- Blog #14
Quarantine Binging to post Coved dining. What happened to my waistline?
Not that long-ago, pandemic closures had us all stuck at home cooking as much for comfort as nutrition.
So, it’s not surprising that many have noticed unexpected changes in their wardrobes. Buttons popping, zippers that won’t close and pants that fit too tight, all indications for a need to change diet, or buy a new wardrobe. Neither option very pleasant.
How did it happen so quickly? The surprise in the mirror shouts” pandemic weight gain! “
The period of pandemic isolation was an emotional time for all. Weddings were postponed and offices were shut. Businesses like the Woodside Tailor Shop in Queens was bleak for many months. There was no need for party dress alterations, or any pressure for slacks to be hemmed.
Then about three months into it, things started picking up in June, with one particular service suddenly in demand. People needed a bit more breathing room in their clothing. “Everybody got fat!” said Porfirio Arias, 60, a tailor in Woodside.
Rae, a mom of two in Queens estimated she had gained about 8 pounds since it began. “When this all started, I thought, ‘Oh, maybe I’d better get some junk food because we'll all be bored and freaked out, and it's good to have some comfort food around,’” says Brader, 40. “That ballooned, and now, none of my clothes fit.”
Giving Thanks for Clothes That Stretch
Seeking more comfort, with stretch clothing is a quick fix for expanding waistlines. For this, we should all be thankful to Thomas Hancock and his “masticator band”. The Englishman who invented the rubber band in about 1820. The bands invented at that time would soften on hot days and harden on cold ones. Later, American Charles Goodyear invented vulcanization, that stabilized early elastic in 1840. Hancock was quick to exploit the technique and claimed the earlier invention! So now in post corona we can offer our gratitude to Mr. Hancock for allowing our clothes to stretch as we indulge during Covid-19. Without Hancock and elastic, we would all be a lot more uncomfortable today!
So, the next time you crave a snack put on your stretchy pants and go out for some fun with a friend. Just remember to grab some water on your way out…
Any time is a great time to give yourself a diversion from food and create another trigger or go to in place of food. Picking a busy task that takes time and thought is also a great way to divert the desire to snack. Sometimes even drinking a glass of water, or low-cal drink can ease the urge to eat something and lend time to select alternate choices.
The experts also tell us… You don’t need a daily 6-mile hike to improve your health. Studies have shown that a 20-minute walk in a natural environment reduces cortisol, which can help with eating habits. When you feel like you want to go and just eat the entire fridge, go outside for 10 minutes, go for a walk in a park or your local neighborhood, to give yourself a diversion from the food and the stress we are all facing together.
Some people are finding that they are losing weight because they’re not going to restaurants as much anymore. They are taking this opportunity and time to cook healthy meals at home. Enjoying time with close friends and family and sharing a meal is great way to relax, eat healthier and save money.
None of us are in this alone….
In a poll of more than 1,000 U.S. readers of WebMD, nearly half of the women and almost one-quarter of the men said they’d gained weight “due to COVID restrictions.” A separate poll of 900 international readers found more than half of men and about a third of women reporting weight gain.
In the last 30 days, more than half a million Facebook users have engaged with terms around quarantine weight gain, including quarantine 15 and #quarantineweight gain.
Some gained but some lose:
Weight gain isn’t universal. The maker of an internet-connected scale found that users had gained only .21 pounds in the first month of the lockdown. And while its users might not reflect the population as a whole, weight loss experts do say they’re seeing a fair number of people are continuing to lose.
According to data provided by Lose It!, it’s users have lost less weight on average this March and April compared to the same months in 2019, possibly due to the same stress factors.
Next, plan on what steps to take to break any unhealthy habits, especially if you have extra time on your hands. If possible, try to use it as an opportunity to rise to the occasion to be a healthier you and live longer.
When you feel like you want to just eat the entire fridge, go outside for 10 minutes, take a short walk, and stay away from the kitchen. Give yourself a diversion and create another trigger, to not go into a place with food. Pick a busy task that takes time and thought. Try drinking water, or a low-cal drink to ease the urge to eat and make time to select gbetter healthy choices when you do. We're all in this together so let's do this together.
When you feel like you want to just eat the entire fridge, go outside for 10 minutes, take a short walk, and stay away from the kitchen. Give yourself a diversion and create another trigger, to not go into a place with food. Pick a busy task that takes time and thought. Try drinking water, or a low-cal drink to ease the urge to eat and make time to select gbetter healthy choices when you do. We're all in this together so let's do this together.
Quote of the Week:
“I wish I could lose weight as easily as I lose my keys, pen, cell phone, temper, and even my mind.”
- Unknown
In an effort to better get to know our fellow employees:
The Intercruises blog would like to invite all staff to share a small paragraph about yourself with your fellow team members. This small personal section will be added to the blog. We invite you to share something about yourself – other occupations, business, interests, and talents. This is a great opportunity to share something, in your own words.
What you might not know about: Aubrey Campbell
Aubrey states, “Hope you and family are staying safe in these challenging times. The pandemic has forced me to look inward and so here I am sharing my passion with anyone who will listen, via radio, an industry that I started working in just out of High School, in Jamaica. Much blessings”
If you miss Aubrey on the Radio (WVIP 93.5 FM) you can subscribe to Aubrey’s Carib Zone News Blog?
Here is the link and you can sign up to receive it at the bottom of the blog.
Catch Aubrey on his weekly radio talk show.
We’ll be tuning in, will you?
If you wish to submit your bio for publication, forward to n.delarosa@intercruises.com
Comments
Post a Comment
Add your comments and suggestions here!