The three lockdowns we have had in the UK have been extremely tough on our weight loss diet, health and well-being and at The Slimming Clinic we understand that the extra stress that a lockdown causes has meant that often, our health has often not been top priority.
Despite the millions of us getting up each morning for PE with Joe, or having good intentions to meal plan and cook, the fact remains that many of us gained weight, or negatively impacted our own health, during the lockdowns we have had in the UK since March 2020.
In a study conducted by Covid Sympton Study app in July last year of a whopping 1.6 million participants, a third said they had gained weight since March 2020. That’s about 464,000 people in that survey reporting that they had put on considerable pounds because of lockdown.
The survey didn’t just look at the pounds gained either, but also the reasons for people’s weight gain and how much they have put on:
5lbs – The average amount of weight gained from April – July by participants who were drinking more alcohol than they normally do.
5lbs – The average amount of those who reported doing less physical activity than usual in 3 months
7lbs (half a stone) – The average amount of weight put on since March for those who snacked more when at home between April and July.
8lbs – The average amount of weight gained by those who did not keep a healthy diet during lockdown.
The evidence in that study is also supported by two surveys conducted by Kings College London, of 2250 patients and of 2254 patients.
These studies support the idea that during lockdown, people turn to comfort eating and drinking, in order to cope better with the stresses and mental health issues caused by the lockdown.
In the study of 2250 patients, it found that half of the participants felt more anxious or depressed than usual and 38% of them were finding their sleeping was far worse than normal.
We know all-too-well that poor sleeping habits cause us to make poorer food choices, and feelings of anxiety or depression can make us choose to mindlessly eat as we let our emotions get the better of us.
So it will come as no surprise that 35% of the participants said they weren’t eating the same healthy foods they normally would and 1 in 5 had increased their intake of alcohol to cope with the situation.
Interestingly, when Kings College London surveyed patients again in May, the amount of people who said they had increased their alcohol intake had risen from 19% of people, to 29% of people, who were regularly drinking more than they normally would.
So with us now in lockdown part 3 and with many of us facing stresses we didn’t think we would have to face again, what can we do to help ourselves this time around?
What are the health implications if we treat our health and weight loss diet the same way as we did during the last lockdowns?
Lead researcher, Professor Tim Spector from King’s College London, says,
“The UK already had an obesity problem before the pandemic and what our latest data shows is the lockdown has made it worse. It’s, therefore, really important that we help the public understand the implications this will have on their long-term health…It’s essential that we don’t let this pandemic have an even greater impact on our future.”
We know that much evidence now shows that COVID-19 has a much more detrimental effect on our health if we are overweight or obese, as well as increasing the risks of developing obesity related conditions.
So, how can we lower our risks, now and in the long term, and help ourselves this time around in lockdown? How can we find, or regain, our healthy habits?
Our Top Tips for your health in lockdown:
Choose to lose and be mindful:
Use this opportunity to change your lifestyle and use the time wisely to lose weight!
When you find yourself stressed out, worried or anxious and you’re considering opening that bottle of wine, or reaching for a snack you don’t NEED – Stop. Think. Are you going to feel better for consuming it or is it adding unnecessary calories?
Make life easier:
Even if you’re on furlough, or your office is now your spare bedroom or living room, life at the moment still feels exhausting. It can be so easy to close your laptop at the end of the day and resign yourself to getting a takeaway to relieve the stress of having to cook.
But take 10 minutes, once a week, to make a food plan of healthy, simple and QUICK meals to help you stick to your weight loss diet. The internet is rife with thousands if not millions of healthy, speedy meals.
Make a plan, print the recipes, get cooking and make meals in minutes.
Shop sensibly:
We’ve all seen those who panic and buy lots of canned, high-salt, high-calorie, but long-lasting foods when lockdown comes. However, in the long run, they are bad for your health and you’re paying for convenience in calories.
As shown in the previous lockdown, the supermarkets have plenty of fresh, healthy foods, regularly delivered, so there is no reason not to continue to eat well.
When you’ve made your meal plan from the previous point, make a food list and go shopping.
Extra tip – don’t go food shopping hungry – it leads to buying unnecessary things that you’re craving because you’re peckish, not because you need it. Stick to your list!
Use your outside time wisely:
This lockdown is a little different to the last in that we aren’t getting the nice, long, light evenings we did earlier in the year, so it becomes much easier to ignore getting outside and doing our weight loss exercise.
However, we also have unlimited chances to exercise now too, not just one hour. So head out at lunch time or get up a little earlier and head outdoors into the fresh autumn air to start your day.
Not only will it help with your activity quota, but being outside will also boost serotonin levels and give your mental health a lift too.
Get support:
If you’re still struggling and you feel like you need more support this time round to get your health and weight under control, GET HELP!
Our experienced GMC-registered doctors and weight loss experts are here to support you and are able to continue to treat patients across the UK, even now as we enter the country-wide second lockdown.
Our lockdown protocol procedures and remote weight loss programmes ensure, no matter where you are, you can continue on your weight loss journey safely, in the comfort of your own home, with access to the ongoing support of our team of experts and medical professionals.
Whatever your personal needs, The Slimming Clinic is here to help and is committed to supporting you every step of the way.
