Stay Calm
I nervously scrunch up my face as I step on the scale. I stare at the number, relieved.
That number is nothing to be proud of, but it confirms what I have suspected: yep, I’m losing weight.
Classic. It took a pandemic for me to finally get the scale to move in the right direction.
I’ve seen the meme about everybody being a part of My 600-lb Life once we finally emerge from quarantining and self-isolation.
I’ve got a sense of humor. It’s a funny meme. Really. At the same time, though, it troubles me.
My
mom is a food addict. For decades she was 100 pounds overweight. She’s a
healthier weight now but she STILL has to work at it every single day.
I’ve known people with bulimia and anorexia plus binge eaters like my
mom.
I know the mental, emotional, and physical costs of overeating. It’s definitely no joke.
Additionally,
I don’t like the message that it’s a foregone conclusion that all of us
are going to come out of this putting on weight. It feels like a lazy
and permissive message for bad behaviors at exactly the moment we want
to be encouraging better choices.
Finally,
I’m one of those weirdos who loses weight when I’m stressed. I’m
blessed that I don’t have anxiety under normal circumstances. But for
the past 3 weeks, I’ve been living with an unrelenting low level of
anxiety.
While
many Americans have been grabbing excess quantities of comfort food and
booze, I have stuck to my vice of one Cherry Coke a day and a few
sweets with healthy(ish) meals.
There
are a lot of messages out there about how to handle the challenges of
theses unusual times. Many of them feel extreme to me.
Fitness
gurus harping “no excuses!” Berating people for not being able to
maintain the same exercise routine right now feels unfair at best.
As
if an avid gym-goer can easily pivot to an impersonal online video
without her regular equipment and the energy that she is accustomed to.
Telling
someone who has to stay indoors 100% to walk around his tiny NYC
apartment to get his 10000 daily steps feels absurd, too.
If
you usually run outside with a group, then you can’t recreate that
right now. If you love going to the gym or a barre class, being at home
is not the same. I’m not going to tell you “no excuses!” This is a loss
for you and the options are not ideal.
On the other side, though, you have people dismissing exercise right now. Excusing a poor diet and eating habits.
Eat whatever you want without guilt. You can’t help it! We’re all gaining weight due to stress. It’s inevitable!
I am not going to claim that I have the right answers for everyone.
But
I can share that treating this like a vacation where you forego any
exercise and eat whatever you want seems ill-advised. The timeline on
curtailing our normal life is unclear but it appears that it will be at
least a few more weeks. So approaching the next few weeks with a
different mindset seems prudent.
I’m
lucky that I have access to healthy produce and food. I’m fortunate
that I am still allowed outside right now. That certainly makes it a lot
easier for me to be on a relatively healthy course during this time.
My
secret exercise weapon is a mini-trampoline that I’ve been using about
5–6 times a week for 10 years. It’s compact and can be used regardless
of the weather. Or, thankfully, even when viruses are floating around.
It
turns out that jumping just 20–30 minutes most days alleviates my back
pain 100%. In fact, my back hurts less in my late 40s than it did in my
late 30s. Plus it helps keep my weight down.
For
those curious, it’s less of a jump and more like a jog. I jump/jog on
the trampoline while I watch mindless trashy reality tv.
I
mention this because it might be an innovative way for someone to get a
better workout during these challenging times — it’s great for kids and
teens, too. Not to sound cheesy, but the whole family can use it!
I
believe *almost* everybody is doing the best they can right now. But
taking extreme stances doesn’t feel healthy to me or resonate with me.
I
don’t drink alcohol, smoke, or eat much fried food. But I’ve always had
a sweet tooth and love carbs. I haven’t given up those things, but I
also haven’t doubled down on them!
I’m living my life right now with this philosophy: I’m splitting the difference and trying to find balance.
I haven’t gotten rid of my Cherry Coke or reality tv! Are you insane?!?
