COVID - 19 ... Our New Reality

GoalGal50 wrote: »

As we are all now affected by COVID-19, how does this sabotage your progress or does it?

A. What are you doing maintain your calorie count?

B. How are you compensating for your normal excercise routine?

C. How many pounds (gained) are you willing to allow yourself in this pandemic?

I'm in a fortunate position, in that this isn't a huge change for me. I'm retired, and live alone. I'm lucky enough - in these circumstances - to be an introvert, contented with my own company for loooong stretches of time, with plenty of hobbies, and adequate hobby supplies already. I'm also without immediate family of any sort (so I'm not worried about them), and am not an anxious personality type generally, which is another happy accident.

The only real changes are that I don't have my preferred face-to-face social life; I can't start on-water rowing as usual when the weather eventually warms enough because the rowing club boathouse has closed; my spin class isn't happening; I can't (or won't) go out to certain public places just to have fun; and I'm trying to grocery shop as infrequently as possible rather than once or twice a week (I'm in 2 risk groups, 60+ and also may have very early/mild COPD). Oh, and routine monitoring and tune-up medical appointments are off the table (probably I average 1-2 a month, normally, for various reasons); plus on a similar note my massage therapist isn't practicing.

That stuff is all pretty much "lack of luxuries", not actual problems. The only thing that concerns me is the medical stuff, things that are useful/desirable but not emergency.

I understand and am sympathetic that this is very difficult for many people, and will create major roadblocks.

As far as your questions:

A. Counting, cooking at home (which I mostly do in normal times) and probably staying at my (calorie-banking so slightly sub-true-maintenance) goal more consistently than I was with more eating-out and social options. Since late last fall, I've been working to ultra-slowly lose a few vanity pounds (like a pound a month or less), and the loss rate has picked up a bit since isolating.

B. I'm not conpensating for exercise, at least not sufficiently. Because I eat exercise only when I do it, it makes no short-term difference to weight management. I usually slack off a bit at the end of Winter every year, because I'm tired of machine rowing, and on-water season is coming; this year, it isn't. Spin classes are cancelled, and I haven't replaced them. I'm doing a little machine rowing, and some outdoor walks occasionally (still not great weather here), but I need to be tougher on myself about frequency and consistency, particularly since just (today) getting reports saying my osteopenia has worsened, and it looks like is actual osteoporosis in some areas. Sigh.

C. I don't think gain is going to be a problem, unless something major changes. Without my eating-out meals that usually spend some of my calorie bank, I'm more likely to lose a little faster than I'd prefer, unless I prevent it. (I hope it's not mean or taunting to say that! )

Chef_Barbell wrote: »

GoalGal50 wrote: »

As we are all now affected by COVID-19, how does this sabotage your progress or does it?

A. What are you doing maintain your calorie count?

B. How are you compensating for your normal excercise routine?

C. How many pounds (gained) are you willing to allow yourself in this pandemic?

I live in the epicenter in NYC and everything here has changed for me. My hubby just got over CV and it took the full 14 days.

Everyone is home in our small co-op and there is very little space with so many people.

I plan on counting calories again once I can actually catch my breath and workout again. I ordered some dumbbells and a bench but it's on backorder.

I'm actually maintaining in weight. When I'm stressed I have little to no appetite. But drinking makes up for that haha

I'm in NYC too. The mall I used to go to now is a mobile testing site.

So far I'm working from home. All I hear are ambulances all day, other than that it's eerily quiet. Several of my friends are first responders or in the medical field, so I worry. 2 have CV. I'm glad your husband is recovering.

I've made up for less activity by house or treadmill walking for my 10000 steps. I do Beachbody or YouTube weight training workouts. I just started watching calories again with the goal of maintaining. Every few days I try on my jeans, dresses and work clothes to make sure things are okay.

I have never been overweight or really had a problem with over eating.

I lost my job due to covid 19 which was fairly active and am now at home all day and am finding I’m getting so hungry during the day!

When I was working I would just get a small 20 minute break in the day and was never really hungry and was moving around the whole time so never had a chance to snack.

Plus obviously I can’t go to the gym where I used to go 5 times a week and have started home workouts.
I am just trying to be more mindful of what I’m eating and trying to walk more.

I would be happy to just maintain my weight or even lose a kilo, I may have to adjust my intake as I go. I’m trying to take it one day at a time.

I need heavier dumbbells too. I was hoping I had at least 20# ones, but finally went and got mine out of the garage and the heaviest I have are 15#. I was talking to my sister last night about it, and both of us were wondering if it would be possible to order more or if the shipping cost would be prohibitive. I'd love to have a variety of heavier ones. Will have to look into the options.

1. Because I was just re-starting on here when this started, I've been in the "experimenting" phase about what and how much I should eat. I'm eating whatever I want and keeping it into my calorie budget, which I increased by 500 cals since starting on 3/01. Most of the time my food choices are fairly healthy; some days, snack foods are my go-to. I'm not going to sweat it, now or two years from now, because it's the larger pattern that matters most.

2. Getting more exercise than usual, despite our weather being rather cold and wet until just this week. Mostly walking with my dogs 2 times a day and really enjoying it.

3. I plan to keep losing slowly and steadily. I'll adjust expectations if I have to--although the only thing that I can imagine would make me perhaps more likely to gain is losing the freedom to be outside and jog/walk.

A. What are you doing maintain your calorie count?

I’m doing the same thing as I was before the virus. Preplanning with a prioritization of calories and protein first followed by carbs and fats. With that said, since I am home now I just have more of a solidified eating schedule and hardly deviate from it. In the end, it’s still the same mentality, eat pretty good most of the time.


B. How are you compensating for your normal excercise routine?

I already did my strength training from home so no change for me. However, I am getting out for an extra walk each day to avoid getting sedentary.


C. How many pounds (gained) are you willing to allow yourself in this pandemic?

I’m currently at the bottom of my maintenance range at 182. I’m comfortable if I went up to 187 and wouldn’t stress about it. I would just know I need to get back to maintenance a week or two and then slowly adapt a reasonable deficit.

GoalGal50 wrote: »

As we are all now affected by COVID-19, how does this sabotage your progress or does it?

A. What are you doing maintain your calorie count?

B. How are you compensating for your normal excercise routine?

C. How many pounds (gained) are you willing to allow yourself in this pandemic?

I’m continuing to track my calories daily like normal. No change

I’ve been taking daily walks and to compensate less exercise at the gym I am eating less calories

I’m not willing to allow myself any weight gain. I’m trying to and going to LOSE weight! Ideally 20-25 lbs!

I’m basically a stay at home mom again and homeschooling my 8 yr old. It’s stressful. I get about 30 minutes a day to myself to get a workout in. I don’t expect to make any more progress but I hope I don’t lose the progress I’ve made. I’m just trying to not lose my mind at this point. I’m in CT and everything is shut down. Working from home, my kid has been home since 3/13.

A. What are you doing maintain your calorie count?

I'm in maintenance and do a few days off log, a few days on. That hasn't changed. I still weigh each day and plan my meals.

B. How are you compensating for your normal exercise routine?

I usually alternate running with resistance work and a Monday night skate. I've been only running and my mileage is increasing so it's been kinda neat to concentrate on that alone.

C. How many pounds (gained) are you willing to allow yourself in this pandemic?

None outside of typical fluctuation. I am still in control.