful person or event may drive us to distract ourselves with a cheesecake instead of facing the issue. There are a lot of reasons we have a better handle on what we eat when we’re calm and happy, which is why Ivey says this may not be the best time to be around friends or family who cause you even more stress. “Beware of things that trigger cravings such as stress, menstrual cycles, or even family gatherings/celebrations,” she says.

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Prepare for cravings

In a perfect world, you simply won’t crave “bad” foods, and you’ll plan all of your meals so perfectly that you won’t require snacks in between. But we don’t live in a perfect world, and there will be days when avoiding cravings is harder than others. Plus, you’ll just have busy days when you need snacks to carry you through to the next meal. If you don’t have something good on hand, you’re more likely to hit a vending machine. “Always keep low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods handy such as fresh fruit, one serving of nuts, popcorn, and even dark chocolate for those ‘time of the month cravings,’” Ivey says.

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Sip strategically

We don’t use liquids to fill us up. When we’re hungry, we don’t think, “I’ll have juice.” We drink to quench thirst or clear our palate between bites. That may be why we don’t think about all of the calories in drinks. Just because they don’t “fill us up,” doesn’t mean they don’t pack on the pounds. If you can’t spare extra calories, don’t waste them on drinks. Those never offer nutrients beyond a few minerals. “Avoid drinking your calories! You would be surprised at how many extra calories we put on by drinking everyday beverages such as juices, sodas, sports drinks, flavored teas/coffee, and alcohol,” Ivey says. “Instead, choose water and unsweetened teas as your drink of choice when dropping those extra pounds.”

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When good food turns bad

Expending more calories than you consume will always be the end goal. It will always be the most influential part of losing weight. And no matter how healthy a food is, all food contains calories – and they can add up quickly. Just because something is nutrient dense doesn’t mean you have a free pass to eat mountains of it. “Don’t overeat…even ‘healthy’ foods. We all know how nutritious nuts, beans, brown rice, oats, and other whole grains are, but the common mistake many of us make is overeating these foods,” Ivey says. “A rule of thumb I go by is only eat the serving size on the back of the food packaging. For example, if a serving of almonds is 14 almonds = 100 calories, only eat 14 almonds. Portion control is key, even when eating the healthiest of foods!”

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Less is more

When trying to lose weight, the simpler, more basic ingredients, the better. There shouldn’t even be a food label for you to read. If you’re eating whole foods like chicken breast, chickpeas, broccoli, brown rice, and potatoes, what is there to read? If it comes from Mother Nature and hasn’t been modified, you’re on the right track. “Lastly, KEEP. IT. SIMPLE. Eat lean protein such as eggs, baked/grilled chicken, lean turkey, and fish. Double up on your portion of vegetables to increase fiber and fullness,” Ivey says. “Measure your carbs such as rice, potatoes, and beans so that you are only eating one serving. Avoid sauces and dressings.”

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Be prepared

“Plan and prepare each meal and snack to avoid stopping for fast food,” Ivey says of how you should strategize the way you eat. “Replace juice and soda with water. Make fresh fruit and one serving of nuts your go-to snack. Download a food tracking app such as MyFitnessPal to monitor your calorie and nutritional intake.” Often we make diet mistakes when we aren’t prepared. Think of the times you’ll be stuck in traffic. Keep high protein foods like nuts in the center divider so you can snack on those in the car and not walk in your door starving. Not being prepared will only increase the chances you eat everything in sight without discretion when famished.

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Use these apps

Ivey mentioned using MyFitnessPal to monitor your calorie intake. We listed some other favorite apps in an article about helping you eat healthier. Many of these apps cover more than simply what you eat and how much you exercise. Some include journals that let you record what events or feelings surrounded times you overate. It can be a good idea to be in touch with a therapist if you feel there are emotional or mental causes behind overeating, and to make sure that, even when you get in shape, you continue to have a healthy relationship between your mind and body.

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Don’t rush it

Having patience will be key. You didn’t put the weight on in one day and you won’t lose it in one day. And remember, a lot of individuals put on weight during this time, so you certainly won’t be the only one at the friendship reunion wearing slightly larger pants. Also trust that if you were in a shape with which you were happy before the pandemic, you may easily return to that through a simple lifestyle shift after it. You’ll (probably) return to living the way you lived before. Maybe that means going back to the gym or walking to work again. A return to your regular activities may help you get back in shape without even putting much thought into it.