CLEVELAND, Ohio We dont need fancy research studies to deliver the same message that comes across loud and clear when we try to wriggle into pre-COVID-19 jeans. As a country, weve put on weight. Call it the Pandemic 15.

When normal life was upended, we indulged in Netflix and chill, with the chill augmented by ice cream. Nightly glasses of wine were an antidote to a day of Zoom work meetings. We baked the sourdough bread, and we ate it with relish. With gyms closed, exercise seemed like even more of a chore than usual.

About 22% of adults said they had gained five to 10 pounds since stay-at-home orders went into place, according to a survey conducted by Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Risk factors for weight gain while sheltering in place were inadequate sleep, snacking after dinner, lack of dietary restraint, eating in response to stress, and reduced physical activity.

In times of major stress, people feel as if they have so much disruption in their lives no routine, kids home from school, working from home that they dont have the bandwidth to think about diet and exercise, said Gary Foster, chief science officer at WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers.

People werent thinking (the pandemic) would last this long, Foster said.

An Italian study found that obese people in northern Italy had significantly gained weight 1 month after the beginning of a lockdown. Lack of exercise, boredom, anxiety and depression, and consumption of unhealthy foods were correlated with significantly higher weight gains.

People prone to emotional eating did just that, even if they had established healthy habits before the pandemic, said Meghann Featherstun, clinical dietician and wellness coach at University Hospitals.

The lack of work or school schedules was a big factor in changing our eating patterns, said Emily Iammarino, a pediatric dietitian at MetroHealth Systems.

When youre home, that routine and schedule can really go out the window and its easy to find yourself eating meals at odd hours and snacking a lot in between, Iammarino said in an email. Youll be snacking on some pretzels while listening in on a Zoom conference and before you know it, the bag is empty.

Another big factor is the lack of physical activity, Iammarino said. At work, walking to your car, the bathroom, printer or water cooler, adds up over time, Iammarino said. Many people arent going shopping, out to eat, or to the gym as much as they used to, increasing the time spent just sitting at home.

Some people gained weight during the disruption. Others used their new daily routine to renew a commitment to a healthy goal, make more time for exercise and take control of their food intake, Featherstun said.

I have seen both ends of the spectrum, Featherstun said.

At UH, enrollment in a seven-week workplace health and wellness class for employees swelled recently, Featherstun said. More employees felt they had time to participate because they are working from home, she said.

The UH wellness program, which focuses on balanced meals, food behaviors and exercise, always had an online component, but was exclusively online starting in April, she said.

Other weight-loss support groups also offered online help to people struggling to maintain healthy habits despite the disruption in their lives.

When state-wide shutdowns occurred across the country, WW quickly changed its weekly meetings into virtual workshops, giving members a sense of community at a time when they couldnt be with family or friends, Foster said.

The pandemic can be an obstacle to health and wellness, or good time reimagine how your family eats and set new routines, Foster said.

Its an opportunity for a reboot, he said.

Here are idea about how to work towards a healthy lifestyle, from Foster, Iammarino and Featherstun:

Eat proper meals; dont graze all day. Hide the chips and place fruits and veggies in a prominent place in the refrigerator.

Think of one small change you can do today, such as eating breakfast, choosing healthy snacks or moving your home office further away from the kitchen.

Look for small wins. Whats important is progress, not perfection.

Set specific and reasonable goals. It might be walking for 15 minutes, or drinking a glass of water with meals.

Experiment with new healthy recipes. Make extra batches so that you have homecooked meals waiting and dont have to rely on fast food.

Switch up your exercise routine. If youve mostly been doing workouts in your living room, start going for walks, and vice versa.

Expect setbacks and dont let them derail you from your health and wellness goals. Just get back to your routine as soon as possible.

Practice self-compassion. Berating yourself for a slip-up calling yourself a lazy idiot with no willpower is not productive. Talk to yourself as you would a friend, by being honest by not harsh.

Expect to lose about 1-2 pounds a week. Slow and steady wins the race, Featherstun said.

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Healthy snacks, setting small goals best ways to lose the pandemic 15 weight gain - cleveland.com