People are split into two categories: those who got all muscular and lean during the pandemic, and those who went the opposite way. There are many reasons why the lockdowns and the whole situation pushed us either way. In this article, we are going to explain how the virus affected millions without affecting them in a direct way, and why next time it might be smarter for governments to promote going out and exercising instead of staying home.
While it’s certain that the virus has been extremely dangerous and even lethal for thousands of people, others not so much. The academic world is arguing right now that the lockdowns, particularly the most restrictive ones, did more harm than good. Staying inside your living area can be quite comfortable on a few rainy cold days, but doing so for months on end can severely damage your physical and mental health.
So Why Did We Get Fat?
Even if you weren’t really committed to exercising on a regular basis, you were probably moving to and from your workplace, walking from your favorite coffee shop, or even shopping in a mall. All of these can add up, and steps can play a big role in maintaining an adequate basic level of fitness, and also help you burn a bunch of calories you wouldn’t sitting at home or driving a car.
When we got locked up, the only place you could walk (legally) turned out to be your housing place. If you were lucky to have a dog, well, you had a bit more leeway. Still, with the way we live our lives, a lot of our movement is tied to socializing, work, and other things we were lacking during corona. Many people lost access to gym equipment, their favorite pool, or the ability to ride a bike outside. Whatever was your favorite way to exercise, unless you had a home gym, was severely cut by forces outside of your control.
Not only was exercise impaired heavily, but you also didn’t have the option of restoring your activity levels for various reasons. First, most home exercise equipment, such as treadmills, exercise bikes, dumbbells and were quickly sold out, and every that was later put back to the market skyrocketed in price. The least they went for was TWICE pre-pandemic price, although it’s not uncommon for you to six fifth or sixth fold increases. Adding that with the fact that so many people lost jobs or had their salaries cut, they just weren’t affordable anymore.
Eating Was Not Normal
Nothing was quite normal about the pandemic, including our eating habits. And our diet is what mostly contributes to weight gain or weight loss. There are a multitude of factors that disordered how we usually eat. First, we were now stuck at home. That means there is an endless array of foods to eat, sitting there lucratively in your kitchen pantry. Heading there and having a high-calorie snack is way easier and convenient than on a work meeting.
While stuck at home, many people had to deal with negative emotions such as anxiety, boredom, or feeling blue. And these are already bad enough without a pandemic, and its effect got multi-fold with the governments telling us that a deadly virus is always in the air. Food is a comfortable thing for a good percentage of the population and is an unhealthy coping mechanism most times.
Eating away your worries only works for a very short time, and what do you do next? Did you eat every time you were feeling a bit bored at home? These two are already good enough reasons to supply you with an excess of energy, which with time will turn into fat stores over time.
Why Some Folks Had It Better
A good example of this is a comparison between two vastly different nations. American citizens and Japanese are so different, the obesity crisis is almost nonexistent in the Far East County, but is raging the loudest the States, with up to 40% now of the population now being considered obese by medical standards.
So why are the Japanese so drastically better? Their culture isn’t that food-focused, and that doesn’t mean that they don’t eat tasty food or don’t eat out at restaurants. Simply put, their eating habits are way different. They don’t drink as many sugary drinks, eat smaller portions, and healthier foods in general. Culturally, they care more about their overall wellbeing and physical fitness. If you’d like to learn more about Japanese diet visit luralura.com. It has plenty of practical tips you can apply to your life today.
Closing Thoughts
We know we can do better than this. And with the majority of countries in the world predicting new lockdowns all the way through 2021, we have to be better prepared for them. We can’t afford to lose our health as the years go by. There are plenty of online resources that can help you equip yourself with proper knowledge and education, and we recommend starting out with governmental guidelines such as those by the NHS.