Pandemic triggers ‘poundemic’
Courtesy of Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unwanted weight gain. WHS Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center, which, along with other gymnasiums, closed down during a stretch of the pandemic is open again and offering classes.
Courtesy of Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center
Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center has resumed classes and other activities. Studies show many Americans gained weight during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Courtesy of Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center
Participating in group exercise is a good way to help shed some unwanted pounds picked up during the pandemic.
After spending the past 14 months at home baking bread, binge watching television shows and assembling puzzles throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans find themselves facing a dilemma: unwanted weight gain.
Call it what you will – a “poundemic” or the “quarantine 19,” similar to the “freshman 15” – studies and surveys show that people have packed on weight since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
An American Psychological Association survey of more than 3,000 adults found that 42% gained weight over the last year. Of that group, the average person gained 29 pounds. Ten percent said they gained more than 50 pounds.
Another study that tracked weight gained by Americans by using measurements from Bluetooth-connected smart scales found adults gained nearly two pounds per month during a four-month stretch last year, which could add up to 24 pounds over a year.
According to Dr. Fahad Zubair, Medical Director of Obesity at Allegheny Health Network, stress, lack of exercise, unhealthy changes in eating habits, and increased alcohol consumption are all contributing factors to the weight people gained during the pandemic.
“The challenges have been there for everyone. It’s been quite a challenging year for our patients, especially the obese population,” said Zubair. “In the last year, everyone has spent more time at home, and had more access to food and the refrigerator and alcohol.”
The pandemic weight gain is alarming for obesity medicine specialists like Zubair, who pointed out that obesity was a public health problem in the United States even before the pandemic.
About 42% of adults are obese, and in all, 73% of American adults are overweight.
The increase in obesity in children – more than 20% of children between 6 and 11 are considered obese – is also concerning to Zubair.
“My point is, it’s not just the pandemic. It is lifestyle – lack of activity and motivation to lead a healthy life and to choose healthy foods – that has led to weight gain, and yes, the pandemic has led to more challenges,” said Zubair. “We need help, as a nation, from policy makers to address this. If we don’t act now, we are literally putting more burden on the health care system in the next decade.”
At Washington Health System Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center, Marissa Watson, wellness and group exercise manager, pointed out that the closing of gyms disrupted exercise routines.
“A lot of people in group exercise said they relied a lot on the groups to exercise and keep them motivated to eat healthy, and they fell off their routine and gained weight,” said Watson. “People took up food-related hobbies like baking bread, so they only weren’t exercising, they were eating things they didn’t normally eat.”
So, how can people get back on track and lose weight?
Zubair, Watson, and Michelle Campion, a registered dietitian at the Wellness Center, offered recommendations.
“Get back to basics,” advised Campion.
Eat more vegetables, and avoid processed foods and sugary beverages, including sodas and sports drinks.
Alcohol, too, contributes to weight gain, Campion said, and one recent study showed that 60% of adults reported an increase in drinking alcohol due to the pandemic.
“Have balanced meals, three times a day. If you’re hungry, have a piece of fruit or a healthy snack,” said Campion. “Focus on eating real food.”
Be patient, and avoid fad diets.
“The worst part of fad diets is they are not typically sustainable long-term. As soon as you get off of that specific diet, you typically gain that weight right back, and you don’t learn how to eat right,” said Campion.
Campion and Zubair recommend making a series of smaller, attainable goals. Breaking a long-term goal of losing 20 pounds into separate goals of losing 5 pounds at a time is less daunting.
“Set small, achievable goals, so that you keep going,” said Zubair. “Keep adding those small victories that result in success in the long run.”
Don’t skip meals.
“I recommend that people eat three meals a day and focus on healthy foods,” said Campion.
Keep a food diary, Zubair suggests. Studies show people who log what they eat are more accountable for and aware of their diet.
Watson encourages people to “find their new schedule.”
“What they did pre-COVID may not work for them anymore. Maybe they have new injury or gained weight,” said Watson. “They need to listen to their body and find out what works for them.”
Participate in group exercise – a yoga class, running group, or spinning class, for example. It helps keep people accountable, and makes them feel like they’re a part of something bigger, Watson said.
Watson noted that exercise is beneficial physically and mentally – and provides an outlet for the stress and anxiety the COVID-19 pandemic caused.
“People need to be able to relieve some of that stress, and to take care of themselves. Getting your body moving, getting the heart pumping, feels good mentally and physically,” said Watson.
Eating well and exercising, Campion and Watson said, give people a better sense of well-being that translates into other areas of their lives.
Zubair said discipline and consistency are the keys to achieving and maintaining weight loss, and he encourages those who want to make changes to talk with a physician or specialist.
“And we need to change the mindset, in terms of criticism. People need to be encouraged. Criticism only leads to negative behavior,” said Zubair.
And, both Watson and Campion suggest being kind to yourself. Focus on progress, not perfection.
“Give yourself some grace. Psychologically, I think we are all in very different places from where we were last year. We are on a new path to a new normal from where we were,” said Watson. “People need to be kind to themselves.”