There’s a meme going around social media right now about “the quarantine 15,” and how everyone is gaining weight because we’re all confined at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the surface, this seems kind of funny, and is analogous to the “freshman 15” that is often discussed when someone goes to university and lives away from home for the first time, gaining 15 pounds their freshmen year due to lots of parties, beer and pizza. But in reality, it’s all pretty shame-inducing. The implication is that we should feel bad about ourselves if our habits have changed or our body has changed. Which is something we don’t need any more of when it comes to nutrition and health.
I say this often, but it bears repeating: No one successfully changes their habits for the long-term based on shame and self-loathing. Long-term change comes from self-compassion, self-acceptance and a healthy dose of motivation and ability. But I digress….
During a situation like our world is facing currently, nothing in our life is “normal.” Our eating habits, work hours, sleeping patterns, exercise options and ability to get to the store to get food have ALL CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. And then there’s the stress of what we are facing in the world right now: A massive pandemic that has affected millions of lives and killed several hundred thousand people in just a few months.
We are not robots. We feel. We grieve. We fear for our jobs, our kids, our families, our own lives. So yes, things will change, and sometimes we will not stick to our healthy eating habits because we are stressed, we are tired, we can’t get fresh food. We may not exercise, because we can’t go outside, to the gym and we live in a tiny apartment with many others. Or we may just be so exhausted we can’t even contemplate it. Regardless of the situation, it is OK. It is OK not to be perfect right now. It is OK to eat less than healthy foods. It is OK if your body changes. You are human.
So please, scroll past those memes. You don’t need that in your life right now. Take care of yourself in whatever way you can. Take care of your family, check in on others and take some deep breaths. We will all get through this. And once we do, we can start to re-emerge and find our healthy equilibrium once again.