It's not About Perfection: Eating in Quarantine
Before you start reading this post, I want to say that I have adjusted well to quarantine now, but I really struggled at the outset of shelter in place. The Illinois stay at home/shelter in place order hit right before we went onto spring break for the law school. I am someone who thrives on routine, and going into a week of no routine and structure combined with the unescapable fact that this order meant things were getting serious was tough. I adjusted, and I am wanting to share what worked for me in the transition.
I have to confess; before going into quarantine I was trying to lose some weight that I had put on during my first semester of law school. I had lost a lot of strength and gained fat due to some health issues and being cooped up in bed or around the apartment, and I really felt like I was hitting my stride going back to the gym, making healthy food choices, and consciously being more active throughout my day. I was taking public transit (the nearest stops are not close to me) or just walking instead of calling a lyft to get places. Then COVID-19 hit and EVERYTHING started shutting down. School went online first, then the apartment amenities closed (including the tiny gym not much larger than my apartment living room that I would get to when I didn't have the energy to do the 30 minute walk to my actual gym), then the actual gym, and now many Chicago parks and trails. Oh, and of course, we are under a shelter in place order too, so I am at home in my itty bitty apartment rather than getting to go on the trip of a lifetime I had scheduled for my spring break.
While some people have the reaction to eat more when they are stressed, that isn't the case for me. I shut down, including my appetite. For me, it isn't just that I don't get hungry, most food becomes repulsive. I am talking from favorite food to "ew I cannot eat that". So, I had to figure out ways to trick myself into eating the right amount of food. For me, this meant transitioning what I considered to be staples in my pantry and fridge.
My previous goal when I was eating was to eat incredibly lean/low calorie, so that I could eat a high volume of food. This meant that I essentially ate almost no processed food, with the exception of things I baked myself or my favorite crackers, and if I did buy bread, it was freshly baked and more of a treat than a staple. Some people refer to this as the "mediterranean diet", rich in protein, moderate amounts of healthy fat, almost no processed food, and lots of fruit and veggies. Going into quarantine and losing my appetite meant that I had to change that and fast. I needed to adjust my pantry staples so that I could pack in close to the right levels of nutrition eating less volume. The following swaps have really made a difference in my focus, mood, and insomnia. Food had much bigger effects than we often think it does!
1. 0% Greek Yogurt for Full Fat
0% Greek Yogurt has, and always will be a pantry (or rather refrigerator) staple for me. It is an excellent source of protein and calcium. Plus, it is a great, high-protein swap for sour cream, but only if you buy the plain stuff. However, swapping to full fat helps you get some extra calories and healthy fats. It's also less processed, so win win!
2. Adding fats to my fresh fruit and veggies
Fats are of the utmost importance for brain function. If you don't get enough, common symptoms include: brain fog, low immunity, dry skin, and even joint pain! That's actually how the super popular Keto diet started. Keto was developed for neurological patients as a way to get extra fat (i.e.: more than the average person required) in an effort to get their brain function to be more normal.
Some snacks I love eating to add extra fats include homemade hummus, store bought hummus, peanut butter, and almond butter. Hummus is great with carrots, celery, and even pretzels. Of course, if you have pita or pita chips around, that is great too! I also love eating apples with almond or peanut butter, and both are great on pretzels as well. Nut butter is also excellent on greek yogurt with some granola and fresh berries.
3. Chicken breasts swapped for thigh meat
Normally, I am in the chicken breast fan club. It's super lean, can be really flavorful if marinated correctly, and is an amazing source of protein. I mean . . . this stuff is basically pure protein. Although as my appetite waned, I needed to push in more calories and fats in each serving. Enter chicken thighs! Chicken thighs are juicy and flavorful on their own, but a good seasoning will really send them over the top. You can grill them (outside or in a pan), sauté them, or bake them. They are virtually impossible to mess up due to the higher fat content.
I have been using chicken thighs in soups a lot, or just grilling them up with a few different seasonings to use in different meals. Some of my favorites are: taco seasoning for fajita tacos, nachos, or taco salad; olive oil and herbs, grilled over noodles or rice pilaf with some balsamic glaze; or in fried rice. The possibilities are really endless. I know some people don't like chicken, but its mild flavor makes the meat a blank canvas, ready for any meal you can think of.
4. Swapping popcorn for foods like trail mix or roasted nuts
I love popcorn. It is so light and airy and one of my favorite snacks, but it doesn't offer much nutrition. Instead, I have been eating Costco trail mix or Blue Diamond wasabi almonds. These swaps get in much needed fat and protein, as well as magnesium which helps ward off headaches and boost immunity.
5. Cream cheese on toast instead of butter
I am a huge fan of cream cheese, and it is a great way to get a little more protein in during lockdown. I also love Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel seasoning. Everything bagels don't last very long, so I have been buying plain or just regular bread and smearing some cream cheese on, then topping with everything but the bagel seasoning. It's absolutely delicious.
6. Relaxing my rigid approach to eating (macros wise)
Remember the first few words of the title of this post? "It't not about perfection". While I was trying to lose weight before quarantine started (and tracking macros to do it), I noticed with a downtick in my appetite and food consumption came severe mood swings and focus problems. I think a large part of my stress response was being worried about gaining weight during quarantine. Ultimately, weight fluctuation is not worse than the mental stress I was under worrying about staying the exact same size and weight. Our bodies were build to put on extra reserves in a crisis; you aren't a bad or undisciplined or unhealthy person for this happening to you now. It is a biological response.
Since my initial response is to not eat, I decided to give myself a week of no tracking, just eat what sounds good and feels right for right now. I know for me this is a game about getting enough food down for the next week. My appetite will adjust accordingly, and then I can go back to tracking. Right now is not about perfection and weight loss. It is about having enough energy and focus to be able to do well in my school work, be "present" from afar for my friends, and be able to get outside and get what exercise I can. Everything else will fall in line if I make sure I have enough energy to do those things.
7. Imposing structure to eating (time wise)
The easiest way to make sure you're eating? Schedule it in your calendar. Try to keep your schedule consistent because it is good for your metabolism. I try to eat a little bit every 2-4 hours on a normal schedule. During quarantine, I am finding that breakfast, a snack around 10:30, lunch at noon or 1pm, and dinner around 5 is enough. This also makes sure you are taking breaks from working at home.
I have to confess; before going into quarantine I was trying to lose some weight that I had put on during my first semester of law school. I had lost a lot of strength and gained fat due to some health issues and being cooped up in bed or around the apartment, and I really felt like I was hitting my stride going back to the gym, making healthy food choices, and consciously being more active throughout my day. I was taking public transit (the nearest stops are not close to me) or just walking instead of calling a lyft to get places. Then COVID-19 hit and EVERYTHING started shutting down. School went online first, then the apartment amenities closed (including the tiny gym not much larger than my apartment living room that I would get to when I didn't have the energy to do the 30 minute walk to my actual gym), then the actual gym, and now many Chicago parks and trails. Oh, and of course, we are under a shelter in place order too, so I am at home in my itty bitty apartment rather than getting to go on the trip of a lifetime I had scheduled for my spring break.
While some people have the reaction to eat more when they are stressed, that isn't the case for me. I shut down, including my appetite. For me, it isn't just that I don't get hungry, most food becomes repulsive. I am talking from favorite food to "ew I cannot eat that". So, I had to figure out ways to trick myself into eating the right amount of food. For me, this meant transitioning what I considered to be staples in my pantry and fridge.
My previous goal when I was eating was to eat incredibly lean/low calorie, so that I could eat a high volume of food. This meant that I essentially ate almost no processed food, with the exception of things I baked myself or my favorite crackers, and if I did buy bread, it was freshly baked and more of a treat than a staple. Some people refer to this as the "mediterranean diet", rich in protein, moderate amounts of healthy fat, almost no processed food, and lots of fruit and veggies. Going into quarantine and losing my appetite meant that I had to change that and fast. I needed to adjust my pantry staples so that I could pack in close to the right levels of nutrition eating less volume. The following swaps have really made a difference in my focus, mood, and insomnia. Food had much bigger effects than we often think it does!
1. 0% Greek Yogurt for Full Fat
0% Greek Yogurt has, and always will be a pantry (or rather refrigerator) staple for me. It is an excellent source of protein and calcium. Plus, it is a great, high-protein swap for sour cream, but only if you buy the plain stuff. However, swapping to full fat helps you get some extra calories and healthy fats. It's also less processed, so win win!
2. Adding fats to my fresh fruit and veggies
Fats are of the utmost importance for brain function. If you don't get enough, common symptoms include: brain fog, low immunity, dry skin, and even joint pain! That's actually how the super popular Keto diet started. Keto was developed for neurological patients as a way to get extra fat (i.e.: more than the average person required) in an effort to get their brain function to be more normal.
Some snacks I love eating to add extra fats include homemade hummus, store bought hummus, peanut butter, and almond butter. Hummus is great with carrots, celery, and even pretzels. Of course, if you have pita or pita chips around, that is great too! I also love eating apples with almond or peanut butter, and both are great on pretzels as well. Nut butter is also excellent on greek yogurt with some granola and fresh berries.
3. Chicken breasts swapped for thigh meat
Normally, I am in the chicken breast fan club. It's super lean, can be really flavorful if marinated correctly, and is an amazing source of protein. I mean . . . this stuff is basically pure protein. Although as my appetite waned, I needed to push in more calories and fats in each serving. Enter chicken thighs! Chicken thighs are juicy and flavorful on their own, but a good seasoning will really send them over the top. You can grill them (outside or in a pan), sauté them, or bake them. They are virtually impossible to mess up due to the higher fat content.
I have been using chicken thighs in soups a lot, or just grilling them up with a few different seasonings to use in different meals. Some of my favorites are: taco seasoning for fajita tacos, nachos, or taco salad; olive oil and herbs, grilled over noodles or rice pilaf with some balsamic glaze; or in fried rice. The possibilities are really endless. I know some people don't like chicken, but its mild flavor makes the meat a blank canvas, ready for any meal you can think of.
4. Swapping popcorn for foods like trail mix or roasted nuts
I love popcorn. It is so light and airy and one of my favorite snacks, but it doesn't offer much nutrition. Instead, I have been eating Costco trail mix or Blue Diamond wasabi almonds. These swaps get in much needed fat and protein, as well as magnesium which helps ward off headaches and boost immunity.
5. Cream cheese on toast instead of butter
I am a huge fan of cream cheese, and it is a great way to get a little more protein in during lockdown. I also love Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel seasoning. Everything bagels don't last very long, so I have been buying plain or just regular bread and smearing some cream cheese on, then topping with everything but the bagel seasoning. It's absolutely delicious.
6. Relaxing my rigid approach to eating (macros wise)
Remember the first few words of the title of this post? "It't not about perfection". While I was trying to lose weight before quarantine started (and tracking macros to do it), I noticed with a downtick in my appetite and food consumption came severe mood swings and focus problems. I think a large part of my stress response was being worried about gaining weight during quarantine. Ultimately, weight fluctuation is not worse than the mental stress I was under worrying about staying the exact same size and weight. Our bodies were build to put on extra reserves in a crisis; you aren't a bad or undisciplined or unhealthy person for this happening to you now. It is a biological response.
Since my initial response is to not eat, I decided to give myself a week of no tracking, just eat what sounds good and feels right for right now. I know for me this is a game about getting enough food down for the next week. My appetite will adjust accordingly, and then I can go back to tracking. Right now is not about perfection and weight loss. It is about having enough energy and focus to be able to do well in my school work, be "present" from afar for my friends, and be able to get outside and get what exercise I can. Everything else will fall in line if I make sure I have enough energy to do those things.
7. Imposing structure to eating (time wise)
The easiest way to make sure you're eating? Schedule it in your calendar. Try to keep your schedule consistent because it is good for your metabolism. I try to eat a little bit every 2-4 hours on a normal schedule. During quarantine, I am finding that breakfast, a snack around 10:30, lunch at noon or 1pm, and dinner around 5 is enough. This also makes sure you are taking breaks from working at home.
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