Many people today have gained a lot of the so-called "pandemic pounds." For Dr. Ryan Light of Greenbrier Family Medicine in Chesapeake, this is called the COVID-19, "like 19 pounds, sort of, like people gaining the Freshman 40.
Dr. Light added, that he has seen a lot of patients anxious for tips on how to shed off and get rid of the pandemic pounds. With this global health crisis being experienced in most parts of the world, most people have created a lot of bad habits, particularly bad eating habits.
A WKTR report said, as the mask requirement has been lifted, people can all literally inhale a breath of fresh air. And for most of them, they get out, and again, they get moving.
Among the bad habits developed during the pandemic, this report specified, are food delivery, retaining a fridge that's quite easily accessible, and less physical exercise as there had been the closure of gyms.
Short-Term Diet to Lose Pandemic Pounds
"Get your steps in." This is Light's first tip to lose those pandemic pounds. For those at home, the expert advised, perhaps, every half-an-hour to one hour, take a break walk all over the place or house, or, if the weather allows, down the street.
Begin slow, he added, and get the body moving. It is essential to loosen the joints, he explained as most people have aged slightly, over the past year.
Dr. Light also said people can also try eating a short-term diet to lose fat fast, like an intermittent or keto diet, among others.
Both diets are effective in weight loss regimen, he elaborated. Intermittent fasting, he explained further, is an effective weight loss strategy. There is no need to have daily count of calories, but just on days fasting is done.
Light also said, for a long-term diet fix, it is essential to count calories and consider more low-carb choices or more foods that are protein-based.
He also advises people to drink plenty of water, recommending the use of a mobile app to help monitor water consumption. When looking at weight loss, continued Light is slow and it steadily wins the race.
Eat Real Food
In January, Fred Hutch's news site featured a 64-year-old woman who shared on Facebook that she has gained five pandemic pounds since COVID-19 started.
She said she's cooking much more at home now than before the pandemic and she thought she was eating healthier today than before this global health crisis, but she managed to gain those extra pounds.
Calorie-rich, zero-nutrition processed food may definitely be tempting especially during, for instance, a pandemic, but they, experts say, are not humans' friends.
Plants are, diet and nutrition experts say. They offer the body a slew of phytonutrients and some, like brassicas, also called cruciferous vegetables that actively fight cancer.
These vegetables, according to registered dietitian Kate Ueland, like arugula, broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, bok choy, and swiss chard are rich in carotenoid, folate, vitamins C and K, potassium, and manganese.
She added, they are a perfect source of fiber and have a group of phytonutrients called glucosinolates, as described in the National Library of Medicine, which prevent cancer in many different ways.
A related report is shown on HCA Midwest Health's YouTube video below:
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