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Comfort food & covid19

kdhughes

kdhughes

Member
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13
I’m going to gain a ton of weight being isolated. I am already overweight & Type2. Eating, craving things I gave up long ago, like pot pies, fruit pies, everything bad.
How am I ever going to get back on track?
 
Think of your overall health?
If you are worried about COVID then be aware that with extra metabolic issues you are far more likely to have a harder time?
 
Hi @kdhughes. I'm a great believer in substitution, as in use this isolation time to do an internet search for low-carb recipes of your favourite comfort food and get in the kitchen to recreate them? - as in 'low-carb pot pies' (I actually have no idea what a pot pie is! but I am sure there is a low-carb version out there :),) 'low-carb fruit pies' (my fave is a blueberry pie made with hazelnut flour), and artificially sweetened sweeties and maltezers and so on. Artificially/stevia sweetened ice cream, vodka and low-carb concoction ice lollies (a wonderful treat for me gettng thru a drought recently).

I don't actually like cooking (baking I don't mind), but I do love to eat good food, so cook I do. And I have gotten better at bulk cooking, using herbs and spices, and listening to podcasts and watching youtube whilst cooking. I hope this is possible for you? As a way to eat food you love and know the ingredients are not going to hurt you.

My country has just gone out of national emergency lockdown to a more relaxed level, and I hit the stationer's recently and revamped all my recipe files, and spent a very relaxing evening sorting and filing and planning to make low-carb versions of my fave comfort food... (dreaming of food and eating is very pleasurable indeed...) still got a way to go with the dreaded virus... bound to go into lockdown again some time...

isolation is the pits I agree.
 
kdhughes said:
I’m going to gain a ton of weight being isolated. I am already overweight & Type2. Eating, craving things I gave up long ago, like pot pies, fruit pies, everything bad.
How am I ever going to get back on track?
Click to expand...

with you there, do you measure blood sugar? before covid i had good diet and lots of gym time.
stop measuring as blood was under very good control.

during beginning of covid could only get comfort food so fell of wagon.
After feeling sick started measuring, my readings where like 8 to 10, before 4.5 - 5.5.

That combined with feeling sick has got me restarting my low car diet/ exercise.
 
Hello and welcome,

First step I think is to stop the thought that you will definitely gain weight in isolation. For me personally that would be my brain giving me permission to eat the stuff I shouldn't and my actions would probably follow shortly after.
Think of isolation as a chance to do research of different meals that are low carb. Experimenting with keto substitutes. If you find one that you like and is low carb- maybe think about making enough to have a meal in your freezer.

I'm not in isolation but I know when I get in the mind frame that I feel sick or stressed and need comfort food it's like my brain giving me permission to eat carbs. Again just for me moderation is hard. I find it easier not to have any rather than just 1 for example. You may be different so do what works for you.

I'm not sure where you live so if you are able take this time to work out what exercise you can do. Me- not really an exercise fanatic- but once I worked out that I don't have to like it just do it that helped me- it's like making the bed or cleaning up- no one really likes cleaning up or making the bed they are just things you need to do.

Good luck.
 
kdhughes said:
I’m going to gain a ton of weight being isolated. I am already overweight & Type2. Eating, craving things I gave up long ago, like pot pies, fruit pies, everything bad.
How am I ever going to get back on track?
Click to expand...

I have experienced this also and I decided to read up on why (many of my work colleagues commented on a food fixation) - firstly its natural, our brain has reduced stimulus but was wired by evolution to be stimulated (curiousity, experiencing and learning new things, being in different places, etc - these are all necessary things to survive). But lockdown starves us of this, so the brain looks for the quick and dirty solution - a sugar hit.

It sucks and I understand this is a daily struggle which is much much more difficult for those that must watch what they eat. I have definitely fallen off the bandwagon, but I remind myself I am only human and I am dealing with a stressful situation. I don't and won't always get it right.

Things that have worked for me - recognising and acknowledging I am feeling down/lonely/stressed and that is ok it will pass. Making sure I drink enough fluids. Getting out for exercise. Having healthier snacks and meals within easy reach at all times.

Be kind to yourself. Take care.
 
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