Why You Should Love Your Quarantine Body

Back in March— when WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and Canada enacted lockdowns—  gaining weight was the least of my concerns. Instead, it was an endless search to find toilet paper, hand sanitizer and to this day Lysol wipes. Serious inquiry: if anyone knows where I can find some Lysol wipes, let a girl know. 

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Thanks to a diet consisting mainly of frozen pizzas and Kraft Dinner, and a mainly sedentary lifestyle, during the first two months of lockdown I managed to put on just over 10 pounds. And probably more since then. But that’s OK.

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I’m writing this mostly for myself, but also for anyone else out there who has gained weight in quarantine. We are currently trying to navigate life during a global pandemic. Dare I say it– we are living through unprecedented times. 

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Bodyweight fluctuates depending on where you are in life. Medical News Today reports the average adult body’s weight fluctuates 1-2 kilograms every few days. This isn’t accounting for the pandemic, which is inevitably a stressful time for many. According to Healthline, excess stress can lead to an increase in weight. 

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It’s important to remember to be kind to yourself and prioritize your mental and physical health. This means doing what you have to in order to protect your wellbeing. If that happens to be eating comfort food and having a Netflix day, then so be it. When all of this is over, are you really going to be thinking back on the couple extra pounds you gained? Probably not. 

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This is not to say that developing healthy habits is a bad idea. Samantha Cassetty, a registered dietitian based in New York City, shared some healthy quarantine habits with the Los Angeles Times. Getting enough sleep, meditating and moving your body to feel good rather than punishing yourself are some ways to cope.

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COVID-19 has brought on enough stress. With millions of job losses, deaths and the constant worry of the day you will ever find Lysol wipes in your local Walmart again. So in short: love yourself, extra quarantine weight and all.