Quarantine 15? What to Do About Weight Gain During the Pandemic
It’s easy to see how you might gain weight during the pandemic, especially if you are spending most of your time at home. Comfort food recipes have been trending on Google. Folks are doing so much baking, supermarkets can’t keep flour in stock. You find yourself thinking that a cookie sounds good - or a beer. So as stay-at-home restrictions remain part of life for many, people are becoming concerned about “COVID curves” and the “Quarantine 15” (referring to new pounds gained). Removing ultra-processed foods from your grocery list may help you lose that extra weight.
Nutrition experts rarely agree on much, but one thing we seem to hold steady on is the concept that the less processed a food is, the better it is for us. Whole foods - found in their most natural state, like vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish, and chicken - maintain all their nutrients intact and don’t have added sugar, sodium, or additives for color or convenience. It’s the difference between a potato and a potato chip.
So it may not come as a total shock that recent research has shown that ultra-processed foods are a significant factor in weight gain. But processing can mean all kinds of things, from grinding grains to make flour to that infamous pink slime used in industrial meat products. So what exactly does “ultra-processed” mean?
The definition I think best describes ultra-processed food is that these are made with ingredients you would rarely see outside a manufacturing plant - things like stabilizers, emulsifiers, and anti-caking agents.
The problem is that more than half of the calories in the standard American diet come from ultra-processed foods. And because these foods are usually formulated specifically to appeal to our taste buds, they are easy to overeat. You know that old ad jingle that said “No one can eat just one”… that was the food industry knowing exactly what it was doing with ultra-processed foods. Additionally, researchers at the National Institutes of Health has found that people on a diet made up of ultra-processed foods consumed on average 508 more calories per day compared to those who only ate unprocessed foods, which can lead to a two-pound weight gain in a two-week span.
It is not that we have to completely avoid ultra-processed foods, however there needs to be a healthy balance. There is a clear need to eat fewer ultra-processed foods and more minimally processed foods. What I am saying is that you don’t have to go full whole foods here. But while that may sound easy enough, some surprisingly common foods fall into the ultra-processed category.
Here are a few foods to swap off of your grocery list if you want to see the scale spring back next time you hop on:
Packaged breads, buns, and tortillas
Most commercial brands include ingredients like calcium propionate and sorbic acid to extend the shelf life. While these chemicals are not necessarily harmful, they are not necessary either. Can’t live without bread? Look for bread with a short ingredient list, which signifies it is less processed. Aim for one with 3 grams of fiber or more per slice - since research supports that eating more fiber can help with weight loss.
Margarine and other spreads
Though margarine seems healthier since it is often lower in calories and fat than butter, it is a processed food and there is nothing natural about it. These spreads often contain emulsifiers like soy lecithin for texture and mouthfeel. You are much better off eating smaller amounts of olive oil or organic grass fed butter.
Breakfast cereal
The nutrition label may look impressive with all those added vitamins and minerals, but those are fortified or added after the fact. If you are not eating grains in their whole form, you are not getting all of the potential benefits. In addition, most cereals have tons of added sugar.
Chicken nuggets and fish sticks
Mechanically separated poultry or fish are just as bad as hot dogs. The parts making up a nugget can come from any “human-grade” cut of meat, meaning that they are not the best grade and likely higher in fat than a chicken breast you bread yourself. They also have a hefty dose of added sodium.
Pre-made burgers
Just say “NO” to reconstituted meats. You can control the fat and sodium content much better when you buy ground beef or chicken and make your own patties. And don’t be fooled by the health halo - veggie and soy burgers, as well as those beyond burgers fall into this category, too. Look for one that has vegetables, grains, or legumes first on its ingredients list, not soy protein isolate.
Instant soups
Sorry to burst your bubble, ramen lovers, but all kinds of chemicals go into those flavor packets. And it’s hard to have a good idea of what exactly you are eating when the real ingredients are disguised behind a blanket “natural flavors” designation which is just another mask for MSG.
Flavored yogurt
Yogurt can be healthy, but what about those chocolate cake and key lime pie flavors? Realistically, if your yogurt tastes like a dessert, it is a dessert. Companies add tons of sugar or artificial sweeteners to achieve those flavors, as well as ingredients like modified cornstarch as a thickener, which can cause GI issues in some people. A healthier way to go is to buy plain Greek yogurt (which has the highest protein and lowest sugar content) and add your own toppings: fresh fruit, granola, honey.
And schedule regular exercise
If social distancing keeps you from your usual gym session or exercise classes, try other forms of activity, such as hiking or an online workout class. Exercise is not the main factor for weight loss, but it helps with weight loss and plays a role in keeping weight off once you lose it. Weight loss can also help with mood and joint pain.