What changes have occurred in your diet and lifestyle during the coronavirus pandemic?
Well, if you are anything like me, then you love food and eating good food is among your favorite activities. You have linked food to mood and when you eat, you feel good. It’s a sort of stress response albeit an unhealthy one as some may say.
But, I’m guilty!
Let me be honest, I don’t experience guilt when I’m eating but…I do sometimes think to myself, you know you are not hungry again so soon.
I mean, I am the type of person that will bake a birthday cake not because it’s anybody’s birthday but because it’s a Wednesday (laugh out loud).
I love to eat and I absolutely love food!
So, coupling my food relationship with the stay at home order issued by the government to help flatten the curve and reduce the spread of the potentially deadly coronavirus (covid-19), has not exactly yielded the best results for my closet.
My clothes are beginning to take a stance against my new diet, the Corona Diet.
I am finding myself struggling to wear them. Well, some of them I already couldn’t fit in because of the “baby weight” but in these stressful of times, even my extra roomy stuff are not as loose anymore.
Unable to participate in many outdoor activities (no walks or runs in the park) in addition to gym closures because of trying to adhere to social distancing mandates, physical activity for us all has undoubtedly reduced.
The only outside activities we are actually able to do all revolve around food: grocery store shopping (to buy what is still left on the shelves that is) and picking up takeout orders (if your favorite restaurants have not closed down because of the financial stress on businesses).
I am not including going to work if you are an essential worker of course because we are all grateful for everyone on the front lines and appreciate the sacrifice and services rendered.
This is for the rest of us. Those of us who are practicing social distancing and staying at home. We are most vulnerable to developing unhealthy habits i.e. the Corona Diet and Lifestyle.
Oh, you’re not sure if you’ve be been living the corona way, practicing the corona lifestyle and eating the corona diet, I’ll give you some clues, keep reading below and answer the questions that follow.
The Corona Diet and Lifestyle Questionnaire
- Are you taking a trip to the kitchen when you need a break from working?
- Are you opening your refrigerator several times every hour on the hour?
- Are you snacking when you feel bored?
- Is your grocery cart filled with more junk food when shopping than pre-coronavirus times?
- Is your face breaking out, and giving you flashbacks of your teenage years?
- Are you eating, sitting, and napping more than usual?
- Are you drinking more sodas than usual?
- Are your clothes fitting a little snug lately?
- Was the last time you exercised before the quarantine?
- Have you been avoiding stepping on a scale to check your weight?
- What about your water intake, has it decreased?
If you answered yes to some or all of these questions, then you, my friend, are on The Corona Diet and Living The Corona Lifestyle.
Don’t feel bad because
[queue music]
You Are Not Alone, I Am Here With You… (RIP to Michael Jackson).
Seriously, we are all going through the same emotions, the same up and down swings, the same notions of uncertainty, and the same lack of eating restraint.
Luckily for us, we have resources. Many social media platforms are available for us to use to stay connected. Artists are giving Instagram concerts (that means you can move your body to the music).
DJs are putting on dance parties and jams sessions (this can help to change your mood while you groove).
Fitness instructors are offering quarantine workouts (and who wouldn’t want a virtual personal trainer, sign me up!).
All free of charge.
That means you are required to pay Nothing, Zero, Nada…
But they all have other ways that we can show our support and they are all very willing to share this information upon request if not readily available
Recently, after being tired of my clothes being disrespectful, I decided to make some changes. I am beginning to take advantage of all these free resources available to help me make the changes I need to survive the coronavirus quarantine.
For exercise, I am doing living room dance tabata workouts with @KeairaLaShae either on her Instagram page or following her workout videos on her youtube channel, Superherofitnesstv.
KeairaLaShae is full of energy and her workouts are fun and effective. With her, I get the best of both worlds, I am satisfying my dance crave while working on my self-care and improving my physical health.
Best of all, she is a fitness instructor and also a mum. In her quarantine workouts, she sometimes shows the reality of working out as a mother as her children sometimes make unexpected cameos. Through it all, she continues her workouts, motivating me along with all her other followers.
I especially love that KeairaLaShae incorporates her children into the routines when they make their cameos; it gives me an idea of how to handle the interruptions during my workouts with my own kids …make it a family affair but “don’t you there quit” as Keaira would say.
So, my lovely people, if you are snacking more than usual?
If you are buying more junk food than usual when you are grocery shopping, that’s the coronavirus impact.
If your face is breaking out and bringing you flashbacks from your teenage years, blame it on Corona.
And,
If your clothes are fitting a little snug and your waistline is slowly expanding…That’s the Rona trying mess up your closet.
And if the summer creeps up on you and your body is not swimsuit ready, definitely blame it on The Rona.
The self-quarantine and the social distancing due to the coronavirus can be a lot on the mind and the body.
I am all about encouraging people to stay happy and healthy, both mentally and physically.
So..if it means holding on to that “baby” weight a little longer than you intended, I’m ok with that. If for some strange reason, anybody asks you anything about the changes in your appearance, let them know that you, me and the whole world is on the new diet called The Corona Diet.
We are all living the coronavirus lifestyle; buying what’s available in the grocery stores, and doing what makes us feel good to protect our sanity.
However, just like the saying goes, let us try to do it all in moderation; after all, we will want to fit back in our favorite jeans at some point once this is all said and done.
And, if you find yourself ready to get back in shape at any point during the quarantine, look into joining a cyber workout community or taking advantage of all the free sessions offered across various social media platforms.
With that, I’m signing off. Catch you all on the next blog. Feel free to share with all your family and friends because chances are, they are also on the Corona diet and living the coronavirus lifestyle. Nobody wants to feel alone and we are all guilty of falling off the healthy bandwagon at least once. Let’s continue to support each other through these hard times.
As always, share your thoughts with me on this topic. Comment below and let me know what your guilty pleasures have been while under quarantine.
Stay Safe and Healthy!
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[…] not what nutritionist would consider healthy snacks. I got on the corona diet and talked about it here. The virus has not only affected my eating habits, which I noticed through changes in my physical […]