It doesn’t take a whole lot to make me happy. I don’t want to be rich and famous. But I do want to be in control of my weight. That’s what comes from being a hospital dietitian for so long. But stepping on the scales after the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns was a downer. I don’t have unrealistic goals. What I weighed at 25 and even 55 is not going to happen again. In fact, elderly women who are slightly overweight have longer life expectancies. So who wants to look like Jane Fonda? I’m okay with being at the far end of a normal BMI (body mass index), and have kept my weight about the same for many years—until the end of March , 2021. But today, I had to celebrate, just in time for the 4th of July. Hooray! Back to pre-pandemic weight.
How did I gain weight last year? We fixed the same types of food—lots of salads and weight watcher type frozen dinners. And we didn’t eat in a restaurant for over a year. However, we did more carry out, which often had a side order of French fries. Who can resist hot, steamy, fragrant French fries when they’re sitting right in front of you? But more importantly, I didn’t get nearly as much exercise. My frequent shopping trips were condensed to once a week. Daily walks had to be outside, and were often canceled by rain, sleet, snow, and extreme heat. The lesson to be learned here isn’t new. If you want to lose weight, eat less, exercise more.
But the pandemic didn’t affect everyone the same way. In fact, at groups and gatherings, I’ve noticed that some people actually lost weight. I don’t know how they did that, but I’m thinking they didn’t eat out as often, and don’t really like to cook. Or maybe they invested in some type of home exercise machine. Good for them! I’m hoping they weren’t depressed, which could have affected their appetite and resulted in weight loss. But it’s possible.