Lockdown is over and it’s time to put down the crisps and put on the trainers. Me? I’ll be diving in
Iconic cookery writer Julia Child once famously quipped, “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”
While I would ordinarily agree that all food – the good, the bad and the ugly yet delicious – should be enjoyed in moderation, it seems too many of us have used the pandemic as an excuse to enjoy more comforting calories, resulting in expanding waistlines and elastic waistbands.
According to a new Yougov survey, commissioned by the British Liver Trust, 48% of Scots have gained weight since the first national lockdown began, with one third admitting to eating more sugary and processed foods in the months since, and 27% drinking more alcohol. South of the border, Public Health England also found last month that 40% of adults have gained an average of half a stone during the same period.
Well, those statistics are hardly surprising are they?
I don’t know about you, but with more time on my hands and more hours spent at home, I’ve definitely reached for the biscuit tin more often. After all, who can drink a cup of tea or coffee without a choccy digestive (or three) for dunking?
Although I’ve never been one to weigh myself (I don’t think it’s healthy to obsess over an arbitrary number) I do know I’ve put on a few pounds over the past 18 months, especially around my stomach, which I’m blaming on an increased intake of white wine in the evenings. Not to mention an abundance of my usual treats of choice, Terry’s chocolate orange bars and Kettle Chips.
I always know when I’m carrying extra weight by whether my clothes fit but because I’ve been living in more relaxed and looser clothing those pesky pounds have crept up without me noticing quite so quickly. In my normal working life I’m usually on the move all week,
dashing between flights, meetings and on-court workshops, so the combination of being more static (AKA lying on the sofa watching Netflix) and less active has meant I’m not as fit as I once was.
And while it’s normal for our weight to fluctuate, we don’t often think of the internal consequences of a bout of unhealthy eating.
The same research from the British Liver Trust warned that our lockdown eating habits could lead to an increase in non-alcoholrelated fatty liver disease, and it’s estimated one in three people in the UK already has the early stages of the condition, which is rather worrying to say the least.
So, what can we do to reverse the pandemic pounds? Well, it’ll come as no surprise that I think now is the perfect opportunity to find a new sport or leisure activity that sparks a passion for keeping fit.
Over the past 18 months, so many of us have found a new appreciation for the great outdoors and with restrictions continuing to ease – not to mention the beautiful summer sun we’ve been having and the Olympics on telly – there’s never been a better time to ditch those tempting treats, lace up your trainers, dig out your sports equipment or reacquaint yourself with a swimsuit.
My friend has been nagging me to try wild swimming with her. Yes really. So, I think I’m going to give it a go – “it’s fine once you get in”, apparently. There’s a sport out there for everyone, and the key is to find something you enjoy. Plus, just think, after a few hours of exercise, you can justify that extra biscuit.