BBC article: tips to avoid overeating during lockdown

[yorkie]

Coronavirus: Should I worry about my lockdown eating?

Weeks of lockdown is putting a strain on some people's relationship with food.

www.bbc.co.uk

A study is currently underway to see how habits are changing but...

...Prof Minihane has anecdotal evidence that suggests people have adopted unhealthy behaviour patterns - overeating the wrong kinds of foods, and drinking more. ...

It's a long article but here are some tips on how to eat more healthily during lockdown:

• Have a glass of water - you might be thirsty, not hungry, and sometimes we confuse the two.
• 
  
• Exercise and social interaction help bring cortisol down, as well as anything that makes you feel calm, like reading, meditating, going for a walk.
• 
  
• Foods that are high in protein or fibre will make you feel fuller for longer - for example beans and other pulses, eggs or nuts.
• 
  
• Frozen ingredients are just as good, potentially even better than fresh, and you can also use canned vegetables and fruit
• 
  
• More information about how to eat healthily during coronavirus can be found here from the British Dietetic Association.

So what can you do if you're concerned you're overeating or snacking too much?

Routine is really important, so try and keep to a routine of having three meals a day, says Clare Thornton-Wood, a registered dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.

It's fine to have a couple of snacks, but you might then need to have slightly smaller meals.

And if snacking is a real concern, you could put your snacks for the day in a box. If you eat them all before lunch, that's fine, but there's no more.

And whatever our new eating patterns are, we shouldn't feel bad about ourselves, she adds.

How are people coping?

I am trying really hard to replace the exercise and social interactions I would normally do, by going for long walks while chatting to people on the phone, and when I shop, I avoid buying too many unhealthy foods because I know the temptation will too great if I have easy access to them! So far this seems to be working for me.

 

[yorksrob]

I do think that food is a bit of an emotional crutch.

I'm probably eating more, but drinking less booze, so I guess I'll be able to tell thether they cancel eachother out by whether my jeans still fit.

Buying a big box of teabags was worthwhile.

 

[AndyCK]

I avoid buying too many unhealthy foods because I know the temptation will too great if I have easy access to them!

Definitely a good strategy for me too...I never buy chocolate for that very reason!

I find routine really helps, but appreciate that’s not possible for everyone. I’m lucky to be able to work from home so don’t feel at a loose end, as otherwise that would make me snack!

 

[Domh245]

The fact that the last few times I've gone to Sainsburys there's been plenty of discounted Easter chocolate isn't helping! I'm not eating too much different to usual though - my weight is fairly stable despite the fact that I'm walking not nearly as much as I used to!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I am trying really hard to replace the exercise and social interactions I would normally do, by going for long walks while chatting to people on the phone, and when I shop, I avoid buying too many unhealthy foods because I know the temptation will too great if I have easy access to them! So far this seems to be working for me.

More exercise than usual (I'm doing something significant every day rather than a more usual about 3-4 times a week), and I'm also sticking with the idea that going to the shop for a bar of chocolate is not essential, these together are at least keeping my weight stable. (My local shop is 2 minutes' walk away; going there for a bar of chocolate is barely any harder than getting one from the cupboard).

Had we gone the way of the Spanish of banning exercise (I still think keeping kids in entirely for 2 months is tantamount to abuse and completely ignores their mental health, even more so than adults) I'd have been a blob by now (and I'm no lightweight to start with). When I get injured and can't exercise I almost always seem to turn to comfort eating.

 

[Qwerty133]

I am probably eating very slightly more than usual on an average day and was doing so to a greater extent earlier in the lock down and am definitely drinking more alcohol than usual. But on the other hand I am drinking much less in the way of fizzy drinks due to the combination of not being at work (and therefore not having access to the free post mix drinks that I usually would) and the restrictions on shopping meaning obtaining my preferred soft drinks is harder than normal (due to Aldi not stocking them). I have found that increasing my exercise and using more chewing gum has been able to reduce the amount that I was eating and exercise also has the double benefit of burning calories meaning that at least some of the additional calories being consumed are also being burnt.

 

[Cowley]

I’d more or less given up cheese this last year but since all this happened I’ve developed a strong blue cheese addition again. Probably going to have to check into Cheesehab at some point (I’ll wait until it’s affecting my life a bit more first though).

 

[Mojo]

I must admit, due to having so much to do at home (plus the fact I’m still going to work), I’m not really snacking any more than usual.

Of course I’m in a lucky situation in that I managed to buy loads of household products before the lockdown (I’ve had tins of fence paint in the garage since I saw it on sale at B&M last year!) to keep me occupied. For people with no garden, or whom are renting, it must be hard. I’ve seen a lot of people online in flats have taken up baking.

 

[AnthonyRail]

I’d more or less given up cheese this last year but since all this happened I’ve developed a strong blue cheese addition again. Probably going to have to check into Cheesehab at some point (I’ll wait until it’s affecting my life a bit more first though).

Have you tried Barbers cheese?

 

[DelW]

Now that exercise feels "rationed", I'm actually getting more, as I make sure I get a good walk in every day (helped by the good weather of course). I'm currently trying to explore every bridleway and footpath within about 2 & 1/2 miles of my house.
Meanwhile as a social drinker, pubs being closed means my booze consumption is negligible - in the last month, all I've had is a couple of bottles of wine, both of which I opened because I needed some for cooking casseroles, and one bottle of beer which I had in stock and which was well past its recommended date.
The combination of the two means that I'm now down to the lowest weight I've been since sometime in the 1990s. I just hope I can maintain that now!

 

[philthetube]

I plan ahead, shop once a week to a list, so if it is not in the house I can't have it.

 

[D365]

Of course I’m in a lucky situation in that I managed to buy loads of household products before the lockdown (I’ve had tins of fence paint in the garage since I saw it on sale at B&M last year!) to keep me occupied. For people with no garden, or whom are renting, it must be hard. I’ve seen a lot of people online in flats have taken up baking.

That is exactly the problem I’m having. I can think of any number of renovations that I’d like to do to my current flat, but I’m a number of years away from buying. Especially since my new job has been postponed...

 

[Cowley]

Have you tried Barbers cheese?

No. I thought all the barbers were shut?

 

[sheff1]

Our eating at home is the same as before. The difference is that we can no longer eat out, so the more 'adventurous' food which it is not feasible to prepare at home is off the menu - this may be a good thing when it comes to desserts !

 

[UP13]

I lost a bit of weight a couple of weeks ago as we didn't go out shopping and used every last bit of food we had in store.

Unfortunately I think I've put it lall back on because the other day I recieved a free keg (36 pints) of real ale (very drinkable and very moreish) and now constantly helping myself to it. This is had reduced my desire to exercise and increased my desire to have a snack. I keep telling myself that once the beer is gone I can go back to being healthy...

 

[Islineclear3_1]

When I'm not actually in clinic, I'm drinking more tea and coffee (more than usual) at home. Perhaps I make up for lost time as I don't get the chance when I'm in work.

My daughter is very health conscious and snacks on healthy stuff whilst studying/revising for uni exams. We all generally eat healthily but have our vices

But of course, we are getting through more food and beverages and having to juggle essential shopping between my wife and myself. I was hoping this lockdown would offer an opportunity/incentive to lose some weight but clearly, this is not happening.

And when I'm working from home, I will not touch a drop of alcohol until work is done. At least my alcohol intake hasn't gone up...

 

[MonsooN]

Mrs MonsooN is a key worker as she works in a city centre building society. Right next to her branch, there's a large Tesco Metro which is usually very quiet as the city centre is usually quiet too. Instead of unhealthy snacks, she's been buying lots more fruit so the whole family have been eating much more healthily than we usually do.

Also, as I'm not travelling all round the country and eating crap in hotels, I'm probably healthier than I've been in many years. I may look back on this period as something that was actually very good for my own health.

 

[theblackwatch]

I do think that food is a bit of an emotional crutch.

I'm probably eating more, but drinking less booze, so I guess I'll be able to tell thether they cancel eachother out by whether my jeans still fit.

Buying a big box of teabags was worthwhile.

Tea and chocolate biscuits are my downfall at home - I'm going through about twice as many of both as I would normally. Less beer for me too - I don't really drink at home normally, but with the pubs being shut and one of my locals doing home deliveries of cask ale, cans and bottles, I'm buying a bit off them every couple of weeks to show my support. Goes down well with a meal or while doing a bit of tidying up in the back yard in the sun.

All a case of will power!

 

[yorksrob]

Tea and chocolate biscuits are my downfall at home - I'm going through about twice as many of both as I would normally. Less beer for me too - I don't really drink at home normally, but with the pubs being shut and one of my locals doing home deliveries of cask ale, cans and bottles, I'm buying a bit off them every couple of weeks to show my support. Goes down well with a meal or while doing a bit of tidying up in the back yard in the sun.

All a case of will power!

I must admit, if I lived near any of my regular haunts, I'd probably get deliveries of ale from them as well.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I am definitely drinking more

 

[pdq]

I'm probably eating less overall, and definitely eating better, with very little factory processed food. Previously in the office I'd snack on a few biscuits during the day, have a sandwich from Sainsburys or Greggs, plus a cake, and quite possibly a ready meal at night, as we frequently didn't have time to cook. Now working at home I find I'm hardly snacking at all, and enjoying having the time and energy to cook from fresh once again. It's also nice to be eating as a family - which we rarely did in normal circumstances. The children had their main meal at school and with frequent evening engagements for us all we'd often all eat separately.

 

[C J Snarzell]

I've been reading a few articles about weight gain during the lockdown. Weight Watchers and Slimming World have stated they have seen a rise in their members stating they have piled on the pounds in recent weeks. I think its fair to say the lockdown has caused issues like depression, anxiety, isolation and boredom - this then leads to people seeking comfort from over eating (snacking) or drinking excessively. I've personally managed to refrain from eating too much and I have a rule not to drink alcohol indoors anyway. I have however, had a couple of nights when I have had a couple of bottles of lager sat in the garden after a long sunny day but I've certainly not been over indulging. My brother's neighbour - although keeping to the lockdown rules has been constantly on the piss since the 23rd March. My brother said the same neighbour has actually been putting his empties in my brother's bin because there is no room left in his own!!!

CJ