The pandemic has caused many to gain weight. The conditions were perfect for this, with working from home, physical inactivity, increased stress, sleep disorders, increased snacking and overeating. A study made on 269 individuals published on Jama Networks in 2021 shows that these individuals gained an average of 1.5 lb per month from February to May 2020 (1) . This text shows 6 elements to consider in order to lose weight and possibly reach your natural weight.
Physical activity
Physical activity can help us gain muscle mass and lose weight. To maintain your shape, it is recommended to do a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity per week of moderate to intense intensity. To lose body fat, many often have to move even more. Move to feel good in your body and in your mind. Do not think about moving to burn off the calories you have eaten. You should start slowly. If you do not do physical activity on a regular basis, you can start with 1 physical activity that you like, once a week. Try to have a clear, precise, achievable and realistic goal. To increase your energy expenditure, you can add a 30-minute walking period per week, for example. Set yourself a SMART goal.
Eating Well
Feeding your body before taking pleasure foods is important. Feeding your body means, on the one hand, giving it all the essential nutrients. This can translate to having half of your plate in fruits and vegetables, a quarter in whole grains and the rest in protein foods. On the other hand, if we do not feed our bodies properly, we risk feeling hungry soon after a meal and eating larger amounts of low-nutrient, calorie-dense sweet or savory desserts. Many believe that skipping meals, following diets, and taking certain over-the-counter medications could help with weight loss. To demystify certain myths and answer your questions, contact me.
Dieting
Do not start a weight loss diet. If you are tempted to follow a new diet, ask yourself the following question: will I be able to follow this diet for life? If the answer is no, do not think about starting it. The best diet or food is one that you can follow for life and that is balanced.
Environnement
Our environment has some power over influencing our actions. Surrounding ourselves with active people can influence our eating habits and help increase our volume of physical activity or its intensity. Having a mentor or a guide can help us have better lifestyle habits. A registered dietitian can help find ways to achieve your goals and guide you.
Stress management
For many, stress causes larger amounts of food to be consumed. It is important to find tips to reduce stress and not eat when you feel stressed and not hungry. It may be important to seek help from a professional to find custom ways for us.
Find a social worker: https://www.otstcfq.org/
Find a psychologist: https://www.ordrepsy.qc.ca/
Sleep
For a healthy lifestyle, sleep is crucial and its importance is often underestimated. Sleep helps regulate the hormones leptin (satiety) and ghrelin (hunger). A lack of sleep (less than 6 hours) can interfere with the regulation of these hormones and interfere with our signals of hunger and satiety. (3) In the long term, when we are less in tune with our signals, we may consume more than our nutritional needs, which can lead to weight gain. Additionally, fatigue can lead to food consumption in an attempt to decrease fatigue (4). Sleep needs vary from person to person and are around 6–10 hours per night (5).
For more personalized tips and motivating support, make an appointment with me. It will be my pleasure to help you. Together, we can create a nutritional plan adapted to your needs and objectives.
See you next time,
Karine Drouin, Dt.P. Registered Dietitian
References
1- L. Lin, A., Vittinghoff, E., E. Olgin ,J. et al. (Mars 2021). Body Weight Changes During Pandemic-Related Shelter-in-Place in a Longitudinal Cohort Study. Retrouvé le 4 décembre 2022, en ligne au https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2777737
2- Guyon, A. & Spiegel, K. (Janvier 2014). Short sleep and obesity risk. Springer Link. Retrouvé le 13 février 2023, en ligne au https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11690-014-0415-z
3- Hartman, Terryl J. et coll. (2012), « Partial sleep deprivation and energy balance in adults: an emerging issue for consideration by dietetics practitioners », Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vol. 112, no 11, p. 1785-97.
4- Mayer, P. (n.d.). Les impacts d’un manque de sommeil sur le poids. Retrouvé le 17 février 2023, en ligne au https://www.biron.com/fr/centre-du-savoir/parole-de-specialiste/impact-manque-sommeil/
5- Schwab, R.J. (Mai 2022). Présentation du sommeil. Le manuel Merck. Retrouvé le 17 février 2023, en ligne au https://www.merckmanuals.com/fr-ca/accueil/troubles-du-cerveau,-de-la-moelle-%C3%A9pini%C3%A8re-et-des-nerfs/troubles-du-sommeil/pr%C3%A9sentation-du-sommeil