There is a pandemic ravaging the world and keeping us all in our homes for the time being. While it might be great to spend more time with our family, it's easy to notice the weight we're putting on because of the lockdowns. We might be keeping ourselves safe from COVID-19, but we can never escape the curves we're developing because of quarantine. 

Why Have We Gained Weight During This Pandemic?

One would assume weight gain caused by the pandemic was caused by being more sedentary. However, you would only be half right. A lot of the weight gain caused by COVID-19 came about because of stress and anxiety, but how does stress or anxiety cause weight gain?

How Stress And Anxiety Cause Weight Gain

COVID-19 is a stressful situation. A lot of us are furloughed and collecting unemployment. Some of us had to adjust to working from home while caring for our children or aging family members. Our lives were flipped upside down, and that causes a lot of stress. Stress has a direct impact on our body's ability to keep a healthy weight. When our bodies are stressed out, our body's adrenal glands are pumping stress hormones known as cortisol. Glucose is also released into your bloodstream that causes blood sugar issues. It's not a very pleasant physiological response. 

As the stress hormones start to subside, our brain is craving sugar because of the glucose running through our bloodstream. The first thing your brain seeks to do is reach for carbohydrates or sugar to comfort itself. It's a brutal cycle of stress, comfort eating sugar, and gaining weight.

It doesn't help that many grocery stores are inaccessible for some who are locked in their homes. That means our only avenue for food is take-out food, which delivers comfort foods directly to our doors. Even if you are limited to your sugar consumption in quarantine, cortisol release into your body harms your metabolism. Your body does a better job of storing fat in unwanted places in the body when stressed because it believes it will need it eventually. Stress can also lead to some unwanted eating behaviors that sound difficult to break during the quarantine. 

Unhealthy Eating Habits Caused By Stress

You already know about reaching for comfort food that causes emotional eating, but when we're at home stressing, we're also skipping meals. Since we're doing what we can to get by, we're most likely skipping meals to eat larger meals once or twice a day while snacking on unhealthy snacks in between. Skipping meals also has an effect on our metabolism. 

So you're not eating as much, but they're large comfort meals packed with sugar and carbohydrates when you do. Not only that, but the stress is most likely causing insomnia as well. It's no secret that stress is linked with having trouble sleeping. When you're not getting enough quality sleep at night, your body will crave caffeine, sugar, and carbohydrates for energy. It just seems like a seemingly endless cycle, doesn't it? However, there are ways to overcome the mental barriers caused by stress to shake the weight off during quarantine, so you can come out of your house one day with confidence instead of embarrassment. 

Get Exercise

Do what you can to get exercise at home. It's not brand-new information that exercise can help alleviate stress. Exercise is definitely one of the best tools for overcoming stress and breaking through that mental barrier. That's because when you're exercising, you're pumping your brain with endorphins. These endorphins are the neurotransmitters that make your brain feel good. 

Exercise also helps you build more confidence, which can do a number against stress and anxiety. Who needs to feel bad about their dad bods when they can look good in their post-quarantine shirts? Imagine getting comments telling you the lockdown did wonder for you? Once you can put stress aside by getting some exercise at home, you can start working down some fat stores. 

Eat More Nutrient-Packed Comfort Foods

The reason why you're reaching for more carbohydrates and fats is that they're not very nutritious. Your body isn't going to feel full with them because you're not taking in enough quality while you're taking in more quantity. The comfort food you're eating doesn't have the necessary vitamins and minerals your body needs. When you eat smaller portions that are nutrient-packed, your brain will believe your stomach is full because it's getting its nutrients.

Fortunately, nutrient-packed foods don't mean you have to just munch on uncomfortable broccoli. You can still have delicious fruit, yogurt, fish, or even chocolate to satisfy your brain. Yes, chocolate can be healthy, comfort food in moderation. Chocolate, especially raw chocolate, you can mix into smoothies, contains many different B vitamins, antioxidants, protein, magnesium, and fiber. 

Journal What You’re Eating

Believe it or not, you can subconsciously guide yourself in the right direction passed your mental blocks simply by self-monitoring with a journal. Keeping track of what you're eating can help you identify any problem spots. Did you eat three servings of spaghetti last night and feel like death in the morning? Well, maybe don't eat three plates of spaghetti anymore. Eat smaller portions while adorning your spaghetti with nutrient-packed vegetables to get full faster without literally stuffing your stomach. 

Just because you're stuck at home doesn't mean it's the end of the world as far as your weight is concerned. However, keep in mind that any weight you're gaining during quarantine can put you at risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, or even cancer. You don't want any of these health issues. It's important to set healthy habits while you're stuck at home with your wife and screaming children. Don't let the stress transform into weight gain by following these simple tips. You'll come out the other end of this situation happier, healthier, slimmer, and more confident. 

To find out more about our services, click here: men’s counseling.