Worried About Gaining the Quarantine 15? Read This.
By Holley Samuel RD, LDN, CPT
One of our biggest fears in modern day society is gaining weight. In fact, stress related to weight gain can also cause… you guessed it… weight gain. There have been numerous studies conducted that show the correlation between weight gain and mental health status. Typically, those who fear gaining weight have a decline in mental health quality of life and those who currently have a decline in mental health quality of life are more susceptible to weight gain.1
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has- without a doubt- caused a lot of stress for many people around the globe. While many are worried about the health of their families and loved ones among other financial concerns due to significant changes in the economy and unemployment rates, many people are also now growing more concerned with their own health status.
The “quarantine 15” has been trending on social media, which describes the 15lbs or so many people may gain during quarantine due to being outside their regular routines, not having access to their regular physical activity spaces, and using food or drink as a coping mechanism for increased stress related to the outcomes and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer, it is far more concerning to me how many people are experiencing stress related to potential weight gain due to the significant health outcomes of this stressor. In practice, many health care professionals see patients use comfort foods or experience binge eating as a coping mechanism for their emotions. Emotional eating, without being addressed properly through coaching, therapy, and medical supervision, may lead to binge eating disorder, which can cause several other complications medically and psychologically. In fact, those who fear gaining weight are more likely to develop an eating disorder or disordered eating behaviors.
Here are five things you should consider if you are stressed from to the idea of potential weight gain or think that you may be experiencing emotional eating:
When you find yourself in the kitchen, review your hunger levels using the hunger scale
1= starving
2= really hungry belly growling
3= hungry enough to eat
4= could eat something
5=neutral, not thinking about food
6= comfortably full but could eat a little more
7=comfortably full, don’t want to eat any more
8= too full, slightly distended belly
9= uncomfortably full
10=stuffed, feel sick
***Are you reaching for food because you are physically hungry (at a 5 or below on the scale)?
If you are not a 5 or below on the hunger scale, why are you reaching for food? Is it to cope with an emotion? Are you bored? Can you define the emotion you are feeling?
If this is happening to my clients, I encourage them to make a list of 10 things they could do instead of eating that may distract them from using eating as an emotional coping mechanism. This could be journaling, calling a friend, doodling, drinking a glass of water, going for a short walk, playing with your dog, folding laundry, washing the dishes… whatever you think will work best! Then when you go to the kitchen for food when you are not hungry, choose 1-2 things off this list to do. Did the activity distract you? Did it allow you to cope with the emotion in a new, effective, healthy way?
If none of the activities on your list of 10 activities distracted you from thinking about food, then by all means- eat something! Make it a balanced meal or snack, put the food you plan to eat on a plate, and eat it mindfully in a calm environment so you can focus on the meal. I discuss how to create balanced meals and snacks in my 1:1 coaching programs using the “Holley Fueled Four” ingredients to promote satisfaction, fullness, and stable blood sugar and hormones: smart carbs, lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Distracted eating in front of a television, steering wheel, or computer screen is often not satisfying. Your brain may not even register that you ate something if it is distracted due to multitasking. This also negatively impacts digestion, and may lead to eating large volumes of food. This is why I encourage clients to focus on only eating when it’s meal or snack time.
If you are able to identify a stressor in your life that is constantly triggering you to use food as a coping mechanism, consider ways you could decrease or remove that stressor. What help may you need with this? It may be helpful to contact a registered dietitian, therapist, or physician to help you navigate this. That’s what they are there for!
Food is a lot more than “just” fuel. It can be used to celebrate, a part of an enjoyable routine, and gives our body physical and psychological nourishment. If you think you have an unhealthy relationship with food, there may be nutritional imbalances, psychological imbalances, or a shift in mindset needed that you are unaware of. Food should not run your life, and neither should a fear of gaining weight. If you feel fear from gaining weight, shame for your body size, or are stressed about food or your eating habits, it might be time to reach out to a registered dietitian to help you overcome this! Food should be an enjoyable, necessary part of your life and not contribute to stress. I coach clients in my practice to overcome the food fears, find food freedom, and be their own nutrition expert so that they can crush their goals!
I am a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and owner of this private virtual nutrition and fitness coaching practice, Holley Fueled Nutrition LLC. I specialize in helping all levels of runners train for races, develop a healthy relationship with food and body image, and fuel themselves for optimal performance both in running and life in general. I enjoy running and endurance sports, riding horses, hiking, swimming, paddle boarding, yoga- pretty much anything outdoors! I went from non-runner throughout high school and college to Boston Qualifier coached by myself, taking 35 minutes off my marathon time between my first and second marathons. I have been an endurance junky ever since!
Follow me on Instagram @holleyfuelednutrition
References
Block, J. P., He, Y., Zaslavsky, A. M., Ding, L., & Ayanian, J. Z. (2009, July 15). Psychosocial stress and change in weight among US adults. Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2727271/
Monroe, J. T. (2015, February 18). Mindful Eating: Principles and Practice - Jessica T. Monroe, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1559827615569682?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.1
Penney TL, Kirk SF. The Health at Every Size paradigm and obesity: missing empirical evidence may help push the reframing obesity debate forward. Am J Public Health. 2015;105(5):e38‐e42. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2015.302552