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SprinkL3
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Member Since: Oct 2021
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Default Oct 17, 2021 at 07:00 PM
 
I struggle with bad habits, too.

Although the pandemic scared me straight into quitting smoking cold turkey about 19 months ago, I think I replaced it with bad habits of eating. It took a while for me to heal from some undetectable respiratory illness back in March 2020 (the VA ran every test plus the Covid-19 test twice, and negative across the board; my blood work was abnormal though, and I had some labored breathing and chest pains and loss of appetite and mild fever). I quit smoking and isolated in place ever since. When I finally got ahold of real masks I wore them.

But then I got my appetite back, and my olfactory senses were improving over time because I quit smoking. My cilia cells love me for that! So, I can taste my food better. I was in awe. I had initially lost 30 pounds from March 2020 to about May 2020. In June 2020, I started eating more. Then by now - October 2021 - I had noticed that I gained all the weight back. I'm 70 pounds overweight, give or take 10 pounds for my age, and I was halfway there to losing the weight. Now I'm back to where I started. I'm grateful for quitting smoking - the worst of all bad habits. But now I have to deal with what I think was its replacement - food.

I don't binge eat, but sometimes I'll eat when I'm bored, or I'll have bigger portions than I should have, or I'll be eating more sweets. I don't like salty foods or chips these days, but I do love cheese and chocolate. I also love ice cream. I'm also dealing with GERD/acid reflux, IBS, distention, and gas (probably from being lactose intolerant), but the taste of food brought me some joy to being isolated for over a year and a half. I know I need to lose weight, and I know that I eventually will. I'm just giving myself some time to adjust and celebrate my huge accomplishment of quitting smoking.

The stress of this pandemic weighs on us, and that means weight can actually and literally be put on us, LOL. So many people are fat-shaming those with Covid-19 or those who need vaccines and boosters first or those who are being prioritized in healthcare. Weight and metabolic disorders are not solely the fault of the person; it's really difficult to maintain weight when insomnia, hereditary factors, certain medications, stress, trauma, and certain mental health disorders increases insulin resistance, metabolic disorders, and weight gain. The Obesity Code book describes all the possible etiologies of weight gain and obesity, and how it's really difficult to keep the weight off. It's also difficult to do any diet when the issue concerning mental health, pills, and insomnia all compete with the diets and exercise (if you're not physically disabled) thought to help manage weight (they only help with weight in the short-term, but not in the long-term, which is why people keep gaining the weight back).

We should not shame ourselves, even if society shames us, for our weight. We should see what small steps we can do to maintain a healthier lifestyle, and to still enjoy the pleasures of life in moderation. That's what the Obesity Code book states, too. It states that you can still eat cake and what not, but only reserve that for special occasions, like maybe four or so times out of the year, give or take. The Obesity Code book also states many other helpful things.

Some doctors have alternatives to the Obesity Code book, since it is somewhat controversial. So you can pick and choose the diet book or weight management book that is best for you.

You can ask your primary care doctor for starters, but you can also ask your therapist (if you have one). They might be able to offer some help with weight management.

As far as going out a lot, it's whatever your risk tolerance is. My risk tolerance is really low, so I don't go anywhere. Others, for whatever reasons (health or psychological) have higher risk tolerances during a pandemic. But if it is causing you financial and/or physiological and/or psychological distress, then you can find other solutions like learning how to cook good meals at home and then sharing them via Zoom or with a trusted "safety pod" of vaccinated persons, for example. You can also do Zoom exercises or stretches or yoga with others, while going for walks, if your health allows. If you're disabled or have pain issues or have fatigue issues, then ask your doctor what you can do to pace yourself with food and exercise.

The pandemic is stressful and traumatic. It's also longer than we had expected, and it might turn into this new norm of a prolonged endemic, sadly. It's therefore no wonder why people are turning to whatever coping skills they find to help soothe them from all these stressors and traumas. They might not be the best coping skills, but it's understandable why we are all finding different things to cope with these stressful times.
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