I’ve been hearing a lot about the COVID-19 pound weight gain as we’re all sitting on our butts doing zoom calls and working from home. And of course all the jokes that go along with it because sometimes you just gotta laugh. But what is really going on?
One of the things that I’ve been talking to a lot of people about is that anxiety has taken over from all of the uncertainty. People are dealing with a lot of big losses that put them in crisis mode but people are also dealing with a lot of what I am calling, micro-losses.
What do I mean by that? Micro-losses can be things like, loss of connection physically (not being able to hug), loss of socializing (weekly game night with friends), loss of routine (no gym workouts, or regular healthy activities) and loss of an overall feeling of a sense of control over your own life.
So now all these micro losses add up over six months and it results in a heightened state of anxiety and a sense of apathy and I have automatically gone back into my negative default habits of coping and let’s face it, food is comforting for many people. It’s also super convenient and easy when you’re working from home or staying at home all day every day and I am now 19 pounds heavier. Now we fast forward and the gyms are open and the restaurants are open at 25% capacity (at least here in Cali), and I have a complete sense of apathy to make any plans or do anything! WTF?
So how do I get comfort in a healthy way during a pandemic?
When too many micro losses happen I think it’s really important to drill down into specifics of practicing resiliency. One thing that helps us to feel a sense of resiliency is connection and validation that we are not alone. As humans we are not wired to be alone. Knowing that we’re not alone in this struggle can help bring some common ground and connection to us. You might search out a Facebook group of let’s say moms with teens, or moms with small children, or working moms juggling it all so that you can talk and interact and support one another. We all have experience, struggles, strength and hope but we need to connect in order to combat the micro-losses in connection that Covid has thrust upon us.
To figure out what you need to replace the default behavior of eating for comfort, answer these few questions to get to your truth.
What was comfort to me pre-Covid? Let’s say, I used to get massages. Well, that biz is open and I am making a decision to just make the appointment even though I don’t “feel” like it. I am going to have to trick my brain and body our of the apathy. This works two-fold. I now have something to look forward too (positive psychology), it is scheduled so I am more likely to go even if I feel apathetic and I get connection. It is win, win, win!
Balance also has a whole new meeting especially if you have children at home so again asking yourself what did balance mean to me pre-Covid and what does it mean to me now. It might mean taking some much needed down time for only ONE minute to re-orient you into the here and now. Try this five senses quick grounding exercise to dial you into the here and now. Where are my feet? What do I see, hear, smell, taste, and feel right now in this moment. Just noticing the green of the trees the flowers the colors, hearing the birds, the traffic, vague sounds of human life, smelling the air or any aromas around you, and noticing the sensations in your body and your feet on the ground, can give you a real sense of belonging and being in the here and now.
In these uncertain times, one thing that is certain is we have to get creative to meet our needs and be resilient in the micro-loss climate that is Covid. So next time you go for the cabinet for comfort in the form of food, stop and take a look at some of these other ways of bringing a sense of comfort and calm to yourself to help you practice resiliency.
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