Like the egocentric beast that it is, the fitness industry has somehow spun a pandemic around to be an issue about weight gain.
I’m talking about the “Covid 15” that is making its way across social media channels, reminding people to be careful or they’ll be packing on extra weight during this time of social distancing.
Before you misconstrue what I’m saying - I don’t believe that gaining 50lbs in a month is a healthy choice. I DO believe that healthy eating not only benefits our physical body, but also our mental health by way of regulating mood and hormones.
But… BUT...
Now is NOT the time to be shaming people for their food choices.
Now is NOT the time to be imposing stricter food rules, or labelling foods as good or bad.
Now is NOT the time to tell people to pull out the scale to make sure they aren’t “letting themselves slip.”
Here’s the thing, Fitness Industry, Covid is NOT about you. There are such bigger issues going on around the world than gaining a few pounds, and to indicate this should be people’s worry right now, is straight up ignorant and an asshole move.
Making it a big deal that people are snacking more, baking, eating comfort food, and perhaps *gasp* gaining a few pounds is pushing aside much bigger issues right now.
For many, emotional eating is a way to deal with stress. Is this the BEST way to deal with stress? Perhaps not. But it is FAR from the worst. Alcohol. Drugs. Abuse. Last week I cried over my kitchen sink after reading that in Texas two preschoolers died of their injuries from domestic abuse. The hospitals said they were seeing as many cases in a week as they normally see in a month - their guess? Children are all at home, and many parents are also at home and under increased stress and pressure.
I also don’t see the fitness industry calling out people who are losing weight. While some increase their intake with emotional snacking, others lose their appetite. Why isn’t the fitness industry addressing the health needs of these people as well? Oh, right, because only gaining weight is a sign of bad health. (Sarcasm, if you don’t know me).
Another reason people may gain weight during this time, is the huge lose of wages hitting households right now. If you’re trying to feed a household of children and adults, guess what’s cheaper - fresh chicken and vegetables, or a deal from a fast food restaurant that feeds a family of 5. Are you really going to look those families in the face and tell them to be careful not to gain any weight right now?
How about all the people who’ve spent months or years to lower their food and diet obsession, moving away from a life of counting calories and obsessively exercising to “earn their food”. And you’re telling them to watch the scale, because food is their comfort right now as they watch the world shift in ways out of their control?
If you are finding you’re snacking more than you want to be, and it really isn’t helping you in any way - mentally, physically, or socially - here are some productive things to do instead that will also help the greater good:
Buy all the snacks, but instead of taking them home, donate them to the food bank. Families have lost their income overnight, pushing many who were on the edge of needing assistance prior to the pandemic firmly into the camp of those who will be seeking help for the basic necessity of food.
Don’t buy any snacks, and instead take that money saved and use it to get delivery or take-out from a locally owned restaurant. Help out your city’s entrepreneurs, who are trying to keep people employed, and feed their own families.
Don’t buy any snacks, and instead take that money saved and give it to an organization like Brown Bagging for Kids. For a lot of kids, going to school meant at least one guaranteed meal a day. Without school, a lot of kids’ parents are struggling to provide them with meals.
If you are a fitness pro, rather than offering free everything right now, why not set yourself apart and charge a nominal fee of $2-$5 per participant per online workout and direct 100% of the funds back into feeding those who need it most.
And if you still want to eat cake for breakfast, lasagna as a mid-morning snack, and make your 17th batch of muffins - do it. But do it with kindness to yourself. No guilt. No shaming. No “I shouldn’t be” or “now I need to work out.” Eat because you want to. Move because you want to, and because you can. And tell the diet industry, once again, to GF itself.