The Weight Gain of Covid-19

I lost my covid weight.

Before you cough and sputter about me not having much weight to lose, let me tell you that I had gained 5% of my body weight with all the stresses, changes of routine, having more family around and different eating patterns, food choices, restrictions on where I could and could not go, etc, etc, etc. The Covid-19 (weight gain) is a real thing.

Once people gain 5 % of their body weight, it seems to trigger even more weight gain. That’s why I make this the REACH OUT weight in my Weigh Different program. Reach out and get some help!

To get back down to my pre-covid weight, I chose to fast for five days. Now before you start getting all impressed, I should clarify that it was five days of fasting mimicking. I know, I know, my husband asked me the same thing: if you are eating food, how can it be considered fasting?

I used a Prolon fasting mimicking kit. The food was scientifically designed to provide micronutrients while restricting macronutrients. It came in nicely packaged boxes for each day of the fast. The idea is to get the benefits of fasting without the pain and hunger of fasting. And I did.

I have talked about healthier energy in the form of real food and whole food consisting of plenty of non- starchy veggies, grass-fed, free-range or wild protein, and healthy fats from avocado, olive oil, fish and nuts and seeds. I have talked about the energy that comes from exercise and sleep and drinking water and the sun.

But NOT eating food boosts energy too.

Fasting counteracts energy storage, yes. But it does more a lot more than that. Fasting triggers stem cell production, the brand-new baby cells that keep us feeling young. Fasting stimulates autophagy, the breakdown of old and damaged cells. Fasting improves muscle performance and mental clarity. And fasting can improve metabolic health.

I want to point out there is a difference between fasting and starving.  It is all about choice and your brain and therefore, hormones know the difference. Another word for this is hormesis: the favorable biologic response to a low dose stress, in this case, fasting.

The Prolon kit also came with daily emails to help me know what to expect. That was helpful. But what was even more helpful was having four friends fast with me. That was a game changer. Everyone chimed in via group text about how their day was going and what challenges and successes they were having.

Here are a few excerpts I have been given permission to share:

“My first brave step was to leave the cream out of my coffee today.”

“Black coffee in hand. I am ready. I am worth it.”

“Ordering, possibly for the first time in my coffee drinking history, a Starbucks iced coffee with NOTHING IN IT!!!!”

I can’t tell you how helpful this was for me because as I have proudly proclaim purposely putting butter or cream or and coconut oil in my coffee and blend it to a beautiful creamy frothiness that I look forward to every morning. How was I going to live one day without it?

Knowing that others were challenged by the same thing and overcame helped me to take that first brave step too.

We shared what our expectations from  the fast:

               “positive food habits, food for nutrition and not emotion, decrease visceral fat, realign metabolism.”

We shared pictures of us eating soups from the kit and our families eating big dinners:

“My husband has been eating dinner for ten minutes and it still looks amazing!”

“I am at work and I want to order a burger so bad…..ahhhh!”

               We shared how our strategies and changing self-talk aligned with our goal:

“I am keeping this thought in mind today: ‘if it is important to me, I will find a way. If not, I will find an excuse.’ This is so true for me because it’s easier to talk myself out of (healthy habit) than to stick with it and do the hard things, I am thankful for you all on this 5 day FMD challenge.”

“I just read the statement that made me pause: we change best by feeling good, not by feeling bad.”

“I have to admit I was not sure how day three would go but so far so good. I met up with friends for breakfast and brought along my nut bar (from the kit) and ordered a black coffee. I drank a bit of the L drink (from the kit) before I left. Preparing for what each day holds has been helpful to me.”

“This has been challenging – I can’t believe I am on day 4. My family has been so supportive. (“I am not going to let you fail, Mom.’ ‘You can do this.’) I would usually feel shame about admitting to “dieting” or drastically altering my food intake. But this is for my health and my future and it will benefit all of us. The group has made a big difference for me too. Whew. Almost.There.”

“One more decision. One more meal. One more day.”

Together we completed the five day fast. We felt a sense of accomplishment, a sense we had at least started the process of unchaining our food responses to stressful situations, and a renewed energy to maintain healthier choices going forward.  

We did not starve. We chose to fast. For five days. And it has made a huge difference.

If you have gained Covid-19 weight and are interested in different approaches to weight loss, please contact us at Oregon Weight and Wellness at 971-273-7143