COVID lockdown success

ellyseb1

After 10+ weeks of working (and working out) at home with no access to a gym, I managed to lose 2 pounds! I've been back in the office now for 3 weeks and started a new habit of packing my lunch everyday - much healthier than the options in the cafeteria.

It's a small victory, but when the lockdown started, I was really worried about how I would cope. Anyone else have a silver lining in this terrible time?

NovusDies

ellyseb1 wrote: »

After 10+ weeks of working (and working out) at home with no access to a gym, I managed to lose 2 pounds! I've been back in the office now for 3 weeks and started a new habit of packing my lunch everyday - much healthier than the options in the cafeteria.

It's a small victory, but when the lockdown started, I was really worried about how I would cope. Anyone else have a silver lining in this terrible time?

It is not really a small victory though. It is a fairly substantial victory. You have learned that you are not easy to stop. It is not perfection that is needed it only requires that you don't stop. Once you believe you will continue the obstacles, the adjustments, the mistakes, the detours, and the delays are just noise you have to pass through.

I think one of the worst diet myths out there is that weight loss is fragile and that it can take very little to derail you. That is only true if you allow it. It took me a long time to finally realize this myself.

suzij27

Way to go! Packing your lunch everyday is a great lesson to learn.

Thanks to the lockdown, HaHaHa, I have found that cooking meals at home is my key to staying on track. I can stay at my calorie count going out (take out), but it isn’t easy and I can’t always get the dish I want. I am happier and less stressed with choices at home rather than restaurant food. I’ll save that for special occasions. Too much of my social life revolved around going out to eat.

I’ve also started having bring your own lunch or dinner with friends. We go to someone’s home, bring our own chair, sit apart in the front or back yard, and get a chance to socialize.

Sawjer

Never underplay the success of losing weight no matter how small, also you've changed your eating habits also, thats absolutely amazing! well done.

wholebygrace

I cannot lie, this pandemic spurned my desire to get healthy like nothing else. When I began reading about all of the underlying issues that were causing severe Covid reactions I got my bum in gear the minute quarantine was announced. I started C25k and a few weeks ago completed the program and am now waking up at 5:00 am to beat the Texas sun to run. I have lost a little over 20 pounds (I have a great deal more to lose) and am working on my sleep. I honestly do not know that I would have been so dedicated to my health if this pandemic did not scare the crap out of me.

Sand_TIger

My weight loss slowed but didn't stop, and I never had any major gains. I'm still working from home because I'm in a hot spot state and so I'm glad I haven't gained much. I haven't had as much access to walks but have found other things to do.

thelastnightingale

Well done!

I'm still at home, and since I decided to stop stuffing my face and sort myself out, being under lockdown has been good for me. I can make lunch using a kitchen - so can heat up home made soup, scramble some eggs or weigh out some cereal and milk. In the office, I used to grab a store bought sandwich each day for around 600 calories, so I've been able to make some really easy calorie savings there. I also just wouldn't have felt comfortable weighing anything out at work.

Like @wholebygrace, it was the Covid risk that has finally made me take losing weight seriously. This isn't about trying to look thinner or prettier, it's literally about saving my life. I can't control the virus, but I can get my weight down and give myself a much better shot at beating the virus if I do eventually catch it. I think this is the first time in my life I've tried to address my weight for a non-petty reason, and I'm hopeful this is what will make me stick at it. The motivation is finally good.

zimborunner

Good post and well done to the successes! DH decided in Feb to get on the bandwagon, motivated by 2 colleagues who had lost 40+ lbs. Since lockdown, he has dropped 20lbs. Me...I'm stuck. But, in April I had a terrible family tragedy in a country far, far from here, we sit patiently and grieve in our little corners of the world and wait for travel to open. Walking every morning on the trails with DH helps to keep my mind calmer, a quiet time to reflect and prepare for what's ahead. We're both even starting to run a little more, hopefully my body will start to co-operate eventually, but for now, just glad I'm keeping my weight stable, while I attempt to allow myself a break.

Stay well everyone, our State is not doing very well and lots of out-of-staters coming for the holiday weekend, we are baby sitting another dog - 4 in total this weekend, will just stay home, away from the madding crowd.

Mouse_Potato

Lockdown has been good for me. I've lost six pounds, got two PRs in lifting, and can almost do middle splits (just three inches to go)! We're still in lockdown, so I hope the trend continues!

rainbow198

That's great OP! Congrats!

The lockdown has thankfully been so good to me. I've maintained my weight and lost a little too without trying because I'm so active, but I've since gained most of it back. I've also discovered so many great workouts and trainers online and I've made some new online fitness friends too.

I don't go out in public much and I miss my long walks, but I have everything I need in my home gym. Plus I've found ways to keep myself sane.

I've been able to work more on my hobbies and interests. My garden looks fantastic and I'm loving growing some of my own food. I have a nice outdoor space to get my workouts in now. I've been trying and tweaking new recipes. I see my family and friends more now then ever before on Zoom chats.

My area was very slow to move to stage 2 but we did recently. I just hope the numbers remain low in the coming weeks. I see a lot of groups and people not wearing masks so I guess we'll see.

What a crazy year this has been! Stay safe, well and healthy everyone!

ellyseb1

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Nice to hear some good stories too.

Stay safe!!

fairy_daisy

I didn’t do well in lockdown initially, but this last month I’ve began to get things under control. This is the first time I’ve committed properly to calorie counting which is so much easier when I can track and measure exactly what I’m eating, rather than just give up when I’m eating out or other people offer me food. In some ways that’s a little sad, but I think it’s what I need right now, and I’m enjoying finding new ways to socialise which don’t revolve around eating! Before the pandemic, my default socialising was often meeting up for coffee and cake, but now it’s a local walk - that’s a definite win!

Congratulations to everyone else finding success right now, great to do something so positive to help not get ill from Covid (or anything else).

thelastnightingale

fairy_daisy wrote: »

This is the first time I’ve committed properly to calorie counting which is so much easier when I can track and measure exactly what I’m eating, rather than just give up when I’m eating out or other people offer me food. In some ways that’s a little sad, but I think it’s what I need right now, and I’m enjoying finding new ways to socialise which don’t revolve around eating! Before the pandemic, my default socialising was often meeting up for coffee and cake, but now it’s a local walk - that’s a definite win!

I relate to this. I'm doing well now, but my greatest challenge is going to be how I 'reintegrate into food society.'

Future problem!

charmmeth

Lock down has been a miniature lose-gain-lose cycle for me. When we first went into lockdown, before Easter (when I was off chocolate and alcohol for Lent) I was back down to 81kg, which puts me at the very top of my normal bmi range. Then I completely binged on Easter chocolate and my weight shot up to over 88kg which is about as high as it has ever been (195lb). Then I bought a ballet barre and a rowing machine and started to lose again. I was doing really well and then was allowed to travel to be back with my husband. Weight loss has slowed down (it's harder to keep the exercise up and the alcohol calories down when I am with my wine-connoisseur husband). At present, I am back down to just above 84kg and aiming to make it to 83.5kg in the next week.

hmaddpear

Congrats on your success, not only on losing during lockdown, but also getting some healthier habits.

My weightloss has slowed during lockdown, but I've managed to lose 14lb since mid-March (on top of 18lb I'd lost since the New Year). I've had to completely overhaul my diet and exercise regime, but I'm getting there.

LivingtheLeanDream

Yep both me and my husband lost weight during lock down - not that I was trying to with being in maintenance for years but we did so many projects around the house it was a nice side effect. And hubby lost 20lbs although since he's been back at work now 4 weeks he's already gained back 5...

AwesomeSquirrel

Lockdown has been pretty good to me. Weight loss stalled for a bit but I’m now down 9 kg from 1 March (from 107kg to 98kg).

More importantly I have worked on my fitness.

- I started C25K in April and now regularly run up to 7km three times per week.
- I managed to more strongly commit to daily yoga during WFH
- I have found more time to play padel tennis due to furlough and averaged 3h per week

I’m a little bit concerned about how to balance my days once they start filling up with work again 😊

wonderchu

Well, food became less appealing when I lost my taste so I dropped 13lbs pretty quickly Didn't think I'd ever be in the situation of trying to keep my weight up!

On a less dramatic note, I got into an even better walking routine while I was off work. At least 3 miles a day for the past 14 weeks, usually more.

MidlifeCrisisFitness

Lost 14 lbs since Jan 1st. Goal weight achieved and now building muscle physique. Leaned out to sub 10% BF and really happy with my progress.

sszbarber

The first month I was in shock and gained, however got my butt in gear. Still working from home...40 lbs lost, day 74 of exercising daily I feel less stressed, have more energy and getting stronger with the exercising! Great to hear all of your stories! Thank you!

GummiMundi

Lockdown wasn't too bad, in terms of weight. I didn't lose, but I also didn't gain. Not bad, considering that for two months I wasn't able to do my daily walks (we had a stay-at-home policy where I live).
And the silver lining? When we were allowed out again, I was so antsy that not only I resumed my walks, but I also actually started C25K. Yessir, I'm running for the first time in my life.

Whydahdad71

My covid lockdown went alright, I gained one inch on my arms and got my Bodyfat down to 9%.
I also learned how to use resistance bands for training instead of weights.

wmweeza

I've gained 3 pounds, but 3 pounds over 4 months isn't bad at all...and I think it's just because my gym was/is closed. I didn't eat my way through my house and stayed on track.
Oh, and I learned how to sew! I've been sewing tons of face masks to give out to the community and friends and family. A new skill is always a god thing

miriams76

I restarted Jillian Michaels Body Revolution after 6 years and have lost almost 15 pounds in the past 8 weeks. Vlogging them daily has really helped with accountability - I feel I have to post them/be careful with my diet if people are watching

deepsea117

My silver lining is that I got to come face-to-face with myself when life was giving me it's worst...and me getting a chance to see exactly what I was made of.

I am going through hemo-dialysis (HD) by myself at a center, which is scary because I am now at-risk (just started in February due to a very tough death I had to deal with alone), and after my car broke down from lack of driving enough, I was taking a shuttle to-and-from dialysis alone. Here are the choices:
If you don't go to dialysis, you can die.
If you get Covid-19 while commuting at-risk and going about your day, you can die.

Funny how your choices have a way of leaving you no choice, sometimes.

3 days a week HD can be physically draining. After 4.5 hours each session of lying still in uncomfortable positions and no talking (if I did those, my catheter would slow the flow down--true isolation), I'd leave dialysis rucking unknowingly with a 22 lb backpack to the supermarket for groceries. Short of breath from exhaustion from dialysis, freezing in 40-degree rain in JUNE (thanks, bi-polar-*kitten* Seattle), no seats inside (Covid-19) and on the verge of collapsing occasionally...I dug DEEP to make it through.

Rising to the challenge, I made it through quarantine. Much stronger mentally and physically. Emotionally a wreck, then toughened--I got to see what EXACTLY I was made of. Which was a gift in hindsight because coupled with my weight loss over and doing physically better after quarantine...I am now on FIRE!
🔥 🔥 🔥

charmmeth

wonderchu wrote: »

Well, food became less appealing when I lost my taste so I dropped 13lbs pretty quickly Didn't think I'd ever be in the situation of trying to keep my weight up!

I really hope you are OK and have recovered well.

wonderchu

charmmeth wrote: »

wonderchu wrote: »

Well, food became less appealing when I lost my taste so I dropped 13lbs pretty quickly Didn't think I'd ever be in the situation of trying to keep my weight up!

I really hope you are OK and have recovered well.

I appreciate that and I'm just fine, thank you I still don't have much taste but I didn't have any other symptoms for the most part so I count myself lucky.

KeriA

I agree that losing anything now is not a small victory especially given how most are putting on 15-16 pounds. I was just turning around a regain when we got our stay at home order. My main source of exercise was Aquafit and of course the gym/pool closed. I have knee problems and had to find land exercise that didn't hurt it. I too was concerned about my weight with the threat of covid-19. So I just found a way to lose and exercise. I am still struggling with the later. But I managed to lose 16 pounds added to the 16 pounds many gained I think it could be seen as a 32 lb victory. I lost what I had regained and kept going. I have much more to lose. I am on temporary furlough still. My work is in phased opening so I am waiting to hear when/if I will go back to work since there will be lay offs. I plan to work at home if possible.

What helped was making healthy food at home, getting more sleep, concentrating on drinking more water and a supportive thread on here. Not having a commute was helpful. The loss has slowed but is continuing. With the loss of work I lost routine which is important. I started a bullet journal on OneNote. That helped.

Yes June was cool in Seattle but March and April were unseasonable warm and beautiful. May was a mixed bag. Hope we have a nice July and you are much better @deepsea117.

thelastnightingale

@miriams76 Well done, the weight loss is really obvious.

m3lodym4ker

Congrats on the victory!

Lockdown has been unexpectedly great for me. I started managing my diet in January, but had not incorporated exercise. I hate mornings with a fiery passion, but my commute was leaving me drained in the evenings. Now that I work from home permanently, I added new equipment to my home gym, and have been consistently getting in 6 workouts a week. Now I can get in a workout as soon as I'm motivated (usually midday for me), and my dogs are getting more exercise too. Lost 22 lb. since Jan, the bulk of that since the pandemic started.

*high fives all around*

worsthorse

I've been in stay-at-home mode now since mid-february and, at least for getting back to regular exercise and a workable diet, it has been a good thing. i've lost thirty pounds (twenty-seven of it after the pandemic rules went into effect) and i am working out four to six days a week again. the big changes? realizing that being out of the habit of eating well and exercising elevated my risk profile for covid (not to mention diabetes, etc).

The other big change? Not going out to eat or ordering take out, which i was doing way more than i'd like to admit. Preparing all of my meals (or almost all, as i've had take out three times in the last five months) again and being mindful of ingredients and portion sizes, i am much less likely to eat a lot of high calorie, low quality stuff.

So far, i haven't had to impose any rigid restrictions on what i eat and i am still a member of the clean plate club; the plates are just smaller and healthier these days. That said, I am pretty sure the next ten pounds are going to be harder than the first thirty but that is how it goes.